on the daily we are learning, things we never knew existed; facts, history, tragedy. and each day we are further educated, given knowledge transferred to understanding, transformed to love and acceptance. that is for most and as it should be.
for those who may not know (truth, i learned just a short time ago) is the story of EMMETT TILL. a most disturbing and heartbreaking attack. a reminder of the hatred manifested and spread in this country. land of the free. home of the brave. just a note: hatred is cowardice.
EMMETT TILL was just a young African American 14-year-old boy falsely accused by a white woman of inappropriate looks and advances; alleged whistling, which later she expressed did not happen. in 1955, EMMETT was brutally murdered by two white men upon a family visit in rural Mississippi. Chicago born, Till was kidnapped, and beaten to unrecognizable death by the men. Lynched, his eye was gouged out, and he was shot in the head before being dumped into the Tallahatchie River.
his parents, Mamie and Louis Till decided upon an open casket. a reminder to all of the cruel atrocity done to an innocent soul.
fast forward to present day. a memorial to EMMETT TILL was made in Mississippi. As of recent, three college students of KAPPA ALPHA posed and posted a disturbing photo of themselves proudly standing next to EMMETT TILL’S memorial, guns in hands. the repercussions?
the fraternity did as they should. suspension from their fraternity. Jesse Lyons, assistant executive director of the Kappa Alpha Order’s national office in Lexington, Virginia states, “The making of the photo was unrelated to any event or activity of the chapter. It is inappropriate, insensitive, and unacceptable. It does not represent our Kappa Alpha Order.” Yet OLE MISS (Mississippi University) took no action of suspension but apparently according to NPR have asked the FBI to investigate these three students. having noted this, why not suspend them from school? that lack of action, communicates a message of negligence and that it is ok to defile, disrespect and in fact celebrate and continuously support hatred. the DOJ has reopened this case. for all of you who wonder: YES RACISM EXISTS STILL. no one has served time for this crime. even though the two men were acquitted two hours post and then confessed.
Campus spokesman Rod Guajardo says while Ole Miss backs Kappa Alpha’s action, the university cannot take any additional action against the students. (OKAYYY)
“While the image is offensive, it did not present a violation of university code of conduct. It occurred off campus and was not part of a university-affiliated event,” according to a statement by Guajardo. (SAD)
“We support the actions made by the Kappa Alpha Order leadership in suspending the students involved, and we are aware that this decision is backed by its National Administrative Offices. We stand ready to assist the fraternity with educational opportunities for those members and the chapter.”
some news stations have blurred out their faces. here ya go.
we conquer hate with love only. knowledge and education. look towards soon to come a film about EMMETT TILL by TARAJI P. HENSEN, who will play mother to EMMETT by her production company, TPH Productions, directed by JOHN SINGLETON.
this is not okay. they should be held accountable and hopefully soon justice for this will rise. speak up when you can. silence only condemns the fault.
words | chaunielle brown
THE COCO LUXE OBSESSIONS 