Welcome to Gaia! :: View User's Journal | Gaia Journals

The Cause and Effect


Emmett Till, a 14 year old black boy from Chicago. Who knew two worlds that aren’t that far from each could be so different. For not being able understand the other world, the punishment was death by the wrongs hands.
In today’s society almost every body knows about Emmett Till and what had happened in the store that day. The stunt he pulled on Carolyn Bryant. Pretty sure you know about the civil rights movement. Emmett’s mother thought the death of Emmett was the birth of the civil rights movement. That his death made people really wake up and smell the dieing roses. Emmett’s death was like oil easing up the wheels on society. If you think about Emmett’s death in a different way life could be different today. The reason he was in front page news in the 50’s was because of that stunt he pulled. If Emmett Till never whistled at the white woman and he was never cocky. His name never would have been mentioned in class rooms today. If he didn’t whistle he would still be alive. If he didn’t whistle they would have lived a happy life. Their deaths wouldn’t be well known or important. If he never pulled that stunt the civil rights would have come much later. It would still come because its unavoidable, just slower in the past.
After thinking about that, ask your self something. What was the impact of Emmett Tills death on you? Imagine the impact on his mother. Think about the impact of his death on society back then and now.
Let’s say you are hearing about Emmett Till for the first time. They are in Mississippi when he is seen whistling at a white woman. Then a few days later you hear he’s missing and he’s been kidnapped. Two days later they find him in the Tallahatchie River. They can barely recognize the beat up and shot body. The only way to confirm it was him was the ring he was wearing. First you might think, “Wow he was killed just because he whistled at someone?” An 8 year old boy or girl might think the same thing.
The impacts on Mamie Till well, think about it. No husband but left with a son. You could already imagine the pain of losing the man you loved who is now dead. Then less than 20 years later you lose your son. The son you have loved and taken care of for his entire life is now gone. The millions and millions of tears she shed. Dreaming about her son, hoping she could hold him in her arms again. Reaching out and only feeling the cold air with a sweaty hand. Crying so much death seems almost welcome.
The impact on America was both good and bad. At least that’s what I think. Bad could mean creating more anger in the hearts of people who still don’t believe races can get along. Good could mean people will change there ways, rethink every thing or lean from the past and make a better future. I could ask any one about Emmett Till’s death and ask about their opinions on the impact on America. There opinion would be very close to the answers I put.