The young boy’s face in the coffin shocked even some of the most hardened amogng the viewers, but his mother wanted the world to see what had been done to her son Emmett. Carolyn Bryant Donham, the woman who had accused young Emmet of whistling at her, resulting in the brutal murder, died Tuesday at the age of 88.
Memory plays tricks on us, and in 2008, Donhom said she was unaware of what would happen to Till. Her then husband Roy Bryant and his half-brother J.W. Milam were charged and arrested but an all-white jury acquitted them of the murder; they later stated that they had killed the boy, who was only 14 years old.
It was another time, to be sure, but as we see attempts at voter suppression and anger over remembering times past, we have to wonder if that much has really changed. Now, instead of the KKK, we have groups like Moms for Liberty and the Proud Boys wanting to turn back the clock. As Christians, we cannot revert to dark times but must continue to work for justice and equality.
Prayer for the Day
Searching for the light, O God, often we find only shadows,
Failing to do the good we mean to do we acquiesce to evil;
Knowing we fall short of our goals and your promise,
We come to you in contrition and ask forgiveness.
Move us from hopelessness to determination
So we live life more fully as you intended.
In the name of him who came to bring us new life,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Thoughts for the Day
We recognize the misshapen offspring of tragedy while growing blind to the events that had giving birth to it in the first place.
- Ayşegül Savaş, Turkish born American writer
Nothing makes me more nervous than people who say, ‘It can’t happen here.’ Anything can happen anywhere, given the right circumstances.
- Margaret Atwood, novelist
Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me!
“Come,” my heart says, “seek God’s face!” Your face, O Lord, do I seek.
Do not hide your face from me.
Do not turn your servant away in anger, you who have been my help.
Do not cast me off, do not forsake me, O God of my salvation!
Psalm 27: 7-9