An element that really struck me in the video was Emmett Till's mother's decision to have an open casket at Till's funeral. I thought it was a very bold and necessary move that showed the true brutality of Till's murder. Till's mother's bravery is amazing, and it is clear that she is unafraid of backlash from this decision. It must have made the funeral so much harder for her, to see her son's distorted features, but this was why it was so important. The world needed to see it. Everyone needed to see it, otherwise the murder would not have had as near of an impact. When people see something horrible, instead of just hearing about it, it really hits home. The open casket brought the murder into the forefront of people's minds, and even wider national attention.
Besides the historical significance, I thought that the decision was a very brave choice by a suffering mother. Not only had her son's life been taken, but the memory of him will be forever distorted because of the physical damage to his body. Yet, she went through with an open casket. She knew that, despite the immediate emotional toll on her, that the open casket would do something for the greater good. It was a mother's last testament to make the legacy of her son live on, a truly touching sentiment.
No comments:
Post a Comment