So, after watching that movie, I left class wired up about it. I mean, how in the hell could anyone do that to such a young boy, regardless of the color of his skin. These were grown adults that did this. I understand that race was a huge issue during this time with whites looking down on blacks. But a whistle? Come on, thats ridiculous. These guys confessed in a magazine that they committed the crime and now nothing is being done about it? Something should have been done about it after they confessed to it. I agree with what Jennifer said in class about the reopening really showing how shitty our government is today. We are supposted to be a country that fights for equality and justice, but boy we have odd ways of showing it. Emmett Till deserves to have these people be punished for the harsh ways they treated him. He was a young boy that lost his life in a very tragic way because some white guys didnt like that he whistled at their wife. What if that happened today? I know that boyfriend wouldnt go kill another guy, especially in that way, just because they whistled at me! What are everyone else's thoughts about what happened?

I agree with you Ashley. It really bothers me also that a 14 year old boy was brutally tortured and beaten just because he whistled at someone. What really bothers me though is that in the movie they said the supporters of these two guys were given them high fives. This is awful. How could this have even remotely been considered acceptable in society, but the sad thing is that it was acceptable. Also, it was mortifying to me that his body and face was exposed all over the media, even still today. Also, what is interesting is that it is almost like the news and government try and keep these things from the people in America. I, like others in the class, had never even heard of this tragedy until this class. The government tries to keep things from people to make it seem like they are really great, but are they? Anyways, the whole situation is pretty sad and even worse that the FBI is still not trying to convict people for being involved in the murder of this young boy.

I have to say that I too was extremely disturbed by the Emmett Till story. I remember when I first heard the story, I decided to do some research online about it and the pictures were awful. The fact that his mother wanted his coffin open so that people could see what they did to him spoke volumes to me.

The fact that these men were so brutal just affirms that there is pure evil out there in the world. It's hard for me to imagine how anyone could be so evil, so brutal, so disgusting, and still be human. Regardless of his color of skin, you wouldn't even do this to an animal.

That poor boy. I just felt so sorry for his mother.

This is a story that needs to be told and retold in history classrooms because it's a prime example of racist hatred, and it would show and teach the students the true meanings of racial hatred, how awful it is, and the consequences that came from it.

The murder of Emmett Till is a story that I will remember for the rest of my life. I cry everytime I think about his beaten, mingled body being dragged on the back of a truck which was only the beginning of the cruel beating he was given. The bullet that pierced from one side of his head to the other, and the fan that held his young body at the bottom of the river for days...these are all images sketched in my mind.
I'm very thankful Dr.Turner chose to show the film in class yesterday. It was extremly hard to watch, but it was also a simple reminder. A reminder of two things. As I sat with tears welling in my eyes, I thought about the people still alive who participated in the killing of Emmett. The ones that are still living, breathing, and walking even today, fifty one years later and have still not been punished. I am angry. It reminds me of just how unfair and misconstrued our justice system is. I would even go as far as to say, how messed up this world and the people in it are. It also reminded me of the progress our country as made. There is still racism everywhere, but the chances of black men being beaten and killed after whistling at a white woman is just not seen. I am so thankful for that. I hate to sound so pessimistic, but this world is just so screwed up. I am thankful for my life, and for the history that came before me, but i am saddened and angered that this kind of action ever went on. I cant just excuse it and say, well it dosent happen now so its all good. NO. It did happen, it is part of history, and even with the vast improvements in our society, history still remains. It happened and it can never be taken back.

The whole situation seriously just breaks my heart.