The photos made me think how one human being could lynch another. What would be a good reason to kill another human being regardless of race. I'm sure not all those people really believed what they were doing was right. Look at the facial expressions on the observers faces. I wonder how long they prayed or cried after seeing the lynchings. I have that much faith in people. How many of them wished they could have prevented these events?
I wish I could prevent hunger, war, and abuse.
What do you think of the photos?

Faye,
I found those photos very repulsive. I cannot imagine seeing a lyching in real life or being a part of one. I think that it is a sad part of our history, and although we don't use hanging we use guns and knives, I think it is a sad part of our present. To me, human life is sacred, and I, as one person, do not have the right to take it away. If more people felt that way, I think the murder rate would go down.

Faye, I felt the same way. I could hardly believe that this was accepted back then. How sad for humanity. I can still picture the woman hanging over the bridge.

Mobs are very powerful. I recently saw the "Passion of Christ" and I really saw how an angry mob filled with hatred and fear can get their way even though there may be people standing by that are helpless to do anything about the situation even though they know it is not right.

People, who fear that they are going to have to share priveleges can get selfish and this can lead to killing of innocent people. I would definitely label these people the "Takers," as well as murderers.

Angry mob or not, I know that I could never watch these events. I could not even watch if it were someone I truly hated. What always astounds me is the number of women that you sometimes see in photos. It may have been Horton's class, but I remember seeing an unusual number of female observers in a few pictures. I kept thinking to myself, "What kind of woman could stand silently, choosing to be a witness, much less a participate, to this?"
I have not seen The Passion yet. I have very mixed feelings. My husband really wants to see it - for now I've told him to find a friend to go with him. Even at the encouragement of my pastor, I haven't gotten the courage up to go. I know myself. Things like that stay with me a long, long time. I have disturbing dreams and such so I choose not to subject myself. The 5:00 news is bad enough for me.

I had a hard time with the photos as well. It's difficult for me to believe that someone could do something of this sort. There is no way I could stand by and observe this going on. I just don't understand. I guess it's a good thing I wasn't around during those times.

I am absolutely mortified and outraged by the fact that pictures of the lynchings were sold as postcards! Were people that immoral back then or were they afraid to go against the mob? Why didn't those that thought it was wrong ban together? And to think that children witnessed the lynchings. Talk about scarring a child for life!

The crowds of people just standing around is what irritates me. Do they not have a concious? From personal expereince, I was in the Bahamas, and three of my friends and I were walking in our hotel lobby and there were locals walking behind us. When another local approached us, the guys jumped him and stabbed him to death right there in front of us. We were the only people in the lobby at the time of this murder, scared to death we went running. This vivid image stays with me all the time now, I can still draw you a picture of the guys and what each of them were wearing, down to the facial hair! I can not imagine watching a murder take place time after time and it not effecting my life.

I have the same feelings as everyone elese. I found the pictures gruesome. I could not be a spectator and watch this type of cruelty.

Renee