Without Fear or Shame Essay Example for Free

Without Fear or Shame EssayJames W. Clarke, powerfully deliberates the lynching epidemic of the tensioned south during the late nineteenth century amidst the white supremacies and the in the buffly liberated blacks. Clarke explains that, Before emancipation, lynching was primarily a frontier phenomenon that occurred when sheriffs, judges, juries, and jails were far removed by space and date from wrongdoing and a demand for swift retri barelyion.(271) Although lynching was not new to the south, it was becoming a new symbolization of racial oppression. Clarke also states that the targets for lynching were the freed black men as oppose to those who were still enslaved. Slaves were real much protected by the owners and seen as valuable investments. Although many argue that lynching was an act of punishment for wrongdoings, in actuality it was mostly used as an excuse for racial injustice. To add credibility to this argument, Clarke uses several graphs and charts from the segme nt of Records and Research of Tuskeegee, Southern newspapers, student of Fisk University narratives, recordings, photographs, and criminal cases, among more.There were many recorded lynchings throughout the south and til now more continued. One man by the name of Sam Hose was lynched in Palmetto, Georgia for openly admitting to killing his employer over an argument on his wages. Hose was slowly burned to death after having his fingers, toes and mother tongue amputated. Public interest was so aroused that special excursion trains were scheduled to carry curious spectators from Atlanta. (269) other black man named Henry Lowery was also burned to death for shooting and killing his employer and the employers lady friend due to an argument over wages he owed him. Clarke cites a reporter from the Memphis Press whom had attended the font and said that, more than 500 persons stood by and looked on while the negro was slowly burned to a crisp. (270) these were among the many lynchings th at occurred throughout this era.Clarke also cites Rapers The Tragedy of Lynching as he researches the lynchings of the 1930s and concludes that, lynching was an angry response to difficult economic circumstances that produced frustration and aggravated competition amongst black and white labourers. (272) Other theories consisted of whites feeling threatened by blacks and used aggression to defend themselves, but of course these are only theories and there still arent consistent explanations for these actions. After the restoration of stats rights in 1877 the violence only got worse and the Ku Klux Klan hoods were exchanged for police uniforms, making it a lot easier to seem threatening.Those in fear now were the black males born after emancipations. These black youngsters approached manhood treated as predators, beasts no white man needed a license to hunt. Explains Clark (278) This article gave me great understanding of what the violence in the south between whites and blacks was really like. What really caught my attention were the burning of the black men and how white peck would actually find curiosity out of someone elses misery. The indifference of the law was also a main concern, since it is clear that the majority ruled. Also, knowing now that there is no biological difference between races makes me wonder if things would have been differently if the people had known that earlier.