Friday, February 3, 2012
RACC 2012 Blog Question 1
How courageous were Recy Taylor and Rosa Parks in trying to hold the rapists as well as the larger community accountable for their treatment of black women? Also was the black male leadership justified in using “respectability” as the basis for choosing which black women to defend in rape cases?
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Recy Taylor and Rosa Parks very courageous in their efforts to hold the rapists and the larger community accountable for their treatment of black women. Their efforts were not perfect but they got the job done in the scope of the big picture. Progress has to start somewhere and for many of the future acts of the Civil Rights Movement, the journey toward progress started with the acts of these women and many others like them.
ReplyDeleteThe ends do not always justify the means but I believe it would be a mistake to discount the efforts of people who were doing what they thought was best at the time. Hindsight is always 20/20 but I wasn't there and in the position of the decision makers of the time I might have done the same exact thing. In a perfect world, maybe they should have done something different. The fact still remains, however, that this is no perfect world.
Rosa Parks and Recy Taylor were very courageous in holding the community accountable. They stood up for what was right becouse no woman deserves to be taken advantage of and be dehunamanized. Although Recy was not the first and far from the last, it courageous to make a stand eventually. What they did sparked up many more cases. Women started to speak up for the brutality of having thier personal space invaded.
ReplyDeleteI think the men did choose "respectable" becouse even though they knew it was not right, they had to defend the ones that were considered more "harsh" to be able to more support and allow the case to be an "eye opener." I really believe that they wanted to help all of them,but in reality everyone can not be helped.
Recy Taylor and Rosa Parks showed great courage in trying to hold the rapists and the larger community accountable for their treatment of black women. They both stood up for women rights and showed that no woman should be treated in a wrongful manner. I feel that the black male leadership was justified in using respectability,
ReplyDeleteRecy Taylor and Rosa Parks were very courageous in holding the community accountable for the treatment of black women. Although their efforts were not perfect but they did enough to get the job done. They stood up for women rights. They wanted the. Community to know that women can not be treated any kind of way. I do feel that the black male leadership was justified in using respectability. They wanted to build the perfect case and had to use the right woman to build this case on so it would be successful
ReplyDeleteI think Recy Taylor and Rosa Parks were extremely courageous. They fought against a system which didn't not respect the rights of black women. Things could have been done different but they took a huge step for the rights of women.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't say the men were justified in how they chose the women but I think they did what would be politically effective. They had to choose the women who were the hardest to be slandered. What mattered most was who would have the best case. Tragically things like respectability matter to building a case. I think it's too easy to say that someone was right or wrong the world is not that black and white
I believe Recy Taylor and Rosa Parks were very courageous in holding not only the rapist but the community accountable for the treatment of black women.Parks and Taylor opened the door for so many women to be able to come up and speak about what was happening.Some may say the way that they got their voices heard was wrong but at that time it was the perfect thing to do .I feel that the leaders was justified in using respectability as basis in choosing women to defend the case because the courts was gonna try and find anything to justify why these women were raped.Leaders were making sure that they had solid cases with the women that they choose
ReplyDeleteRosa went out her way to Abbeville Al to start a movement defending African American women. Once Recy and Rosa started there movement it gave women the courage to take a stand in what they believed. African American women were treated as property to white men. The rape against Recy Taylor was forced upon by 6 white men and nothing was being done about it. Recy and Rosa both felt something should be done about the rape. Even though they told Recy she better not speak of the unlawful acts forced upon her, she still spoke up. By her and Rosa taking a stand that gave women hope of a more realistic world. even rape case could not be taken to court because the courts would find the smallest things to justify why they were raped. The leaders had to think real hard as to who they wanted the face to be they represented.They didnt want to represent a pregnant teenager in court, although they were wrongfully raped. They wanted to represent someone in court with no flaws.
ReplyDeleteIt is without question that Recy Taylor was courageous in trying to bring her assailants to justice. They even told her they would kill her if she told. Rosa Parks was also courageous by going out and trying to bring justice. I think however the author overstates the courageousness of both women, and all the women in her book in an attempt to prove her point. Women have been unfairly left out of the Civil Rights Movement and the only way to rectify that situation is show what really happened; men and women worked together, not just one or the other. Recy Taylor’s father, her husband, and her whole community were equally courageous. Rosa Parks also had other people working with her, the author should be completely fair to all involved. Furthermore, the NAACP leaders were perfectly justified in that age to carefully choose their witnesses carefully. If they defended every whore or prostitute that was raped they would have been labeled as defending those women exclusively. Black women were already thought of as sexual beasts and not women, so they had o factor this into their case selection. Rape is never justified, and it's unfortunate that that’s the way it was, but they did what was necessary.
ReplyDeleteRosa Parks and Recy Taylor were most definitely courageous and brave in their effors to hold the rapists accountable as well as the larger community for the wrongful treatment of women. Just as others have stated, progress had to start somewhere. Rosa used what she was taught from Edwards to fuel her ambition. I believe without her grandfather instilling the values of not putting up with mistreatment, that she would not have been so defiant against the community and the other rapists. The title of the first chapter signifies their courage because they told Recy that they would kill her if they told.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the men of the NAACP were right in their decision to take the "respectable" approach. It was all about how society viewed women and, in turn, who they supported. These women already had two factors against them; their race and their gender.
Rosa Parks and Recy Taylor stepped up as the proud women that they were, put their foots down, and held the community accountable for the mistreatment of women. They made a huge effort and took lots of heart to step foward in society and take a stand agaist something that had to be corrected. In terms of the black male leadersip using respectability as the basis for which women to defend in rape cases I think is acceptable. The ones who carried themselves well had the right to get defended well. But, for those who didnt didnt get the same type of defense from men.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, Racy Taylor and Rosa Parks were extremely courages in their attempt to find justice for black women that could not stand and speak up for themselves . They became the voice for the unspoken of similar situations . Despite this being extremely dangerous and life threatening, Racy Taylor and Rosa Parks took the initiative in fighting for the rights that were taken from them. I believe the men were right in choosing respectably who they chosed to defend in the rape cases. They could not just pick anyone, they had to strategize. They knew the court would favor whites . Had they decided to defend somebody who morally did wrong prior to the case , their chances of winning would have been slim to none.
ReplyDeleteRosa Parks and Recy Taylor were more than courageous when they held everyone accountable for Recy's rape and held everyone accountable for the way women were treated in general. They knew that someone had to stand up and be the voice of reason and the voice of change. A lot time damage occurs and everyone looks around the room to see who is going to take the blame well Rosa and Recy made that part easy by making sure that everyone knew they were accountable and that it was just as much the community's fault as it was the rapist. During that time period it had to be difficult for them to stand up for what they believed in but they did it anyway and they did it proudly. Even after being threatened Recy still told her story and I'm sure they empowered other women who had been scared to speak up as well. I feel like what good is a voice when it is mute. Sometimes it takes for someone to stand up and shout from the mountain tops what people don't even want whisper for change to take place, and for people to understand how real and serious things are.
ReplyDeleteCourage is the quality or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc. Recy Taylor and Rosa Parks stood up in a difficult time when the black voice had little or no power. By facing opposition they put themselves in great danger. They were fully aware of what harm and danger could be inflicted upon them. They were very courageous in there efforts trying to hold the rapists as well as the larger community accountable for their treatment of black women. I feel their leadership was justified because with anything you have to formulate a solid plan and use tactics that will grab the attention and in this case the tactics were the persons who could aid winning the case. During this time period,their ethnicity and gender were already strikes against them so respectability was the correct right to take
ReplyDeleteRosa Parks and Recy Taylor were courageous in their efforts to hold rapists and the community at large accountable. However, I do not believe they were the fist. Nonetheless, they exhausted all resources with there determination. Had they not done what they did I believe that they would have done there gender a disservice. In helping those women, they helped themselves. The court room was the battle grounds for the right of black women far and near. I do not believe that black men were justified in placing certain rape cases in the shadows on the basis of respectability. Respectability can and never will be deemed necessary for justification.
ReplyDeleteBetty Jean Owens, Rosa Lee Coates, and Recy Taylor, all victims of brutal sexual assaults at the hands of white men, are all women that would change the civil rights movement and ultimately fuel the fire that kept the boundaries of race and sex heated. Whether or not they received the decency at the hands of the courts to have their assailants put to justice, they displayed the upmost amount of courage when they chose to share their stories. Already been in danger while experiencing the rape, and then the fear of their assailants returning and maybe terrorizing them, they put it all aside in the hopes to better their community and country. Rosa Parks was of course brave, knowing that the odds and the laws were against them, she helped women especially Recy Taylor, to investigate and initiate a movement that helped protect the sanctity of African-American womanhood. Although some may disagree, I think that the leadership of the black males to use “respectability,” in choosing black women to defend in rape cases is accurate for the time period. No matter whom the girl, it is never her fault to get raped, but society didn’t see it like that during slavery, reconstruction, Jim Crow, and the civil rights movement. Black women from all walks of life were victimized on a daily basis by white men. So to bring a sense of justice to these woman, the black males played smart by giving the defense no cause what so ever to dismiss the case or be grilled for the jury to provide an unfair decision. It is not important to look at who they chose to defend, the thing that important is that they DID chose women, at which those women represented African American women as a whole.
ReplyDeleteRecy Taylor and Rosa Parks were extremely courageous in trying to hold parties accountable for these detestable acts. This bravery is shown when Rosa Parks has to flee small towns like Dothan were she is looked upon as an agitator. During a time were black women walking in groups or not coming out after a certain hour is normalcy, the act of defending one's womanhood was indeed a brave action. The respectable factor of the choice of defendents, although it is the type of politics that I despise, is what was needed for a chance at a victory. We later learned that Thurgood Marshall would use the same tactic for choosing his clients. We would like to think that a jury doesn't have biases but being that they are human we know the contrary. In these dyer cases there was no room for error and in this case I respect the methodological approach to ensuring the best shot possible.
ReplyDeleteTo all of you who conceded to the notion that the black male leadership was justified in using “respectability” in deciding which black women to defend in various rape and sexual assault cases I am extremely disappointed at the shallow and weak arguments put forward by African – American students especially the females. I think you have missed a critical point in Professor McGuire’s thesis, not only did white society victimize black women but the heralded black male leadership partnered consciously and unconsciously in subjugating black women to a “behind the scenes” inferior status. As you have correctly noted black women were courageous in refusing to be silent victims of white sexualized violence that is inter racial rape. It was black males who chose to over look the courageousness of these women who were willing to testify against white rapist (FYI Mr. Kenny G. they were not whores or prostitutes), and yet it is the black males who were not courageous enough to back them due to superficial blemishes in their personal lives. Ryanna and Whiquitta as Political Science majors and females your arguments supporting the black male leadership simply because of the times undermines and weakens the historic struggle of valiant black women like Harriet Tubman who refused to take a backseat for any man black or white. I would’ve expected you support the voice and struggle of our sisters yet your arguments sadly supports those who undermined the status of black women and the progress of the civil rights movement denying black women a deserved leadership role in that movement for over 50 years.
ReplyDeleteI believe that these women are very courageous for their actions. They are speaking for women everywhere,and women who have had something taken away from them. If women like this didn't come forward issues like this would never be addressed. Respectability is very justified to be used. These women are going through something that will probably affect them for the rest of their life. Respect is something that is needed for yourself and other, and clearly the men who rape women have no respect for themselves or for that woman.
ReplyDeleteBoth Recy Taylor and Rosa Parks were advocates ahead of their time. To me, the most prominent part of their advocacy was holding the entire community accountable for the rape. Although the actual crime of rape was committed by one person, if the community takes action to encourage resistance to one thing it becomes the norm. This is the precise case with Recy Taylor. Both Taylor and Parks held responsibility as utilitarian amongst the community members which encouraged other community members to become active as well, mainly the black male. The black male held a high esteem for the black woman and her respect. In comparison to today,this part of the book exhibits how black men are clear victims of disenfranchisement. To me, it clearly shows how the black male mass has digressed in their opportunity and aspiration to protect the black woman.
ReplyDeleteFirst, let me state that while I find the ideas of some of the previous commentators interesting and/or well-reasoned, I find many others rather simplistic and shallow--often simply rephrasing the question with little if any original thought or references to the book we're supposed to be discussing. As college students and Social Science majors, I challenge you to do better than that.
ReplyDeleteSecond, as a historian, I would suggest we need to place these questions in a historical perspective in order to understand how and why the participants acted as they did. I would agree that Recy Taylor and Rosa Parks displayed great courage, often more than was displayed by many black men. However, the book points out that there were courageous black men too such as Rufus Lewis and E.D. Nixon who fought segregation and racism in their own way--sometimes in alliance with black women and sometimes on their own. No one group had a monopoly on courage, and not all members of a group acted uniformly. However, courage is sometimes relative. While no one can deny women such as Recy Taylor ran very real dangers by testifying, it may also be true that black men may have run even bigger risks. Try counting the number of men the book mentions who were lynched, shot, or otherwise killed for resisting injustice or "stepping out of line." I don't know of any statistics on this off-hand, but it seem like the odds of them being killed were far greater than a black woman being killed--so how does one measure courage in such a situation?
The same is true about "respectability." We can criticize black leaders for not pursuing legal action against every rape case and only going after one's where they thought they had someone respectable who might be more likely to get a "fair trial." But does anyone remember what America was like in the 1950s and early 1960s? Respectability and social conformity was a powerful idea/force not only in the black community but America in general--and it had been for decades, going back at least to the 1920s. Being "loose" could discredit white women as well as black. In fact, having certain hair styles, wearing certain clothes (like pants), smoking and drinking, and a whole range of other behaviors was enough for women to lose their reputation. I'm not saying that made it right, but it was very real and living today we often forget that our values and practices are ours and not those of people in the past. We might also remember that just because they are our values does not necessarily make them correct or universal. 20, 50, or 100 years from now people may look at us and criticize us for what we think and do. (In fact, now that I think of it, you don't have to wait that long. Don't we hear some people already saying that black youth need to be more "respectable" about how they dress and act? Who's to say who's right.)
Hopefully, I've made some of you think about this a little more or a little differently. Or maybe I've made you mad enough to argue back--just make sure you can argue well!
In response to Ms. Rolandrea you would have raised a great point had you actually read what I wrote, instead of just responding to a segment out of context. I did not say that the women who defended themselves where whores or prostitutes, I said that the women the NAACP chose not to defend could have been whores or prostitutes, and the best decision was not to defend them. It is not a shallow, nor is it weak argument; in fact, it is one that is presented in both a historical context and directly out of the book. When confronted with the private investigators sent by Governor Sparks, the Sheriff of Abbeville claimed that Recy Taylor was a well-established whore in those parts. If the argument is so weak, and the status of the woman wouldn't have mattered, why did the Sheriff see it fit to manufacture this lie? In fact, it wasn’t just the Sheriff; another man, Will Cook, corroborated the story. As I said before, just to make sure you didn’t miss this part too, attacking the character of black women, who were already subhuman in the eyes of southern whites, would have destroyed the case in the eyes of an already semi-sympathetic nation. Character assassination is still a ploy that works today, ask Herman Cain, so why wouldn't it be important back then for the NAACP. If you still think my argument is weak, go back and read pages 39-41, and ask yourself why they would do this if it did not matter. It in no way undermines the struggle or status of black women, it highlights how hard it was, and really cements the courageousness of Recy Taylor and other women who were of sound character and fought not just rape and oppression, but full out attempts at character assassination. Furthermore, choosing who to defend in rape cases is irrelevant to the problem of undermining the leadership of women during that era, and accepting the realities and limitations of that time does not equate to supporting chauvinistic policies.
ReplyDeleteYes, without a doubt Rosa Parks and Recy Taylor were courageous women for fighting using the justice system. Because of them and others blacks slowly gained the same rights that were guaranteed to other women but I do not thing that black men were wrong for using respectability in judging whether or not to represent women in rape at this time it was risky to take on any case. If I were in their shoes I would think, she is the type I would marry,she does not represent herself like my mother would. Face it people, we are judged by our appearance. If a black man with his pants hanging down wondering the streets would like to not be questioned by police, he should change his appearance. This applies today and applies back then. So, if a woman lays with wolves she shouldnt expect anyone to run when she cries wolf.
ReplyDeleteRecy Taylor and Rosa Parks were without question extremely courageous women for their decisions to appeal for their rights. Women were expected to fill the domestic house wife role, and to formally speak out against the white males who were the law was unprecedented. It was courageous, dangerous, and more importantly necessary they took a stand(or a seat) for what they knew was right. The male leaders were also correct with their consideration of "respectability." Black women were not viewed with as much esteem as we associate now and it was almost impossible to do anything which would merit a criminal offense. To accomplish this victory it was needed the woman represented have upstanding "integrity."
ReplyDeleteWhen asked to describe courage, most people conjure up the image of an individual running into a burning building, or maybe a fictional hero saving the day. Images of courage are prevalent in our society from the images of Rosa Parks and Recy Taylor risking their lives fighting against the odds and standing toe to toe with pain, and danger swallowing fear and spitting out courage. Although all their actions were not suitable they fought to hold parties accountable and acknowleded unfair justice as it existed.Courage is something to admire especially when others looked away or chose to do nothing. Courage also exists with respectability, by being respectable and having a good reputation. I do believe the black male leaders repected black women, however black women must respect themselves as well to be respected. To be a leader one must lead with their actions, beliefs, values, and character. The situation may not seem fair for leaders to pick and choose their battles but at that point in time in America respectability was powerful and I believe the black male leaders respected all humans of their color but in this situation one must have respectability amongst themselves to seek for rescpect.
ReplyDeleteAs I go back and read the book for a second time I feel ashamed that I did at one point agree with black male leadership's respectability factor in picking "their" cases. As I read the story of Joan Little I see what could have been years earlier. Was the Joan Little case outcome not so much about her as it was about the timing of the feminist movement, black power movement, and the civil rights movement victories in Hattesburg and Tallehassee? This question cannot be answered because the Colvins' of the past weren't given a chance. For years black women have spoken out against domination of their bodies by other parties other than themselves. This respectability factor was another obstacle in keeping us silent. The truth of the matter is that black men were cowardice. What manhood can you call your own when in the face of death you turn your eye to your spouse. Not only did they act cowardly in that manner but they told women that they weren't worthy of speaking their peace concerning their body because of society's depiction of what was to become of a lady. This book helped shed light to the fact that not only have black women been oppressed by white men for decades but black men have routinely raped us of our voices and our proper positioning and placement within the community at large. Audre Lorde once spoke of silence as the most deafening oppression. When we as humankind fail to speak out of fear, we have already lost the battle. Who knows if Colvin would have won her trial. Black male leadership feared they would lose and in a sense perpetuated the cyle of oppression. Is a trial win more important than an individual's right to speak or advocate justice regarding their body? Maybe if they would have chosen Colvin I still wouldn't have to defend, in the year of 2012, the right of ANY woman to not be sexually assualted regardless of her history, morals, or society's perceptions on what is proper and what constitutes a lady. We can't wait for there to be a time to speak up because every moment we wait another woman is losing her voice.
ReplyDeleteRecy Taylor and Rosa Parks were very couragious in trying to uphold rapists and the larger community accountable for their treatment of black women. Not too many females would have the courage to even come forth. Courage is a powerful word and even more powerful to have. And men viewed women just as society viewed women, whether it was good or bad. Even though their should not be a choice in whom to represent. Every individual should be treated with respect.
ReplyDeleteRecy Taylor and Rosa Parks were both courageous and held the rapists accountable for their ruthless treatment of black women. When I see the word courage my mind automatically thinks of someone having the strength to face a difficult and dangerous situation. Recy Taylor and Rosa Parks exemplify this very well by standing up for what is right and demanding that justice be served. It took courage to speak up about the awful truth that was force on her by those white men and instead of holding her tongue and letting these men get away with what they did she was brave and spoke up about her brutal attack.
ReplyDeleteI must admit; I have been trying to avoid this question, but I must answer. First, Recy Taylor and Rosa Parks had no other choice but to be brave and stand up for women's rights...the black men weren't doing it. (when they (black men) did decide to step up, all the ground work had been done by the black women anyway) Next, after the discussion of the "respectability" topic at the RACC event, I thought I maintained that the black male leadership was justified in using “respectability” as the basis for choosing which black women to defend in rape cases. I thought this up until recently when the Travion Martin case came along. After black people started to mobilize behind getting justice for Travion, the defense tried to tarnish his reputation saying that he was suspended from school for drugs; they tried to make Travion look like a bad kid. But regardless of his reputation, he didn't deserve to die. His death needs justice...right? That brings me to my point. Regardless if the black women who were raped were whores, or their families had bad reputations, they didn't deserve to be raped. They deserved a chance to have their cases heard. They deserved to have someone fight for their rights. Not only did the black men fail the black women by not finding them "respectable" enough, they failed themselves.
ReplyDeleteAudacious is just one of many words that would describe the efforts of Rosa Parks and Recy Taylor. They took a stand for the women in the black community during that time. Although, Mrs. Taylor wasn’t the first or the last black women to suffer abuse by the white man, her efforts along with Rosa Parks open the door for more abuse cases.
ReplyDeleteI believe the men were wise in taking the “respectable” route. I’m sure they wanted to defend every woman against exploitation, but they had to choose cases that would outrage not only the black community but the white community, as well.
The Recy Taylor'sand Rosa Parks' of that time were very courageous because it was clear to them that any action that they took against white America would have grave consequences. They also understood that they were not only fighting for themselves but for their race as a whole. Rosa Parks especially was an advocate for women as well as civil rights so she was no stranger to pursecution. As for the male leadership during this time, it was very wise for them to use the respectable approach because blacks already had two strikes against them. One for being black and the other for wanting to be equal. They didnt need a tainted victim to give them their third strike
ReplyDeleteRecy Taylor and Rosa Park's represented every black woman's struggle in America. Their views were not necessarily "ahead of their time" but rather the views of millions of black women who were subjected to hateful and violent sexual crimes everyday. Taylor and Parks were simply brave enough to fight for those beliefs in spite of the possible terrible consequences or even worse, the prospect of failure. At first I was disgruntled at the thought of not "fighting for" all black women who were raped, but only taking "respectable women's" cases. After some thought, I realized that fighting for "some black women" was the same as fighting for "all black women". In a time where odds were already stacked against blacks, it is reasonable to determine that image was an important component to their strategy and ultimate success. Small but deliberate steps toward progress is better than emotional large steps to end in failure.
ReplyDeleteRecy Taylor and Rosa Parks showed a primary example courage in a time of darkness. Undergoing the violation of rape and facing not only your assailant but an entire community that chooses to ignore what they know as wrong is very brave. Today cases such as rape are a big deal just because of a reasons that they are one of the few personal crimes not being reported to the UCR. Being raped for a male or female is a hard thing to confront just because of the possibilities of how that persons' community might view them. Seeing the time this event occurred I understand that Rosa Parks had to be very tactful with approaching this particular case. It only makes sense that in a rape charges against a colored victim the credibility as a citizen within the community would need to be checked. In that time most cases were swept under the rug due to victims being what we'd call today a bit overly friendly or fast.
ReplyDeleteRosa Parks and Recy Taylor were courageous women for fighting using the justice system. Because of them and others blacks slowly gained the same rights that were guaranteed to other women. the black male leadership was justified in using respectability as the basis for choosing which black women to defend in rape cases.
ReplyDeleteCourageous: being the state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face danger. This definition is truly descriptive of the assailant Reecy Taylor and one of her defense coordinators Mrs.Rosa Parks.The constant intent to inflict danger upon these women and their families by the offenders family members and general whites in the abbeville community speaks volumes in the respect of these women standing firm on their persuit to justice for Ms. Taylor. I certainly believe that the black male leadership was justified in choosing which women to represent in these cases. We have to look at the educational intelligence of the men who were overseers of these cases. From bachelors,masters and even doctoral degrees I dont think the men who lived in the same communities as Ms Taylor would not strategically think out their prosecution and defense mechanisms prior to engagement.
ReplyDeleteRosa Parks and Recy Taylor were courageous women for fighting using the justice system.Sexual assault and rape during the civil rights period cannot–and should not–be brushed off as mere collateral damage. Rather, rape has long been a systematic tool of strategic violence against women.Rape and other forms of sexual assault don’t only harm women but they dehumanize and dishearten the communities to which these women belong too. The actions of Rosa Parks and Recy Taylor was deperately needed to show that these acts can no longer be tolerated and should help to prevent future violence.
ReplyDeleteRecy Taylor and Rosa Parks were both strong women who's courage largely contributed to not only the success of the Bus Boycott, but to the success of black women's rights in America. I agree with the aforementioned comments, respectability was a factor that had to be considered in a time where the odds were already stacked against blacks. The best candidates to represent the black community were ones that had the "purest" image possible. While this is a political device, it proved effective.
ReplyDeleteA lot of people know Rosa Parks as the woman who refused to give up her seat on the bus and she was much more than that. Rosa Parks was a lady of courage and started African Americans before the bus boycott. When Recy Taylor was ganged raped Rosa Parks was the first there to take her side of the story in Abbeville Alabama to get justice for her. The sheriff said that he had taken Taylor’s rapist to jail but once Parks did her research she realized that they were never brought in for questioning. With this happening this gave white men the authority to rape black women and know they would not get in trouble for it. No matter what a person’s background is, if they are raped then they should be defended. No matter how you are dressed or what you are known for, you should be defended if anything were to happen to you. Blacks wanted to pick cases that the white people could not find flaws in. but that simply was not fair.
ReplyDeleteRecy Taylor and Rosa Parks were very courageous in trying to hold the rapists as well as the larger community accountable for their treatment of black women. In a time where the black voice held no power, especially the black woman's voice, these women were strong and brave for standing up for what they believed in and what was morally right. The black male leadership was not justified in using “respectability” as the basis for choosing which black women to defend in rape cases. Any black woman who is raped should have been defended, no matter how much respect they have in their community.
ReplyDeleteRecy Taylor and Rosa Parks have to be two of the most courageous women in history. They stood up for what they believed... they had been wronged and now it was time for a change. Not just a change from the government and its ways,, but from the community and the way they saw black women being treated. I do fault the leadership of black men using respectability in the cases in order to make national headlines of these events. Whether a women is a saint, or she is the lowest of criminals she deserves justice. No one has the right to violate or disrespect a woman's body in any way shape or form.
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