Emmett Till 1941-1955; Abeer 1991-2006

[bobbieinok]

Why do I put these 2 young people together?

Emmett Till was brutally beaten and murdered in Mississippi because he allegedly 'whistled' at a white woman; he was 14, the same age as my brother. Abeer was raped and murdered because she apparently 'caught the eye' of some US soldiers; she was 14 (almost 15, the same age as my niece ....who is the daughter of that brother).

Till's murder and funeral was one of the tragic events that opened the eyes of many whites to the horrific treatment of blacks in this country. It was so horrible that I blocked it out of my memory for a long time; only years later when I saw the name did I remember that horrible event. As terrible as it was, Till's murder/lynching was a catalyst that propelled the civil rights movement.

Abeer's rape and murder is an horrific event. Will it also catalyze change in the hearts of Americans?? I'm sadly just not too optimistic; 'we've come a long way, baby' in our acceptance of horrible treatment of those who 'are not like us.'

(edited for spelling, punctuation)

[KingFlorez]

1. The comparison can be made

In both cases, the victims were thought of as nothing and they killers thought they could get away with it.

[bluestateguy]

2. Earlier today a Freeper claimed the girl was "carrying on" with US troops

I don't have time to find the thread, but that's what he said, to hint that the girl was somehow asking for it. Other posters simply could not believe that any US troops could ever do such a thing.

[countmyvote4real]

3. "Carrying on" Who in their right mind asks to be raped and murdered?

We have some bad apples in our trroops. This false occupation is just rotting them down to the core. It's far past time to get the f out of there. We're only there still for the war profiteers.

[argyl]

5. And please kill my mother, father, and little sister while you're at it.

How anyone who's read of this incident can even make an attempt at its justification is beyond me.

[Hatalles]

4. kick

[uppityperson]

6. kick, I am not optimistic, but am trying.