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Courage is not a lack of fear, but rather the ability to act in the face…
Courage is not a lack of fear, but rather the ability to act in the face of it.
Recy Taylor, Oprah Winfrey and the long history of black women saying #MeToo
"they have been torchbearers for justice and human dignity by speaking out and standing up." (McGuire 17)
It only takes one person's ability to show courage in the face of their opposition to inspire others to do the same. Powerful women like Celia, Anita, and Tarana Burk have blazed a trail of inspiration for the future generations to have the same ability to act in the face of their fear.
"Taylor, who died last month, publicly identified her perpetrators and testified against them in the 1940s, long before the #MeToo movement had spawned. The men had threatened to kill her if she spoke about the attack, a credible threat in Jim Crow Alabama." (McGuire 3)
In the modern world, rape victims are still hiding their trauma however, there have been platforms created so that they may have the courage to speak out against the attrocities committed against them. On the other hand, during Recy Taylor's life, such platforms were nowhere to be found, especially for a black woman. Yet she still had the courage to stand before a court to testify against the very men who threatened her murder if she spoke of the attack.
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The Scottsboro Boys
"Their legal division convinced the boys’ parents to request new trials and launched detailed investigations into the rape accusations. The stir was enough to delay the boys’ execution date until the case could be appealed to the Alabama Supreme Court" (McBirney 6).
In the setting of the Jim Crow South, a case of a group of African American boys word against a white woman's would never be a fair trial. Although it took some convincing, the boys and their families decided to request new trials and investigations even though it was clear that they would most likely still lose. The result would work out in their favor and it was only because of the courage they displayed in the face of the odds stacked against them that this was possible.
"Judge James Horton knew he had to step in. In an unprecedented move, he reversed the jury’s decision and mandated that the trial restart yet again. His courage cost him his judgeship in the next election" (McBirney 11).
This is yet another example of the courage displayed by others inspiring more courage from those aorund them. Horton could have let the decision pass to protect himself and his career, and yet he still did the right thing. He knew the outcome of his actions, however he still was able to help the boys in the face of his fear.
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