Violence of Complicity

Dear Ida B. Wells,

I cannot imagine the tremendous amount of pressure, from both white and black communities, and thus courage that you overcame in order to write the piece Southern Horrors and expose the inhumane acts and justifications of lynching. What struck me especially was your unapologetic critique not only of the lynchers, but of the silent white and black bystanders that choose to protect their social status and reputation over pursuing justice (68). You reveal that the violence is perpetuated most by complicity in the indifference, or at the best cowardice, of the people that silently pretends not to see the systemic violence that their "land of freedom" allows.

What I struggle to comprehend and agree with, however, is your conclusion of how this atrocity may be reduced if "a Winchester rifle [has] a place of honor in every black home" (70). Your logic here is that white men would lynch less if black men are armed more, which you refer to as the former then having "greater respect for Afro-American life" (70). You point out throughout this piece that the underlying power structures of the law have been established in such a way to excuse white rapists of any consequence while encouraging the lynching of any black man accused of rape even if it was clearly consensual. If the black households become armed and defend themselves against white supremacists, that may give them more reason to justify the racist prejudice of black men as 'bestial', and the underlying power structures of the South will put black people at a disadvantage no matter how armed they may be. Can violent white supremacy be fought solely with self-defense?

Regards,
Christina