Michelle Obama is opening up about her emotional reaction to President Joe Biden signing a bill named after Emmett Till Tuesday, which officially made lynching a federal hate crime.
During a ceremony at the White House Rose Garden Tuesday, Biden signed the Emmett Till Antilynching Act into law. The legislation makes it possible to prosecute a crime as a lynching when a conspiracy to commit a hate crime results in death or serious bodily injury, according to Illinois Rep. Bobby Rush, who introduced the bill. It is punishable by up to 30 years in prison.
Obama spoke out about the historic moment on Wednesday, tweeting, “Yesterday, President Biden signed the Emmett Till Antilynching Act into law, finally designating lynching as a federal hate crime in the United States. For many Black folks, this historic moment comes with a lot of different emotions, I know it does for me.”
“Antilynching legislation was first introduced over a century ago and failed to pass over 200 times,” the former first lady continued. “Now, the Emmett Till Antilynching Act is a chance to reckon with our history, and move in a new direction, one that makes this country safer and more just for us all.”
The Emmett Till Antilynching Act is named after Till, who was 14 years old when he was kidnapped, brutally beaten, and lynched in 1955 in Mississippi after being accused of whistling at and harassing a white woman.
Decades later, the woman recanted her claims. Till’s death was a catalyst for the civil rights movement.
Rush introduced the bill in 2019 and named it after Till, who was from the representative’s 1st District in Illinois. He said the legislation will finally outlaw “an American evil.”
The bill was overwhelmingly passed by the House of Representatives in February 2020 but later blocked by the Senate that year. Earlier this month, the Senate unanimously passed the bill, sending it to Biden for signature.
During Tuesday’s signing ceremony, Biden said it’s up to “all of us” to stop racial hate, detailing the violence Black Americans have experienced.
“Lynching was pure terror to enforce the lie that not everyone … belongs in America, not everyone is created equal,” he said. “Terror, to systematically undermine hard-fought civil rights. Terror, not just in the dark of the night but in broad daylight. Innocent men, women and children hung by nooses in trees, bodies burned and drowned and castrated.”
“Racial hate isn’t an old problem. It’s a persistent problem,” Biden continued. “Hate never goes away, it only hides under the rocks. If it gets a little bit of oxygen, it comes roaring back out, screaming. What stops it? All of us.”
Vice President Kamala Harris also added, “Racial acts of terror still occur in our nation. And when they do, we must all have the courage to name them and hold the perpetrators to account.”
Is lynching still really a problem in our country? The definition of lynching is to kill (someone), especially by hanging, for an alleged offense with or without a legal trial.
I’m sure there is still the odd case of someone being hung here and there, but I don’ think it’s large enough of an issue to have such attention being drawn to it. Also, yes I know that there is injustice in our legal system for those charged for a crime they did not commit or act on sometimes. However, there are far more harrowing issues at hand in our country.
Last I checked, gun violence is definitely more of an issue, causing many innocent people to fall victim to losing their lives.
Racism aside, constant shootings and stabbings on the news keep rising substantially in the past year, from all races. Why is this issue not being talked about more?
Biden’s answer was to just take guns away. Yet it doesn’t justify someone using a knife, axe, or some other tool to hurt and kill someone. The real issue is mental health and getting people the help they need or making punishments so severe that it makes a person stop and second guess their actions.
This country’s priorities are all mixed up and need to be ironed out for a straighter and more moralistic path. Instead of focusing on the past (Something that took place 50+ years ago), shouldn’t we be focusing on the present so we can have a safer future.
C’mon Michelle! Hasn’t lynching been against the law for the last 400 years? This is a big milestone for our country.
I would think that she would put her effort towards keeping the nuclear family intact, or denouncing black on black crime etc. A one in a million crime vs thousands a day crime. Those priorities sound right?
Mich(elle) Obuma is one of the Last people I would listen to. It and it’s husband Barrack are Fakes put in place by a Group of powerful and Rich people that have a vision for the USA that the average Citizen is totally against. They would have us act as slaves for the 1 per cent. They have another thing coming. SOON, they, the ones in power, will become extinct!!!!!We the people will prevail!!!!!
OH PLEASE!!!!! STFU.
Mike doesn’t know what it’s talking about
Really? Just STOP with the RACE BAITING!!! Lynching hasn’t been around for years. Why doesn’t HE just take his swingy dingy and GO AWAY?? Mike and his husband have started enough racial and trans problems already. They will not stop until they have totally divided and destroyed this country. We all know Sniffy Joe isn’t in charge of his own thoughts, much less a country. Hussein O is working on his 3rd round of “Let’s destroy America”.
Such Bullshit. Why not a law against Conastoga Wagons on our highways? It just as relevant.
Actually, that’s more likely than a lynching… unless the Alphabet mob and the CRT teachers cause too much trouble.
Lynching IS already against the law. And, seriously, when was the last time someone was lynched and was the victim black or white?