Today we watched a video about:Race hate in Louisiana
This World TV investigates the rise of discrimination in America's deep south as six black youths are charged with an alleged attack against a white student, which could see them jailed for between 30 and 100 years.
This World TV investigates the rise of discrimination in America's deep south as six black youths are charged with an alleged attack against a white student, which could see them jailed for between 30 and 100 years.
We talked about Chapter 17 of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
HOMEWORK:
-Read Chapter 18
-Do questions for Chapter 17
-Do questions for Chapter 17
ABOUT THEW VIDEO:
Nooses in the playground
In September last year at the local high school, a black student asked a teacher for permission to sit under the tree in the school yard, where white pupils traditionally congregated. The teacher told him he was free to sit anywhere.
In September last year at the local high school, a black student asked a teacher for permission to sit under the tree in the school yard, where white pupils traditionally congregated. The teacher told him he was free to sit anywhere.
The next morning, three nooses were found hanging from the same tree.
This open and challenging symbol of the old south, perpetrated by white students, was taken as a prank by the school board.
This open and challenging symbol of the old south, perpetrated by white students, was taken as a prank by the school board.
But to others it was seen as a race hate crime.
"To us those nooses meant the KKK [Ku Klux Klan], they meant, "Niggers, we're going to kill you, we're going to hang you till you die,"' says Caseptla Bailey, a black community leader and mother of one of the accused.
Racism in Jena
"To us those nooses meant the KKK [Ku Klux Klan], they meant, "Niggers, we're going to kill you, we're going to hang you till you die,"' says Caseptla Bailey, a black community leader and mother of one of the accused.
Racism in Jena
"Race hate in Louisiana" asks why Jena, like so many other small towns in the south, retains a de facto form of segregation despite so many social changes; why the whites live in comfortable homes and most of the blacks live in trailers; and whether small town politics are stopping the white establishment from addressing racism in Jena.
In contrast to the "prank" treatment, Mangold questions why six black students face possible life imprisonment for a school yard assault on a white student, prosecuted by an unusually tough and committed district attorney.
The programme witnesses the growing calls for change from the black community.
"This World" is there when leading outside civil liberties groups arrive to give Jena's black community the will and the encouragement to organise resistance to enduring prejudice.
It seems that Jena is fast becoming a symbol for the next stage in the civil rights struggle in America.
Chapter 17
Summary:
The trial begins with the testimony of the sheriff, Heck Tate. The prosecution's attorney,Mr. Gilmer, asks him about the events surrounding Tom Robinson and Mr. Ewell's daughter, Mayella. Mr. Tate states that on November 21, Mr. Ewell came to get him because "some nigger'd raped his girl." He says that he found Mayella on the floor, very beaten up, and that Mayella claimed Tom Robinson had taken advantage of her and beaten her. Atticus questions Tate next, asking whether anyone called a doctor. Mr. Tate says no. Atticus asks where Mayella had been beaten, and Mr. Tate says, with some hesitation, that her right eye and entire right side of her face were bruised, and she had scratches all around her neck.
Summary:
The trial begins with the testimony of the sheriff, Heck Tate. The prosecution's attorney,Mr. Gilmer, asks him about the events surrounding Tom Robinson and Mr. Ewell's daughter, Mayella. Mr. Tate states that on November 21, Mr. Ewell came to get him because "some nigger'd raped his girl." He says that he found Mayella on the floor, very beaten up, and that Mayella claimed Tom Robinson had taken advantage of her and beaten her. Atticus questions Tate next, asking whether anyone called a doctor. Mr. Tate says no. Atticus asks where Mayella had been beaten, and Mr. Tate says, with some hesitation, that her right eye and entire right side of her face were bruised, and she had scratches all around her neck.
Mr. Ewell is the next witness. Scout recollects mentally the way that the Ewells live, in a tiny hut made of planks and corrugated iron and flattened tin cans, surrounded by junk salvaged from the nearby dump. In the corner of the yard there are some geraniums planted in slop jars by Mayella, which appear to be the most cared for living things on the property. Scout concludes that the only thing separating Mr. Ewell from the black people around him, in terms of social standing, is that his skin is white.
Mr. Ewell is surly and crass in the witness chair, but the judge, who clearly does not respect the man, manages to keep everything orderly. Mr. Gilmer asks Mr. Ewell for his version of the events. Mr. Ewell claims that he heard Mayella screaming when he was coming in from the woods with kindling, and that he ran to the house to find Tom Robinson having sexual intercourse with her. He uses the highly offensive term "ruttin," which causes an uproar in the court. After the judge calms everyone down, Mr. Ewell says that he ran to get the sheriff. He implores the judge to "clean up" the "nigger-nest" that are his neighbors, claiming that his neighborhood is getting dangerous.
Atticus questions Mr. Ewell, asking whether a doctor was called, and Mr. Ewell again says that no doctor was called, saying that he has never called a doctor in his life and never thought of doing so. Atticus asks if Mr. Ewell remembers Mayella's injuries as being the same as described by the sheriff. Mr. Ewell says that he does. Atticus asks if Mr. Ewell can write, and he says he can, so Atticus asks him to write his name on an envelope. In so doing, it is revealed that Mr. Ewell is left-handed.
Analysis:
The Ewells belong to the bottom set of Maycomb's whites. Mr. Ewell shows himself to be arrogant and crude. Maycomb reluctantly has bent the laws for the Ewells, and Mr. Ewell's manner is of one who is beyond the law. He is described as a "bantam cock" who struts around arrogantly yet ridiculously, and he tries to invoke the good humor of the audience, whines to the judge about being asked to prove his ability to write, and offends everyone with his language, putting the court into five minutes of uproar. The chapter depicts him as brutish, insensitive, and confident of his ability to get away with his perjury.
The Ewells belong to the bottom set of Maycomb's whites. Mr. Ewell shows himself to be arrogant and crude. Maycomb reluctantly has bent the laws for the Ewells, and Mr. Ewell's manner is of one who is beyond the law. He is described as a "bantam cock" who struts around arrogantly yet ridiculously, and he tries to invoke the good humor of the audience, whines to the judge about being asked to prove his ability to write, and offends everyone with his language, putting the court into five minutes of uproar. The chapter depicts him as brutish, insensitive, and confident of his ability to get away with his perjury.
In this chapter, Atticus demonstrates his excellent skills as a lawyer. Atticus treats both the sheriff and Ewell with respect, and carefully asks questions that poke holes in the Ewells’s claims. For instance, he first determined exactly what injuries Mayella suffered, and then manipulates Ewell into revealing that he is left-handed, and that a left-handed man most likely beat Mayella, causing bruising on the right side of her face.
