The other day as Jem and I passed by Mrs Dubose stationed on her porch, she hollered at us, "your father's no better then the n-word and trash he works for!" I have resent the constant beating by the local towns people. I got accustomed to the constant insults about our lack of a moral compass, however I hate it just the same. At times I am terrified on the inside but ignore the mean words and hold my head high. Why are people so mean to one another deliberately persecuting each other with hurtful words. Racial prejudice is the worst form of evil it bruises and destroys and spreads like poison. Sometimes I feel sympathy for our friends the "white folk" because they just don't understand. I am optimistic this world can be a better place and people have the capacity to do good. Mrs Dubose vile behaviour towards jem and I confirms that segregation is present, however threatened by their father Atticus' persistent defending of a black man. Segregation is a way for the white population to hold on to the power and subsequently make the black people feel hopeless and helpless. Atticus tries to breakdown the walls the segregate people by ignoring the imaginary line and helping someone because he believed it was the right thing and they needed help, subjecting both himself and his family to increase scrutiny. 

-Scout

Yesterday on the schoolyard that mean Cecil Jacobs broadcasted that "Scout Finch's daddy defended niggers"and that his folks said "your daddy was a disgrace an that nigger oughta hang from the water-tank". I was so angry, I immediately denied it and "I wanted to beat the face off of him". I rushed home to ask my father Atticus. My father in his wise and thoughtful manner simply stated, "of course I do". Which led me to wondering my next question, "if you shouldn't be defendin him then why are you doin it"? Atticus explained to me, that it was a matter of doing the right thing, even though it may not be the most popular thing, especially among their friends. Although he may be criticized for defending Tom Robinson, morally, he had to do it, in order to maintain his integrity and hold his head high within his family and community. I felt confused, yet oddly proud of my knowledgeable and nurturing father. I decided right then, I didn't want to let Atticus down, by allowing Cecil Jacobs to goat me into a physical altercation on the schoolyard. I'm going to completely ignore Cecil Jacobs because my father is a good man and I believe what he says, is the honest truth. Besides, I want to be "noble" too. It makes me ponder, why my father, defending a clean-living negro man, has everyone up in arms, when thats his job. And, if the "white folk" already know that he's not going to win, then why do they care so much and want to be so unfair.
Cecil Jacobs openly confronting me on the schoolyard, regarding my father defending a black man, named Tom Robinson, reveals that segregation is alive and thriving. The belief that a "white lawyer" should not defend a "black man" simply, because the colour of his skin, defines his guilt, is outrageous, yet the norm among the prim and proper southern world of Maycomb. The sincere belief, that "negros" are less human and therefore should not have equal rights, was born and bread in the south, by white forefathers and allows school segregation to flourish. As long as the "white folk" continue to have all the power and control segregation will exist. A shift in the pendulum, such as Atticus Finch defending a black man, serves to threaten the longevity of segregation. 


-Scout

This past Sunday Jem and I accompanied Calpurnia to First Purchase African M.E Church. When we arrived some of the black worshipers stopped, stared and then slowly parted making a small pathway to the church door. I felt uneasy like there were butterflies in my stomach. Suddenly behind us a black woman named Lula yelled out to Calpurnia "I wants to know why you bringin' white chillun to n-word church." She also shouted "you ain't got no business bringin' white chillun here- they got their church, we got our'n." I don't know why that lady didn't like us, we pray to the same "God" it shouldn't matter the colour of our skin. Besides it was mean and it made Calpurnia feel bad because she got Jem and I all dressed up and brought us as her quests. When Lula hollered at Calpurnia regardless "bringin' white chillun to n-word church" it revels how segregated the white and black cultures are and how deep the racial conflict runs. The black people feel they suffer so much inequality and suppression by the white folk that they don't want them to invade their "church" where black culture thrives.

-Scout Finch