As this is the fiftieth anniversary of "To Kill A Mockingbird," all the NPR hosts have been doing special segments. I've enjoyed each one. It's one of my favorite books, and definitely my favorite book/movie combo.

The three call-in shows I've heard discussing "Mockingbird" have each had at least one caller air a grievance about how poor white southerners were portrayed.

I didn't have an issue with this at first, but the more I think about it the more I believe they have a point. I've led myself to see a problem which I can't seem to resolve satisfactorily- though it will in no way decrease my enjoyment of "To Kill A Mockingbird." It's still fantastic.

Anyway, here's the problem.
In going through all the main characters in my head, it seems that every single influential person in town was on the 'enlightened' side:
*Atticus, the lawyer and state representative, certainly had to have some power in town.
*Virtually all of his near neighbors seemed to be in Atticus' camp, and I have to assume, since he was one of the more successful people around, that he lived in the same part of town as other successful people. That's the way it works everywhere else, anyway.
*The judge was on his side, too.
*The sheriff, too.
*The newspaper publisher, too.

I would think that in a Depression-era small southern town, that list basically includes the majority of the power.

So I have to conclude that the radio callers have a valid point. The book seems to indicate that racism persisted because the wealthy, educated, successful people were powerless against the rabble.

I find it hard to believe.

Still a darned good book, though. It just works better as entertaining, moving fiction than as a sociological study.