I’m reminded of Atticus Finch’s summation to the jury in “To Kill a Mockingbird”, where he said, in effect, that the Ewells had made their false accusations of rape against a black man in a town full of racism and intolerance in the “cynical belief that they would be believed” because of the biased climate of hate, even though all the evidence pointed to the black man’s innocence.
This case sure seems to be a mirror image of that charge. Now, instead of a poor middle-aged black man, rich white kids were sneeringly accused, charged, then ruthlessly attacked by the media and racial demagogues, feminists, cultural relevists and even their own leftist teachers, who used this case not only as a bludgeon to bash what they saw as white privileged kids flaunting a life they didn’t deserve, but to try to make larger political points backing their world-view as a means to political power. The faculty pushed through a program (CCI) for “cultural awareness” which includes courses many of them taught at Duke. A “rogue” DA rode the wave to re-election.
Mayella Ewell lives, and her name is Crystal Gail Mangum. Luckily, a few who resemble Atticus Finch survive as well.