Mocking Justice

One of my favorite books and movies is To Kill a Mockingbird. It is the story of black man wrongfully accused of assaulting a white woman in Alabama. The story takes place in the 1930s and racial prejudice is beyond rampant. Atticus Finch who is a lawyer in the small town is appointed to represent the defendant, Tom Robinson.

One of my all time heroes is Atticus Finch. He is the lawyer I aspired to be.



I was often appointed to represent criminals. The good thing about being appointed is you get paid. The bad thing is that often you are appointed because no other lawyer will take the case. That's how Atticus Finch came to represent Tom Robinson.



When I was working as a lawyer my daughter was very young. Like Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird, she often asked questions about my work and my clients. As only a child can, she often asked those questions no one else would or could.



At the time I lived in an older house in town. It had a porch swing identical to the one in this picture. I often sat out there at night and pondered things. I could relate to this image very much when I saw it in the movie.



What I like so much about To Kill a Mockingbird is the perseverance of decency by Atticus Finch despite the overwhelming prejudices that surrounded him. Regardless of the situation, he maintained his moral compass.



If all of us had the values of Atticus Finch, it would be a much better world.