Harper Lee Did America A Big Favor In Her New Book

"[Atticus’s effort] in “Mockingbird” is not the work of someone working for racial justice. He is not trying to eradicate racism from the legal system. He makes a living off the backs of the poor and people of color. He is the ultimate Southern gentleman – paternalistic and all that,...

There are a lot of studies that show that white people don’t recognize their racism, they don’t recognize their privilege. It’s not complicated – empirical research shows it, but we — white people – don’t want to acknowledge it. White people want to believe that we got everything we have through hard work and talent, that we didn’t get a leg up by being white,..."

Katie Rose Guest Pryal - who's never seen Atticus Finch as a hero - explaining why in "Salon"