The Society’s Custom Related to Injustice

Another portrayal of the society’s custom is mentioned in Grisham’s work 1989: 51 below. Just like in the old days before the sixties, the courtroom was neatly segregated with the blacks and whites separated by the center aisle. Although the era of Jim Crow act has been ended, the segregation between two different races still happened in 1970. The courtroom is divided into two sides, the Blacks’ and the Whites’, separated by the center aisle. Both of the sides defend their own races. However, being separated as two different sides reflects that the relationship between two races at that time is not very good. The tension between the two races is still high. So the system does not work as fairly for blacks? Well, if a white man would not be convicted, and Mr. Hailey will probably be convicted, explain to me how the system treats both fairly. The system reflects society. Its not always fair, but its as fair as the system in New York, or Massachusetts, or California. Its as fair as biased, emotional humans can make it. Im saying theres as much racism in New York as in Mississippi. Look at our public schools theyre as desegregated as any. Grisham, 1989: 62 A reporter from New York approaches Jack Brigance in his office. The reporter is curious about the situation in the south. From the question, the reporter argues the fairness system applied in the south. Jack answers that it reflects the society. That if a white man is not going to be convicted, the black man is going to be convicted. It reflects the custom in south is not fully fair for the blacks. Thisdifferent conviction for the Whites and the Blacks, where the Blacks seem suffer from inequality, really makesthe Blacks inferior in the society. Home was where Momma was, in Mississippi, although he would never live there again. Too much ignorance and poverty. He didnt mind the racism; it wasnt as bad as it once was and he was accustomed to it. It would always be there, but gradually becoming less visible. Grisham, 1989: 112 From the quotation above, in southern society’s custom, racism still can be found. Although it is not as bad as it was. The racism surely happens to the Blacks.It’s done by the White southerners. The ignorance towards the Blacks and the lack of high quality life are the reflection of society in the south. This passage concludes that the racisms in the south are less in number. This was Mississippi, where for years whites shot blacks for any reason or no reason and no one cared; where whites raped blacks and it was considered sport; where blacks were hanged for fighting back. Grisham, 1989: 139 In southern society’s custom, the Whites take the part as the superior, while the Blacks were forced to be inferior. Through the customs, Whites can do everything such as killing Blacks and getting away with that. The Blacks are the victim, and if they try to fight back, their life are the sacrifice. The racist custom in the south is vividly portrayed into an inequality. In the old south, the Whites were allowed to own firearms for themselves, but not for the Blacks. For the Blacks, holding a gun is considered as an outlaw.Also, the Black women were likely to bethe sexual victimsby the Whites, asthe Whites just thought the Black women as sport equipment.

b. Unfairness in Law Enforcement

The fact of being black is that people from colored race will always suffer from racial abuses. The Whites’ idea is to control the Blacks’ life and to make them inferior in the society. Grisham depicts the portrayal of the southerners’ life regarding racism taken view from the law enforcement’s unfairness. The law inequality is the condition where the Blacks are treated unlike the Whites. Living in white society, the Whites tend to have special treatment in a trial at the jurror, according to the novel. Grisham 1989: 61 depicts the law inequality below. Can Carl Lee Hailey receive a fair trial in Ford County? Why couldnt he? Jake asked. Well, hes black. He killed two white men, and he will be tried by a white jury. You mean he will be tried by a bunch of white racists. No, thats not what I said, nor what I implied. Why doyou automatically assume I think you are all a bunch of racists? Because you do. Were stereotyped, and you know it. The reporter from New York approaches Jack Brigance. He questions Carl Lee’s trial in Ford County whether it will be fair or not. The reporter senses the background of the case “a black man killed two rednecks in the South” into a deeper understanding that it will be more than just a case. He feels that the trial can be unfair, as he will be tried by a white jury. Southerners are mostly consisted of Whites. While in the Ford County, the Blacks are only twenty six percent among the population Grisham, 1989: 35. The reporter smelled that there was a kind of subjectivity regarding the trial. The law enforcement in the south is portrayed by Grisham 1989: 61 as stated below. Would he be indicted if he were white? Hes black, and he has not been indicted. But if he were white, would there be an indictment? Yes, in my opinion. Would he be convicted? Would you like a cigar? Jake opened a desk drawer and found a Roi- Tan. He unwrapped it; then lit it with a butane lighter. No thanks.