Southern Prejudice and Injustice

The South still has issues. Poverty stricken areas are carved out away from the middle to upper class, often treated as a "forgotten class" of people. Racism still exists, rearing its ugly head in hurtful words and actions, cloaked behind a prejudiced and bigoted history. In spite of progress, the south may still be just as dirty as it ever was. You may not be part of the problem, but maybe your ancestors and forefathers were. If you don't examine the prejudice in the rural South, then you enable its continuation. These three tales took place in the rural communities of East Tennessee, based on true stories about three different men who were discriminated against for their differences decades ago. Are things different now? Meet Richard, a Native American man who moved his small family to the outskirts of a coal mining community in the Appalachian mountains of Tennessee, seeking peace. He quickly discovers that his differences aren't readily accepted. The struggle to build a new life is complicated by negativity and hostility from the community, which leads some members of the settlement to harass and even torment the quiet, eccentric man. Richard has to make a decision, in order to keep peace he may have to wage a personal war. * Then we jump to the 1970's when people of different races seek equality within mostly white communities. Ben, a black man who moves with his family and friends to a small, presumably quiet town, comes face to face with unbridled racism. In spite of death threats and random acts a vandalism, Ben proves that although fear may make some men and women weak, fear can make other men and women stronger. Ben must stand his ground, especially after he befriends an unhappy white lady who lacks the courage to leave her mentally abusive husband. * You will also meet, Howard (Hack) Brooner, his story differs greatly from Richard's and Ben's. His awkwardness and slowness keeps him isolated from his hometown. Everyone knew his family from generations ago. Yet he was still discriminated because he had a learning disability. People made fun of him, ridiculed him and made him feel inadequate. Did he have a medical mental disability? If he did, it wasn't diagnosed. His well-meaning family overlooked his problems. Perhaps Hack did have a mental problem which needed therapy or modern medicine, he definitely wasn't given a fair chance at life considering the way some people treated him. Was it this undeserved treatment which led him over the edge? You get to decide.