I remember the first time I read (and saw) "To Kill a Mockingbird." Do you?

[librechik]

how shocking the ending was to my sense of justice and who we are as a society. Scout and Jem were shocked too, even after growing up in that community. The African Americans in that little Southern town weren't shocked. They knew the fate awaiting the innocent suspect.
But they recognized the extraordinary risk his white lawyer was taking.

How similar Trayvon's story of justice is to that final TKAM scene. So shocking--and yet somehow so inevitable.

Other than Trayvon's parents. who do we stand and give respect to as they leave the courtroom?

Right. TKAM was fiction. The Trayvon Martin story is real, and has no heroes.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

1. That was my first thought too.

Life imitates art, which imitates life,repeat.

[elehhhhna]

2. yep.

distinctly recall bursting into tears when Scout says "Hey, Boo." Trayvon, like Jem, could've benefitted from having a friend like Boo that horrible night.

[Hoyt]

3. He did have a friend, and the friggin bigots lambasted her after her testimony.

My cat -- Atticus -- was sad last night too.

[librechik]

7. shiver--I hope the pro Trayvon witnesses aren't harassed

is that a faint hope?

[ananda]

4. Yes. It really moved me in a big way.

I've read it five or six times now. Last year I read sections of it
with students, and I still learned something I didn't remember
and of course it moved me to tears as that book always does.

[markiv]

5. you do realize that book was about a lawyer disobaying the town's verdict

that they had reached outside the courtroom?

did you miss that irony?

[kestrel91316]

13. Did you miss that the accused in the book was black and not white?

The theme is about how blacks are denied justice due to racism. So it's perfectly applicable to this case.

[markiv]

15. that was only part of it

it was also about a person being tried by the court, not by the town's angry mob, that was a HUGE part of the message

ironic that you cant see past color, regardless of what end you are working from

[warrior1]

6. I've read the book about 15 times

the film maybe a half a dozen.

I'm always outraged.

[YarnAddict]

8. I read it as a sophomore in high school

more than 40 years ago. For some reason, it wasn't part of our h.s. curriculum; I read it on my own. I loved it, and gave a book report on it. I've never forgotten it. It is one of my favorite books.

And, yes, I thought of it last night.

[displacedtexan]

9. I'm constantly reminded of the Bob Ewells and the damage they cause...

just because they have to feel superior to someone.

[Eleanors38]

10. What did the mad dog scene represent for you?

[ThoughtCriminal]

11. I was thinking about it and watching clips last night

How we need Atticus Finch right now.

[hfojvt]

12. well I thought I did

it has not been that long ago

but now I don't know what you are talking about with the final scene.

I thought the final scene was when the vigilante Boo Radley killed the racist to save the kids.

[kestrel91316]

14. If he was trying to save children in danger, he wasn't a vigilante.

You seriously need to review what vigilante justice is.