Was 1996 Alabama that racist? Yes, and no. It's hard for many people to get a handle on the mentality of rurals and the rural south. I'm actually from rural Ohio, but I have close relatives from the south, and it seems like people who live an hour from Columbus have more in common with people who live an hour from Columbia than they do with people who live in those cities a short distance away, so maybe I can offer some insight.
First, the N word is still thrown around carelessly in close company. In the 90s, moreso. It's derogatory but only nominally connected to race. There are true, hardcore racists as well, but they are mostly reactionary. They don't even categorically hate blacks even if they say they do. One of the most outspoken people i know would certainly be called a vile racist by most Americans on both sides of the aisle, but has an adopted black younger brother and has threatened the life of anyone who would call HIM a nigger. The closest parallel is probably to the kinds of nutters who call democrats "demon-rats" and claim they are all, to a man or woman, satanic child groomers, etc, despite having many close friends, co workers, and family members who are associated with that party. Of course, as there are lines in politics, so it goes in life. Badmouthing democrats but being friends is fine, but voting for one is certainly a step too far. Similarly, badmouthing and claiming to hate blacks while being their friend is fine, but a black boy who aimed to date their daughter would face one hell of an uphill battle to say the least.
Second, most people would probably immediately side against a black defendant in most instances. Shoplifting, theft, bne, barfights, whatever, the onus would be on the black guy to prove his innocence. I'm not sure this would be one of them- it really depends on how credible and known the evidence against the rapists was. Rurals will protect their own to an extent, but they know who the scumbags are. If those two were already known to be shitheels, they would 100% support the father's vigilante justice regardless of race. On the other hand, if the media circus caught wind and started making the whole thing about race or some other liberal value, the whole thing could flip in a second and they'd string him up out of spite. At that point all bets are off.
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Was 1996 Alabama that racist? Yes, and no. It's hard for many people to get a handle on the mentality of rurals and the rural south. I'm actually from rural Ohio, but I have close relatives from the south, and it seems like people who live an hour from Columbus have more in common with people who live an hour from Columbia than they do with people who live in those cities a short distance away, so maybe I can offer some insight.
First, the N word is still thrown around carelessly in close company. In the 90s, moreso. It's derogatory but only nominally connected to race. There are true, hardcore racists as well, but they are mostly reactionary. They don't even categorically hate blacks even if they say they do. One of the most outspoken people i know would certainly be called a vile racist by most Americans on both sides of the aisle, but has an adopted black younger brother and has threatened the life of anyone who would call HIM a nigger. The closest parallel is probably to the kinds of nutters who call democrats "demon-rats" and claim they are all, to a man or woman, satanic child groomers, etc, despite having many close friends, co workers, and family members who are associated with that party. Of course, as there are lines in politics, so it goes in life. Badmouthing democrats but being friends is fine, but voting for one is certainly a step too far. Similarly, badmouthing and claiming to hate blacks while being their friend is fine, but a black boy who aimed to date their daughter would face one hell of an uphill battle to say the least.
Second, most people would probably immediately side against a black defendant in most instances. Shoplifting, theft, bne, barfights, whatever, the onus would be on the black guy to prove his innocence. I'm not sure this would be one of them- it really depends on how credible and known the evidence against the rapists was. Rurals will protect their own to an extent, but they know who the scumbags are. If those two were already known to be shitheels, they would 100% support the father's vigilante justice regardless of race. On the other hand, if the media circus caught wind and started making the whole thing about race or some other liberal value, the whole thing could flip in a second and they'd string him up out of spite. At that point all bets are off.
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