Rich Lowry's Oct. 2 interpretation of "To Kill a Mockingbird" is that Atticus Finch is now on the wrong side of history.
Lowry argues — ineffectively and incorrectly — that today Atticus would not have "destroyed" Mayella Ewell's unfounded assertions of rape. Instead, all of us would have believed Ewell's accusations and Tom Robinson would have had a presumption of guilt. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Lowry's literary usurpation of Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is a lame attempt to protect privileged white men. Mayella is part of the privileged, white class making accusations without substance against African-American Tom. The details of her alleged rape don't hold up under Atticus' withering cross-examination.
In contrast, Christine Blasey Ford provided an abundance of details that not even the hand-picked Republican prosecutor was able to call into question. Brett Kavanaugh, on the other hand, was vague and belligerent answering questions. He, like so many who get drunk, had no memory of what he did. In Lee’s novel, Mayella Ewell is much more like Kavanaugh. She is a member of the South’s entitled white class, the judge a legacy graduate of Yale and frat boy.
Ford is this century’s Tom Robinson. She not entitled, nor part of the ruling Ivy League junta that overpopulates Washington. Unlike Tom, she is the accuser. That alone makes her more dangerous to those in power.
Lowry needs to re-read the novel, perhaps with the help of Cliff Notes. He’s totally misunderstood Lee’s message.
Gordon LaFleur, Murray