The strongest memory I have of an experience where I witnessed someone else being a target of prejudice is actually in elementary school when I watched Gone with the Wind. I actually read it in 4th grade and then watched the movie the summer between 4th and 5th. While reading the book, of course, there were slights and things I did not totally understand, but it took a couple weeks to read and I was also concentrated mostly on Scarlet. When watching the movie I remember I kept wondering where Mammie lived and why she just liked to wear black. I was wondering where her kids were and why Scarlet told her not to sass, when Mammie was the adult. There were so many small things that made no sense to 10 year old me. So, I asked my dad and although we had learned about slavery in school and I knew what it was I had never really truly ‘got it’ until then. Even then I realize now I didn’t really ‘get it’, but that was the first time I felt connected to it because I loved Mammie! It made me angry for her and actually hurt my feelings. I just couldn’t understand why it mattered what color she was. At the time, I kept thinking well she’s an adult, a grandma age adult, though… that doesn’t make sense. It blew my mind she was told what to do by people younger then she was. I felt outraged about it. That was the first time I had actually had a connection to someone being treated different due to their skin color. I wanted her to be treated right and have all the nice things. There is a scene where Rhett brings her a red petticoat and she is so excited. I loved that scene in the book because she was so happy. However, learning about slavery it makes the scene kind of sad because she is so excited over something so small and insignificant, but it is a huge deal to her.
As far as how the incident could have been changed for better equity. There is no way. It was slavery in the South, there was no changing it unless slavery had never existed.
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