Chapter 10 -Why does Atticus consider it a sin to kill a mocking bird, but okay to kill a mad dog?

Atticus says it is sin to kill a mocking bird because that is what he believes in. A mockingbird is beautiful and well loved by everyone in Maycomb. A mad dog however is ugly and hated by everyone in Maycomb. It would be a sin to shot a white. You would be sent to jail and looked at as a murderer. If you shot a African-American most people wouldn't think anything of it. They were so low they were considered animals in society. This could be directly related to the racial issues in Maycomb County. As Scout says,”I thought mad dogs foamed at the mouth, galloped and lunged at throats, and I thought they did it in August. Had Tim Johnson behaved thus, I would have been less frightened.” (125). This thought is stereotypical and based upon little fact. The same way there was such heavy stereotype and hatred of African-Americans in this era. Blacks were far lower in society that whites. They were mistreated and regarded as animals. They were considered not worthy of the things whites had because of their outer appearance. If a mocking bird had been slowly yet elegantly passing by, no one would have caused a commotion. However because it was a mad dog so hated and low in the minds of people, it was shot. The fact that Jem and Scout are so proud of their father also says something This also relates backs to another theme in the book “Don’t judge a book by its cover”. This quote is also showing Scout's youth. She is learning the ways of the world. It makes me wonder why Atticus would say such a thing? He seems to be respectful of African-Americans. He is just so brainwashed by year after year of everyone thinking so lowly of them. The same way everyone has thought so lowly and lowly of mad dogs. The fact that they also call them mad dogs is intriguing. They aren't rabid dogs they are mad dogs. They use disrespectful terminology for them. The same way whites called African-Americans blacks. Also at the end of the quote when Scout says "Had Tim Johnson behaved thus, I would have been less frightened." This also shows that when the African-Americans changed their ways and started to rebel not following the stereotype of them, white got scared. They got scared for their lives sometimes but still persisted in their own ways and got more and more violent. This also shows how the residents of Maycomb are scared of change. They are scared of the unknown just because it is different. Difference = fear in the lives of these people. People are scared of the Ewells because they are different too.

Below is a link to a funny video I found. A couple of teenagers reenacting chapter 10. Some parts are random but it is quite hilarious.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHGFFGu9Gg4