Mississippi Burning Page #5

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Don't you go mistakin' me

for some whole other body.

Your brain's in your dick

if you think we'll just fade away.

We're gonna be here

till this thing's finished.

How about you, Deputy?

Is that gun just for show?

Or do you get to shoot people

once in a while?

Thanks for the beer.

Ask them ifthey want to help save this

country from the onslaught ofintegration.

You know the system: they want to throw

white children and coloured children...

..into the melting pot ofintegration,...

..out ofwhich will come a conglomerated,

mulatto, mongrel class ofpeople!

Both races will be destroyed

in such a movement.

I, for one, under God will die

before I'll yield one inch...

..to that kind ofa movement in America.

Do you know the trouble you've caused?

They've been on the radio all day,

talkin' about FBI intimidation.

We're not thugs, Mr Anderson.

We're gonna do this thing my way.

- I know. Bureau procedure.

- Why were you at the beauty parlour?

If that was Bureau business, I wanna

know about it. If not, I won't allow it.

- Do you understand me?!

- Get in here!

You know your problem? You don't know

when to speak and when to shut up!

That makes you a fool!

Mrs Pell won't say anything

her husband doesn't want her to.

And I'm not gonna choke it out of her!

This can of worms

only opens from the inside.

I know that.

(chanting) Freedom! Freedom!

(' "Try Jesus" by Vesta Williams)

(man) White n*gger!

White n*ggers!

(police whistle)

Hurry up! Hurry up!

(chanting) Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!

20 cents?

(chanting) Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!

#Bring him

#Your burdens

#Seek not his favour

#Tell... tell him your sorrows

- Hi.

- Hey, now!

Just passin' by. Just sayin' hello.

You're not out watchin' the parade?

How come you don't ask me questions?

Everybody's been talked to 'cept me.

Why don't you send some of them

good-lookin' FBI boys to talk to me?

Sorry about the intrusion.

I was at the hardware store and...

- Pecan?

- I'm sick of pecans.

(chanting) Freedom! Freedom!

- (man) Are you willing to stand and fight?

- (crowd) Yes!

(crowd continues shouting)

How'd you find out about this?

Bureau procedure, Mr Ward.

Sheriff Stuckey.

(Anderson) He got his phone call.

Wonder who else was called.

Where you goin', boy?

Go on. Get outta here.

Here they come.

- Come on. Let's go.

- We'll wait until they go back inside.

Get him!

Get him into the goddamn truck!

(Ward) Get inside, you sons of b*tches.

- Let's go!

- Wait until they go back inside!

Come on, Ward. Let's go. Come on!

Go on!

(level-crossing bell)

(train hoots)

- Turn left!

- How do you know?

I don't. Just turn left.

There's the truck.

Go up that little road there.

Stop, stop.

- (groans)

- (truck drives offat speed)

(two gunshots)

What's wrong with these people?

(Ward) Mrs Walker, I know this is difficult

for you, but I really need your help.

If you could just persuade

your son to press charges,...

..then we could pick up

the deputy at least, right away.

He won't talk to no one.

- And it won't do no good anyway.

- I promise you, it will.

Leave him alone.

Maybe then they'll let us alone.

If this is a pattern, I guess at least

we know what happened on June 21st.

Pell stopped the three boys

for speeding at three o'clock.

He held them in jail until

the Klan could get organised.

Then he released 'em at 10.30. By that

time, his buddies were ready and waiting.

No. Pell went with 'em that night.

I'm sure of it.

Do you think he'll crack?

Down here they say

rattlesnakes don't commit suicide.

(Ward) Did you release

the three civil rights workers...

..into the hands of the Klan

on the night of June 21st?

No.

- Are you a member of the Ku Klux Klan?

- No.

- Have you ever been a member?

- No.

Are you familiar with

the term Grand Cyclops?

I've heard of it.

Were you in fact the Grand Cyclops

of the East Mississippi Klavern...

..of the White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan

for the past three years?

Objection. My client's already told you,

he's not even a member of the Klan.

Objection? This is just an interview, sir.

There's really no need to be so formal.

Well, if this is just an interview, I guess

I don't have to stay here. I got work to do.

- I guess you do too, don't you?

- Yes, sir. You can be sure that we'll do it.

Good luck.

Y'all get enough to indict me,

you know where to find me.

- How'd it go?

- Fine. Just fine.

Don't you worry about a goddamn thing.

Are you about to be indicted?

Does the FBI have evidence

against the sheriff's office?

- Are you cooperating with them?

- We're cooperatin'. We have all along.

There's not one iota of proof.

Could you not do that, please?

Sir, do not do that, please.

You've already been told once!

Get the f*** outta here!

(screaming)

Do we have to tell you 2,000 times?

Go back where you belong!

Get outta my face!

Get on outta here and leave us alone!

Leave us alone!

Go on home where you belong, boy!

You're gonna get hurt!

Mr Ward, this is gettin' to be

about as much as we can take.

- I cannot register a stronger complaint.

- Not now, sir.

Now, just a minute. I resent your

public pursuit of my sheriff's department.

You have made every effort to

implicate them in these disappearances.

Your slimy innuendoes are not evidence

that they were connected with any crime.

We're trying to get to the truth.

We're frustrated too.

Any jackass can point a finger,

but that ain't evidence.

us old cotton-choppers are still

stupid enough to believe in democracy.

- We know our rights under the law!

- You know somethin', all right.

- I'd bet a cotton-choppin' dollar on that.

- You're gettin' so far up my nose,...

..l'm beginnin' to feel

your boots on my chin.

And I'm tellin' you one more time,

Mr Apple Red.

A couple of crazies in bedsheets dancin'

round the countryside scarin' Negroes...

..is not the fault of the entire

state of Mississippi!

There are three dead kids and a lot of

scared people because of your sheriff.

- So get used to havin' us around.

- Get used to my boots on your chin too.

And you people better back off.

Goddamn FBl. Who do they think they are,

comin' to my part of the country...

- Do you have a statement, Mr Mayor?

- Goddamn right I have.

For a moment there, Mr Anderson,...

..it sounded like we were

both on the same side.

- Are you all right, honey?

- Yeah, I'm fine.

- Let me know if you need anything.

- Thanks. I will.

(vehicle approaches)

Momma! Come quick!

There's no sign of him, sir.

He's long gone.

His mother lives across the street.

She won't even answer the door.

I want the whole area covered.

Someone must have seen something.

- They won't talk to us.

- Get going, Mr Bird.

If they won't talk to us, shake it out of 'em.

(Bird) Let's go. Every house. Come on.

What?

All these white guys chasin' around with

their notebooks will get you nowhere.

OK. What would you do?

It's OK to be afraid.

Go on, Willie. Tell 'em what you saw.

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