It is strange that Miss Gates should make this statement since the trial of Tom Robinson makes it patently clear that the Americans at the time were more than intent on persecuting him, irrespective of the fact that all the evidence Atticus had presented to the court proved his innocence.
Her comments later further prove the point that there was an overwhelming prejudice against African Americans and the indigenous people of the country. Further proof of the desire to persecute was the lynch mob set up by the townspeople to execute Tom before the trial. It was Atticus' intervention which did not entirely prevent, but delayed Tom's persecution.
The court proceedings were a sham and were only conducted to create the impression that justice was being served. It was clear that Tom Robinson had done no wrong, yet the court found him guilty. He was persecuted for the sole reason that he was African American. The true criminals were the Ewells, who had committed crimes and all sorts of misdemeanours for generations, yet the good folk of Maycomb county had turned a blind eye to their misdeeds.
The opinions of Miss Gates smack of hypocrisy and a haughtiness which was the norm amongst many white inhabitants of the time. The attitude was one of superiority. An example of this is Tom's declaration in court that he had felt sorry for Mayella. This was an abomination to the whites - how dare a black man feel sorry for a white person? It was an insult to their notion of superiority and, instead of Tom's act of kindness being appreciated, it was deemed an evil and his statement counted against him.
African Americans were defenseless and had very little chance of prevailing in the type of kangaroo justice that was dispensed at the time.
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