>> Exactly how much power do you envision anyone in a town of 2,971
>> having?
>
> Not much, but certainly they're connected to a ruling class of
> Louisiana and the south. Aren't they invested in maintaining a racial
> hierarchy?
I would think not directly. They have an interest in exploiting it while it lasts for electoral political reasons, but I'm not so sure even Southern leaders have a continuing, economic interest (the only kind of interest that counts to a ruling class) in directly maintaining racial hierarchy. This isn't to say they have any interest in remedying institutional racism and entrenched white supremacy, either.