Free State of Jones: When a Man Sees, He Can No Longer Look Away

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At the beginning of the film, Newton Knight is a simple man fighting in a war that benefits the wealthy planter class but costs poor farmers like himself everything with unbearable and unfair taxation. He resents the war but does not yet question the institution it is built upon.

His early remark—"It ain't my fight; I don't own slaves."—is telling. It reflects a common mindset among poor white Southerners during the Civil War: since they did not personally own slaves, they saw no reason to care about slavery as an issue.

But the war forces Knight to confront the reality of systemic oppression. He deserts after seeing how the rich exempt themselves from service while forcing poor men to die for their interests. He watches Confederate soldiers confiscate food from struggling farmers under the Twenty Negro Law, which allows plantation owners to keep their slaves while others fight in their place. This injustice, rooted in the same system that upholds slavery, is Knight’s first step toward seeing the larger picture.

However, his true transformation does not come from witnessing policy—it comes from witnessing people.

The moment that reshapes Newton Knight’s worldview is deeply personal: when his own child falls gravely ill and Rachel, an enslaved woman, saves him.

This is not just an act of kindness—it is an act of defiance against the system. Rachel, a black woman with no official standing, holds the knowledge and skill that a white man depends on. That moment was one of the factors that how Knight sees the truth:

"If you have two legs, you're a man, it is as simple as that."

This is where he stops looking at people as categories and starts seeing them as human beings. Before, his rebellion was about class struggle—poor white farmers versus the rich planter class. Now, it expands into a fight against all oppression, including slavery.

Rachel’s role in Knight’s life does not end with saving his child. She becomes his partner, and together, they build a mixed-race community that defies every law and expectation of the time. His relationship with Rachel is not a political statement—it is a personal one. Love, respect, and family become more powerful than race or law.

Knight’s evolution mirrors a broader truth: people do not change because they are told to. They change because they experience something that forces them to see the world differently.

One of the film’s most powerful lines comes when Newton Knight states:
"Somehow, someway, or some time, everybody is just somebody else's n**."*

This is not just about race—it is about the nature of power and exploitation. Knight realizes that slavery is not just about black people—it is about a system that thrives on treating people as less than human.

This insight fuels his rebellion. The Confederacy is not just fighting to preserve slavery—it is fighting to preserve a way of life that allows the rich to exploit the poor.

Knight’s resistance does not just challenge the Confederate Army; it challenges the very foundation of Southern society.

The Meaning of "Kin"

Newton Knight uses the word "kin" three times in the film, and each time, its meaning deepens.

1. At first, kin is just blood. His fight is for his wife and child.

2. Then, kin expands to fellow poor white farmers. He realizes they are all victims of the same system.

3. Finally, kin include black men and women. He sees them as family—not metaphorically, but literally.

By the end of the film, kinship is no longer about race or ancestry. It is about shared humanity.

Modern Parallels: Elon Musk and the New Planter Class

Though Free State of Jones takes place during the Civil War, its themes are disturbingly relevant today.

Take Elon Musk.

Musk presents himself as a champion of freedom, a rebel against the establishment. But in reality, he is more akin to a 19th-century plantation owner—hoarding wealth, controlling narratives, and punishing those who dare to disagree with him.

Much like the Confederate elites, Musk exploits workers while claiming to fight for a greater cause. His companies face allegations of unsafe working conditions, racial discrimination, and worker exploitation. And yet, he positions himself as a man of the people, much like the plantation owners who convinced poor white men to fight a war that only benefited the wealthy.

His "war" against the media, regulators, and critics mirrors the Confederacy’s war against progress. Just as Southern elites fought to preserve their way of life by silencing dissent, Musk uses his platform to attack anyone who challenges his worldview.

The lesson of Free State of Jones is clear: those in power will always try to manipulate the masses into fighting for their interests. Newton Knight broke free from that illusion—will we?

Final Thoughts: Who Do We Still Fail to See as Human?

Free State of Jones is more than a war film—it is a study in moral awakening. Newton Knight's transformation reminds us that oppression is not just about laws or policies—it is about perception.

The most dangerous idea in any society is the belief that some people are inherently worth more than others. This belief fueled slavery. It fueled segregation. It fuels economic exploitation today.

The question we must ask ourselves is this: who do we still fail to see as human?

Knight’s journey forces us to confront our own biases. If we, like him, are willing to truly see the people we overlook, then perhaps we, too, can change.

Because, in the end, as Knight learned:
"If you have two legs, you're a man. It is as simple as that."