Answer:
Persecuting a person because of their belief system can physically injure or cause pain to someone.
To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel by Harper Lee published in 1960. In this book, Hitler subjected the Jews to hostility and I'll treatments because of their belief system.
So, it's strange when Miss Gates says says American's do not persecute.
In fact, Tom Robinson who was a black man accused of raping Mayella Ewells, a white woman was openly persecuted because of the color of his skin, even when it's clear that he was innocent. He even died while in jail.
