The History Channel’s "Hatfields & McCoys" miniseries has been a launching pad for my cinema therapy this summer. I have found myself haunted by the 3-part series, which I have already watched 3 times this week. Starring Kevin Costner, Bill Paxton and Tom Berenger, the three-episode show marks the History Channel's first scripted miniseries.
The Hatfield-McCoy saga (1863-1891) involves two feuding families along the West Virginia-Kentucky border along the Tug Fork of the Big Sandy River. The Hatfields of West Virginia were led by "Devil Anse" Hatfield (Kevin Costner) while the McCoys of Kentucky were under the leadership of Randolph "Ole Ran" McCoy (Bill Paxton). These men were close friends until near the end of the Civil War, when they returned to their neighboring homes—Hatfield to West Virginia and McCoy across the Tug River in Kentucky. But a number of events lead to increasing tensions and resentments that soon explode into all-out warfare between their families—from land disputes to kidnappings and murder.
Those involved in the feud were descended from Ephraim Hatfield (born c. 1765) and William McCoy (born c. 1750). The feud has entered the American folklore lexicon as a metaphor for any bitterly feuding rival parties. More than a century later, the story has become a modern metaphor for the perils of misplaced family honor, unforgiveness and vengeance.
Starring Kevin Costner, Bill Paxton and Tom Berenger, the three-episode show marks the History Channel's first scripted miniseries.
As I replay scenes in my mind, I can’t help but ask "why"? How did it come to this senseless hostility and bloodshed? Couldn’t something have been done to avert the savagery?
Monday's premiere episode introduced viewers to the main characters and showed the incidents that initially sparked the feud. It also chronicled the love story between Roseanna McCoy (Lindsay Pulsipher) and Johnse Hatfield (Matt Barr).
A series of random events caused the conflict to steadily intensify. Asa Harmon McCoy was murdered in January 1865 by one of the Hatfield relatives. At another point, the Hatfields and McCoys went to court because of disputed ownership of a pig. Along the way, numerous family members were killed or disabled by the growing violence. The legal system was virtually powerless to bring order or justice.
The feud provides us with important lessons as we deal with the prickly people in our lives today. The anger between the Hatfields and McCoys seems crazy…ridiculous. Fighting over a pig? You’ve got to be kidding. Killing just to uphold your family’s "honor"? Get over it.
But offenses are bound to happen in any of our lives. How are we to handle them? It sure helps if we forgive "early and often." The longer an offense is allowed to fester, the more irrational and irreversible it becomes.
Who has offended you, my friend? Who do you need to forgive? How can you sow love and blessing where there has been hurt and cursing?
Tomorrow can be different because of the choices and steps you take today.
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