Jena Six Case Explodes Onto National Stage

Hard to believe now there was a time when people worried whether the Jena Six case would get enough attention.

Yesterday and today, news outlets across the country have focused on a civil rights march planned for the small Louisiana town today, pulling the story of six young black men charged with attempted murder into the light of a near-media frenzy.

The whole situation started last year, when a black high school student in Jena, La. asked to sit beneath a tree in the schoolyeard traditionally reserved for white students. Though he wasn't prevented from doing so, the next day three nooses were placed on the tree.

That incident heightened racial tensions in the school, culminating with a fight in which six black teens beat a white youth. The black teens were arrested and charged with attempted murder -- a crime which could result in decades of time in jail and which activists have said was too harsh.

The news of these struggles in the small town of 4,000 have spread -- first through black oriented media and now, with a march organized by Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, mainstream media outlets.

The protests were covered buy cable news outlets yesterday, morning shows and evening news  broadcasts have presented stories and CNN has planned an hourlong documentary at 8 tonight.

The story has stood as a litmus test for race issues: black activists have cited it as evidence of unequal treatment under the legal system; others have said it is an example of criminals trying to escape punishment for black-on-white crime.

Rocker David Bowie has given $10,000 to the Jena Six's legal defense fund. It has even become a political hot potato for presidential candidate Barack Obama, who Jesse Jackson supposedly criticized for not speaking out sooner on the issue -- only to take back his words once they were broadcast nationally.

The question I have: Will all this media attention add up to any greater understanding of what happened? Or is it just going to be a lot of conflict regurgitated for the world press?

Here's what CNN is planning tonight:

  CNN anchor Kyra Phillips reports on racial tensions within Jena, a small Louisiana town where whites and blacks have existed in the sort of separate, yet civil existence typical of many rural Southern towns. One of the places where whites and blacks do come together on a daily basis is Jena High School.  In August 2006, a black student asked the school administration if he and his friends could sit under what was known as the "white" tree on the school grounds.  Although he was told that he could sit anywhere he wished, a day later, nooses were seen hanging from the tree.  The intimidating reaction touched off a series of racially-charged incidents: in December, a large section of the school was destroyed by fire. Whites blamed blacks, blacks blamed whites and the crime remains unsolved.  Action and reactions continued to escalate: a black student was hit in the head with a bottle by a white student at a party; a white student brandished a shotgun at three black students he said were menacing him.  When a white student was badly beaten by a group of black students, six were arrested, five of whom were charged as adults with charges that included attempted murder which may result in years – perhaps decades – of incarceration.  The prosecution of the so-called “Jena Six” has inspired outrage among those who see lesser charges for the white students as evidence of a racially-motivated prosecutor and judge.

Comments

[Oscar]

You are missing the point. the black kids beat the white kid up. If they would have been charged with assult, then there would have been no protest, but they where charged with ATTEMPTED MURDER. That is where the outrage comes in.

If the punishment had fit the crime, people would have been mad, but they would have gotten over it. Unfortunatly for you, because you see people who you personally detest you automatically assume they are wrong.

[mike]

What does equal protection have to do with this? While I wouldn't have charged them with attempted murder, I would have charged them felony aggravated assault, and they are guilty of that. We're not talking about hanging nooses from a tree, a one on one fight at a party, or a kid who pulled a gun when he said he was menaced by a group of people - we're talking about these young men committing a felony. Show me where 6 white kids attacked a black kid the week before and weren't prosecuted. Then we'll talk. I'm fed up with black leaders excusing criminal behavior with cries of racism. I don't care if the town built a giant noose and displayed it on top of the courthouse, it still doesn't excuse them. If somebody vandalizes your car and you go and beat them up the next day, you're not excused. And whether you have an 89 Yugo or an 07 Ferrari, the charge for the other guy is still vandalism. You don't get to charge him with murder because it was a really nice car. But apparently the DA should just make up a charge and throw the white kids in jail to appease the black community? This equal protection nonsense is BS. They either attacked that kid, or they didn't. Nothing else matters, because nothing being cited by the protesters comes close to a 6 on 1 beating. If your argument is that some white kids who hung a noose from a tree only got suspended, therefore the 6 kids who brutally attacked someone shouldn't be charged with brutally attacking someone, then I don't think I'll ever comprehend your logic. I think these marches are OUTRAGEOUS. All I see is a bunch of anti-white hypocrites - the same people who howl about the need for hate crime laws - defending the perpetrators of a hate crime. It's blatantly racist and sickening.

[Excelsior]

Please Mike,
Have some water. Stop talking. You really are an ignorant person. Equal protection under the law is protected under the Constitution. Only a narrow minded racist would consider that blacks and whites were treated fairly under the law in this case. It is quite a stretch to call Mychal Bell's tennis shoes "deadly weapons".
And I suppose that if someone started painting Swasticas at a school that had a 50% Jewish population - that would just be a harmless prank as well.
There are, however, kernals of truth in your diatribe. But whether the problems in the black community are due to their own making or brought on by other forces is irrelevant to this situation. White, black, poor, rich, intelligent or dumb as a post - all deserve to be treated the same under the laws of our country.
As much as I dislike the grandstanding of Sharpton on Jackson, I would have been proud had I been able to to go to Jena and bring some lack of color to the protest.

[mike]

Ooohhh, so now he was calling them names? That's a complete fabrication to justify your racism. What exactly does "free the jena six" mean? If that isn't saying that they shouldn't be punished, then what is it? I call anyone, of any race, who beats another person the way they beat that kid, a thug and an animal. What do you call them? Oh yeah, you call them victims of racism. Give me a break. My position doesn't change with the actors skin color. Criminals are criminals and they should be locked up. You, on the other hand, have a giant double standard. You think because you're black, nobody can call you a racist. I'm calling you a racist. And again, I've brought up larger issues than the kids in Jena, but you haven't addressed them at all. The only thing you're capable of doing is howling about racism and playing the victim. Grow up.

[Gretchen]

Another thing mike- You are delusional if you think I'm playing the "poor victim mode" without knowing me personally or that hanging nooses is ONLY a "distasteful prank". That speaks volumes on your character. But I do appreciate all the honesty.

[Gretchen]

mike- What does the beat up kid getting expelled have to do with it??? SAME thing I want to know about all your RACIST comments about black society. You would love for all of us to be on welfare, fatherless, uneducated but that's not reality even though you come on here and ALWAYS comment that way. Why don't you read through all your past comments & see how you ALWAYS make a post about your expertise on the black culture! And please stop the lying about having black friends blah, blah, blah b/c the truth is that NOBODY in the right mind would consider you a friend with all your demeaning comments. I always read your comments & feel sorry for you b/c you can't see beyond color which is pitiful.

Honestly, what happened to you growing up that made you have such hatred for blacks? Who beat you up, who sold you crack, who took welfare away form your family.....

What part of "No one is saying the 6 boys shouldn't be punished" aren't you understanding??!!! What I'm saying is that everyone deserves a fair trial & that wasn't happening UNTIL mainstream media got a hold of this. If skinheads did the same than both should be punished, you aren't gonna get an arguement from me there. So stop with the comparison.

Can we meet one day for lunch mike? It's my treat! I want to look your racist *** in the face & have you tell me about all the fantastic black friends you have.

My point in stating the so-called "victim" was expelled was to show HIS character since you want to refer to the blacks as thugs & animals, what does that make him? He may not have hung the nooses but he was making racist slurs to the boys, which probably is okay in your book.

[mike]

Gretchen, your little obsession with the nooses is beyond mindless. The victim had nothing to do with that incident, and they weren't charged because it was a distasteful prank, not a crime. We haven't yet reached the point where people are thrown in jail for offending a minority. And beyond that, you can't refute a word I've said, so you break out the old racist accusation and dive into your poor victim mode. You wouldn't feel the same way about 6 skinheads beating down a black kid, and that makes you a racist hypocrite. I guess what I don't understand is why racial identity is stronger among blacks than self preservation. When I see a white get locked up for 20 years, I think good riddance. One less criminal on the street. Heck, I'd like to see Nick Bollea put away for a few years, before he kills someone. But blacks decry the incarceration of the very same people who are destroying black neighborhoods. I just don't get it. It's self-destructive. Finally, I just love that you mention the victim being expelled. What does that have to do with anything? Would it be ok for the skinheads to beat the black kid because the black kid was a drug dealer? You and jesse and the naacpkkk support these criminals solely based on their race and the race of their victim. How dare you accuse me of racism, when it's you who bases your stance on skin color.

[Gretchen]

Mike- You are the most racist piece of you-know-what out there. I would LOVE to meet you one day & have you sprew all your racist, ignorant views directly to my face. We all know that you're a coward who only sits behind your computer & generalizes on the ENTIRE black race. Do you realize how DUMB you always sound on this blog???

You don't want to hear the truth about black society, you just want to critize people you know NOTHING about. Everytime I read something from you I know that it's gonna be hate-filled b/c deep down you really hate yourself. You have NEVER experience any of the BS you write about, it's just something you get pleasure from trying to make all blacks out to be losers. GET A REAL LIFE!!

The truth is you probably were beat up as a child by a black kid & now all you do is TRY to belittle the black race every chance you get. You make me sick & I don't know why Eric doesn't ban you dumb *** off of here. Why don't you go blog on the KKK website where you really belong!

I've had ENOUGH of your hatred & I'm gonna call you out on it from here on out every chance I get.

Now... back to the post. What ol' DUMBO Mike forgot to mention was that this all started form nooses being hung on the "white tree". Those 3 white students got a 3-day suspension for a HATE CRIME, another white student pulled a shotgun on 3 black students, & another white student BEAT UP a black student b/c he was attending a WHITE only party. Were any charges filed in these cases...NOOOO!

But racist Mike wants the 6 black boys locked up for 20 YEARS b/c their thugs. EVERYONE should be held to the SAME standards regardless of race. The time must fit the crime.

And Mike, one last thing... The Barker boy you are so worried about, well he was EXPELLED from school b/c he brought a GUN to school. Now how ya like those apples??!!!

[mike]

Eric, can you please stop referring to this as a school yard fight? It was six 16 and 17 year olds beating the crap out of 1 kid. That is not a fight.

Nobody is saying they shouldn't pay for it? What exactly does "free the jena six" mean? All those signs sure don't say "reduce the charges." Those people who are marching are every bit as racist as the KKK.

Why no cries for hate crime charges? Jackson and company have made a living demanding hate crime laws, but now they don't mention it.

Can you say with a straight face that you would feel the same about 6 skinheads beating down a black kid? Would you be brushing it aside as a schoolyard fight? Would the media mention that the victim was well enough to attend a school function? Hell no!! The same people marching in jena would be demanding stiff sentences and hate crime charges, the media would be demonizing the attackers, and we'd be reading stories about the victims hobbies and great GPA. The outrage in this case is not the charges, but the blatant racism and hypocracy of the black community. As a white guy, I'm offended by this march. I'm stunned that prominent black leaders have the nerve to support these thugs. It really crosses a line, in my opinion, from demanding extra punishment for whites to demanding no punishment for blacks. To demand hate crime charges against people already sentenced to life without parole is just silly. I can roll my eyes and say, wow jesse the professional victim is at it again. But to support thugs, based solely on race, who attacked and beat an innocent kid is just way over the line. This entire fiasco is beyond belief. Every story I read mentions the nooses, but this white kid had nothing at all to do with that. He's the victim, not those thugs. Imagine if the victim of the 6 skinheads had once been convicted of raping a white woman. Do you think the media would mention that? Do you think it would be a mitigating factor for jesse and company? This is absolutely outrageous. This innocent kid is being demonized because he's white, and these little animals who beat the crap out of him are being portrayed as noble victims of racism. I hate to say it, but white people better drop the white guilt BS and start being pro-white just like blacks are pro-black.

[Eric Deggans]

Considering that Jesse Jackson and al Sharpton drew thousands of people and two full days of national media coverage to a town of 4,000 people in Louisiana, I don't think they're feeling defeated at all.

And one reason they act like spokespeople for black America is because the mainstream media treats them that way.

Nobody's saying these sixboys shouldn't be punished. But they are saying the punishment should fit the crime. nobody should have their life ruined for a schooyard fight in which the victim wasn't seriously hurt.

Rather than blame the protestors or people who insist on justice, why not blame the officials who let this travesty of an initial prosecution go forward? Because they didn't handle the initial cases fairly, now it will be exceedingly hard to get any kind of punishment for these boys, who do deserve to pay a price for their gang attack on that kid.

And as far as knowing what i'm going to blog about -- this is a blog about media, race and society. the subjects in the news i'm going to comment on are often pretty obvious...

[Oscar]

Just a quick note. The boy that was beaten up was taken to a hospital, released the same day and went to a school function that night, so dial down the drama.

Jesse Jackson sure stepped in it, I hope he gets used to the fact that he and Al are not the sole spokespeople for blacks in this country. I hope he moves on soon, OJ is probably calling him right now.

And finally, racial discrimination and school discipline... hmm that is an area that really needs to be explored.

[Mike]

Hamid, who's stopping you from earning respect? Did whitey keep you out of school? Tell you you can't go to college? Tell you that you can't be a doctor or lawyer or anything else you want to be? Is it a white guy selling drugs on your corner? Robbing people in your park? Littering the streets with trash and graffiti? Grow up!!! Look in the mirror!!! White people are not responsible for your problems. YOU are the problem, with your woe is me, I'm such a victim BS. While you and your leaders are fighting for a few thugs, 100 black kids will be murdered by other black kids in your own communities, and you won't have a damn thing to say about it. And if those punks get off scott-free, what will you have accomplished? If you manage to get users put back on the street in your neighborhood, what will you have accomplished? It's like cutting off your nose to spite your face. You're so bent on being the victim and decrying incarceration, that you don't even consider that a win means one more criminal on your block. Then you want to call the police when that same druggie steals your lawn mower or breaks into your house. There's certainly no logic to the stance taken by the black community in general, so I assume it's just based on race. No problem with that, but don't get on your high horse and whine about racism, when you're a racist yourself.

[Senor T]

I can always guess what you're going to blog about, I just love it.

[mike]

Outrageous. First of all, when 6 kids jump a lone victim, beat him unconscious, then continue to kick him - it's not a "fight." It's an attack. And for jackson and the naacp to rally around these racist thugs is unbelievable. What makes them different from the klan? Maybe white people need to rally for the rednecks in WV. Would that be ok? What's the difference? I'll tell you, I have black friends and coworkers who are fantastic people, but I'm a racist. I feel like every minority is encouraged to embrace their racial identity, while whites are called racist for even the smallest hint of racial identity. The most prominent black leaders have basically said, we're not anti-white, just pro-black. Yeah, that's what white supremacists say, too. We've reached a point where blacks are allowed to be outrageously and overtly anti-white, and nobody has the cajones to call it what it is. Those animals attacked and severely beat an innocent kid, and they should be locked up. If blacks want to excuse them because the victim was white, then I'd say it's time for everyone to choose a side, because there's clearly a much larger battle to be fought.

[Hamid]

Thank you so much for posting this, Eric. Like I've said before, the key for African-Americans and other people of color to gain strength, is to ensure timely and widespread dissemination of information about abuses against us, so that we can stand up for ourselves. Glad to see that finally, people across the nation are rallying to the cause of the Jena Six.

The white racists are quaking in their boots b/c they know that African-Americans, Muslims and other people of color will soon be the majority in Michigan and in Deep South states such as Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. And it burns them up.

Already, we're seeing more and more African-Americans and Muslims (most of us Muslims here also African-American) leave states where we're dispersed and powerless-- states like Wisconsin, Ohio, West Virginia (we *know* what happens to us in West Virginia as those white thugs recently showed), Pennsylvania, Missouri, Idaho, Oregon, Arizona, New Mexico, Iowa, Delaware and California where we're badly outnumbered and too weak-- to move to Michigan, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and some parts of Illinois.

Dispersion is the enemy, and so long as we stay dispersed, we'll continue to be pushed around. There's strength in numbers, and concentrating ourselves in these states, our historical core, is the key to gaining a majority and resulting political control. And when we have political control there, we'll no longer have to put up with being treated like dirt, humiliated, being second-class citizens in states where we've lived for so many centuries. We'll be able to stand up and tell the white racists that they don't own us, support our own businesses and finally earn for ourselves the respect we have long deserved. I'm proud that the African-Americans of Louisiana and throughout the nation are converging to help the Jena Six like this, we need to see more of this solidarity.

[Gretchen]

Thanks Eric for the post. How sad is it that in the 21st century we still have towns that refer to certain areas as the "white tree" and nooses are being hung? It saddens me that it took this long for mainstream media to jump aboard. This just shows that racism is STILL alive & well around the country, not just in Jena.

I will definitely be watching CNN special tonight & I pray that all this attention will get these boys a fair trial & some justice for once.