Jena Six: Is racism still possible??

The Jena accounts began far before many people around the world had even heard. Back in August 2006, there were clues that an uprising would break out in Louisiana after mulitple counts of racial wars. What began the controversy was a "white tree" incident, which may have began as a joke. At a beginning of the school year assembly, a freshman asked the principal if Black students were allowed to sit under a tree that was thought of as a place where only white students were allowed. The next day, nooses were seen hanging from the tree. Three white students who were found responsible for the nooses and recommended by the principal with expulsion until the school board overruled the recommendation. The tree was later cut down after investigation for the markings of hate crimes. Federal investigators note that the tree did have potential clues for a hate crime but no concrete evidence was found, so the account could't be taken to court.

In September 2006, police became involved in the ordeal after a few interracial fights occured at the school. Police began patrolling the school, and when a local officer was asked to speak at an assembly, the tension was more apparent. The students separated themselves by race. After being ignored and disrespected, the officer warned the students that he could be their friend or their worst enemy, and he stated that "with one stroke of my pen, I can make your life disappear." Afterward, Black students claimed the officer was facing thier direction when he spoke the statment.

A few days later Black students and their parents tried to bring the school noose incident back to the school board's attention but were denied because the scool board stated that the ordeal had been handled.

In November 2006 a portion of the school was set on fire. Arson was found to be the cause, but the arsonists were never identified.

In December 2006, a private party caused havoc. Five Black boys tried to get into the party but were told by a parent that the party was invitation-only. After trying to convince the parent a few of their friends were already inside, a white man jumped out and attacked the boys. The parent to the man and the boys they had to leave, and a few other white students came outside and another fight erupted.

The next day, a Black student named Robert Bailey, who was in the group of boys trying to get in the party the night before was at a convience store with several friends was confronted by a white student. After the students began arguing, the white student brought a shot gun out of his truck. The accounts of the incident contradicted eachother. The Black students say they were victim, after the white student pulled the gun for no reason, while the white student claims he was chased and pulled the gun out for protection.

That Monday at school Justin Baker, a white student was attacked at school. He was beaten and stomped by a group of six Black students, including Robert Bailey, Jr., later labeled the "Jena 6." They were all arrested and tried as adults for attempted second-degree murder, except for one accomplice who was tried as a juvenile because he was 14. The major controversy was that one of the students, Mychal Bell was tried as an adult but was only 16 at the time. The charges against everyone else were dropped while Bell's case took the longest to determine. After being tried by an all-white jury, Bell was charged with aggravated second-degree battery, with his sneakers he wore to kick Baker as the deadly weapon he was using. Bell's case was later dropped after $5,400 was paid by a local sponsor.

Later it was found that an online group of White Supremacists were giving out the addresses and phone numbers of the parents of the Jena 6 for people who wanted to "serve them correct justice." The parents had by then received hundreds of threatening calls. Justice against everyone involved in all this should be served correctly, I mean it's obvious there are some race issues that still should be dealt with.

With all of the commotion going around, it's a wonder that the rest of the country wasn't earlier notified of the goings-on in Louisiana. For a whole year now, Louisiana residents have been suffering an interracial war and no one besides them knew about it. It wasn't until the families of the Jena 6 began blogs and sent e-mails about their children that people became aware. Officials are now putting the blame on the low minority rate of ownership of commercial broadcast TV and radio stations. Is all of this proof that we are in the middle of a new age Civil Rights Movement?

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