I don't understand why everyone is up in arms about the Jena 6. From my research, Barker, the white 17 year old student who was assaulted, was left unconscious after six black students attacked him. Yes, I know that three white students had hung three nooses from the 'white tree' at the high school, but according to the Associated Press, ' the three students were isolated at an alternative school for a month, and then spent two weeks on in-school suspension.' I believe that the three students received adequate punishment for their actions.
Following the 'white tree' incident, there were several fights at the school that prompted the police to be called. The LaSalle Parish District Attorney, J. Reed Walter, held an assembly at the school, during which he allegedly threatened the students if they didn't stop 'fussing' about the nooses. After the assembly the school had a lock down and one wing of the school was burned down.
On December 2, 2006, a group of black students (including 16 year old Robert Bailey Jr.) had a fight with a white boy who, feeling scared, pulled a shotgun from his car. During the fight the black students wrestled the shotgun away from the boy. The fight resulted in Bailey being charged with three counts: theft of a firearm, second-degree robbery, and disturbing the peace. Two days later, on December 4, 2006, Justin Barker, was attacked by a group of black students at school, one of whom was Bailey. He was hit on the back of the head by one student than repeatedly kicked by the group of black students. Barker was left unconscious and was sent to the hospital. He was released after two hours. During his time in the hospital he was treated for a concussion and an eye that had swollen shut. It was also reported that he had injuries to his face, ears and hands. The group of black students who attacked Barker, the 'Jena 6,' were arrested and charged with attempted second-degree murder. The six students were: Robert Bailey, Jr. 17, Michal Bell 16, Carwin Jones 18, Bryant Purvis 17, Theo Shaw 17, and Jesse Ray Beard 14. Micheal Bell was charged as an adult and Jesse Ray Beard was tried as a juvenile.
Bell's charges were reduced to aggravated second-degree battery and conspiracy to commit aggravated second-degree battery, Bell was found guilty and is set to be sentenced on September 20, 2007. On September 4, 2007, Bell's conspiracy conviction was dismissed by the judge. Bell's battery conviction was overturned by Louisiana's Third Circuit Court of Appeals, but District Attorney J. Reed Walter is in the process of appealing the case to the Louisiana Supreme Court. During the time of his cases review, Bell was ordered by the judge to remain in prison.
Carwin Jones, Theo Shaw, and Robert Bailey Jr.'s charges were reduced to aggravated second-degree battery and conspiracy, because they were all adults under Louisiana laws.
Everyone is freaking out because they are saying that these people were unfairly treated by the justice system, which is where my problem arises. These six students physically attacked another student because he was allegedly making racist comments. Violence isn't the answer to racism, doesn't anybody remember the sixties? Just because these people were black doesn't automatically give them the right to pull the race card. They sent a student to the hospital after beating him unconscious. They need to be held accountable for their actions. People are mad because the white students who put up the nooses were not arrested, but according to U.S. Attorney Donald Washington, the hanging of the nooses had all the qualities of a hate-crime, but "it could not be prosecuted as such because it failed to meet federal standards required for the teens to be certified as adults." So, according to the <i>justice</i> system, they couldn't be arrested. As to the Jena six, they could be, and they were. I fail to see where the justice system went wrong in this case. I just don't understand how people seem to be overlooking the fact that these six people ATTACKED somebody. It seems to me that all these protesters are doing are voicing their support of violent retaliation, something I am strongly against.
I hope that all of the news surrounding the Jena six, in no way affects the outcome of the remaining accused's trials.
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I agree. Today is actually the first I've heard about the "Jena 6", and I'm surprised by some of the support. Regardless of color of skin, if 6 kids beat and kick one person on the ground until he is knocked unconscious, they deserve to be punished. Black or white or Asian or Indian or Native American, etc, they should be tried and punished. I also think the white students who put up nooses should have been expelled, but from what you said the superintendent has been known to lower expulsions to suspensions. Not saying I agree with his/her decision, but I don't think it was done out of a favoritism for white people.
Once when I was in high school I witnessed two older kids throw down a smaller kid and start kicking the hell out of head and back as he curled himself into a ball. They rained down on him with fists and I ran at them with all of my might. I tossed one of the kids off of him and literally picked him off the floor and screamed. Later, I was told that the younger kid said something racist to the two others, which provoked them to start beating.
Was I supposed to say, "Oh. He called him this and that. He deserves to be beat." No way in hell. Even if I knew what had happened beforehand I would have done the same thing. It was terrible to see him being beaten so badly. It was wrong of him to say anything racist, but it was also wrong for him to get his back and head punched and kicked at. Hate should not be responded to by hate.
Just because someone is of a particular wethnic background it doesn't give them the right to commit to social violence when being socially wronged wether by acttion or by voice. Especially when it is in a nonviolent manner. Any person(s) reacting in that manner is just as racistly driven as the instigator, if not more so. There are many levels of racism and the case of the Jena 6 is a good example of the different types but the worst is when it involves violence and destruction especially when it's against a fellow human. MLK Jr, Malcolm X, and others I thought were very explicit in their time when the underlying message was not only to blacks and whites but to every nationality/race in that we need to become a society that is color blind and rely and depend upon each other eqaully to become a stronger unity than was ever imagined in the history of the world. We have the ability and the capacity but it is obvious that too few people have the courage let the past drift off to the past and live for the greater good of all in the country.