Racism, Hatred and Southern Justice are Alive and Well in Jena, Louisiana
"Outsiders need to stay away." That's what Billy Fowler of the school board in Jena, Louisiana, said about those who have raised concerns about the sentencing imposed on six African American boys -- ages 15-17 -- facing 100 years in prison.
Outsiders are always what people in the South have called those who challenge racism. But the story of Jena is not an outsider/insider story. It's a story about the worst tradition of what is known as Southern Justice. And like in the days of Jim Crow, it's a story where any shades of grey matter far less than black and white.
The issue by now has become well known: discussed on CNN and in the pages of USA Today. At Jena High School, a black student received permission from school authorities to sit underneath what was known as "the white tree" (remarkable that he felt he had to ask!) The next day, in retribution, three nooses hung from the branches, threats that they would soon be harvesting "strange fruit."
In protest black students collectively decided to sit under the tree. This a bold and beautiful act in the spirit of the best traditions of the '60s. They refused to comply with racist terror, even when those threats are as drastic as being lynched for simply not staying in your place.
And just like in the old South, the state made clear which side it was on. The town DA, Reid Walters, actually had the audacity to threaten only the black students, telling them that he had the power to ruin their lives with the stroke of his pen if they continued to make trouble.
Tensions escalated over the course of the semester. Two black students were beaten by a white student while another group of black students were threatened with a shotgun by a former classmate. Surprisingly, none of the white students or former students were punished in any way for these incidents.
But the following Monday when a white student was beaten up by six black classmates, they were immediately arrested and charged with attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder, charges that would put them in jail for 100 years without parole. The Jena 6 ranges in age from 15-17. The white student spent three hours in a hospital emergency room and required no further medical care.
Mychall Bell was the first student tried. He was represented by a public defender that called no witness, and was quickly convicted by an all-white jury, white judge, and now faces up to 22 years in prison.
Recently, in response to a public outcry about the case, prosecutors have announced that charges against Shaw and Jones had been reduced to lesser felonies. But the need to be heard on this continues. Two other students, Robert Bailey Jr. and Bryant Purvis, still await trial for attempted murder. Bell's conviction has been allowed to stand even though the judge ruled he had been improperly convicted in an adult court when he should have been tried as a juvenile. Shaw and Jones still face years in prison.
As Billy Hunter, the head of the National Basketball Player's association, said:
"The situation in Jena, Louisiana is abominable and rotten to the core. The actions of the District Attorney demonstrate that "racism and bigotry are live and well in Jena ." As a former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California and Assistant Chief in the S.F. District Attorney's Office, it is my opinion that the District Attorney's has severely overcharged the case revealing his bias against the six black Jena youth. His actions should serve as a wake-up call for all Americans who believe in an impartial and fair criminal justice system."
This is a case that should outrage any individual regardless of the color of their skin. When the justice system can be a direct symbol of racism, injustice and terror, the very moral fiber of our society is threatened. This is not a time for neutrality. Insiders and so-called outsiders will be marching in Jena on September 20th. We will also be circulating a statement in the world of sports for those who choose to support the efforts to have the charges against the Jena 6 dismissed. The simple truth is that when it comes to issues of basic justice, there are no such thing as "outsiders."
Comments for this post are now closed
Want to reply to a comment? Hint: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to
So it's not racist to claim all White Southernors or even all White residents of Jena are bigots? That seems like racial profiling to me.
I didn't realize anyone had claimed all White southerners and/or resident of Jena bigots. Who said that?
black white red or yellow,when do we make people responsible?the blacks claim racism the whites claim bias because of color!i'm sorry a thug is a thug treat them accordingly!
Before a go on an anti-racist tear, you do mean that the white men who jumped a black teen at a fair, the white student who hit a black student in the head with a beer bottle, and the white student who pulled a shotgun on a black student should've been charged more stiffly and conspiracy for 2nd degree attempted murder is too harsh for a school fight that was reportedly broken up by teachers? If that's what you mean, I agree. After all, the student who was purportedly beaten near to death went to a school dance later than evening.
If that's not what you meant, then I'm sure you get my point and I don't have to rant.
A racist is part human, part something lower. It doesn't know it is stupid. It thinks it's clever. No idea it's being used like a slave as well. It's been programmed to hate difference.
It always destroys itself eventually. That was the design plan.
A racist is a self-dooming device. An abused junkyard dog.
"...a black student received permission from school authorities to sit underneath what was known as "the white tree..."
I've never seen a white tree in America. Could someone please place a short film of this unusual tree on You Tube to afford us the opportunity to see what all the fuss is really about?
The fact that educated people (school authorities) needed to apportion time for students to visit this tree must be an indication of either its' historical value or its' rarity as a plant. Let's not lose this opportunity to preserve the image of another forgotten piece of American lore, or maybe even a taxonomic rarity.
Are you being funny?
I'm sorry but it it too simplistic to blame racism only on the south. Racism exists throughout the nation and although it may be more subtle in other regions it is no less egregious. Growing up in the south, segregation was supported by national companies such as Sears Roebuck, television networks, the military and even parochial schools were segregated.
We all need to look inside ourselves rather than blame only the south. It is too easy to say "they" are doing it.
I am trying to imagine what it is like for those poor black kids, going to school everyday in that poisoned atmosphere. Where racism is institutionalized, and hanging lynching nooses in a tree is considered a "prank".
I understand the roots of racism-it is fear and ignorance. These are usually instilled at home. I know.
My parents came from Southern Illinois, as a small white kid growing up in California, I had to listen to them call blacks the n word. Even as a small child, this word wounded me in some way, but rather than make me a racist, it made me question my parentsÊ» thinking and judgment.
There were no black kids in my school, one Asian, and numerous Hispanics. So when I went to college and saw actual black students, I was enchanted by their exotic difference and was attracted to them.
Meanwhile, my mother went to work with black women, and learned to care for and respect them, and stopped using racist language. However, when I brought home a black date, the fear emerged once again.
You see, where she grew up, her family was so racist that even the Portuguese neighbors were considered too dark to consort with. I remember her mentioning how handsome the Portuguese boys were, but that her mother would not allow her to date them.
She also told me how she and her sibs would tease black kids and get chased home from school every day. Her elocution lessons included a parody of black speech.
No matter how we are raised, as thinking adults we can all choose tolerance.
Mychal Bell's conviction has been thrown out. This case (if there ever needed to be one) should have been brought in juvenile court. I hope this prosecutor gets NIFONGED. The dumb hick sonofabitch.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/09/14/jena.six/index.html
Nobody should be surprised at any of this. Outraged and horrified, yes. Surprised, no. The South consistently lives up to the stereotypes: it is loaded with ignorant, bible-thumping hicks, and it is VERY racist (not to mention frighteningly homophobic). I have been trying for years to get over my prejudices against Southerners, and then I actually travel there and that's when I realize I never will. They live in another time, and they seem to be proud of their own stupidity and hatred. How scary it is that they are the ones who get to decide who our president is (and we all know how THAT has turned out).
How any person of color could willingly remain in the South is beyond me. I would be scared to death every day of my life.
I can't believe the mentality of somepeople these days. Why should these conservative judges and DA's who practice clear racist motives be allowed to continue? Remove them and place the law above all else!
racism in the red state. no way. want a shock take a trip to the south and just start up a conversation.
were do you think bush gets his hired guns?
how long did the blacks wait at the superdome after the flood? if those would have been white neo cons they would have been out in a day.
racism warmongering wars for profits corporate corruption, and corrupt congress and white house. looks like we Americans have some choices to make.
dont count on American standing up anytime soon. it took years to end the war in nam and there was a draft. No draft very little protest.
we Americans would rather spend time at the mall then protest or for that matter even take time to vote.
a lot of Americans don’t vote because they feel the system is so corrupt their vote does not matter.
We Americans love our war heroes even if they bomb women and children with napalm and the war was illegal like Vietnam. I.e. mc Cain. Wonder how many heroes the Germans had during world war II?
So many responses to this post, seems like America still has a problem.
white-euro ethnic- People will never understand racism, since it was they who thrust it on Black People. Blacks never came to the USA hating whites or with predjudice. When white people scream about Black's being victims it's quite sad, there almost appears to be a sense of envy, because they-white folks- so desperately want to claim victim status for themselves. White people are angry over equal rights, fear/loss of skin privilege being dismantled, fear of a non white dominated nation, the fear that they too may be slaves...now that's a thought.
When white-euro ethnics-stop blaming others for their shortcomings then we may move on the path to healing, but until white -euro-ethnics-come to terms that they have benefited from slavery, their ancestors and themselves, then it's going to be a bumpy bad ride. And the whole when-my-forefathers-came-over here is so old, they didn't come over in bondage, they came over and became white, with all the benefits.
And remember one thing angry white folks, American culture was created by Black African people, if it wasn't for the Blues, Jazz, Ragtime, Be Bop, Swing, Funk, Ska, Reggae, and the creation of Black popular music, Elvis would probably be pushing meth somewhere, Jerry Lee Lewis would be lost in the Blue Ridge, and the Beatles would be out of work Dockers. White America didn't create American culture, they stole it. Slavery built America, prepped it for the Irish and the Polish and the Germans and the Jews and Italians etc; free labor created America.
Funny I would assume that a great majority of posters here can't count a single Black person as a friend, cause if you did you'd never call Black's victims. Black people never refer to themselves as victims, it's part of the white lexicon; Race Card, Chip on your shoulder, OJ, welfare cheat, urban, thug, gangster, Hip Hop, Gangster Rap, Inner city. I just love white folks who are such authority's on Black folk.
Wow, marquis! Very poignant and succinct. I wish you had posted this earlier this earlier.
Well, you are in the right place. Plenty experts of that type here.
It is a pitiful situation in Jena. The wonderful thing is that all the press and outrage about this unfair prosecution has been broadcast. People are not letting the town sheriff and prosecutor get away with it. I heard on tv tonight that the one young man who was sentenced has had his sentence overturned. Amen. This is making the racists in Jena look like the racists they are and have been. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson have been to Jena and on September 20 there will be a big rally for all the unfairness to end. Also six attorneys from Monroe have volunteered their time to represent these students. They are wonderful and deserve much praise for their kindness and concern for justice.
Great news, everyone! Well, everyone won't find it great, but . . .
Mychal Bell's conviction was overturned earlier today!!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070914/ap_on_re_us/school_fight;_ylt=At2e2kX4jQmmgWGcNJN1geGs0NUE
"Outsiders need to stay away" OK, if you don't vote or receive social security, I have no problem with that Jim Bob.
I remember how out-raged just about all of you in the Press were when the DA charged white members of the Duke University Lacross team with the rape of a young black woman, every one of you, were out-raged at the fact that the young men charged would be ruined, the DA name was dirt. Where is the out-rage for the young men in Jena Louisana who stand a chance of loosing their freedom simply because they are black, they stand a chance, like the young men at Duke of being ruined for life, can you piont me to any one of you in the white Press who is outraged enought to do what they did for the White kids at Duke, be out-ragd
Those are two completely different situations! The Duke Lacross team members did not rape that woman, there was no evidence to support the charges, and the woman changed her story a half dozen times, it was all a lie! That aside, I think everyone has lost sight of the real problem. Everyone chooses to see this incident as Black -vs- White, when the real issue is right -vs- wrong! Everyone involved was wrong in their actions and should face harsh punishment, white and black! I will agree and say that the kids that hung the nooses should have been expeled rather than suspended, the person who pointed a shotgun at the kids should be locked up, and the six kids that put the boy in the hospital should be locked up as well, regardless of how much medical treatment was needed. Let's put the race card back in the deck, and teach our children tolerance to avoid future problems such as this!
You're right. Where's the outrage WHITE PEOPLE?????????
Big differencw - Duke guys were innocent.
Big difference, the Duke guys had REALLY good lawyers. These guys have public defenders. I think the money for rally and all would be better spent on REALLY GOOD lawyers, like one that knew the difference between juvenile and adult court.
The jails are full of innocent people with bad lawyers. Never overestimate the power or a good lawyer. OJ Simpson, anyone?
Loading comments…
Posted September 12, 2007 | 04:53 PM (EST)