Jena 6

[MJS]

Thoughts on this.
http://www.courant.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/chi-jena-witt_websep21,0,888104.story

 

[Big Don]

six black high school students who were initially charged with attempted murder for beating a white student last December, even though the student was treated and released at a local hospital.

Even though? That seems a little biased right there, is it not possible to try to kill someone and just be incompetent? Democrats sure seem perpetually ready to tell all and sundry that blacks, and other minorities, can't help but be victims.
Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III should have spent more time on applying the ideal expressed in Martin Luther King Jr's "I have a dream" speech and start judging people by not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. Neither Sharpton nor Jackson should be held up as some kind of hero as BOTH are shameless race baiting shysters. Everytime Al Sharpton speaks on anything Tuwana Brawley ought to be mentioned, likewise,Jesse Jackson ought to have his "Hymie town" and other idiotic racist comments thrown into his teeth at every turn.
These are but a small part of my thoughts.

 

[Kreth]

I read about this when the story first came out. Funny how most media outlets omit the fact that the first kid sentenced has an arrest record dating back to when he was 12.

 

[Lynne]

Well, that's a hot one. I don't live in Louisiana but I don't doubt racism. I would like to see the facts and histories though. One kid had an early arrest record. Once again, it is Louisiana, the deep south and racism is alive and well. But is this racism, singling out certain individuals? Change comes slow in the south.

And just to be clear, racism exists heartily regardless of race. I grew up in the south, so I know.

 

[Mark L]

The local news last night (NBC TV in Boston) cast the rally in Jena as the new face of the civil rights movement in the 21st century, what a load of crap. They omitted the fact that the salient issue is six guys beating the crap out of one guy, I don't see the civil rights implication at all. They made a passing reference to the fact that there was a (white) victim, but didn't point out that the (black) attackers beat the guy unconcious, then continued to stomp him. I recognize that this attack was race related based on the reported tensions in Jena over the past few months, and further condemn the actions of those white guys that hung a noose from a tree. Whoever did that should be punished, though I don't know that their action was criminal, while the assaulters' clearly was. The reality is that the assault was black on white, so I don't understand why Sharpton, Jackson, et al are playing the race card in the wrong direction. Probably because they won't let the facts get in the way of their own divisive agenda and self-promoting habits.

 

[Lynne]

The local news last night (NBC TV in Boston) cast the rally in Jena as the new face of the civil rights movement in the 21st century, what a load of crap. They omitted the fact that the salient issue is six guys beating the crap out of one guy, I don't see the civil rights implication at all. They made a passing reference to the fact that there was a (white) victim, but didn't point out that the (black) attackers beat the guy unconcious, then continued to stomp him. I recognize that this attack was race related based on the reported tensions in Jena over the past few months, and further condemn the actions of those white guys that hung a noose from a tree. Whoever did that should be punished, though I don't know that their action was criminal, while the assaulters' clearly was. The reality is that the assault was black on white, so I don't understand why Sharpton, Jackson, et al are playing the race card in the wrong direction. Probably because they won't let the facts get in the way of their own divisive agenda and self-promoting habits.

They are definitely stirring the pot in the wrong direction.

 

[Kreth]

I'm not a big fan of hate crime legislation. Why is it more of a crime to assault someone because of race or sexual orientation? Violence is violence.
Gun crime legislation is similar. Why is is more of a crime to shoot a cop than say, a single mother? It's wrong either way.

 

[Big Don]

Action 1
Guy walks up to other guy, proceeds to beat the hell out of him, never says a word. Crimes: State level, Agravated assault, assault and battery, etc
Action 2
Guy walks up to other guy, proceeds to beat the hell out of him, says mean and nasty things while doing so. Crimes: Federal Hate Crime + all the state charges
how is calling someone names, or saying mean things such a worse crime?
Have we really come to the point that hurting someone's feelings is a federal offense?

 

[michaeledward]

These discussions seem to always ignore the nooses hanging from the tree ... It's not as if the South has a history of lynching black youths.

On an emotional level, when I see a noose, I think of Saddam Hussien, or the Wild West. On an intellectual level, I can understand that a noose - or three of them hanging from a tree in the school yard - has a very different connotation for young black men.

 

[CoryKS]

Nothing to say about this that hasn't been said before. I think that all players in this acted exactly as one would expect. I've read statements on both sides that gave this kind of a Rashomon-y feel. It's a sad thing for all the kids.

Couple of thoughts:

I can see Sharpton being all over this, but Jesse? There's no corporation to shake down here.

The decision to cut down the "white tree" was stupid.

Did you see the pictures of the kid who got beaten? Good grief, how many years has he been a freshman? Freshman are supposed to be like 14, not 28.

 

[MJS]

Well, I'll admit, that this story is fairly new to me. The first time I heard about it was recently in the paper and on the news. Like others have said, I'm sure racism is on a high level there. It does seem to me though, that this rally is more in favor of the support for the 6, with little regard for the person that was beaten. Was that student even one of the 3 that hung the noose? People seem to be forgetting that these 6 youths came very close to killing someone. Aside from pride, who was physically hurt from what the other 3 did?

By no means, am I condoning what happened, but IMO, it seems that things are being a little distorted.

 

[Mark L]

These discussions seem to always ignore the nooses hanging from the tree ... It's not as if the South has a history of lynching black youths.

On an emotional level, when I see a noose, I think of Saddam Hussien, or the Wild West. On an intellectual level, I can understand that a noose - or three of them hanging from a tree in the school yard - has a very different connotation for young black men.

I didn't ignore it, I condemn it. It was an incredibly ignorant and inflammatory act, but not a crime. If those that did it can be identified, I'd expose them before their peers and expel them from the school.

 

[michaeledward]

Aside from pride, who was physically hurt from what the other 3 did?

Terrorism.

There are certain actions that people can take that are designed to incite fear. When a suicide bomber detonates a bomb in a market place, the resulting casualties pale when compared to the fear they inspire in the population as a whole. All markets become unsafe for normal commerce.

To suggest that nooses hanging over the head of a black youth in the South is only injurious to the Southern Black communities 'Pride', seems to willfully ignore 400 years of Southern history; much of it very dark indeed.

I believe that hanging nooses from the tree branch was an act of terror. Or was it really just like yelling "your mother wears army boots"?

If the act of hanging nooses in the tree was terrorism, what would be the appropriate response?

 

[michaeledward]

I didn't ignore it, I condemn it. It was an incredibly ignorant and inflammatory act, but not a crime. If those that did it can be identified, I'd expose them before their peers and expel them from the school.

I guess, Mark L, the question is "to what extent is the act of hanging nooses in the tree condemned?"

Are we certain it is not a crime?

If I were to take a loaded firearm and point it, in a threatening manner, at another person, is that a crime?

If I were to threaten the life of a fellow citizen with a firearm, what would be the appropriate response of the law enforcement officials? Did those law enforcement officials take the same actions with the threatening exhibited in hanging of the noose?

 

[Mark L]

I guess, Mark L, the question is "to what extent is the act of hanging nooses in the tree condemned?"

Are we certain it is not a crime?

If I were to take a loaded firearm and point it, in a threatening manner, at another person, is that a crime?

If I were to threaten the life of a fellow citizen with a firearm, what would be the appropriate response of the law enforcement officials? Did those law enforcement officials take the same actions with the threatening exhibited in hanging of the noose?

Michael,
No, I am not certain it is not a crime. Yes, pointing a loaded firearm is a crime. The level of condemnation for the act, in this case, is a matter for the District Attorney for Jena, LA. If it was solely up to me, they'd go away for a similar amount of time as accorded those who stalk, intimidate witnesses, threaten, etc.

One of your prior posts attempted to equate the display of nooses with an act of terrorism. I'm inclined to agree with you. My opinion is that the laws of the jurisdiction should be enforced, and if those laws are deemed inadequate the citizenry should demand of its' legislature a correction. I think the Jena 6 took the law, or lack thereof, into their own hands. That's wrong no matter what color you are.

 

[crushing]

Pointing a loaded firearm at a person and threatening them would be equal to physically having someone's neck in a noose.

The noose is a very powerful and disturbing symbol, but where is the noose argument is going in relation to beating unconscious a student a year later. Was the beaten student one of those that hung a noose? Can it really be considered a mitigating factor for the near beating to death of a fellow person so many months later?

 

[michaeledward]

Michael,
No, I am not certain it is not a crime. Yes, pointing a loaded firearm is a crime. The level of condemnation for the act, in this case, is a matter for the District Attorney for Jena, LA. If it was solely up to me, they'd go away for a similar amount of time as accorded those who stalk, intimidate witnesses, threaten, etc.

One of your prior posts attempted to equate the display of nooses with an act of terrorism. I'm inclined to agree with you. My opinion is that the laws of the jurisdiction should be enforced, and if those laws are deemed inadequate the citizenry should demand of its' legislature a correction. I think the Jena 6 took the law, or lack thereof, into their own hands. That's wrong no matter what color you are.

Locally, Jay Severin was making all sorts of noise about the local legislation yesterday. His unspoken assumption is that the written and passed legislation was being equally applied to all citizens.

The idea that the young men in question "took the law into their own hands" begs the question, did the local law enforcement officials act appropriately at the initial incident?

Did law enforcement / school administration view the placing of lynch nooses in a schoolyard tree as seriously as pointing a loaded firearm in a threating manner? Or was it viewed as a harmless prank, wherein only the 'pride' of the young black man was injured?

As I understand it, little or no action was taken in regard to the initial offense; the hanging of the nooses. If I recall, there were stories about the racial tensions in Jena being put aside during football season. I imagine that those stories originated in the caucasion communitiy.

If an act of terrorism against a community took place .... and if the local law enforcement and civic leaders took little or no action .... does 'taking the law into their own hands' assume a different tenor?

 

[Kreth]

The school's response was pathetic, I'll give you that, but where does this slippery slope lead? If a Christian calls someone a witch or heretic, is that hate speech?

 

[michaeledward]

Pointing a loaded firearm at a person and threatening them would be equal to physically having someone's neck in a noose.

The noose is a very powerful and disturbing symbol, but where is the noose argument is going in relation to beating unconscious a student a year later. Was the beaten student one of those that hung a noose? Can it really be considered a mitigating factor for the near beating to death of a fellow person so many months later?

Why do you believe the noose would have to be around the black man's neck to equate with pointing a weapon at a person?

For the record, Justin Barker, the young white man attacked by the Jena 6, was not one of the persons who hung a noose over the "White Tree" ~ the informal nickname of the tree. The tree has since been cut down.

The repeated descriptions of being "near beating to death" is completely not true. From the court record:

Justin Barker was taken by ambulance to LaSalle General Hospital’s emergency room, arriving at 12:25 p.m., according to court documents. A report from the ambulance company stated Barker “denies any pain other than his eye.”
Once in the emergency room, Barker told medical personnel that he had been “jumped by 15 guys” and was unsure of what he had been hit with, according to the emergency physician’s record in the court file. The record noted an injury to Barker’s right eye requiring follow-up medical attention and injuries to his face, ears and hand.
A Computed Tomography scan of Barker’s brain showed no abnormalities, but there were reports of him losing consciousness during the attack, according to hospital records.
Barker was discharged about 2½ hours after being admitted to the ER. Later that night, he attended a ring ceremony at the school, where he was presented his class ring by his parents, something Kelli Barker said her son really wanted to be a part of, even though he was still in pain.
“All that keeps being said is that he was just in the hospital for a little bit and not really hurt,” Kelli Barker said of Justin. “I thank God he wasn’t hurt more than he was. But we have medical bills to show that he really was hurt.”
According to court documents, the initial trip to the emergency room cost $5,467.​

​

I don't think a two and a half hour emergency room visit qualifies as near beaten to death.

And, apparently, a group of white students had, beaten a young black man in the town of 'Fair Barn', shortly preceeding the Jena attack. Mr. Barker was attacked immediately after taunting the young black men about a prior '*** whippin'. It is unclear if this '*** whippin' referrred to the Fair Barn incident, or not.

 

[MJS]

Terrorism.

There are certain actions that people can take that are designed to incite fear. When a suicide bomber detonates a bomb in a market place, the resulting casualties pale when compared to the fear they inspire in the population as a whole. All markets become unsafe for normal commerce.

To suggest that nooses hanging over the head of a black youth in the South is only injurious to the Southern Black communities 'Pride', seems to willfully ignore 400 years of Southern history; much of it very dark indeed.

I believe that hanging nooses from the tree branch was an act of terror. Or was it really just like yelling "your mother wears army boots"?

If the act of hanging nooses in the tree was terrorism, what would be the appropriate response?

Just for clarification here, as I said in my closing post, I do not condone what happened. My point was this...nobody got a busted lip, black eye or put in the hospital from the noose hanging. The retaliation for this was putting someone in the hospital. Were people angry? I'm sure they were pissed! Then again, beating the **** out of someone really isn't solving a problem here now is it?

I have a number of friends who are African American and Hispanic, so being a racist is something I am not.

I also believe that there is an issue, that being race, that needs to be addressed in that area, and hopefully, it'll be resolved in a peaceful manner.