Thousands Protest in Support of Jena 6

This is so sad. The black community loses all legitimacy when they are incapable of ever admitting that a member of their own race is EVER wrong. Let me get this straight... 6 guys beat the hell out of one guy and put him in the hospital (see picture: http://news.yahoo.com/photos/ss/events/u... ) and we have thousands of people marching in their support? Is this for real? Are whole communities actually condoning gang beatings? How pitiful. The responsible position for the black community to hold here would be that the Jena 6 were wrong and they should have to pay for their hate crime (which is exactly what it was). Now if the black community thinks there were crimes that were committed by whites that weren't prosecuted, they could legitimately gripe about that and direct their protests in that direction. However, the answer here isn't to make martyrs out of 6 young thugs who committed a felony.

Sent by bill | 5:29 PM | 9-20-2007

Bill:

I think you need to read the whole story about the Jena case before making a quick judgment about black folks condoning bad behavior. Long before the beatdown of the white guy, Justin Barker there was another instance when a white student in the same school smashed a beer a bottle on a black student's head. The name of the black student is Robert Bailey. The white boy was charged with a simple battery and was released on probation.

Now as I wrote before on this site, I do not think Bell still sitting in jail for almost a year makes the best of martyrs and I do not condone his behavior. But when a white guy smashing a bottle on a black guy's head and is out on the street while another sits in prison because of an assault on a white guy, who might I add was "conscious" enough to go to a school function the same night; you tell me where is the fairness in justice?

And please don't let me bring on the issue about the noose on the tree that the school mildly putting it off as a prank and the taunts and even an arson that the Jena community refused to do anything about. I'm not afraid to hold a mirror to black folks for dumb mistakes but there is a lot to be said when the punishment (15 years in prison) doesn't fit the crime.

Sent by Moji | 7:29 PM | 9-20-2007

As a former resident of the South, I completely agree with the public protests on behalf of the Jena 6. As a white citizen, I am appalled that one standard of justice still applies to me and another standard obviously applies to African American citizens in the state of Louisiana. It is a sign of hope to me that this grave miscarriage of justice in Jena is not going unanswered. This issue is not whether the Jena 6 are innocent of any crime. The issue is one of cruel and unusual punishment. The brutal fact is that if the situation were reversed, a white perpetrator of a similar offense would not be facing a life in prison. I am inspired to see that democracy in action is not dead, and that the spirit of the Civil Rights Movement is still alive. Furthermore, I am appalled to see again such a symbol of an ugly past as a noose hung from a tree. I will never forget hearing the "n" word for the first time as child in Georgia. My brother had innocently invited an African American friend over to our home, and a white neighbor casually used this word in his presence. My mother found herself suddenly having to confront this neighbor, fighting her own battle to maintain basic human respect in our home. That white neighbor never spoke to us again. I learned about racism in America that day. Unfortunately, this scourge is still with us. I pray that in time our country will be free of the terrible legacy of slavery and racism.

Sent by Elizabeth Wyant | 8:28 AM | 9-21-2007