NPR was one of the first to offer clarifications.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/newsandviews/2007/09/more_facts_about_the_jena_6_ca_1.html

Say, look at that byline on that original article! NPR is keeping it real.

Sent by trvolk | 1:41 PM ET | 10-24-2007

I'm amazed it took this long for the op-ed writer to justify his "facts" versus the "myths" surrounding the Jena case. What does that say of his credibility?

Also, how could he write such column with a straight face that the nooses were for the other white students? Come on! If the nooses were for the white students, why did they appear on the tree right after the black students sat under the said tree that was perceived for "whites only?"

Lastly, the op-ed writer must be living in a bubble of some sort for calling Jena "a wonderful place to live for both whites and blacks." How many black residents of the small town Jena did he poll for such ridiculous comment? From what I saw on the news - oh I'm sorry the media distorted it for me; actual black residents of Jena attest to the race tension in their town.

Sent by Moji | 2:26 PM ET | 10-24-2007

Why is NPR wasting valuable time and space on a rebuttal that is factually incomplete and to some degree incorrect?
As an African-American male I really want to know the facts about Jena because the facts about our history are a starting point for our nation to start healing the wounds of the past. At one time in my life I thought that white America had the moral fortitude to one day come to the table and start the healing process. However, after years of historical analysis white people simply are not going to do what is right. African-Americans, we must take our white brothers by the hand, if they will allow us to touch them, and lead the to the table of conversation and reconciliation.

Sent by zr powe | 5:41 PM ET | 10-24-2007

jason whitlock of the kansas city star reached the same conclusion about the proformance of the national press in its coverage of the jena6 case: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/columnists/jason_whitlock/story/296701.html

it's funny how quickly to mau-mauing, moan & march" usa black at white social malfeasence but -- silent as a mouse p!ss!ng on cotton -- the horrible 'roar' of nearly 7,000 negro citizens murdered so far this year...

these loud-mouth black rallers are a joke!!!

Sent by dirtyblues | 7:43 PM ET | 10-24-2007

so all this is blown out of proportion... are you crazy... Everything is a lie????....... you need to really go to church. For real thank god for the new stations... never thought I would say that

Sent by positive parent | 10:35 PM ET | 10-24-2007

To my brother, zr powe: Can we PLEASE talk about it? Let's sit down and do just that. Let's start out by stating our "opinions" of each other, and help dispel those myths, get them out of the way.

Then we can get down to brass tacks, so to speak.
I work at a bank, and I have many African-Americans co-workers. These are great people, and I have to tell you that no one cares about color where I work, it is a true meritocracy. It does not make a nickel's worth of difference what color someone is. We just work together to get the job done.

Given that, I know we can have a conversation, even in cyberspace, about what's going on, and maybe at two of us will come away with a better understanding. And if we can each convinve two friends, and so on...

Sent by Jim | 10:45 PM ET | 10-24-2007

That Jason Whitlock piece is as bias and twisted as the linked Franklin piece. Neither piece could be considered objective or real journalism. They both read like angry rants. I'm all for telling the other side of this story, but at least pretend that your on the side of truth instead of just defending your personal position. This is disappointing because both of these guys are suppose to be real, professional journalist, working for actual publications with standards. Not some angry blogger, ranting and raving. I'm sure there's all kind of 'myths' surrounding the Jena 6, but he lost me with myth 1 about the black student's question being a joke. A real journalist would've actually tracked down that student and asked him if his question was a joke. -And to dirtyblue's comment about black protesters "mau-mauing, moaning, and marching", but remaining as quite as a mouse pissing on cotton. I don't know what mau-mauing is, but black people for years and years have protested, debated, fought, and worked on black violence. But you're not a member of our community so I know you wouldn't know anything about that. And your bait and switch form of argument is as effective as appeasing an alligator with babyfood(another useless saying). Stick to the issue. you can make a descent argument on the topic, can't you? I think at your local KKK meeting they passed out a list of responses to throw out to any black grievance. The black crime one, which you used, appears right after the very popular 'go get a job and an education', and 'you always blame whitey'.

Sent by Leslie | 12:26 AM ET | 10-25-2007

You blew up my morning posting schedule with this one.

Jena Tries to get its story straight. Again

Sent by P6 | 11:02 AM ET | 10-25-2007

I think the issue of the Jena 6 is another example of how we the American people and our media often take an issue and ignore the deeper issue that needs to be addressed because a controversy and media frenzy gets us so more excited and is easier to deal with.

It's very easy for us to respond to the statement, "Unfair treatment of black students by courts," but not so easy to respond to questions like, "Why are our young people (black and white alike) choosing to deal with conflicts in a violent manner instead of seeking peaceful resolution?" Why do we focus on details of an issue such as "black men are more likely to get harsh criminal sentences" instead of asking the black men why they chose to commit the crime?

There are very real injustices that take place in America every day. The story of the Jena 6 my be one of them, but at this point we've heard so many versions of th "facts" that it's hard for someone who wasn't there to know fact from fiction. However the one statement no one seems to be making regarding the issue is that had these boys chosen not to fight-- to turn the other cheek as so many of our great leaders in history have done-- there would have been no reason for them to receive punishment of any kind whatsoever.

The best way to win a fight is by avoiding it. That's the lesson we should focus on from the Jena 6 incident, not the question of whether or not Jena is a "racist town" or any other silly such notion.

Sent by Daniel Holloway | 12:19 PM ET | 10-25-2007

However the one statement no one seems to be making regarding the issue is that had these boys chosen not to fight-- to turn the other cheek as so many of our great leaders in history have done-- there would have been no reason for them to receive punishment of any kind whatsoever.

Why is it "these boys" are the ones that have to learn how not to fight?

"Oh! Oh! The white kids have to learn too!" Yet you didn't mention them. NO ONE mentions them as having any fault at all, any lessons that THEY must learn.

That's racist, kid. Just sayin'.

You want alternate realities, how about...if those boys hadn't chosen to hang nooses, or punch people out when they want to go to a party, of try to pull shotguns on them, there would have been no problem.

Why do YOU PEOPLE insist on shifting the discussion from the "many lessons to be learned" to some unrealistic pacifist expectation of perfection? I just had to tell some dummy the other day who said "I cannot condone violence to resist hatred." I told him "if you ever faced actual hatred, you would. Or you'd get your butt kicked for no good reason.

You want to know when this will be settled? When white people accept that Black people will react JUST LIKE THEY WILL.

Sent by P6 | 4:07 PM ET | 10-25-2007

I was not trying to argue that there were not wrongs that took place on both sides in Jena. It was clearly unwise at the least to hang a noose in a place with a history of racism like the South. Also, violence on any person's part is unacceptable. However, we cannot tempt ourselves into the easy excuse of "he hit me first."

When I was growing up, my parents always taught me that two wrongs don't make a right. If you get caught stealing from a store and stand before a jury, the defense that someone else did the same thing and was acquitted or was never charged will never get you off the hook.

No one expects perfection, but some adherence to the laws should be expected from everyone. Just because some people get away with breaking those laws, doesn't mean that the laws are not to be obeyed.

Pointing the finger at someone else who did the same thing you did never excuses what you did.

Sent by Daniel Holloway | 9:16 AM ET | 10-26-2007

Pointing the finger at the wrong people doesn't help much either, Daniel.

Who were the responsible adults in the situation? Why did they not act earlier, and more appropriately when they finally did? Why are they pointing fingers at the adolescents instead of owning up to their errors? Neither D.A., Judge nor Mayor has even approached admitting to error, have they?

Do you realize that if the Jena 6 were charged as minors as they should have been, none of this discussion would be taking place? And starting with ANY of the incidents you can trace them back to a prior incident...except the mishandling of the case by the responsible adults.

Which is what we protest. The mishandling of the case by the responsible adults. That is ALL we ever protested.

Resolve that first, or recognize that you are willing to ignore the problem for the sake of appearances.

Sent by P6 | 12:59 PM ET | 10-26-2007

Between the Kansas City Star and Jena Times stories, I have to believe that the media certainly didn't have all the facts in the beginning - and may not have cared too much to get them. The story was shocking, appalling, intriguing, and it people tuned in.

So, I think the media may have done some shoddy reporting and the real story lies somewhere between the original story and the new myth-busting versions.

I???d like to see NPR do a thorough investigation and report on it.

Sent by Anonymous | 11:39 AM ET | 10-27-2007

I have read a variety of stories regarding the Jena 6. There is a lot of mixed information. Also a lot of finger pointing at who is the "the true/worst professionals". I am not buying the lynch rope story as a joke. That noose is a symbol of domestic terrorism that has been used against black people in America. So that is a moot point period. It would not be the first time that someone has gone too far and tried to make light of a serious subject.
P6 expressed my major concern and feelings about the adults in this situation. They are the ones that really need to be checked for what happened. There was and is a problem in Jena. It is also one that plauges the nation. It is the lack of common sense. Which is at an all time low in the nation. Are we supposed to sit back and watch injustice without saying anything. I believe that is what caused the problem from the start.

Sent by D.L.White | 3:20 PM ET | 10-27-2007

So, I think the media may have done some shoddy reporting and the real story lies somewhere between the original story and the new myth-busting versions.
I understand your desire for compromise. But this statement actually excludes the "versions" told by the Black folks on the ground.

Unreasonable. Unacceptable.

Sent by P6 | 9:52 AM ET | 10-28-2007

Why do racist whites hate to be called out. They contnue to hid behind there hoods, nooses, etc. They hate when we stand up for something. If Jena is Not racist then what is the problem? No matter how they make excuses and observations, the actions taken in Jena against blacks are Racist and unbalanced. No matter what rebuttal is given nothing will change that. It just shows how ignorant some white people think we still are. To say that nooses where hung their for white students. "Really" It was so ironic that it was done after blacks sat under the tree. The sad things is that we are suppose to believe this. Right about about now, the only thing I believe from someone white in Jena is that Blacks have never been serviced in that Barber shop that was mentioned. "Blacks and whites sure do get along well in Jena."

Sent by Sandra | 5:48 PM ET | 10-28-2007