Jena 6. Have their civil rights been violated? Is this case different than similar ones in the past?

Answer 1

Absolutely NOT, they beat a child within inches of his life. They deserve JAIL

Answer 2

The victim had nothing to do with the noose hangings under the "white tree." I believe the victim was making racist comments, not at the Jena 6, but within earshot, and this provoked the fight. When the victim walked into the school courtyard, Mychal Bell hit him in the back of the head, knocking him unconscious. The 6 proceeded to kick and stomp him as he lay there helpless. He's lucky not to have been hurt worse. He could have been paralyzed or killed if kicked in the wrong place.
Now the 6 are being charged with aggravated assault in a juvenile court. Mychal Bell faces a max sentence of 22 years, which he probably won't get, and let's not forget that it wouldn't have been so high if he hadn't had 4 previous convictions for violent crimes! The other 5 will be similarly charged, but will not receive as harsh a sentence.
There is no doubt that there are serious race issues going on in this country, but the trials and convictions of these 6 don't violate civil liberties. It seems to me that the punishment fits the crime. What would these "Free Jena 6"ers have the courts do? Let them go? Sending a message that it's okay to try to kill someone?
Just like someone said above, imagine if the places were reversed, and it had been 6 white kids who beat one black kid. Al and Jessie would then be in Jena fighting for harsher sentencing, not more lenient.

Answer 3

Yes. Their civil rights were violated because they were charged with a more serious crime than the 6 white youths that attacked the Black youths with a beer bottle. Many people don't realize that before a white student was attacked by the "Jena Six", a black student was attacked by a white mob and had injuries similar to the white kid. The difference here is that the white kids were charged with simple assault, while the Black kids were charged with murder. Part of the reason that the masses descended on Jena was to call attention to the fact that historically, when Blacks do commit crimes, they are often charged with more serious crimes, and get disproportionately stiffer sentences than their white counterparts.

Answer 4

Sounds like a revisitation to the '60s. But yes I have to say that not rights, but prejudice is coming into play here. Their rights haven't been violated so much as to their existence to live is being threatened. And I do have to say yes, it is very similar to cases in the past, in fact I'd say the past has never been forgotten in this circumstance.

Answer 5

I don't know the whole case, but the thing that gets me is that these rally folks want justice, but wasn't the beating wrong in the first place? Where's the apology for that? This case reminds me of the Tookie Williams case, . Al Sharpton, all those people are rallying for criminals!

Answer 6

"Not only is there almost no media coverage of the Black violent hate crimes against Whites, but in high profile cases when Blacks are prosecuted for heinous crimes against innocent Whites, the White victims are ignored and the Black criminals are turned into “real victims” by the media.

Nothing more clearly illustrates this point than what has occurred over the past year in Jena, Louisiana and the orgy of hatred that Jena has suffered. today, September 20, the town has been invaded by thousands of thugs like Al Sharpton who seek to make violent Black hate criminals such as Michael Bell and the rest of the so-called “Jena Six” into heroes. Even worse the entire White population of the town is facing a media lynching by being labeled racists who are unjustly persecuting Black young men.

Michael Bell, who has been convicted of four previous violent crimes, (a fact scarcely revealed by the media), led a group of six Black students to attack and unmercifully beat a White Student at Jena High School in what can only be described as a vicious hate crime. Motivated by racial hatred, the six Blacks attacked one lone White student, Justin Barker. They stomped and kicked him to unconsciousness and continued to kick him and stomp him as he lay helpless. The attack could have easily have taken his life if others had not intervened. Only by the grace of God did he survive.

To show the insane bias of this whole case, just imagine if the facts were reversed.

If a gang of six Whites motivated by racial hatred and led by a White with four previous violent-crime convictions had attacked a lone Black student, kicking and stomping him into unconsciousness, would there any concern that the leader and the other White gang members could be charged with aggravated assault? Would not there be national demands to charge the White attackers with the most serious of federal civil rights violations and hate crimes? White leaders from all over the country, even the leaders of the local town of Jena, would not be defending the White attackers, they would be condemning the attacks and calling for the harshest of punishments allowed by the law.

As far as the Media are concerned, oh yes the supposedly unbiased media, they would be interviewing the Black victim on every TV talk show across the land, discussing his fear, his pain, his suffering. They would be interviewing his crying relatives and friends. They would not be voicing any fear that the White attackers would be treated too harshly. No, they would be demanding the harshest of penalties.

Federal officials from the President on down would be calling for additional serious charges of federal civil rights violations. But you see, in the America of 2007 Whites are no longer deemed to have any “civil rights.”

When a lone White kid is beaten savagely by a gang of six hate criminals, the media is only concerned about how the Black attackers are being treated too harshly. And if you are waiting for civil rights charges to be filed against the Black attackers who violated the civil rights of the boy they almost beat to death, don’t hold your breath.

The entire Jena scenario and the coverage of it by the media show once again that it is not the people of Jena who are racists. By voting for me and by demanding justice in this case, they have shown rightly that they believe in fairness to all and that White people are now the real victims of racism in America. Once again it is shown that we must have advocates for our rights and heritage just as any other group is permitted to do so.

May the District Attorney and the people of Jena stay strong and never give in to those who seek take away their rights of life and liberty as guaranteed by the United States Constitution."

Answer 7

I don't see how. The boy was tried as an adult and this was overturned because he was 15 or 16 years old. Now he is facing a lessor charge. He did do the crime.

Answer 8

I am shocked that this crap is still happening. The fact that it is Louisiana does not surprise me.

Both of my parents were from rural Louisiana in the 1920's. They were raised in extreme prejudice. They did not perpetuate the ignorance. My brother and I were raised that all men were created equal.

Answer 9

Yes. Racism still exists. Anyone who looks at teh information and timeline and believes in justice cannot come to any other conclusion.
Racism is racism, doesn't matter if it was 1920 or 2007.

Answer 10

How were they're civil rights violated? They beat up a guy----6 people beat up one guy!!! Heck, if anybody's civil rights were violated-----it was the guy that got beat up!!!!