Free the Jena 6?

Question

Let me get this straight. Correct me if I'm wrong.
1)A few redneck white guys threw some nooses over a tree. Not a politically correct thing to do but not a crime punishable by law.
Then:
2)Six black gangsta thugs single out one white guy and kick the crap out of him.
Assault & battery. A crime punishable by law.

The white guy's lawyer said he was not involved in the noose incident.

I am a white man and live in Alabama.So if I may I would like to present a hypothetical question.

If me and a few of my white freinds were at the mall and a group of black guys flashed a gang sign at us and later we found out that the sign meant "death to white people" does that give six of us the right to kick the crap out of black guy?
Talk about one sided laws!
If that were to happen Jesse and Al would be there but for different reasons!

If the noose over the tree is the main issue with the black community, their efforts should be directed at the law makers and try to change the law.

Shak: Sorry bout the adjectives, but the charges were reduced to assault & and that my friend is against the law. Simple as that. The noose cant be used as a reason to commit a crime.

Triple Sec: Chill out. Read it again. They assaulted a boy. It doen't matter how bad. Assault is against the law. What is so hard for everyone to understand that. They broke the law..HELLO... it's against the law to kick the crap out of someone!!!

Quietstorm:
You make some good points.
The DA said he could find no law in LA that was broken by producing the nooses. That's why they weren't charged.

Answer 1

The issue with Jena 6 is not whether theJena 6 should be punished but whether they were treated differently due to their race. The protests & outrage is due to the disparate treatment in the criminal justice system that not only occurred in Jena but throughout this country.

I agree that the Jena 6 should be punished if it is proven that they beat up this kid. It is also true that because nooses were hung on the "white" tree after some black high school kids got "permission" from the principal to sit under this tree does not condone what happened.

However, what happened in Jena, LA just pushed to the surface what has been brewing for awhile. Why, in some cases, are whites treated differently than blacks, in the criminal justice system? Why were these 6 black boys facing up to 22 years in prison and nothing happened, except for a suspension, to the white boys who started a fight with other black students? What happened to the white man who pulled a gun on a group of black children? Did he face attempted murder charges when he actually had a weapon, a gun, and not just sneakers?

I agree with you that some laws are very one sided. Why are there different sentencing guidelines for persons caught with crack and not cocaine? The person using or selling crack can be sentenced to a longer prison time than the person who uses/sells cocaine. Why is the possible jail time more severe if you are caught selling drugs from section 8 housing compared to those who sell drugs from out of "suburban" homes?

Why weren't the persons who hung the nooses on the tree charged with a crime? You say that they did not break any laws, but I beg to differ. They could have been charged with a hate crime. They could have been charged with inciting a riot. All the people involved from the beginning of when the nooses were hung in Septemebr to the beating up of the white child in December should have been charged with a crime. But, only the Jena 6 were charged. What does that show? For me, it does not show equal justice in the criminal system. This is the main issue.

Edited to add:
Though the youth who hung the nooses were not charged, they could have been federally. The case against them would have been difficult because they are juveniles.
"First of all, as the FBI said (during the forum) hanging a noose under the circumstances these nooses were hung is a hate crime," Washington said Monday. "... If these were adults who hung the noose, there would be less of an issue with moving forward with the investigation and prosecution."

He said hanging the noose after a student asks about being able to conduct some kind of activity around school tends to indicate strongly that the white students who hung it were intending to send a message. But because those who hung the nooses were juveniles, it makes the process much more difficult.

He said the federal government rarely prosecutes juveniles, and even if it does, it would be in a juvenile delinquency hearing that would be closed to the public and conducted in a manner that the public would be unaware that it even occurred.

And, for those who are giving me a thumbs down, please explain why.

We need to start to have an open dialogue about race. A dialogue where each person's views can be expressed without demeaning each other's culture, race, ethinicty, etc.

Answer 2

The noose over the tree is actually an action of free speech, even though it is not in good taste.
A black attorney last night who looked into both cases, the noose and beating, concluded that those cases had nothing to do with eachother, and was part of the committee in La. that investigated both crimes, that happened 9 months apart. Jesse and Al are there to get their faces on tv and try to sway the easily influenced and uneducated to see their side even though it doesn't hold much water. Being back in class the next day doesn't have anything to do with the outcome. One punch an inch lower and he could have been dead if hit the right spot. I agree that attempted murder is a little harsh, but assault is exactly what happened. It is also a hate crime, but I guess that claim doesn't hold any water either since the victim is white.

For below me, what riot did the noose hanging incite? Like I said, hanging a noose is wrong, but it is covered by free speech. If they hung a pinata and it offended a mexican, should that be a hate crime too? If I see a statue of Jesus in front of a house and I am a Jew, should I say that since it offended me that this should be a hate crime?

Answer 3

The charges are excessive YES, but they should still be punished... Well not anymore because Mychal Bell has been in jail for 9 months already, I think he has served enough time. But as far as the shirts so, I can understand why they wouldn't want the students to wear them to school but at the same time had it been my relative in that position... I probably would've worn my shirt to school also. EVERYONE involved in anything that had to do with the Jena6 case should been punished... The noose hangers, the white men that beat up the black boy at the party, the man that pointed his gun at the other men at the convenience store, and the 6 that jumped Justin Barker. Do I think Jena's a racist town.... Hell yes. Would that have happened where I live? Definitely not.

Answer 4

I agree with you 100% and even posted a question and made comments along the same lines...if the situations were reversed no one would care about 6 white guys in jail except their mamas....and No one would be having rally's to free the especially if they were guilty of a crime. And the truth is as long as the Majority of Americas Black population BLINDLY follow these 2 evil men than this country can never be at peace..When will the black community as a whole begin holding their youth accountable....as soon as that happens the black youth of tomorrow will be wort something. A child who knows that no matter what he does right or wrong has mommy fighting and lying in his corner has no reason to do right and will continue to do wrong... As long as young men like these 6 know that they can do whatever they want and not be held accountable they and those who see it will continue on their current path...Wake up people...you are your Youth's OWN worst enemy!!

Answer 5

That's the story.
And 30+ lemmings showed up in this tiny town to protest it.
If this were the reverse and 30+ white people protested that person being in jail to long I would think Jesse and Al would throw their race card rage from afar.
That tree incident was clearly not cool, but has anyone been to high school? Come on, kids are nasty and reactionary at that age. Crap like that happens ALL THE TIME.

At one point in CA you couldn't walk down certain streets wearing the wrong color w/out being terrified. Did you see an mexican americans gathering that many people to get their "poor son" out of jail?
And this mess is going to drag on and on...

Answer 6

First of all I have found that instead of six it was seven. Secondly, there were not three nooses but two. The biggest injustice I have seen thus far is that the nooses weren't used for the likes of Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and Martin Luther King III.

Answer 7

yes it is against the law but only if you are white it seams that Al and Jessie are there to promote violence wake up people both of these so called helpers want race riots and murders of people in the streets of every city they are 2 very violent people with power to bring a bunch of stupid people to protest the law in fact if the 6 in question were white they would get the death penalty the two that really need to go to jail for life are Al and Jessie

Answer 8

Ok, these damn kids deserve everything that they get. There is no reason to beat anyone up. This is not about race this is about these kids that beat somebody up and they deserve to get punished for it. If it was white kids that beat up a black kid the same thing would happen they would get punished.

Answer 9

First off...when did these kids become rednecks and black "gangsta thugs". That statement alone is enough to let me know you probably arent seeing this case clearly. Its not just about the noose...no one said that gave these kids the right to fight. The noose was just brough up to show the "racial tension". The whole thing with Jena 6 is that these kids shouldnt be getting attempted murder or even aggravated assault when the kid who got beat up was back in class in the very next day.

Answer 10

Quietstorm: Read the timeline:
http://www.thejenatimes.net/home_page_graphics/home.html

Alot of people are listening to the facts that they WANT to hear, from any source.