Jena Six Rally
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 9:56 am
For those of you who do not follow the news, this has become a huge issue over the past couple months and really has powder kegged to todays massive protest in Jena, Louisiana.
Now, I am probably one of the most vocal persons about civil rights that i can think of in my community as well as my school. Where I am located now (Central PA) It is a mostly white community and racial seperation is huge. I can cite several instances of actual burning crosses being placed not only on residences of Black's but with people who morally sympathise with Blacks.
For me when i was a Freshman coming here, to hear of an active KKK membership nearby my campus not only suprised me, but scared me. I see the same type of racism being displayed in this Jena 6 Case. At first i couldnt understand why 10's of thousands of ppl would show up to protest a criminal charge being placed on a Michael Bell who was involved with 5 other Black boys in severely beating to the point of unconsciousness a white student in Jena High school. What i finally understood was that this happend last year and Bell is still incarcerated awating a sentencing from the DA! How can you imprison someone for that long for a highschool beating????
Now granted I am not a fan of Jesse Jackson or Reverend Sharpton, mostly due to the unfair tactics and public displays of playing the "race card" quite often (Don Imus) but they make a good point in this ralley about the inequity of the Justice system in Jena. Not only did 3 white boys publically hang nooses from a tree, which is where this controversy stems from, but they had threatend black students who had asked to sit beneath it. These kids get a suspension for something that is clearly a hate-oriented action. No more no less. It seems unfair that Michael Bell would be put in jail for over 9 months for a beating.
On the other side of the fense though Bell has a criminal record with related offenses. So of the 6 it would make sense that he would be made an example of. Also it was 6 Black boys who jumped and beat 1 white boy. If it were the reverse i know Al Sharpton would be the first to declare it a Hate Crime, and as many know the penalties following would be extreme.
So if you are still with me this far... thanks for reading and taking conscern, but here is my question to you....
Is it really visible the separation of equality based on race not only there in Jena, but where you live?
Also on another side of the equation, if 6 Whites beat 1 Black, and this constitues a Hate crime, why wouldnt the same be applicable to the Jena 6 scenario?
Now, I am probably one of the most vocal persons about civil rights that i can think of in my community as well as my school. Where I am located now (Central PA) It is a mostly white community and racial seperation is huge. I can cite several instances of actual burning crosses being placed not only on residences of Black's but with people who morally sympathise with Blacks.
For me when i was a Freshman coming here, to hear of an active KKK membership nearby my campus not only suprised me, but scared me. I see the same type of racism being displayed in this Jena 6 Case. At first i couldnt understand why 10's of thousands of ppl would show up to protest a criminal charge being placed on a Michael Bell who was involved with 5 other Black boys in severely beating to the point of unconsciousness a white student in Jena High school. What i finally understood was that this happend last year and Bell is still incarcerated awating a sentencing from the DA! How can you imprison someone for that long for a highschool beating????
Now granted I am not a fan of Jesse Jackson or Reverend Sharpton, mostly due to the unfair tactics and public displays of playing the "race card" quite often (Don Imus) but they make a good point in this ralley about the inequity of the Justice system in Jena. Not only did 3 white boys publically hang nooses from a tree, which is where this controversy stems from, but they had threatend black students who had asked to sit beneath it. These kids get a suspension for something that is clearly a hate-oriented action. No more no less. It seems unfair that Michael Bell would be put in jail for over 9 months for a beating.
On the other side of the fense though Bell has a criminal record with related offenses. So of the 6 it would make sense that he would be made an example of. Also it was 6 Black boys who jumped and beat 1 white boy. If it were the reverse i know Al Sharpton would be the first to declare it a Hate Crime, and as many know the penalties following would be extreme.
So if you are still with me this far... thanks for reading and taking conscern, but here is my question to you....
Is it really visible the separation of equality based on race not only there in Jena, but where you live?
Also on another side of the equation, if 6 Whites beat 1 Black, and this constitues a Hate crime, why wouldnt the same be applicable to the Jena 6 scenario?