Lots of Texans arrived in tiny Jena, Louisiana today along with folks from all over the country to rally in celebration of the court's vacation of charges against "the Jena 6," responding to a demonstration "conjured out of the ether of cyberspace," according to the Chicago Tribune. The Dallas South blog says 14 buses are headed to Jena from the DFW area, and the Houston Chronicle reported more than 400 Houstonians also made the trek. Mark Sorkin wrote in The Nation that organizers 20,000 people came, and to judge by this photo I don't doubt it.
I've not been following the case as closely as some other Texas bloggers, but watch Dallas South, Sorkin's blog Juvienation, and the Friends of Justice blog for more updates from the event.
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17 comments:
Its great to see the mass of people coming into our state from all over the nation. What a statement it is making! I couldn't get down there today but there were lots of people from Shreveport who did.
Why are those people in the picture not at work.I'll bet drug sells are down in Texas.Where else can you go and 6 people jump on 1 person and its ok.
I'll bet drug sells are down in Texas
Nice work-in with the racism, back-handed and anonymously. Classy.
And to your premise, I'll bet you're wrong, for two reasons:
1. Anybody who was going to do drugs at the rally today probably bought all the drugs they needed before they left; and ...
2. Since you can't spell "sales", I suspect your economic projections are likewise faulty.
Stay in school, pal.
I think 5:41 meant to say why Al Sharpton (premier racist) and Jesse Jackson (from the past racist) weren't at work. Oh, that's right, they don't work for a living. They just stir up racism. That's a fact. Jack.
Well, to be fair nobody from the outside had to "stir up racism" in Jena. Nooses hung from trees in the 21st century! That's just sad.
As for "Where else can you go and 6 people jump on 1 person and its ok?" I'd reply, "Don't you watch Dallas SWAT?" ;)
Grits,
The important story here, which I see only Friends for Justice seems to have picked up on thus far, is how laws making it easier to certify juveniles as adults lend themselves to abuse.
The Jena case may well become Exhibit A in a renewed push to put some limits on these statutes. It's been well documented that they are used disproportionately against blacks and Latinos, but this kind of story tends to have more of an effect than statistics.
Bill Bush
So if a black man hangs a rope in a tree and 6 white boys jump on him what do you clowns call that.
WHITE MAN KEEPING MY PEOPLES DOWN!
Nothing is good enough for you people.
i wonder if tawana bradley was there.
So what part of hanging a noose in the tree makes it ok to get the crap beat out of you by 6 people at a later date and no one has said yet if the person who got the crap beat out of him was one of the ones who hung up the noose. That justifys violence. I guarantee you it 1 black person had the crap beat out of him by 6 white people, they whole story would have been on the news right as soon as it happened....double standard is alive and well in America.
Justice.......The Jena Prosecutor and the likes of Mike Nifong has tought us all a lesson on what not to do.
The Jena 6 have suffered a great injustice. The rest of America has learned that racism continues to be a problem in the South.
Perhaps some good will come of all this publicity. I hope Prosecutors will think twice in the future before they act as if the law is theirs to do with as they wish!
@9:30 - you're focusing on one aspect of a long story. The DA soft-peddled earlier attacks by white kids, responding by threatening the victims, and then dramatically overcharged the six kids in this case. I don't believe they shouldn't be punished for attacking someone, but the attempted murder charge was over the top, especially considering the same DA recently charged a white kid who attacked a black kid with a beer bottle with a misdemeanor. If he had equally enforced the law before now, it might have prevented this incident. But he poo-poohed threats and attacks on black kids and basically sided with their attackers. That's the long-term context of the current events, and what motivates so many protesters.
There is a "double standard" in Jena justice, no doubt - that's the point of the protesters, which apparently you've gotten precisely backwards.
Dang, gritsy, where'd you get all these nice people?
Folks, anyone that can't see that the prosecutor's up-charging of these kids to get them certified as adults was race based is blind as a bat. Try reading a few articles on the story before you bring your own racist bs into the public arena.
For anon 5:41 that the difference between a sale and selling things, it might surprise you that the majority of drug users are white.
For anon 6:52, Al and Jesse were right in this case. If you want to blame someone, blame the folks in Jena, LA for giving them a forum.
Anon 7:13, Bill Bush, is exactly, 100% correct.
Anon 9:30, the "innocent" victim was making fun of a black kid getting beaten up by a bunch of whites at a party. When he walked outside, a couple of black kids confronted him and a fight ensued. He ended up being pushed down, hit his head and was knocked unconscious. Don't overplay his "beating". I've given and been given worse "beatings" in high school.
RoAN
Thanks, David, and I must admit on this one you've come out somewhat to the LEFT of Aryan Nations; we may have to find you a new moniker, though you seem to have taken to this one. ;) best,
Interesting that one important fact has not been published by this blog (and MNM): The one that was on probation and STILL was allowed to play sports.
It is a shame all those demonstrators couldn't have traveled to New Orleans and demonstrated for some justice;But that would make the Mayor look bad and we all know he is not!
"This century's civil rights movement" is starting out to be the blind following the "rich preachers" whims.
Violence, drug abuse, illegitimacy, illiteracy, and other social problems need to be addressed by these self appointed leaders.
Excellent Post here: http://averagebro.blogspot.com/2007/09/averagebro-blogs-live-from-jena-la.html
Boy, this one sure touched a nerve! Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson are lightning rods, and I wonder how much their participation deflects attention from the real issues, which you, Scott have so well addressed.
I work with youth who are convinced that there is no justice in the system for them. I really hate it when situations like this confirm their beliefs. What can I, a middle-aged White man tell young Black males about justice, when situations like the Jena injustices still exist and are supported even by people on this blog? Old Salty
Tell them "Life isn't fair" and "Be responsible for your actions". Also, "Adults will not always be around to wipe your butt so you will have do learn to do it!"
Are you really a former Marine?
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