I am so glad this organization is getting involved. I wish more would. From everything I have read, heard, and seen about this situation….it is racial bias.
Peace!

These 6 boys are being treated differently because they are black. From what I have read, the white boys who put the nooses in the tree were given 3 days suspension. These boys are being tried as adults. The white boy didn’t even have a hospital stay after the fight! One would hope that in this year 2007, the police and courts would be treating everyone equally. However, this is LA. and like other states in the south of this county, racism has not been eliminated.

I’ve spent a hour going into every newspaper in LA, and not one had anything on this case. If the white boy didn’t even have a hospital stay, as PS posted, the six as the article above said ,should have been suspended as the three white boys were for the nooses in the tree. It is ridiculous to put them on trial with a jail sentence hanging over them. It will never happen, the black parents and citizens won’t let it. Too bad it wasn’t handled in a sane way from the beginning.

i agree that there does seem to be some racial bias here, but i don’t think that hanging nooses on a tree, & physically assaulting someone, merit the same punishment. especially if it was a six-on-one fight.

There’s an article on this in Wikipedia that makes it look like there was a lot of racial bias that led up to the fight, and bias in choosing the charge and an all-white jury (seems strange to me) and ineptness or worse on the part of the defense attorney.
I really would not want to live in Louisiana.
Isn’t it time for some whiter churches (and other organizations) to also get involved? But yes, I’m glad these folks have gotten involved.

The white boy who was beaten was treated and released. He attended a school event a few hours later…that same evening.
I in no way condone violence or fighting at school. Nor, do I condone placing nooses in a tree above the area where the black boys sat one day.
BTW, the School District policy for a fight is three days suspension….not arrest and prosecution.
I agree, there should be very different disapline for the two different acts. The nooses were basically a death threat…I see that very different from a fight.
Such prejudice and bigotry alive and well in 2007, how embarrassing, how profoundly sad.
Peace!

Nnmns, How did you find this case on Wikipedia? Everything I put in for search doesn’t do it. I’d like to read about it, and understand the details.

H22:
I typed Jena Six into google and got articles relating to this story.

Henrietta22-
Here you go:
Wikipedia….scroll down to Racial Tension
Also, a great NPR story
BTW, the excuse for the all-white jury is that 85% of the town is white and only 12% is black. This is only conjecture, but I would bet that “there were no qualified blacks” to sit on the jury. I have no idea how many times that lame excuse has been used….but, I certainly have heard it too, too, too many times.
Peace!

Thanks PS, I typed Jena Six into Netscape search, and received information, plus a small video of school, town, etc. Did you see that? The town is small and 85 percent is white. They have one barber shop and the black people aren’t allowed to use it. Sounds like going back 40 yrs. into the past. Updates will be added to the cite as new things happen.

Schoolyard “fighting” is where one student takes a, usually inept and wild, punch at another and that one punches back. The victim in this case was one person, alone, attacked and beaten by six. That is not fighting; it is assault. The charges accurately reflect what happened.

Henrietta, I got it like pagansister described. Apparently the different search engines work pretty differently.
It’s certainly not that those charged were innocent, but they were young and given way too much motivation by the white community, which acted as if it didn’t have a clue about the Jim Crow days.

What world are you people living in? There is so much racial tension in America that it permeates every aspect of the lives of our youth.
And we allow it, either through apathy, or involvment and support of it. We have “Black Entertainment Television” and La Raza (The Race) and Conquistador newspapers that exclude others of different races and we are somehow shocked that racism and violence are still around in 2007?
Violence is as commonplace and acceptable as the incredible promiscuity so promoted in our schools “as well.” The only thing that has changed since racism was practiced in a white “European-American” society, is that now racism is practiced in a multi-racial society by far more than just “white” people. In 2007 African-Americans are the equals of European-Americans in racial hatred towards “others.” Proof of that is no further away than the Hip-Hop/Rap/Gangsta world view that is everywhere. Mexicans (with a huge gang presence) implement racism by setting up their own exclusively spanish only society self-segregated against any english speaking peoples in the US and makinf sure no others can benefit from it.
Racism is bigger than ever. It is just being ignored by the people that caused it to grow the way the way it is now.
What “content of character” has society promoted in our youth culture? Violence, sexual perversion/promiscuity, out of wedlock children and gross irresponsibility. We “liberalized” our youth, and they are doing what they wilt. And not just on each other.
By the way . . . it is the civil right of a victim of violence to pursue criminal charges against a perpetrator. Just the same as it is the victim of a racial hate crime. Schools have no say in that matter. Just a slap on the face is a criminal act.
AME is first and foremost a Christian Community. At least that is what the title implies. That should mean that self-applied blindness to social ills shouldn’t exist. But it is clear that it does. “Six” guys, fighting “one” guy? That sounds like a crime to me. That sounds like either gang behavior or mob and/or racist rule. Take your pick. It also sounds like a crime was commited. Just like hanging nooses on a tree is a racial crime against blacks.
My children do not know there is racism. Both of my children are white. As are their married opposite sex parents. They do not know they cannot have black friends that hate them just because they are white. They do not know they cannot have “brown” friends that hate them just because they are white. That is also a fact.
It is time for “our” generation to take the bricks we’ve placed in our own eyes, and the schism we allow to exist in our offspring (illigitmate or not), and start practicing what we pray for.
“African” Methodist Episcoplian? How exclusive and non-inclusive is that? The new Christianity is worse then the last version of westernized religion.
See what I mean about racism being so common in our society?
Wake up people.

Donny-
I believe that unfortunately racial tension does still exist in the USA. However, I do not believe that it neccessarily “permeates every aspect of the lives of our youth”.
BET was started in 1980 when there was almost no black presence in cable tv. It is does not exclude other races…however, it does mostly present black entertainers, etc. Perhaps you do not watch it…but, many white and hispanic people do.
La Raza is an organization that works to minimize/end discrimination towards hispanic people. You seem to be suggesting that it somehow promotes discrimination. La Raza recieves a lot of dontations from non-hispanic people.
The AME was founded in 1816 by a group of black people when they faced constant discrimination in the Methodist church they attended. It was not formed to discriminate against others…but rather as a reaction to the discrimination by others. BTW, it is not exclusively a black church. One does not need to be black to attend.
The organizations you have cited are not racist.
Just because there are Mexican gangs does not suggest that all or most Mexicans are discriminatory against white people. When the Europeans came to the US over the last couple of centuries, many/most styed within their own groups based on country of origin. It was easier for them and this created support for each other. When Pols, Russians, etc arrive from Europe even today, they often stay within smaller ethnic communties.
Not all Hip-Hop etc is black. And just because Gangsta Rap exists and is predominately black does not suggest that all or most black people are discriminatory against white people.
In your post, you state that your children do not know that there is racism. Yet you also suggest that it is everywhere in our society and we are taking a blind eye to it. Which is it?
I for one am not. Over the years, I have and still do donated money and volunteered time to a variety of organizations working to end discrimination. These include: NAACP, Urban League, La Raza, HRC, GLAAD, Love Makes a Family, Lambda Leagal…as well as various church initiatives.
Donny, I am glad we agree that discrimination and racism are wrong. And, I would suggest that you are correct, racism is unfortunately alive in the USA today. The story of the Jena Six is a great example. How very sad.
Peace!

I don’t tnhink we agree on the same thing. Of all of the things you support, I support only the NAACP and the Urban League to a certain degree. They both seem racist leaning to me and i hope they become color-blind some day. The rest are Christian and White-bashing organizations hell-bent to change our world for the worst. I don’t believe peace comes by promoting perversion and vice. I do wish you a long and violence free life though.
For example:
“In your post, you state that your children do not know that there is racism. Yet you also suggest that it is everywhere in our society and we are taking a blind eye to it. Which is it?”
I choose to teach my children Gospel truth. There is no racism and no promotion of violence or sexual perversion in that. I do teach them that the ways a Christian should live is hated and attacked by others, and that they should avoid these kinds of people for their entire lives. The very groups like HRC, GLADD, GLSEN, Love makes a family and Lambda are certainly not organizations for making a better and more morally sound society. It is precisely the chaos and “anything goes” immorality promoted by groups like these that have us in such a violent and destructive world “in the west.” Our children have bad role models and they are following their examples.

Donny-
My point was that we both agree that discrimination is not at good thing.
“The very groups like HRC, GLADD, GLSEN, Love makes a family and Lambda are certainly not organizations for making a better and more morally sound society.”
I disagree. Each of these organizations work to end discrimination, bigotry, and prejudice. Discrimination, bigotry, and prejudice are not Christian principles nor, are they Biblically supported. So, I very much believe they are working to make this a better and more morlly sound society.
“Our children have bad role models and they are following their examples.”
I agree that there are some bad role models out there for our children….however, I believe there are also some great role models for our children. That is why my huband and I help our children to focus on the great role models. Then, they have little time/ability/opportunity to notice the bad role models.
I find it interesting that you believe that Christians (in the USA) experience attack and hatred for being Christian. My husband and I do not teach our children that they will be hated or attacked for being Christian.
Interestingly enough, in my life the only attacks that I have experienced have been from other Christians. But, even that has been rare.
I too wish you a long and violence free as well as happy and healthy life.
Peace!

Donations to the “Jena Six” defense fund can be made here:
https://secure.colorofchange.org/jena_fund/

i know that racism exists. i have a racist husband. my grandparents still think that “colored people” are more dangerous and less educated than white people (tho they do not hate blacks- they just believe some of the sterotypes). my husband uses the N-word frequently (tho he has promised me he would not many times) and now uses the word D.A.N. alot. if you dont know what that means- it is just a very hateful word that includes the N-word.). i grew up with black friends. i still keep in touch with them over the net. but even me- and i dont hate black people at all (or any other race for that matter)- i still have some sterotype-related misconceptions that were pretty programmed into me.
for example:i am afraid to meet eyes with a black person who pulls up in a car next to mine. that’s for two reasons: 1) i am afraid that my expression will look like it’s trying to hard to cover the fact that i (here’s the next reason) 2)- am more frightened of black strangers than white ones. i am very ashamed of this response, but havent found a good way to fight it yet.
my enviroment isnt one that cultivates the breaking down of racial barriers- so every step i’ve taken towards eliminating racism in my own heart has been hard. Coming to Christ has helped me more than anything. He doesnt care about color. His word said that in His church there is no difference between race and gender- that we are all loved equally in Him. that was my first step. and He has guided me thru each step afterwards.
i hope that my children will be far more tolerent than i am. no-scratch that- tolerence means you just deal with something- i want my children to love better than i do.

Gina-
Wow. Thanks for sharing your struggle. Sometimes just being honest with ourselves accomplishes much more than we think. I believe you are correct about our Lord Jesus Christ.
Peace!

While the noose incident probobly should have been handled differently honestly when you have 6 student’s beating up a lone student it should receive more than three days even if the child does not have to stay in the hospital. Are people suggesting that if he had been unfortunate enough to have recieved worse injuries then they should have been charged but since he was lucky then they should get slaps on the wrist which is what a three day suspension really is.
A question for all of you if this had been 6 white kids and a lone black kid would your reaction still be the same?

“A question for all of you if this had been 6 white kids and a lone black kid would your reaction still be the same?”
Yes.
Please understand, I am in no way condoning violence. I do not condone the noose incident….nor, do I condone the six boys beating on one white boy.
However, the nooses represent death threats….and, I believe more should have been done at the time. The “more” IMHO should have also included counceling.
Yes, I believe that disapline should be appropriate for the severity of the action. Had the boy been hurt worse…the disapline should be more severe. Had the boy been even less injured than he was….the disapline should be greater. IMHO, the jail sentences are too severe and are mostly like a result of racial bias.
BTW, I speak with the experience of having been a white boy who was injured by a group of black boys simply because I was white and they were upset with the racial incidents of the time.
Peace!

I an interview on NPR the sherrif in the community seemed to say that both blacks and whites were involved in the noose incident and that made it OK. We need to be clear that equal volumes of prejudice and acceptance of violence is NOT GOOD. Just because one protion of the community is as racially bigoted as another does not mean that striking a balnce makes a stable situation. Quite the contrary. It is like an explosive ready to ignite!
Bigotry is bad – hurtful, destructive, and the very definition of sin – in that your allegiance to your bigotry blinds and deafens you to everything including God’s demand that we love each other, everyone, without excuses.
Violence is dangerous – rarely does anything good come from it. And when somethng good does come it is at great and painful cost.
This is not complicated.

” I speak with the experience of having been a white boy who was injured by a group of black boys simply because I was white and they were upset with the racial incidents of the time.”
i was also beat up by a black kid in school (b/c i told her to shut up when i was being picked on). i had my life threatened by aother black girl who didnt like me b/c i disagreed with her about how good a teacher was (she was already on probation- so i was REALLY scared of her)
in fact i see that hanging nooses the same as the girl who threatened to “cut me”. she should have been punished.the boys who hung the nooses should have been punished better. she wasnt (and they werent). i didnt retaliate. i had black friends who told me- “dont worry, i’ll take care of this for you- you just go about your school life”. they policed the situation themselves. maybe that should have been done in the case of the noose. maybe some white kids could have told the black kids “dont you worry, we’ll take care of who did this, we will keep this from happening again”.
when the censure comes from within the offending community it’s much more effective (and final) than if the punishment came from the other side (not that we should even have sides- but you know what i mean). all the dictators and conquerers in history knew that- if you establish police that are made up of the community you wish to control it is more effective than policing with outsiders.
i think that would establish more trust between the races. instead of whites telling blacks “no no, you shouldnt do that” (and vice versa) perhaps they should take care of undesirable behavours themselves. if we (as white people) knew that the black community wouldnt condone violence against whites and would met out a better punishment than what we could come up with (b/c being shunned by your own community would be painful indeed) we might have more faith that the violence wouldnt be committed in the first place. (again and vice versa)
not sure if that makes any sense or even if it is a good idea, but i’m just musing here.

What is bad is this:
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/07/10/1413220
Tuesday, July 10th, 2007
The Case of the Jena Six: Black High School Students Charged with Attempted Murder for Schoolyard Fight After Nooses Are Hung from Tree
Six black students at Jena High School in Central Louisiana were arrested last December after a school fight in which a white student was beaten and suffered a concussion and multiple bruises. The six black students were charged with attempted murder and conspiracy. They face up to 100 years in prison without parole. The fight took place amid mounting racial tension after a black student sat under a tree in the schoolyard where only white students sat. The next day three nooses were hanging from the tree.
\\\\\
A concussion is a serious thing. “Six” people beating up one person is a hate crime, sttempted murder, a gang incident and conspiracy.
These black kids should get the same sentence as any Leftist Liberal Hollywood Elitist gets when committing a felony. So no worries about jail time.
The victim should sue the families of the perps in civil court and get on with life. Blacks are always going to hate white people in America in disproportionate numbers than what is left of the racial life of whites. Spend a day or two in Chicago, Atlanta, Oakland, St. Louis, Washington D.C. or Detroit and see for yourself.
Or the Jena Six could change their last name to Kennedy and get away with anything scott free.
And JohnQ, I do not see how you can support the people and organizations you do and still claim the New Testament has anyone mentioned in it that supports you. If you can present any Biblical texts that promotes, condones and encourages the kind of behavior and beliefs you license (and those orgs you mention), I would like to know them.
Stay healthy.
There’s lots of time to repent in living a long life.

Gina-
“i think that would establish more trust…”
I agree!
jestrfyl-
“Bigotry is bad – hurtful, destructive, and the very definition of sin – in that your allegiance to your bigotry blinds and deafens you to everything including God’s demand that we love each other, everyone, without excuses.”
Yes!
Peace!

i am really glad that someone understood what i was saying. it makes sense in my head- but my thoughts dont always translate well into written word.

“What world are you people living in? There is so much racial tension in America that it permeates every aspect of the lives of our youth.”
Not everywhere I think, but I agree there’s way too much of it.
“2)- am more frightened of black strangers than white ones. i am very ashamed of this response, but havent found a good way to fight it yet.
my enviroment isnt one that cultivates the breaking down of racial barriers- so every step i’ve taken towards eliminating racism in my own heart has been hard.”
Yes, I’ve got reactions in me I hate when they pop up. Your post there showed a lot of self-knowledge. Good for you. It’s not so easy but surely a good thing. And you are fighting a good fight.
“Bigotry is bad – hurtful, destructive, and the very definition of sin – in that your allegiance to your bigotry blinds and deafens you to everything including God’s demand that we love each other, everyone, without excuses.”
I’d re-phrase that a little but it’s a powerful statement of an important idea. And the technical knowledge we’re gaining every day means individuals become potentially more dangerous to us all; a few people or even one very bright and well-instructed individual can make WMD’s now so even a little festering hatred can be awfully costly. We need to have everyone get along a lot better, in our own interest.
Bigotry in this age is even more stupid than it used to be.

nnmns
Just curious about which part of my little rant would you modify or re-phrase. I suppose I could heat it up a bit more. To diminish it is to let the spiteful poison of bigotry off as a an ill-thought-through concept. I’ve known bigost – from both political wings – and have seen nothing good come from their prejudice.

j, just the “God” part, and I doubt you’d give that up. And for most on here it’s more powerful with it. Well said!

nnmns,
The God part is a product of my professional (and personal – though somtimes I wrestle/struggle with that) orientation.