Jena 6

[Shimmer]

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Originally Posted by Saleemah I don't care about Michael Bell's record because that is not the issue at hand (although his parents should have straightened him out after the first time and are partly responsible for attitude), the issue is that this town has a long history over prosecuting Blacks and under prosecuting Whites.

Nope. The issue is that six males attacked one male and beat him to the point of a concussion and in need of medical care. THAT is the issue. Their race is an emotional hot point. I don't care (and most people don't) whether they're black, colored, brown, green, red, orange, yellow, or white. They ganged up on another boy and attacked him. That's the issue. The rest is polarization.
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If this truly was not a racist town why is it ok for the district attorney to threaten Black students? Where is the outrage in that? Why is the hanging of a noose a practical joke? Do you know that 3 people in the next town over are being prosecuting for hanging two noose off a truck? What next the burning of a cross on the lawn of a black church? That is just as bad as hanging a noose from a tree. Do you know that there is a white side of town and a Black side of town and noting in between?

The town's not on trial, the six attackers are. Big difference.
There are witnesses to testify that the DA didn't make the comment to black students, he made it to an auditorium of students of mixed races.
In Texas, it's legal to hang someone for stealing horses...that's what a noose always has signified to me. Horse thief. Of course, that's an outdated law that's still on the books, and I grew up in farm and ranchland, so...*shrug*
Cross burning isn't illegal.
Why is there a 'black' church, but if there were a 'white' church, the congregation would be accused of racism?
Burning a cross is the same as burning a flag, it's an expression of freedom of speech. I don't have to like what you're saying, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it.
Did you know that there are towns everywhere across the United States where I could take my redheaded Cherokee Irish self and because I'm white/not black/not Hispanic and I could be raped and killed? Because I'm white? Isn't that racism? Someone of another race doing something to me because I'm white? That's racism, but I can't imagine that I would be surrounded by the National Association for the Advancement of White People, or the ACLU, or anything else. That's discrimination just the same as anything else, but no one counts it.

It's really unfair and highly short sighted to say that whites don't face racism. I assure you, they do.

 

[Indigowaters]

This hits close to home because I have an ancestor who was recorded to have been hung for not staying in his "place". I DO NOT find the hanging of a noose funny nor a prank. No one wants to acknowledge the meaning and seriousness of this HATE CRIME. As stated above, there were incidents that happened before the beating of the one white student took place. The beating was the boiling point of the students after the noose incident and fights before this one. This is not to justify the actions of the six teens, rather understand where they are coming from. There has been tension from both sides and these teens weren't the only ones to commit acts worthy of punishment. But the punishment they received was harsh and uncalled for. Yes, they should have been suspended or expelled but not treated with such disregard for their lives. Call me wrong or whatever, but that's what I believe and stand by. And for the record, if the 6 boys were white, this wouldn't have gained as much national attention as it has for being a civil rights case, nor would the boys have been jailed or charged being that it was an all-white jury for the first trial. I'm just stating the facts.

 

[Indigowaters]

I don't know what town you're talking about. I've been driving through places I wouldn't let the window down in nor unlock my door and I've seen white people walking down the street or living in the middle of these neighborhoods. There are white people who have lived and been around blacks so long, after a while we don't think of them as white and accept them like blood. So maybe it's because of where I'm from, but I've never heard of anything like that. Quote:

Originally Posted by Shimmer Did you know that there are towns everywhere across the United States where I could take my redheaded Cherokee Irish self and because I'm white/not black/not Hispanic and I could be raped and killed? Because I'm white? Isn't that racism? Someone of another race doing something to me because I'm white? That's racism, but I can't imagine that I would be surrounded by the National Association for the Advancement of White People, or the ACLU, or anything else. That's discrimination just the same as anything else, but no one counts it.

 

[Shimmer]

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Originally Posted by MACa6325xi First of all, this probably would not have happened to Six White Kids beacuse the prosecutor more than likely would not have charged them. If he did charge them, he more than likely would have treated them as juveniles. Indeed, there would have been a national outcry for justice if the Jena 6 boys were White, think back to "Duke Lacrosse."

Actually, Duke's lacrosse team was completely exonerated and the DA in question was disbarred based on fraud, dishonesty, deceit, and misrepresentation, as well as making false testimony. Also, rape, kidnapping, sexual assault, etc. were the charges brought against members of the team. They were the targets of an outright witch hunt and completely false testimony as was later proven. Hardly the same as the Jena 6 situation, if at all.

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If the Jena 6 boys were White, they probably would not have spent a day or night in jail because: 1. They probably would not have been given jail time. 2. Someone would have immediately posted their bail. There would have been a national media outcry and legal defense fund set up immediately to deal with their legal expenses. Rev. Jessie Jackson or Rev. Al Sharpton may not have arrived for Six White Boys, but Bill O'Reilly damn sure would have as well as other FOX News Commentators.

You can't prove they wouldn't have spent a night in jail, and, you can't blame them for their families having the money to, in their situations, post bail. They attend Duke and play lacrosse, their families are probably NOT hurting for money.
There was no legal defense fund set up for the Duke Lacrosse team, they're a bunch of rich arrogant white boys. Why does anyone need to stand up for them?

 

[kimmy]

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Originally Posted by Indigowaters but not treated with such disregard for their lives.

and the victim of the jena six shouldn't have been treated with such disregard for his life. i don't think anyone (here, at least) ever stated that the hanging of nooses was funny, because it surely isn't. however, the bottom line is, the act didn't not physically harm someone, the act of the jena six nearly killed a boy.

i have ancestors, too, who suffered wrongful deaths due to their race, most people do. it's history. racism has been around, it's been experienced and given out by every race, ethnicity and colour. it's in the past, it's time to try and move on...and letting the jena six get away with what they did is just society saying "go ahead and openly practice violent racism, as long as it's only against whites."

no.
two wrongs don't make a right.

 

[Shimmer]

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Originally Posted by Indigowaters I don't know what town you're talking about. I've been driving through places I wouldn't let the window down in nor unlock my door and I've seen white people walking down the street or living in the middle of these neighborhoods. There are white people who have lived and been around blacks so long, after a while we don't think of them as white and accept them like blood. So maybe it's because of where I'm from, but I've never heard of anything like that.

*blink*

I hate arguing with you, and I respect your opinion probably more than 99% of the members of this site, but did you even read what you just posted? If I had just said "There's a black person who's been around my family for so long...wow...I completely forget she's black and just treat her like she's white!" would you have received that as a blatantly racist statement, because I really did take what you just said as really really really racist, though probably unintentionally so.


As far as where I wouldn't dare go during the daylight, much less the night time hours, and certainly not unescorted, Oak Lawn in Dallas comes to mind immediately, though there are certainly other places close to downtown I won't go.

 

[kimmy]

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Originally Posted by Indigowaters I don't know what town you're talking about. I've been driving through places I wouldn't let the window down in nor unlock my door and I've seen white people walking down the street or living in the middle of these neighborhoods. There are white people who have lived and been around blacks so long, after a while we don't think of them as white and accept them like blood. So maybe it's because of where I'm from, but I've never heard of anything like that.

i don't even know what to say in response to this.

especially this part: "There are white people who have lived and been around blacks so long, after a while we don't think of them as white and accept them like blood."

so, blacks are incapable of being racist against whites?
i'm not trying to be condescending or rude, i just don't quite understand that particular comment. elaborate, please?

 

[Shimmer]

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Originally Posted by Indigowaters This hits close to home because I have an ancestor who was recorded to have been hung for not staying in his "place". I DO NOT find the hanging of a noose funny nor a prank. No one wants to acknowledge the meaning and seriousness of this HATE CRIME. As stated above, there were incidents that happened before the beating of the one white student took place. The beating was the boiling point of the students after the noose incident and fights before this one. This is not to justify the actions of the six teens, rather understand where they are coming from. There has been tension from both sides and these teens weren't the only ones to commit acts worthy of punishment. But the punishment they received was harsh and uncalled for. Yes, they should have been suspended or expelled but not treated with such disregard for their lives. Call me wrong or whatever, but that's what I believe and stand by. And for the record, if the 6 boys were white, this wouldn't have gained as much national attention as it has for being a civil rights case, nor would the boys have been jailed or charged being that it was an all-white jury for the first trial. I'm just stating the facts.

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In the United States federal prosecution is possible for hate crimes committed on the basis of a person's race, color, religion, or nation origin when engaging in a federally protected activity.

How is what those six black males did NOT a hate crime?
How is what they did, regardless of how badly injured the white male was in the end, NOT racially motivated?
If it was racially motivated (six black males against one white male), how is it NOT a hate crime, regardless of anything else?

 

[Indigowaters]

I think we have been trying to move on as far as I can remember and past that. But HELLO here comes the noose again rearing racism's ugly head. And I don't believe anyone justified what the six students did either nor did we say racism or these acts should be committed only against whites. It shouldn't have happened just like alot of things in this case shouldn't have happened. Yes, I think they practiced violence against him. Racism, no. He got the end result of his racist actions and no it wasn't called for what they did. But to excuse one and not the other is a crock. Quote:

Originally Posted by kimmy it's in the past, it's time to try and move on...and letting the jena six get away with what they did is just society saying "go ahead and openly practice violent racism, as long as it's only against whites." no. two wrongs don't make a right.

 

[Shimmer]

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Originally Posted by Indigowaters I think we have been trying to move on as far as I can remember and past that. But HELLO here comes the noose again rearing racism's ugly head. And I don't believe anyone justified what the six students did either nor did we say racism or these acts should be committed only against whites. It shouldn't have happened just like alot of things in this case shouldn't have happened. Yes, I think they practiced violence against him. Racism, no. He got the end result of his racist actions and no it wasn't called for what they did. But to excuse one and not the other is a crock.

The noose isn't physically harmful.
No one was physically harmed from the noose(s) being hung.
No one was hurt.
There was no one hung, no one was placed in the nooses, they didn't hang a dummy, no one was in any way shape form or fashion brought to any physical pain by the noose being hung.

There WAS someone harmed by the attack, he just had the unfortunate luck of being white.

Additionally, why in the name of goodness aren't any of the black children who are admittedly (either through verbal admission, past action, or present action) racist being spoken ill of?


It's not okay to be racist simply because one is of black skin tone.

 

[Indigowaters]

Once again there you go interpreting what I said with your own words. Did I say blacks aren't capable of being racist? No. That's different than what I believe but don't put words into my mouth. Quote:

Originally Posted by kimmy i don't even know what to say in response to this. especially this part: "There are white people who have lived and been around blacks so long, after a while we don't think of them as white and accept them like blood." so, blacks are incapable of being racist against whites? i'm not trying to be condescending or rude, i just don't quite understand that particular comment. elaborate, please?

 

[kimmy]

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Originally Posted by Indigowaters I think we have been trying to move on as far as I can remember and past that. But HELLO here comes the noose again rearing racism's ugly head. And I don't believe anyone justified what the six students did either nor did we say racism or these acts should be committed only against whites. It shouldn't have happened just like alot of things in this case shouldn't have happened. Yes, I think they practiced violence against him. Racism, no. He got the end result of his racist actions and no it wasn't called for what they did. But to excuse one and not the other is a crock.

the boys who hung the nooses weren't excused. they were punished for their acts. barker was not the one who hung the nooses, barker's only crime was allegedly mocking a black student who had been beated up a few days prior to the jena six attack. that's hearsay, as several students have accused him of making insensitive comments about the boy, but barker and a seperate group of several students have also denied that barker ever made any such statements.

so if what they did was uncalled for, why shouldn't they be punished to the fullest extent of the law? because the white kids weren't?

again i say: two wrongs don't make a right.

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Originally Posted by Indigowaters Once again there you go interpreting what I said with your own words. Did I say blacks aren't capable of being racist? No. That's different than what I believe but don't put words into my mouth.

which is why i asked you to clarify. your comment seemed very racially insensitive to me, and apparently also to shimmer...i never put words into your mouth. please re-read my post, all i asked of you was to clarify because i was unsure of what you meant.

 

[Indigowaters]

No one was hurt? Really?

"He had the unfortunate luck of being white."

When did the black kids admit to being racist?

I just remember stating above saying what those kids did was wrong, yet no matter how many times I say it, it's not good enough. Why? Because I don't want them to spend the rest of their lives in jail? Is there anything else I can say? Quote:

Originally Posted by Shimmer No one was hurt. There WAS someone harmed by the attack, he just had the unfortunate luck of being white. Additionally, why in the name of goodness aren't any of the black children who are admittedly (either through verbal admission, past action, or present action) racist being spoken ill of? It's not okay to be racist simply because one is of black skin tone.

 

[Shimmer]

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Originally Posted by kimmy that's hearsay, as several students have accused him of making insensitive comments about the boy, but barker and a seperate group of several students have also denied that barker ever made any such statements.

Why isn't this taken as seriously by the media?

Because it doesn't help with the emotional polarization that the lawyers, ACLU, NAACP, etc. want the nation to express.

 

[Indigowaters]

So what punishment should the white kids have gotten? Below you say they weren't punished to the fullest extent of the law.

What is the law for hanging nooses or committing hate crimes? Oh, that's right. There isn't one. Quote:

Originally Posted by kimmy the boys who hung the nooses weren't excused. they were punished for their acts. barker was not the one who hung the nooses, barker's only crime was allegedly mocking a black student who had been beated up a few days prior to the jena six attack. that's hearsay, as several students have accused him of making insensitive racist comments about the boy, but barker and a seperate group of several students have also denied that barker ever made any such statements. so if what they did was uncalled for, why shouldn't they be punished to the fullest extent of the law? because the white kids weren't? again i say: two wrongs don't make a right. which is why i asked you to clarify. your comment seemed very racially insensitive to me, and apparently also to shimmer...i never put words into your mouth. please re-read my post, all i asked of you was to clarify because i was unsure of what you meant.

 

[QTAllStarGurl]

Honestly theres more to the story than alot of people know about nd theres a video on youtube that has more of the story http://youtube.com/watch?v=YuoiZnr4jLY
and the rest of the story tells about the events that led to that boy being beat up so I think some of you should see it

 

[Indigowaters]

In what way was I racially insensitive? Please explain. And were you hurt by what I said? Quote:

Originally Posted by kimmy which is why i asked you to clarify. your comment seemed very racially insensitive to me, and apparently also to shimmer...i never put words into your mouth. please re-read my post, all i asked of you was to clarify because i was unsure of what you meant.

 

[Saleemah]

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Originally Posted by kimmy i'm pretty well learned, i know what the nooses were supposed to signify. hence my comment "i don't think the white students were right for hanging the nooses." also, i would like to point out that i never claimed that jena isn't a racist town. i've never been there, thus have no place to comment on the way the town itself is, only on the fact that what those six boys did was wrong no matter how you slice it. and if you think that just because i'm white, i haven't experienced racism, you're sorely mistaken. alot of people like to discount any racism expressed towards white people for some reason, but racism is racism, no matter who it's towards or who it's expressed by...

I didn't need you personally, sorry if I came of that way. Initially I was responding to your post, then I guess I unloaded but not at you.

 

[Indigowaters]

I said treated them like blood. Not black. Not white. I didn't even state a color. I meant that I treated them as if they had no color because color didn't factor in them being my friend. Hope that cleared things up. Quote:

Originally Posted by Shimmer *blink* I hate arguing with you, and I respect your opinion probably more than 99% of the members of this site, but did you even read what you just posted? If I had just said "There's a black person who's been around my family for so long...wow...I completely forget she's black and just treat her like she's white!" would you have received that as a blatantly racist statement, because I really did take what you just said as really really really racist, though probably unintentionally so.

 

[xolovinyoo]

i think the white boy deserved what he got, this happens ALOT over here, and if your going to talk shit your ass is gonna get beat. its highschool, not saying its right, but thats just how it is. and im pretty sure the black kids didnt intend to kill the white boy, just teach him a lesson. &Also i think that the black kid shouldnt deserve so harsh of a punishment, the town is obviously being racist