PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

The Jena 6 Are Not Economically Viable
by Stacie Adams Thursday, Aug. 23, 2007 at 12:42 PM
mutterhals@hotmail.com

Injustice for some...

Racism remains one of the most confounding and damaging social issues of our time. Few subjects contain such a vast difference of opinion. Some people seem to believe that all racist thought was duly eradicated the moment black Americans became eligible to vote, while others spy it in the most ridiculous minutiae. There are unrepentant racists, proudly proclaiming their ignorance at every opportunity, while others coolly attempt to conceal it, only letting loose under duress. Despite the current status of racism in America, I was under the impression that racial segregation was a thing of the past, like scurvy or trephining as a medical procedure. Surely this cruel and unnecessary social control has no place in the 21st century?

Recent events sickeningly suggest otherwise. As we speak, six black teenagers are suffering continued abasement thanks to their local judicial system. The following reads like some sort of dystopian science fiction; in fall 2006, a black student in Jena, Louisiana requested permission to sit under the so called white tree, a spot on campus informally delineated by white students. School officials granted permission (as though they had a choice; segregation has been illegal since the 1960’s) and the next day the student body was treated to the sight of three nooses, proudly ablaze in school colors, hanging from the aforementioned tree. Predictably, things grew worse from there.

The school principal’s intended punishment of expulsion was over ruled by Superintendent Roy Breithaupt, who recommended the noose hangers only receive a three day suspension. When black students protested the lax punishment, they were allegedly threatened by the LaSalle Parish District Attorney. At a school assembly, DA Reed Walters warned that he was capable of ruining the lives of students making trouble over what he termed an “adolescent prank.” That December tensions boiled over and unleashed a flurry of conflicts. A black teen was attacked by a group of white kids at a party and those responsible for the beating received no punishment. A white man pulled a rifle on a group of black men at a convenience store. One of the men wrestled the weapon away from the assailant and was charged with felony theft (conversely, the white man received a $5,000 fine for carrying a loaded weapon). At another party, a group of black teens attacked fellow student Justin Barker, frequently named as one of the chief instigators in many of the altercations leading up to this event. Barker, who sustained minor injuries, was taken to the hospital but released the same day, and even felt well enough to attend a party that night. The six teens were charged with second degree attempted murder and conspiracy, with possible sentences ranging from 80 to 130 years in jail.

So far, only one of the six has been to trial. Mychal Bell refused a plea bargain and was found guilty of second degree aggravated assault (his prior murder charge was reduced by the DA). In Louisiana, a felony assault charge requires use of a lethal weapon, and Bell’s weapon consisted of a shoe. Apparently a black teenager with a shoe is more dangerous than a white man with a loaded rifle. Bell’s appeal is pending and the remaining members of the now named Jena 6 await trial.

Rumors of corruption during the proceedings were rampant. Bell’s court appointed attorney called no witnesses in his defense, nor did he dispute the selection of Bell’s all white jury. In addition, some members of the randomly selected jury had uncomfortably close ties to either the DA or several witnesses, one of whom was actually related to a juror. The overwhelming sentiment from officials seems to be that justice was amply served.

Adding insult to injury, this story has been largely ignored by the media. These are the same news outlets that relentlessly throttled the public with hourly updates in Don Imus and the irreparable damage he supposedly caused, yet no one can be bothered with what is akin to a giant step backward in our social evolution. The Jena 6 received more thorough coverage from the foreign press, who no doubt use the situation to illustrate America’s waning moral authority.

There is no quick and easy solution for the plight of these young men. No sound bites, nor symbolic funerals, nor candlelit vigils can help them now. No amount of hand wringing or rhetoric will afford them the fair trial they deserve. Consider that many of the citizens of Jena feel that nothing untoward has transpired at all. Many echoed the sentiments of the superintendent and DA, labeling those responsible for the initial event typical adolescent pranksters. A noose portends some dark things, especially in the south, where black men and women were not so long ago hanged with great frequency for often manufactured crimes. In light of this, I would not be so hasty to dismiss the appearance of three nooses as a mere prank.


The Jena 6 Defense Committee
PO Box 2798
Jena, LA 71342
jena6defense@gmail.com

Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco contact info:
PO Box 94004
Baton Rouge, LA 70804
Phone: (225) 342-0991

Murphy McMillan, Mayor Phone: (318)992-2148
District Attorney Reed Walters,Parish of LaSalle Phone:(318)992-8282