The Jena Six

http://www.eurweb.com/story/eur34934.cfm

http://www.whileseated.org/photo/003244.shtml

http://www.petitiononline.com/aZ51CqmR/petition.html

OK, where is the media attention on this? You know, thank GOD for black websites, because if we leave ALL of the news up to the "regular" media, we would never know about anything in OUR communities. On one side, we keep hearing that racism no longer exists. BUT, on the other side, WE ALL KNOW that racism is alive and well. Case in point: Jena, Louisiana. The first link above provides a background of the case. The second link was a website that was started in regard to this "incident." Here's a synopsis:

Late last year, some blacks students ASKED PERMISSION to sit under a tree at their school that has been labeled as a "white's only tree." This tree has been known as a place where only white students gathered for a long time. The very next day, students came to school to find threes nooses hanging around the area of this tree…placed there by white students. School officials deemed this action as "kids just being kids" and suspended the white students for a few days. Obviously, tensions escalated in the community of about 14,000 for months after this.

Let's fast forward to December 2006: "The situation deteriorated from there until this past December 4th when a white student allegedly called a group of Black students 'Niggers.' The Blacks responded by knocking the white student down and punching and kicking him." The black students were all arrested and charged with aggravated assault and conspiracy to commit murder. To make these charges even more ridiculous, the white student that was attacked went to a school function later on that very same day.

One of the students, 17-year old Mychal Bell, has already faced trial and was found guilty of aggravated assault. He is currently looking at 22 years in prison. The five other students are awaiting trial, with one charge being attempted second degree murder. Mr. Bell is scheduled to be sentenced on July 31, 2007.

Where is the justice in this? Where is the national coverage? Where is the international coverage? I will keep you posting blogs to keep you all updated. Get the word out to everyone you know. Racism and segregation did not end with the Civil Rights Movement. We know that it's alive and well, some more evident than others. We experience racism in one form or another, and while it may not be as blatant as this, this is a blatant case of racism if I have EVER seen or heard of it.

Visit the above links. Sign the petition http://www.petitiononline.com/aZ51CqmR/petition.html. Do some internet research. Post blogs. Spread the word. Don't let this case fall by the wayside. This is our youth…our future. I don't know if we can EVER end it, but we damn sure need to try!

~Traycee~