Jim Crow in Jena and drive-by media

[flashl]

Jena High School bans 'Free the Jena 6' T-shirts

The LaSalle Parish schools superintendent says T-shirts supporting six black students accused of knocking out a white student, then kicking and stamping on him are a "threat to the order of the campus" at Jena High school.

Superintendent Roy Breithaupt says the "Free the Jena 6" T-shirts worn Tuesday by eight or nine students caused disruption on campus, and that -- not the shirts themselves -- was why administrators announced that the shirts cannot be worn at school.

John Jenkins' daughters were three of the students who wore the shirts. His son, Carwin Jones, is one of the "Jena 6," who were charged with attempted murder of Justin Barker.

Mychal Bell, the only one to be tried so far, was convicted on a reduced charge of aggravated second-degree battery.

According to court documents, someone hit Barker from behind, knocking him out, then others began to kick and stomp his "lifeless" body. He spent about three hours in a local emergency room for treatment of injuries to his head and face.

Jenkins said his daughters were just trying to make a statement, not cause trouble.

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If, I wasn't familiar with the Jena story, I wouldn't feel outrage reading this news article. But, give me a break:

• T-shirts supporting six black students ... are a "threat to the order of the campus"
  
• Yet, the SAME superintendent:
  
  
  • Allowed a "whites only" shade tree school policy remain in tact until Sept. 2006
    
  • Found that hanging nooses in school colors on same tree to be JUST a prank
    
  • Overruled school principal action to expel students identified as the culprits who hung the nooses
    
  • Changed the explusion to a three-day suspension
  
  
• The "Free the Jena 6" T-shirts worn Tuesday by eight or nine students caused disruption on campus
  
  
  • Having a "white only" tree wasn't disruptive or nooses in school colors?
  
  
• Carwin Jones, is one of the "Jena 6," who were charged with attempted murder of Justin Barker
  
• Mychal Bell ... was convicted on a reduced charge of aggravated second-degree battery
  
  
  • The prosecutor argued that "gangs" shoes are deadly weapons and the ALL WHITE jury found it to be true
  
  
• He spent about three hours in a local emergency room for treatment
  
  
  • He then went to a party that same evening
  
  

http://www.pr.com/press-release/50358">Afrosphere Bloggers Ask Media to Cover Jena 6
The Afrosphere Jena 6 Coalition “ask that the mainstream traditional media step forward and discharge their duty to provide coverage of this vitally important event to their viewers and readers and act as “the fourth institution" of governmental "checks and balance” that constitutional framers intended the press to be.”

This powder keg in Jena is one to watch!

[cosmik debris]

1. I worked in Jena

Off and on during the oil boom of the late 70's. At that time it was the perfect example of a late 19th century village. The segregation was strictly enforced and taken for granted. I doubt that they have reached the 20th century yet.

[flashl]

2. How do you think they will respond to all the media attention? n/t

[Tyler Durden]

3. Places like Jena should be allowed to shrivel and die.

Some people and places simply must be avoided, shunned, or vacated by people of conscience.

Anyone who can designate (formally or informally) a "Whites Only" zone, or give images of lynching a pass are just about beyond help in my book. Reforming a Republican...Possible and might be profitable. Reforming a Racist in 2007...almost not worth the effort.

[cosmik debris]

5. Jena has economic resources

Oil, timber, and agriculture. It isn't going to dry up and blow away as long as oil and timber are valuable commodities.

[flashl]

6. I figured as much

When you said OIL, I thought, Jena will exist as long as there is need for oil. Adding timber to that equation means that Jena will be financially viable long after this incident.

[cosmik debris]

4. The ones that matter will not respond at all.

And the peons in the dispute will not even read the media coverage.

It has been thirty years since I knew anyone there, but I suspect they will behave as any 19th century village would respond. They were parochial, isolated, and closed minded. I doubt that they have changed.

Expecting media coverage to change things is a pipe dream.

[wicket]

7. "Allowed a "whites only" shade tree school policy remain in tact until Sept. 2006"

WTF??????!!!

:grr:

[flashl]

8. Harsh Justice

Did Civil Rights movement pass Louisiana by?

Racist incident leads to harsh justice for black students

<snip>

A tree holds powerful symbolism for black people. While traveling in the South, legendary singer Billie Holiday saw a tree that inspired her to write "Strange Fruit," a song which contains references to lynching.

Still, it is difficult to comprehend that in 2007, black students at any high school in America felt compelled to go to a school official and ask if it would be OK to sit in the shade of a tree usually enjoyed by white students.

There's no dispute that is what happened on Aug. 31, 2006 in Jena, a town with a population that is about 85 percent white and 12 percent black.

A vice principal apparently told the students they could sit "wherever they pleased." And the next day, Sept. 1, 2006, three nooses were found hanging from said tree.

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I strongly believe that America needs to come to grips with all of the "Jenas" in the U.S.. There simply isn't a collective we as many want to believe that exist. The reality is, there are places in the U.S. that will make you wonder which country you are in.

[flashl]

9. Lets Hope this helps

The Jena 6 to Benefit From Oprah's "Midas Touch"

Well, here's some good news for the Jena 6 , if it's true. I was listening to the Michael Baisden Show and he mentioned that Oprah's people were reaching out to the families of the J ena 6 to do a show.

I am fully aware that most of the people living in Jena before all of the attention had 'settled' into their respective roles that no one should have been comfortable with. If Oprah enters into this fray, I hope that a mediator will now enter into this environment to restore calm. After all, when all of the buzz dies the folks in Jena still need to be able to live together. Perhaps the bright spotlight on Jena will bring these folks forward into time and out of the 19th century.