The Jena 6

I’ve been hesitantly following the Jena 6 case for a few months now because I feared it would stir an array of extreme emotions within my own psyche. This particular case made me sit and think about my childhood school days (for I was educated in a small Alabama town) and how I would react if this would have happened in 1995 at my school. There was an obvious racial divide throughout my all my schools ranging from kindergarten to me being a senior. It’s as if we are still in the mindset of separate but equal mindset when it comes to race. But in case of the Jena High School, the racial mix is about 85/15, with the predominate being white students. The infamous noose hanging from the “prep” tree is what apparently incited the violence which led to the gang beating of one particular white student who did not end up seriously injured, but yet attempted murder charges were filed against all but one of the black teens arrested for the assault. Now back when I was in Jr. High School, we almost had a race war. There were black and white students fighting everyday at the bus drop off and pick up behind the school almost everyday. It began to escalate quickly with students bringing brass knuckles and even guns to school. Because I’ve always been a hothead when it came to racial discrimination, my father sat me and my brother down and flat out told us that if we were involved in any fighting or got found with any possession of guns or weapons that our ass would be grass when he found out. And I personally would much rather be called a punk at school for not participating than dealing with my daddy if I did! I told that story because, I feel strongly that parental guidance could have prevented this entire situation. It is sad that no one took these boys to the side and told them the truth about violence and how to handle racial tensions. I am also upset with the school system for not holding a school wide counseling session on racial tension and diffusing it, I would like to know the school guidance counselor stance on this situation and see what he/she had to say, because they have failed their students and their community. I am disgusted as I see JJ and AS out in front leading what they call a 21st century civil rights movement, this is such propaganda!! I also see where the parents are petitioning the public for money to help in their legal costs. Now if JJ and AS are as powerful as they say they are, why haven’t they asked some of their very prominent lawyer friends to come and try the cases pro bono? Oh my bad that would be too much like right… I just don’t believe that these two are concerned about “racial equality”. I will say this in closing, violence is never a solution to any situation, especially with teens, but the charge of attempted murder was too harsh regardless of race. I pray that the harsh lesson is learned by all parties involved, and that is that more times that not, life is not fair.