Thanks, Gary...that has been my take! I was being much too mild and foolishly following the ridiculous concept of being politically correct when I expressed any measure of doubt. You set the record straight. Good job!

Jesse and Al stir the fires of racism and depend on the black community to stay impoverished so they can maintain their power. In other words they would lose their power base if blacks were prosperous.

P.S. Francis, Edmond...sometimes I wonder if the leadership of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton sets folks on the wrong path. However, I don't pay that much attention to what they say to know. So if I have misspoken, I apologize. Personally, I sometimes wonder if they, instead, are trouble makers...which is why I don't pay much attention to them. I probably should pay better attention before I make careless comments about them...so I'll retract what I just said about their being troublemakers.

Francis,Edmond...my words were not in reference to the Jena 6 situation. Deann and I had been lamenting that we are distressed that there seems to be an increasing amount of racial tension. A resurgence of racism. We think that there is more polarization and we are very concerned.__________ WELL...I should not really speak for Deann. Please read her own words. Our conversation and a few posts prior leading up to it maybe would throw light on my comments_______________ However, my comment was just general about increasing racial tension which is harmful to all of us. ______________________________I very much agree with you that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., would not approve of this violence. That is a big part of what I was talking about.....he and others made great strides at bringing down barriers and this nation went through great tension. He did not preach racism. Great progress was made and now too many seem to want to practice racism again..with violence....and it is hard to understand their hate. __________________________________I have several posts here. I actually took the stand that folks needed to find out the facts before they decide the case. However, at this point..it appears to be a hate crime.

"Why can't folks see that loving one's brother is so much better than hate?"

I am guessing you don't know the facts of the case. The five men and one 16 year old were assaulting one man, literally beating him nearly to death. They are lucky they don't have attempted murder charges brought. They are guilty for their crime regardless of the provocation. Martin Luther King, Jr. would be ashamed of anyone who sought to respond to racism with violence. These men should be tried by a jury of their peers and if convicted sentenced accordingly.

Yes, Deann, terrible!! Frankly, it blows my mind. All that sacrifice, struggle and pain and gain put forth ...forfeited, abandoned and for what ...for pain and struggle and strife and suffering and hate. It doesn't have to be that way. Why can't folks see that loving one's brother is so much better than hate? I look at the accomplishments which blacks have made. They can be proud of those who helped make it possible and of what they have achieved. I see that more and more of that race are now setting aside the advancement and progress and choosing to embrace racism. It saddens me. I see Hispanics choosing to segregate and I am concerned. We should not embrace segregation in our society. Yet, that segment of the population is largely seeking it. (Bad to generalize, I know..generalizations are just that, not accurate in application to all and so not really fair) We just cannot afford to go backward on this kind of important issue. All people are of too much value.

C,PV It is truly terrible.

Deann, Crescent...We had made so much good progress...at least it seemed so to me. I cannot understand how anyone would want to risk it. Why would anyone want to regress back to those times of long ago? We are becoming so polarized about so many things ...I see it as a great danger. I really believe that the 50s and 60s brought about a progress and transition that had made this better place. Working together we can accomplish great things...set apart, it seems that accomplishment will give way to destruction. We shouldn't allow that to happen. But...how do we stop it? Those bent toward racist ideas seem obsessed. To return to that kind of climate is so very wrong.

Like C, PV I'm very disappointed that we are seeing a resurgence of racial tension and violence. It is a sad thing that we went through the 50s & 60s and worked together to make this a better place; only to see young people (of all races) becoming more polarized. David & Stan, thanks for the link. What I find most interesting in the article was the reference to the apparent difference in who faced charges. I personally don't think it is right for the Jena 6 to get off scott free. I do believe that attempted murder charges were extreme. What I find very disturbing were the incidents leading up to this fight, and the fact there were no charges filed in those incidents. I believe if the DA had been more aggressive to begin with, this would have been nipped in the bud. I think the problem lies in the DA's office. (I am reluctant to blame law enforcement. Often, their hands are tied, if they don't have the support of the DA's office.)

Thanks, Stan...I think it may be the same one David/Crescent referred to...if so, it is a good article and well worth reading. again...thank you.

Here is a web site with an article by the AP. I sheds some light on the situation: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070922/ap_on_re_us/a_place_called_jena Sorry you have to cut and paste. CNN news cast have been inflamatory, bias and less than accurate. This AP article sets a few of CNN errors correct.

David/Crescent..I always appreciate your input...it seems you always have great focus and a handle on the heart of the matter. You were absolutely correct!!! Everyone should take time to read that article!!!! It illustrates how much we still don't know!! I think. ________________ When I wrote my post, I intended only to express how important it is...how necessary it is for people not to jump to conclusions and snap decisions...what appears to be, may not be ...what does not seem to be, may be. That is the lesson of the juror. Obviously, just as in any case, the case in Jena is not limited to the rhetoric and rumble so loudly broadcast. It takes great effort to patch together all the pieces of investigation ...it takes an open mind....it is of the utmost importance that we remember that before we cast the stone.________________Now, having said that, do not interpret it to mean that I now have enough of that patchwork to arrive at my own conclusion from reading that article. Of course I don't. I would have had to be in that courtroom for during every minute of that trial...not reading papers or watching tv or allowing anything to influence me..but only the evidence and testimony given there. However, what I have gained is an awareness of the many complexities and nuances that entered in.......I gained an awareness that I don't know much of anything at all about this. I would have had to have been there in that courtroom with my mind, in regard to the case, like a blank sheet of paper....ready to absorb data and testimony for my own analyzation. I can't depend on someone else's opinion. I would have to have the data...the evidence and testimony...given under oath and process it myself. Even then...I would not know how my fellow jurors were viewing it because we would not be allowed to discuss it until the case was given to us for deliberation. I might have missed something or not considered the weight of something important ...and I might have discerned something others missed. It takes commitment and work to get the job done and done right. The process can be pure only if we are willing. It can be exhausting...done right, it can consume a person during the course of the trial. And..afterward, it lives on within for a very long time...and one never really forgets...oh, sure, some of the details, but not the overwhelming burden of responsibility. I also intended to say that with all the publicity and people making judgements, it would be difficult to find an untainted jury. Yet...I know that when one is sitting in that place...the jury box...the responsibility becomes overwhelming and a person soon realizes (or should) that being responsible for the destiny of another human being is stunning and incredibly humbling and dreadfully burdensome. If the case had not been tried and there was a change in venue and the trial was here in OK...it seems to me that the majority of folks posting here would be duty bound to declare themselves incapable of making a fair decision and request to be excused from jury duty. Because technology brings news to us as it does, it may become more difficult to seat appropriate and unbiased juries. So, I ask each of you to practice objectivity and to try to restrain from throwing stones...or fanning flames...whatever you want to call it. In many ways, it seems strange to me that racism is experiencing a resurgence...for it seems to be...but when folks take something like this and use it to build a fire.. ugliness can erupt and all the progress and sacrifice made can be eroded. We don't want to go there....we also don't want to forfeit our judicial system for, used correctly and with fair minded people who love justice, it can remain the best judicial system in the world. However, we all have a responsibility to ensure to the best of our ability, that justice was served......That responsibility is huge._________________________I thank you very much for giving us the article, David. I hope everyone will read it. Definitely worth the time and effort!! For me, it was a good reminder of how little I really knew about this case. It seems important and enlightening.

Some good thought in there, C... the only problem is they are logical and based on common sense ---- and not on emotions and prejudices. Oh Well, Nice Try anyway! :) ----
When all is said and done perhaps some will understand that this is a situation where the facts have been distorted and blown out of proportion. At the same time, there are some obvious inequalities that need to be addressed. Yet, the focal person in this episode is not the innocent Sunday School Choir boy some make him out to be. And it certainly isn't his first conviction for violent crime. People need to bear in mind those facts when assessing the few facts we really know about these events. --------- The following is an interesting article, that sheds some light on the confusing "facts" regarding this story. It is worth everyone's time to read it. ---:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070922/ap_on_re_us/a_place_called_jena

So far there has been lots of opinion...AND..this is an opinion page so that's appropriate. However, if we really want to consider justice in regard to this situation, we need to remember all we have to go on is hearsay and that is not admissible in a court of law. We need to remember that justice will never be served if we depend on assumption, speculation and hearsay. Justice depends most heavily on a preponderance of evidence. Now that word.."evidence" is the key...evidence and testimony are vital ingredients when it comes to administering justice....that is, serving the "right side of justice." ___________________________Having said that, I want to comment on Michael, Oklahoma City's observation. Foolish of me to enter into that...but I believe that Michael's opinion has some validity in that we all do distinguish .....it is human nature. Remember in kindergarten when you had to decide what group an object belonged to...sometimes that was based on color....or shape ...or class (as in whether or not it was fruit or vegetable, animal or plant). I believe that Michael's thesis is sound. However, I would not call that natural inclination "racist" or "racism"...What I would say is also a politically incorrect term with a negative connotation. I wish that were not so...because it is actually a good word and does not necessarily mean anything negative....except when we add that quality to it. And...that is something that we shouldn't do when it comes to race. Even so, in regard to what Michael was talking about, I believe we could more correctly identify that inclination to be discrimination...or the behavior of being able to distinguish differences...one from another. Whoa! Those aren't bad words in themselves...it is all in our interpretation and use and the application of our own meaning in regard such words. That's what matters...and so ..again, unless we know what another is thinking there, we should not assume or speculate that the something negative is the intent. Remember, that we can be discriminating when it comes to coffee or laundry soap or parking places or the shops we frequent or in choosing what shirt to put on any given day. Discrimination means being able to select something which differs from something else...I think we could say being able to discriminate ......(we know which light allows us to cross the street. We can tell which bottle contains poison and which one does not, etc. We know whether we want to choose the watermelon or the cantaloupe and we know which tomato is ripe and which one is green).............. is important and does not mean anything insulting or negative, unless that behavior in regard to our choices results in our being insulting or negative.________________________________I think to use "racist" to identify that natural, inherent tendency to choose the things that we are most familiar with or most comfortable with is to choose a word with a very negative connotation. At least , to me, racism and/or racist has a very negative and ugly connotation. However, I probably do have more in common with folks that share a culture in common with my own. However, that doesn't mean I have any ill will toward folks who do not. ________________________________I am eager for the time to come when no one identifies another by saying...."We had an interesting black speaker"... OR..."our waiter is the Hispanic man with the red shirt" OR...."Did you see his wife? She's the Anglo woman sitting to your right" OR "The white woman on your right is his wife." ________________________________Wouldn't it be nice to get to the point where we simply say, "we had an interesting speaker today." "Our waiter is wearing a red shirt." Wouldn't it be nice to hear instead, "His wife is sitting to your right." Now..that'll be the day..........In the meantime, seek objectivity....don't assume, or speculate or depend on hearsay. I know that if I were on trial, i would want the court and the jurors to depend on a preponderance of evidence and upon sworn testimony rather than hearsay and in that way perhaps justice could be served. ...............As for the prosecutor, he/she has certain legal criteria to use when defining what penalty to assess for a given crime. Judges know what the criteria is...surely a judge will toss out a case which does not fit the necessary criteria. But...I'm no legal guru! However, I have served on juries and I do understand that nothing you didn't hear there is to be given any weight...and after having served, I totally understand why that is so! Also..the judge's instructions must be followed and sometimes the jury can't do what they had planned to do because their conclusion did not meet the criteria of the judge's instructions. If jurors will maintain an open mindedness, abandon preconceived notions, assumptions, speculation and prejudices and follow the instructions handed down to them...justice can be served. If twelve people ..all coming from different perspectives, etc. and having different experiences which formed their foundation and values, all hearing the same evidence and testimony and perhaps having different interpretations rather than deriving a common conclusion can come to an agreement in the guilt or innocence of an accused...we can be pretty sure that justice prevailed. We have the greatest system of justice in the world. Let's don't allow ourselves to nullify our own neutrality and weaken it's integrity ......because it so important to keep our judicial system intact. We talk about how bad the courts are,etc. However, we the people must maintain our own integrity ...because only by doing so can we preserve the integrity of the court and our jury system. We are it!

BRAVo, Jan!

So far, no one involved in this is "on the side of justice". Whoever hung those nooses committed a stupid
and juvenile act. If it is not covered by law it should be, and should have been prosecuted.

The six who attacked and beat the single student committed another stupid and juvenile act.

While the district attorney who filed the charges against the six is presumably an adult, he committed another stupid and racist act.

The six deserve an appropriate punishment. Being charged with attempted murder is ludicrously inappropriate!

Michael. I guess I was fortunate. I grew up in Crescent, yet our schools were integrated. I truly didn't notice the difference in races, because we all were together. I will state, however, that our home was always open to all people of the community. My parents were very forward-thinking for the 50s & 60s and that is the way I was raised. It was difficult for me to move to Oklahoma City in the early 70s; that's when I learned what racism truly was.

Micheal well put, I do agree with that.

I truly enjoy the lively conversation and that we can discuss this in a logical and truthful way. Let me clarify my point regarding my belief that we are all racist. What I mean is that we are all born identifying the commonalities with those around us. Since most of us are born and surrounded by those that look like us, we instinctually believe that we are part of the "in" crowd or with the "right" group. Racism is defined on the Merriam-Webster website as: "a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race." I believe that we all have this in our earlier years by the simple desire for humans to gather with like individuals...birds of a feather and all that. However, it is through exposure and teaching that, hopefully, we realize that although others are different they are not necessarily inferior. Mr. Prince, after reading your post, I believe that you agree with me on principle. Paula, my clarification between prejudice and racism was not to cast doubt on your knowledge, I was clarifying my point. I still believe that we are not necessarily arguing the same point. I agree with your statements regarding prejudices, which I do believe are learned. What may be a better term, rather than prejudice, may be distinguish. Usually we distinguish individuals by their most obvious characteristics. Is it wrong to distinguish people? I don't think so. However, I do believe that to hold that individual to a different standard due to your distinguishing is categorically and ethically wrong. My original argument, I believe, stands. Most of us are born to common genetic environments and are therefore racist until we learn otherwise. Remember that we once thought that we were the center of the universe until we learned otherwise. Thanks for the lively debate.

Michael i strongly disagree that all people are racist. It's all about how you allow your mind to function, just as in maturing. You don't mature because you turn a certain age, you have to transform your mind and pray for your ways to change. I understand where you're coming from, but I honestly look at everybody as God's people and that we are one. I am a people person, I love and accept everybody. I understand that we were all brought up different and saw different environments growing up. We are just a product of our environment, the racism stops when you learn to understand others environment.

I'm aware of the difference between racism and prejudice. And again, I say that although we all have our own prejudices, they are not all based on race or ethnicity. Some are based on gender, on sexual identity or orientation, on social or financial status, on geographical location, or many other factors. People are not born with these prejudices. They are learned, whether through association (from parents or peers) or from personal experience. My son, who grew up in a small town, learned to distinguish people by race. Now he's nearly an adult and he still describes people that way. "There's a black kid at school..." or "There's a Mexican girl at work...." etc. even if those traits aren't central to the story. My daughter grew up in a different atmosphere. And while things such as skin color are obvious, she never uses them as descriptive terms. She says "My friend XXXXXX" or "There's a boy in my class..." without regard to race or skin color. I see the difference in learning prejudices rather than overcoming an inherent tendency.

Thank you Jackie. Jan, you have a very convincing argument, but I maintain my position that we are all racist. We have instinct that is a us versus them mentality and that is primarily based on who looks like us and acts like us. It is when we learn, and most do learn, that we should not judge the book by the cover is when we can celebrate the differences. My interpretation of your definition of prejudice is that those individuals who should have learned did not and maintain that prejudice. Also, just for clarification...all racism is prejudice, but not all prejudice is racism.

Jackie, I actually said the same thing yesterday: "Personally, I wish Al Sharpton and those of his ilk would leave this case alone. This is one case where racism is definitely a factor and lending his name to the cause discredits it to people who have come to shut out anything he stands for. Sometimes he's actually right. This is one of those times."

Jan, you are right. If Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton would stay out of it, things would be different. You can keep poking a stick at a dog and pretty soon he's going to get mad. And I'm NOT calling black people dogs. It's an example. Michael, those were very good thoughts.

1. The only reason I mentioned my race is because I thought someone else was indicating that my arguments were only such because I am black. So I said that I am white and my race doesn't matter. I do realize now that I misread that person's post and I said as much. Otherwise I wouldn't have indicated my race either.
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2. Tima - the colors WERE reversed. There were black people who were assaulted by white people on more than one occasion. The white people involved were not arrested, charged, or prosecuted for their part in these horrific acts of violence. And that is exactly what's being protested! Why is it wrong for black people to do it, but it's not wrong for white people to do it? If it's wrong, it's wrong across the board, regardless of your color.
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3. Jackie, I did read your second post, but I thought I recalled one other person saying something similar; that the black kids were just asking for trouble by sitting under the tree and they shouldn't have done it in the first place. I can't seem to find that post now so maybe I imagined it. I don't know. But I don't see how this is any different from the Rosa Parks era in the fact that it was understood that a public place was off limits to them because of their race. Rosa Parks stood up for her rights as an American, and so did the students who sat underneath that tree. If they hadn't done it, this type of behavior would've been passed along for who knows how many more generations? Now that an awareness has been created, maybe one or two of them will grow up beyond this sort of ridiculous crap, and pass along to their own children that blatant racism is unacceptable in any manner.
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4. Michael, your statement that we are all racist is incorrect. We all have prejudices, but not all are based on race. The difference is that mature people recognize their biases and try to overcome them, and they know how to behave appropriately in relation to those biases. People like the students who hung the nooses obviously do not, because they think such behavior is acceptable.

As is the case normally, nobody knows for certain what happened. It is told through an individual's perspective. Every one of the posts are commenting on third, fourth, and fifth hand information that is not necessarily accurate. So what if it was in the paper/news medium? How accurate has that been? I believe that individuals should be treated equally in the eyes of the law, but that is not the truth. The truth is that the law is in the hands of humans and humans make mistakes. Was it racial because the black students got charged and the white students didn't? Who knows? We don't know what happened in the eyes of the prosecutor. He did not have the luxury that we do of looking at this from an outside perspective. He was in the forest looking at the trees. We are all racist whether we like it or not. It is simple and basic human behavior. What we should strive for is to celebrate our differences and find a comfortable cohesive manner in which we can coexist with our differences. By the way, several posts have indicated that they are "white" as if that should lend credence to their argument. It doesn't matter what race you are, your argument should stand on it's own merit. By the way, I am not white, black, brown, blue, green, or yellow. I am an American male that looks for some logic and truth in the spin of the liberal/conservative media.

Reverse the colors of the people involved and what would the mob be demanding? 22 years wouldn't be enough! Tima, Yukon

Paula, I guess you didn't read my second and third posts. I said the white kids should have also wondered what would happen when they put the nooses in the tree. I also said it was wrong, on both sides. And maybe the school should take some responsibility in this also and not have allowed the white students to congregate at the tree. And things were very different when Rosa Parks refused to go to the back of the bus. We still had "whites only" drinking fountains and restrooms and black people had to eat at the back door of a restaurant. Thank God that has changed! Yes, I believe it is about racism. And racism comes in ALL colors.

Chris: I never said that it wasn't about race. I said that I'm tired of the race card being played. Because I think that anyone that is human is equal anyone that decides to group together as a gang of 6 and beat up one individual should have criminal charges against them for it. It doesn't matter if it's 6 white kids on 1 black kid, 6 black kids on 1 white kid or 6 kids on 1 adult. As to the other events that have transpired in the town I do not know and cannot comment about those. The noose incident is horrendous and those students should have been expelled for the remainder of the year at the very minimum and criminally charged in my opinion. I don't have a problem with protest and for 14,998 people out there I'm sure they were there to support young men that they feel were being racially persecuted. However, there were two people out there with their own agendas and attempting to further themselves and I do not agree with that.

Interesting that people are asking why the black students sat under the "whites only" tree in the first place; they had to have known it would cause controversy. I ask you, why did Rosa Parks refuse to go to the back of the bus? I mean, she must've known that it would create controversy. That's on the same level as saying a rape victim deserves to be raped because she was wearing sexy clothing. It's not about "not being invited" to sit somewhere. It's about "you can't sit here because you're XXXXXX." Now, replace XXXXXX with "female" or "handicapped" or "Christian". Would you not stand up for your rights if it had been you? This wasn't a private club or an exclusive function. It was public property. A public school. What are we teaching our children when they think it's perfectly acceptable to segregate? It's not about cliques. It's about racism, straight up.

I'm just curious where all those people are going to stay tonight? As far as the situaion is concerned ... I feel deeply sorry for all of them. I hope they can unravel the knots and heal up.

If Jena problem had been handled in a fair and equitible way with in the confines of the school, this situation would not have expanded into a national embarrassment. The Jena community needs to move to the 21st century.

I'm not very familiar with the entire situation in Jena, but I thought that those [white] persons involved in putting the hangman's nooses in the tree should have been investigated by the F.B.I. and prosecuted under federal hate crime laws. .... As far as the black youngsters [any race of student for that matter]- if we [society] are not going to consider a 16 year old as an adult, who is intelligent enough to vote in elections or mature enough to legally drink alcohol or adult enough to drive a vehicle without certain restrictions on his / her drivers license until they are 18-- then why selectively place adult charges on that very same 16 year old when he / she commits a crime?

Paula, I had to stop in the middle of my post so I got a little behind. No, I do not believe in separate but equal. We need to work a lot harder at this than we are. We have to learn to keep our tempers under control and the people that keep the tensions stirred up need to back off.

I agree, Jackie. I think the fact the man with the shotgun and the boys that beat up the black boy weren't charged is what has me so upset. Had the treatment been equal, I wouldn't be so disgusted. I think cutting the stupid tree down is the best thing to come out of all of this!

Hi Deann. Yes, I saw that they asked permission first, but what else could the principal say? I wouldn't want my children being there either. And I think the white kids were very wrong to hang nooses from the tree. I guess I should have also asked what the white kids thought would happen if they put the nooses in the tree. This was just wrong, all the way around. If we are going to be a UNITED nation, we have to stop all this stupidity, both white and black.

Thanks, Paula.

So Jackie, we should be okay with unwritten "separate but equal" rules? And Mike, I get what you're saying. You see the beating of the white boy as racially motivated. I'm sure it was. But would it have happened if the events leading up to it, which were racially charged in the other direction, hadn't happened? No one can say for sure, of course. ALL the events were racially motivated. As such, they should ALL be punished adequately. So tell me, why were the only people punished in this entire debacle black people? Why were the white people not punished? That's what is unfair. Not that someone is in jail for beating another person up. It's that the equally reprehensible events leading up to, and essentially causing this, weren't punished as well. Had they been, it probably wouldn't have hit the media at all.

Oh my gosh! Mike the "minor cuts and scrapes" was a quote from the AP, not my opinion. Sorry, I didn't realize you were belittling me for a quote that you attributed to me. Again, you were mistaken. Please read more carefully before attacking others.

Maybe they just wanted shade?

Actually, Jackie, it was the only tree (as I understand from earlier reports). Did you read they went and got permission from the principal first? Maybe we should blame him! Sounds to me as if the white kids just want to keep their "superior position." Sorry, but if were my child or grandchild, I'd have forbidden them from sitting there as long as it was segregated. (And, yes. As previously stated, I'm white.)

Something to think about.....what did the three young black students think was going to happen when they sat under that tree? They had to know this was going to start something. Was that their intent? Was this their idea, or did someone put them up to it? There was surely more than one tree to sit under. So pick one and make it "your" tree. For goodness sake, this is the 21st century. Stop fighting because you're not invited to sit under a tree! So what? There are a lot of places I'm not invited, but I don't start a big fuss, I just go some other place.

Thanks, Chris for getting us back on topic.

That's an easy question. Because they are black....

------Billy Hayseed - prosicutor
Jena, LA

Let's see, Mike. You called me a liar. My anger is displaced? Sorry to dissapoint you, but I'm not angry. The correct word is disgusted AND offended. If it wasn't your intention, you shouldn't have called me a liar. ----------------------- ---------------------- --------------------- ------------ All of this has allowed you to skirt answering the question at hand. Why should these young men be charged and prosecuted and the white young men be set free?

It seems your anger however displaced has clouded the issues here. I am sorry that you seem offended. That wasn't my intention.

Rufus, how old are you? Do you even remember the 60s? From your remarks, you were either too drunk or too young to understand what happened then.

Wow, I am blending responses here and coming across in a way unintended. Let me clear the air. Yes there are terrible racial problems obviously in this situation. The eventually lead to beatings. But my point is that I have seen no proof that the DA's action are or were racially motivated. That's all I am trying to say. Someone somewhere had to draw a line and say enough is enough. I can't say why it wasn't when the black boy was beaten. But I have to ask this: why did the 3 black boys feel like they had to go where they knew they weren't wanted. Yeah, it isn't right for there to be an area for just white kids to hang out. Was it the choicest place at school to hang out? There will always be cliques, whether due to social standing, race or gender. When one tries to force their way in, bad things are bound to follow.

I really don't care what you believe. Apparently you've lived in a blessed environment. And, no, my ex-husband didn't go to jail. (My mistake). Believe me, it happened, a fractured nose, two black eyes, both lips were cut and swollen. And yes, it was a single slap. I'm happy you've not been exposed to such things. ............... .................. .................... ................. ............... All I'm saying is that the white kids who beat the black boy weren't charged. Do you want equality? Then drop all charges against the black boys!

What message are you wanting to send? That beatings stemming from angry confrontations are ok? If what you say is true, that the charges were reduced, what more do they want? What do you want? The charges dropped? I truly don't
mean to disparage you, but I can't find anyway to believe you were dealt worse injuries with a slap from an open hand. At any rate, that makes no difference. I hope whomever did that to you was convicted also of battery.

The facts were out there on the table long before Sharpton got involved. Life will not take care of itself, people have to stand up for what they believe in. The reason our nation is so f'd up the way it is, is because people have sat back too long and just let whatever happen happen. Everyone wants to worry about themselves, but if i'm not mistaken the Lord blesses in order TO bless others.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-09-18-4142244040_x.htm .............. Read this, now if anything, they need to be charged with attempted murder. The officer that saw this girl said that it looked more like something from a horror film.

The usual distortion of the facts by the Sharpton spin machine is reason enough to say this is all BS. Minimizing the beating, maximizing the noose incident. Yea, they got problems down south, always have and always will. Stay out of their business and take care of your own. Life will take care of itself. This is no fairy tale world, learn how to deal with it realistically and stop all that ridiculus protesting. The only one's stuck in the 60's are the protestor's. They think they are in Selma and are distraught because they are getting old and no one remembers that old stuff anymore.

Paula; "You doubt Jena is that bad of a town? Probably not for people who prefer to be part of a white community stuck in the 60s." Don't you see the racism in your remark quoted here? Are laboring under the thought that racism is only black against white?

Paula; "You doubt Jena is that bad of a town? Probably not for people who prefer to be part of a white community stuck in the 60s." Don't you see the racism in your remark quoted here? Are laboring under the thought that racism is only black against white?

Mike, I am white too. My race and your race aren't the issue here. And the boy was first convicted of attempted murder. It was only due to public outcry that the charges were reduced.

Mike, yes I saw the photo. I stand by what I said earlier. I've been around too long to think that kid's injuries were bad. I've had worse, and only was hit once with an open hand. Give it a break. ------------------ ----------------- ----------------- ---------------- ------------- What about the black boy who was beaten? Where is the justice for him?

Paula, you meant to say "I am doing this because you are white" didn't you? It was a white boy that was beaten unconscious. If people were to follow the reason of you and others posting here, there would be anarchy. There were definite racial tensions, yes. Nooses thrown over trees, angry confrontations, yes. But to say that makes it OK for 6 to gang up on one? Beat him unconscious? In retaliation of those racial tensions? And that is OK? I have read all the information I can find on the internet as some here haven't by the way. The boy in jail was convicted of 2nd degree battery. Not murder. My point is that yes there were and are definitely racial problems involved, but the accusation by so many is that it's the basis for the 2nd degree battery conviction. That is what I am having a hard time with.

Rufus, how offensive that you presume the black people who are outraged over this have no education, no jobs, and no way to legitimately support their families. And that's not racist, HOW? What about the black boy who WAS beaten by white kids? Those white kids weren't charged with anything. I'm not saying the black kids shouldn't be in trouble for what they did, but why are the white kids who did the same to a black kid not being charged the same? And as far as the nooses hanging from the tree...that attitude had to come from somewhere. Where do you think the kids got it? From their parents. Prejudices are taught. They are learned. They are acquired behaviors. You doubt Jena is that bad of a town? Probably not for people who prefer to be part of a white community stuck in the 60s.

Rufus,,, your views of the situation has nothing to do with the post. The black community got over the "blame whitey" era in the 90's.

Mike, if you have read all of the information available, with an open unbiased mind, and you still come to the conclusion that none of it is racially motivated, then I would say you are going through life with blinders on. Just because no one said "I'm doing this to you because you're black!" doesn't mean it's not racially motivated. From the bottom to the top it was most definitely racially motivated. All of it. Personally, I wish Al Sharpton and those of his ilk would leave this case alone. This is one case where racism is definitely a factor and lending his name to the cause discredits it to people who have come to shut out anything he stands for. Sometimes he's actually right. This is one of those times.

There sure are still a lot of white sheets in closets.

People that are blind to reality and only look at situations one sided are racist and don't realize. That can be scary.

Deann, where has your voice of reason gone? Did you see the photo of the young man that was beaten? Those are FAR from minor scrapes and bruises. He was beaten unconscious. How this can be compared equally as some angry comfrontations is absurd. So a man pulled a gun on some black kids. Did he beat them with it? Did he shoot them? No. The 6 youths took it to a whole new level. What did you want Walter Reed to do about the nooses. He said he tried every way he could to find a law that was violated and could not find it. He said it is simply not on the law books in Louisiana. Like I said earlier people who sit and scream racism when ther is no PROOF that any is involved are the most racist.

The two incidents are most definitely NOT unrelated. A black student in a mostly white school sat underneath a tree that was, by unwritten rule, for white kids only. The next day there were nooses hanging from that tree. What message was that sending? Black students staged a peaceful protest underneath the tree and police were called. Why? Was there any reason to call police about a peaceful protest and NOT call police about nooses hanging from a tree? Racial tensions escalated from then, and the beating of the white boy is more or less retaliation for the beating of a black boy. The kids who did that weren't charged. Then a gun was pulled on the black boy and when he wrestled the gun away from his attacker, HE WAS CHARGED WITH THEFT OF A FIREARM! (Not to mention second degree robbery and disturbing the peace.) Still yet, the caucasian kids involved in all this weren't punished or admonished at all. THEN when one of those white boys was bragging about his part in all of this, he was jumped by 6 black kids and beaten. The boy who was beaten was treated and released, and attended a party that same night. Yet the first black boy who was tried was charged and convicted for ATTEMPTED MURDER. I see quite a bit of racial inequality in this case. It's not about comparing the nooses in the tree to the beating of one white boy by six black kids. It's about all the stuff in between. Educate yourselves on all aspects of the story, THEN make a decision.

Not to mention, the incident of the white gentleman that pulled the shotgun on the the black kids, well the kids wrestled him and took the gun away but they were charged with robbery! Give me a break. You're right Rufus, i bet majority of the people there has never heard of Jena, what does that have to do with anything. Before May 3, 1999 alot of people in the nation had not heard of Moore, Ok but that did not stop people from stopping what they had going on in their life to help people out in need. And for you to say they don't care about the kids and don't have a clue of what happen, dude that is ludacris. No comment, cause that one just pissed me off.

Ok, folks lets get our facts straight. The following statements are incorrect: "..the kid who got stomped (almost to death) by those 6 teenage thugs!" and " almost beat a white kid to death" and "You had better believe that if the situation had been reversed and it was a black student jumped on by a group of white students all heck would break loose and the same protesters would be calling for them to be put to death or serve life in prison." First, the white student received only minor injuries. Second, prior to this, a black student WAS beaten-- there were no charges. --------------- ----------------- -------------------- ----------------- ---------Here is a direct quote from the news story: "The stoves were stoked in Jena, La., last year when three black students asked the vice principal at their high school if they could sit under a tree where white students at this predominately white high school congregated.
The principal told the students to sit wherever they wanted.

However, when they did, white students hung three hangman's nooses on the tree. The white students subsequently were suspended from school for two days.

The event touched off a series of violent, racially motivated altercations in town. In one case, a white adult accosted black students with a loaded shotgun at a convenience store.

In another, a black student was beaten at a party.

Then someone tried to burn down the high school.

No sentences were handed down to students or community members during this time.

On Dec. 4, a fight broke out at school. One white student was sent to the hospital, where he was treated and released for minor scrapes and bruises. Six black students were sent to jail, where they were charged with attempted murder." ------------------ -------------------- ------------------- ------------------ ----------------- I'm a white grandmother who is ashamed and embarrassed about this. If I had the funds and the time off from work, I'd be in Jena myself! (In spite of the fact that Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson were there.) ------------------------ -------------------------- ------------------------ --------------------- ------------------- Please don't make excuses for the district attorney and the courts in Louisiana. This is clearly WRONG.

The district attorney in the case, Walter Reed, pushed for maximum charges, carrying sentences of 80 years.

Subsequent to national outcry, one of the sentences was overturned in appeal. Charges against another black youth were reduced to battery.

Jan, I like how you say it's not a race thing yet your next comment you point out how it would be different if it were a black guy getting beat up by whites. While that is true, This is clearly a race issue from both sides and from what I've heard, read, and seen on TV Jena, LA looks like a town still living in the 60s. It's a bunch of hayseeds hatin' on the black folks for no reason other than being raised that way.
I think attempted murder is a little excessive for the boys. The "beaten to death" kid left the hospital the same day and went to a party. but I also think that Al Sharpton is a race bating, white hating, media whore working only for his agenda.

Those hundreds of thousands of supporters are people that never even heard of Jena, don't care about any of the kids and don't have a clue of what happened. Why would someone from Oklahoma go to the Oklahoma Capitol to protest something going on in Louisiana? Get a job people...

This has nothing to do with Sharpton or Jackson, there are hundreds of thousands of supporters around the world. Where do any of you get off about calling these kids thugs?? What makes them thugs, in fact can someone define a thug for me please. And where do you get the fact that this kid was beaten to death?? He had a swollen eye, some cuts and scrapes was released the same day and attended a banquet that same evening. Don't sound too life threatening to me. And the reason he got beat up was not because of the nooses. The 6 kids not thugs, were defending their friend that had gotten beat up days before at a white party. The kid deserved to get his butt whooped, he started it by going and taunting the kid that got beat up. NewsOK does not give you all the facts.

The noose incident happened in August of 2006 (over a year ago). The gang of kids jumping on the kid at school happened in December of 2006 (4 months later). They are two unrelated incidents. I bet all the people in the town, black and white wished those washed up has beens Sharpton and Jackson would go away and leave them in peace.

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Okay, let me get this straight, a group of white kids hang a noose from a tree and don't get prosecuted. 6 Black kids almost beat a white kid to death and they get prosecuted.

And that's not fair how?

I think the kids that hung the noose should have charges brought against them, but that in no way is in the same universe as attempted murder.

Now, had a group of 6 whites, attacked and almost beat to death a black student, and nothing happened, I would agree, but to compare haning a noose from a tree, no matter how vial that is, to attempted murder, is stupid.

I'm so tired of the race card being played about everything. If you eat, sleep, poop and walk on two legs you are as equal as everyone else if you want to be and actually work for it. If you have the drive to learn and succeed everyone should have a level playing field. The Jena 6 was a mob of thugs who jumped on another boy. It's that cut and dry. Regardless of ethnicity, age or gender they used their numbers to their advantage and they should pay for it. You had better believe that if the situation had been reversed and it was a black student jumped on by a group of white students all heck would break loose and the same protesters would be calling for them to be put to death or serve life in prison. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are nothing more than media whores who don't care about their people. They are actually whiter than I am.

The beating took place month's after the noose incident. The only line drawn there was drawn by Al Sharpton. The two incident's were not even related. This is all about Al and Jesse trying to keep the 1960's going because their pathetic lives have become irrelavent today. Get the hippies out there also and protest the war and they can listen to their 8 track tape players and some Sly and the Family Stone music, smoke a little weed also. Kid got beat up is all that happened, that happens in schools every day.

Peaceful protesting is fine. I am just wondering what they expect to happen. Let the kid out of jail after he was convicted? What kind of message does that send. That if we disagree and cause a big enough scene we can go free and not pay for our crimes? I listened to Al Sharpton on the news this morning and I must say he made little sense. He campared a person or persons hanging nooses to a gang of 6 beating 1 senseless. Even though the hanging of the nooses shouldn't be tolerated I don't see how that even compares. In my book, screaming racism when there isn't any is racism in its worst form.

I just wonder about the kid who got stomped (almost to death) by those 6 teenage thugs! Black or white these teens were thugs and need to be punished severely. I do however think that many times minorities do get punished more harshly than the majority and there have been some racial troubles at that school. This situation most likely arose as a "symptom" of those issues and that "justice divide" but that is a separate debate. The victim must be kept in focus here and the underlying causes addressed in other venues but in the same context. In this case the marching should be against the kind of violence dealt to this young man and not in support of the folks who dealt it out. This reminds me of the case when Reginald Denney was beaten almost to death on national tv during the LA riots and the thug who beat him with fists, a fire extinguisher, and then paving stones got off on a "black rage" defense. Nobody marched for Reggie back then either but they sure rallied for the intersection media star!

Those protestors are like the old hippies from the 60's that protest the war, just old civil right marchers looking to stay relevant in today's world..They could care less about what really happened. Truth..

Prince, I'm sure you're a bright person. Those six kids beat that kid unconscious and continued kicking him afterwards. That's assault and battery. I keep hearing "minor injuries, he was released that day, couldn't have been that bad". That's Bull, being knocked out and being kicked in the face by six guys is not a minor thing. I know Sharpton's race baiters are combing Jena trying to pick out every little hint of racial prejudice (as he always does) to smear the town and make himself the savior, but I doubt Jena is all that bad of a town. But he will find one or two to say something because someone always has an axe to grind. You know how this works, it's a scenario that's played out over and over. All it does is take away from real progress because it makes the civil rights movement lose credibility. I say, quit blaming the white man for your problems, go to school and get a job, take care of your families.