Spring Break
Don't Free the Jena Six
Ian Bezek
Issue date: 9/27/07 Section: Opinion
I have been greatly disheartened by the recent Jena Six controversy.
It has been a remarkable step backwards for race relations in America, and it has slowed our progress towards a colorblind society.
The Jena Six are a group of black students that, according to witnesses, assaulted a white classmate.
Justin Barker, the victim, was beaten badly and the perpetrators were seen stomping on his "lifeless" body according to bystanders. He was taken to the emergency room and suffered a concussion and the loss of vision in one of his eyes for three weeks.
Not surprisingly, the students who committed the assault were arrested and charged with second-degree battery.
One of the Jena Six, Mychal Bell, has become the focal point of the controversy after being convicted.
Despite the fact that Mychal has an extensive criminal record with five violent crime convictions to his name, he started receiving support from a large group of sympathizers. While Bell's defenders admit he is guilty of the crime, they argue he was incited.
Earlier in the school year, a group of white students hung several nooses on a tree in the schoolyard. Despite the fact that this event occurred months before the assault and that CNN reported the nooses were unrelated to the assault, many people say that Bell and his co-defendants were just responding to a racially driven hate speech.
To complement this argument, people have pointed to derogatory comments Barker allegedly made to a black student just days before the assault.
I should stop to point out that I find the actions of the white students that hung the nooses reprehensible. I am ashamed that members of any race would commit such an offensive act.
My father was a university professor, and he invited students from all countries and races over to our house to enjoy American hospitality. Our guest book had students from more than fifty countries share a meal with us, and beside this, we hosted an exchange student from Cambodia for a year.
It has been a remarkable step backwards for race relations in America, and it has slowed our progress towards a colorblind society.
The Jena Six are a group of black students that, according to witnesses, assaulted a white classmate.
Justin Barker, the victim, was beaten badly and the perpetrators were seen stomping on his "lifeless" body according to bystanders. He was taken to the emergency room and suffered a concussion and the loss of vision in one of his eyes for three weeks.
Not surprisingly, the students who committed the assault were arrested and charged with second-degree battery.
One of the Jena Six, Mychal Bell, has become the focal point of the controversy after being convicted.
Despite the fact that Mychal has an extensive criminal record with five violent crime convictions to his name, he started receiving support from a large group of sympathizers. While Bell's defenders admit he is guilty of the crime, they argue he was incited.
Earlier in the school year, a group of white students hung several nooses on a tree in the schoolyard. Despite the fact that this event occurred months before the assault and that CNN reported the nooses were unrelated to the assault, many people say that Bell and his co-defendants were just responding to a racially driven hate speech.
To complement this argument, people have pointed to derogatory comments Barker allegedly made to a black student just days before the assault.
I should stop to point out that I find the actions of the white students that hung the nooses reprehensible. I am ashamed that members of any race would commit such an offensive act.
My father was a university professor, and he invited students from all countries and races over to our house to enjoy American hospitality. Our guest book had students from more than fifty countries share a meal with us, and beside this, we hosted an exchange student from Cambodia for a year.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 15
dr blog
posted 9/27/07 @ 3:17 AM MST
Not only is there almost no coverage in the corporate media of black violent crimes against white people, but in high profile cases, they proffer black criminals as 'real victims'. (Continued…)
Craig Hawley
posted 9/27/07 @ 6:00 AM MST
The White students who hung the noose's should have been expelled. That said the black students that I saw on video are little thugs and deserve jail. (Continued…)
jimmy
posted 9/27/07 @ 6:28 AM MST
The argument is that Bell was charged as an adult. If he was charged as a juvenile there would be no problem. I think that we forget that if the white students were held accountable for their hate crime, and charged as adults, they too would most certainly be in jail. (Continued…)
Bdygard
Craig Hawley
posted 9/27/07 @ 7:06 AM MST
I am with you Jimmy on fairness in the law. However it will never happen. There will always be inequities. The best we can hope for is exsposing them. (Continued…)
Fact Check
posted 9/27/07 @ 7:15 AM MST
"Not surprisingly, the students who committed the assault were arrested and charged with second-degree battery."
FYI, Mr. Bezek, they were arrested and charged with attempted murder. (Continued…)
Ace Frehley
posted 9/27/07 @ 7:19 AM MST
There was no "white tree." According to the Houston Chronicle, a black teacher at the school frequently observed both white and black students under the tree. (Continued…)
Crystal Johnson
posted 9/27/07 @ 7:41 AM MST
This is another opportunity for people of any race to make sure justice is served. Let it had been a white boy in jail for beating up a black boy and they would say because he hung nooses, the white boy had grounds to beat the black boy up. (Continued…)
Mina
posted 9/27/07 @ 2:34 PM MST
Sweetheart, you need to reserve judgment until you have the full facts regarding the continued extreme racism experienced in this community for not only years but centuries. (Continued…)
Adria Robinson
posted 9/27/07 @ 5:28 PM MST
This is a response to the editorial by Ian Bezek who thinks we should not free the Jena Six. I read your article several times just because I was in such utter disbelief of your statements. (Continued…)
Del Wasso
posted 9/28/07 @ 1:34 AM MST
Look at all of the red-necks come out of the woodwork!!!
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