Get up to speed on the Jena Six case
by Carmen Van Kerckhove
Great video summing up the Jena Six case, which we’ve been following here on Racialicious. (Hat tip to Mr. Carmen.)
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Comments
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Good lookin’ out (Mr.) Carmen.
The BBC did a special on the case in May called “Race hate in Louisiana.” I’ve been trying to find it, but haven’t been successful.
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Thanks Carmen!
I live in CA and I have not heard a thing about this. Without you I would be clueless.
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story has hit snopes now
the big-time! ha! -
shit like this makes me glad that i’m a black canadian, and NOT a black american. i’m not saying racial crap like this doesn’t exist here, but man, all i could do is watch and shake my head…
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What’s the job situation like in Louisiana? Nah, never mind, I hate the weather there. Looks like Idaho is still the #1 pick for a good place to move to.
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This is horrible. I’m glad that you posted this special report. I think this is an egregious case of racism. 20+ years for a fight? Come on. The guy the defendant beat up went out the evening following the incident, obviously he wasn’t that hurt. 20+ years for a brawl. This clearly is misjustice.
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Thank you very much for placing this video clip on your blog. This case is definetely cause for concern. When I listened to the clip, I really couldn’t believe my ears. I didn’t think that this type of racism still exists.
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im dissapointed in Americans. Im a black American living in Lonon. And this shoulnt happen. its so upsetting. Bible belt my ass.
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to deb…comment number 1
go to bbc.co.uk then find ‘News’ and then the programme ‘This World’
Perhaps you can get a transcript of the documentary. Any possibility of it being aired here in Texas?…..ha ha ha ha PBS is too busy showing stunning stuff like Lawrence Whelk ?Race hate in Louisiana
This World investigates the rise of discrimination in America’s deep south as six black youths are charged with an alleged attack against a white student, which could see them jailed for between 30 and 50 years.Jesse Rae Beard: one of the ‘Jena Six’ students on trial
Thursday 24 May 2007
1900 BST on BBC TwoIn the year that the first black candidate has a serious chance of being nominated for - and becoming - the President of the United States, “This World” travels to the deep south of America to investigate how race relations have changed since the civil rights upheavals of the 60s.
Reporter Tom Mangold looks at the tiny town of Jena, Louisiana.
Nooses in the playground
In September last year at the local high school, a black student asked a teacher for permission to sit under the tree in the school yard, where white pupils traditionally congregated. The teacher told him he was free to sit anywhere.
The next morning, three nooses were found hanging from the same tree.
This open and challenging symbol of the old south, perpetrated by white students, was taken as a prank by the school board.
But to others it was seen as a race hate crime.
“To us those nooses meant the KKK [Ku Klux Klan], they meant, “Niggers, we’re going to kill you, we’re going to hang you till you die,”‘ says Caseptla Bailey, a black community leader and mother of one of the accused.
Racism in Jena
“Race hate in Louisiana” asks why Jena, like so many other small towns in the south, retains a de facto form of segregation despite so many social changes; why the whites live in comfortable homes and most of the blacks live in trailers; and whether small town politics are stopping the white establishment from addressing racism in Jena.
In contrast to the “prank” treatment, Mangold questions why six black students face possible life imprisonment for a school yard assault on a white student, prosecuted by an unusually tough and committed district attorney.
The programme witnesses the growing calls for change from the black community.
“This World” is there when leading outside civil liberties groups arrive to give Jena’s black community the will and the encouragement to organise resistance to enduring prejudice.
It seems that Jena is fast becoming a symbol for the next stage in the civil rights struggle in America.
Producer/Director: Sophie Todd
Reporter: Tom Mangold
Executive Producer: Louise Norman
Editor: Karen O’Connor -
I would like to say that I do believe that the young men should be punished for what they have done, but let the punishment fit the crime. But in this case the crime was a school yard fight. I have heard so many stories regarding six on one, one on one. But what ever the case, let the punishment fit he crime. This is just another proof of the injustice in Ameirica. Racism still plagues are communities on a daily.
There are alot young black, white, hispanic and japanese men in prison for crimes they haven’t commited, and commited and have gotten tougher crimes than a person with money. Our justice system is the way the man can make money. It is sad that our justice system gets rich off the backs of the poor. This system is all about money and it doesn’t matter what race you are. Prisons are indiviual owned by some rich guy and he sits back and reaps the reward off the poor man. Laws are designed to work against us. Law makers make laws that they can’t even abide by.
In the bible God punished lawmakers that made laws that they couldn’t even follow. God will definitely punish the devils advocate(law makers, district attorneys, lawyers and judges). God bless the souls of you all. Our purpose here on earth is to get to the kingdom of heaven. How soon do we forget. We are not here forever but on a temporary basis. So the decision makers of the Jena 6. Do what is right in this case because the real judge sits on high. The punishment he sets is forever and physically painful. God Bless.
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of 
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