[Wuli]

“Can anyone tell me if the six black kids who beat up the white kid until he was unconcious are going to be CHARGED WITH A HATE CRIME?”

There has been too little information, concerning the lead up to the incident of “the six black kids”, and because of that the context of the events, and the severity of the charges, given the facts (and relative to similar or worse crimes in that jurisdiction) are not displayed very well in the media.

There is no doubt that the six young men should be punished. But, when the greater context and all the facts are presented, the “black” community is right to refuse to deny bigotry in the community and in the prosecutors office that has, more than the charges themselves, fueled their outrage.

The NYSun is probably the most consistently conservative newspapers, in hugely liberal NY (part of why its circulation is so small).

John McWhorter is one of their regular contributing writer of editorials. He works at an essentially conservative institute in NYC, and he is very smart and an “African American” (if we can still say that). I have always appreciated his views.

Irrespective of Jesse Jackson getting into the fray on this issue, one ought to read Mr. McWhorter’s take on the issue. I think he has a more well rounded view, but one that, correctly, exposes the underbelly of bigotry that is there.

Here is a link to what Mr. McWhorter has to say:

http://www.nysun.com/article/63055

[Old Professer]

Still no breaking news; this is the latest I have found:

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/20/jena-update-crowds-activism-and-outrage/?hp

[Old Professer]

“Half-black prisons pollute, distract, and constipate our national conversation on race.”

Another “outcome” diatribe sneaks up on him at the end, it seems.

[Recovering_Democrat]

I read the article, and the man does have some good things to say. We do part ways, however, when he decries the racial makeup of our prisons...his answer seems to be to go "easy" on the Drug War. I disagree with that, having seen how drugs can screw up people's lives.

Assuming his facts are RIGHT about the prosecution of the black kids, then I might agree.

I just wonder, though, if six white kids had done the same thing, and the charges of attempted second degree murder had been dropped...

[CajunConservative]

http://www.thejenatimes.net/home_page_graphics/home.html

Here’s the time line of events.

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

Five were first convicted of assault, but District Attorney Reed Walters upped the charges to second-degree attempted murder.

How does a DA get convictions, then up the charges?

[Vinnie]

McWhorter was making some good points . Then he spoiled it with this.

To those blacks, however, prisons that are half black when black people are only a tenth-and-change of the population proves that America remains racist to its core despite pretty surfaces.

Sorry, criminals belong in prison, regardless of their color.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

I had a difficult time understanding the article.

It sounds like he’s saying that blacks commit significantly more violent crimes because there are laws against illegal drugs.