Racial incident at school overwhelms Louisiana town

Baltimore Sun ^ | May 20, 2007 | Howard Witt

[amchugh]

The trouble in Jena started with the nooses. Then it rumbled along the town's racial fault lines. Finally, it exploded into months of violence between blacks and whites.

Now the 3,000 residents of this small lumber and oil town deep in the heart of central Louisiana are confronting Old South racial demons many thought had long ago been put to rest.

Advertisement One morning last September, students arrived at the local high school to find three hangman's nooses dangling from a tree in the courtyard.

[trumandogz]

Again, I am not defending the Jena Six or Al or Jesse.

BTW-If the names of the racists who hung the nooses have not been made public, how do you know they have not been in additional trouble?

[Jane Austen]

When those four black college students in New Jersey who had harmed nobody were savagely attacked, there were no demonstrations. However, often when black thugs are arrested or roughed up, there is an outcry. This will hurt the black since it builds negative attitudes and actions.

Incredible that Sharpton and Jackson support these hoodlums. No matter how much CNN and MSNBC try to spin it, the fact speak for themselves.

[CajunConservative]

I found a local news forum and we are talking a very small town here. People know what goes on with everyone there. Those kids evidently transferred out of JHS.

Also it appears that Mychal Bell has been in the criminal court system since he was 10 years old. I will post more gems when I find them.

Here’s one:

“””This is true. People who live in Jena know most of the Jena Six’s previous crimes, yet the world doesn’t know because the files are sealed. Bell also stole an automobile and ran over an 8 year old child. He was under the influence of drugs and the drugs were found on him at the scene. Oh, he didn’t even have a driver’s license when this took place, he wasn’t of legal age to be driving. When all of this comes out many will look like fools for supporting criminals. Of course, JUST MY HONEST OPINION.”””

[trumandogz]

Again, I agree with you. When it a comes out the the world's attention, the Jena Six will be viewed as violent criminals and the people who hung the nooses will be viewed as ignorant, racist, thug, rednecks.

Both views will be correct and our state will continue to look like a Third World Crap Hole where racist whites and violent blacks run through the streets.

We all are victims.

[CajunConservative]

The problem is the agenda driven media. The truth is out there and it’s not being shared.

Someone just posted that the poor little victim’s mother bought a brand new white jaguar while stirring up racial strife because her son is sitting in jail. I also read where she kicked him out and Mychal Bell was living with a white family who took him in prior to the beating at school. Where is the truth in reporting?

[wardaddy]

people who think they know everything about race in general usually live in homogenous areas

[trumandogz]

Someone just posted that the poor little victim’s mother bought a brand new white jaguar while stirring up racial strife because her son is sitting in jail. I also read where she kicked him out and Mychal Bell was living with a white family who took him in prior to the beating at school. Where is the truth in reporting?

Are you sure the Jaguar was white. Perhaps, it was a Jaguar made out of solid gold that can go 198 MPH! And perhaps, Ball is not living with a white family but instead a family of aliens, not illegal aliens but aliens from another universe!

What you post is rumor and inuendo.

What I know to be true is that some ignorant racist punks hung a noose in a tree in order to intimidate a certain race of students.

And some violent punks beat up a kid.

[CajunConservative]

According to the Department of Justice in which the US Attorney, a black man, AND the FBI there was no evidence stating that the noose incident broke federal laws and it was investigated on all levels of government. The two incidents ARE IN NO WAY RELATED. The race baiters are simply latching onto this to stir up the racial divisions nationally when it’s simply a local matter.

I do know that these six kids have many prior convictions of violence against others for several years. They should have been in kiddie jail many convictions ago. We aren’t talking about graffiti on buildings but assault and battery, sexual assault, robbery, drugs, and other violent acts. These kids aren’t being railroaded they have been given many chances to straighten up their lives.

[topher]

Bookmark.

Story going around South Louisiana that white kid had shotgun... Investigating... Story may be false...

[dfwgator]

people who think they know everything about race in general usually live in homogenous areas

All I know is, if you are going to hurt somebody, just make damn sure they are the same race as you.

[wardaddy]

lol....

[topher]

The Star Trek Episode shows the futility of racism, if you watch, for the following reasons:

1. Each man in the episode from the planet are the last of their kind. In the end, they are trying to kill each other, which end each race on the planet.

2. The episode clearly uses on which side of person's fact that one is black or white as what the racism is about. It is only racially acceptable to have white on the right side and black on the left side (or vice-versa for the other person). In other both people are both black and white, but it is the side of the face where one is black or where one is white that is consdiered important by the episode.

This episode of STARTREK should be shown to the entire student body, and have discussions on it -- it that POWERFUL a statement on the futility of racism...

If you have questions, try to watch the episode...

[CajunConservative]

Where at?

[topher]

The STARTREK Episode will be on TV Land at 6 am EDT on Septmeber 27, 2007 -- less than 7 days away...

Try watching the episode IF POSSIBLE...

[wardaddy]

Now the 3,000 residents of this small lumber and oil town deep in the heart of central Louisiana are confronting Old South racial demons many thought had long ago been put to rest.

and the media and other race baiters are having one big circle jerk over that

[topher]

Los Angeles Times has something about this.

RUMOR: The story of the shotgun is that a white student brought a shotgun to school. Blacks students took the shotgun away.

This is going around South Louisiana.

However, it is based on fact. It is unclear if the shotgun was taken to the high school or not.

But a WHITE MAN confronted some of the black students who has thrown beer bottles at people at a party the night before.

The LA Times article is: Year of racial unrest in La. Town

The source for the article (LA TIMES Link) is:

Year of Racial Unrest in La. Town

Excerpt from the article that is pertinent:

Just before the incident that resulted in stiff charges for the Jena Six, white youngsters had attacked one of the six black boys, Robert Bailey, 17, striking him with beer bottles as he tried to enter a party. Only one of the attackers was charged -- with simple battery.

The next day, a white man who had been at the party brandished a shotgun during an altercation with Bailey and several other black boys.

He was not charged, but the boys, who wrestled the gun away from him, were charged with stealing it.

[wardaddy]

There is a reason why whites in the northeast (and possibly other parts of the country), avoid towns with large or growing black populations. Aside from "group affinity" there is the knowledge that we will face some sort of hostility. No thanks. ,

Given the large black population down here in Dixie, we don't usually have that luxury though rural Deep south black culture is usually much more hospitable...this town in Louisiana being an exception I'm sad to say

[topher]

There is now a FREEREPUBLIC Thread on the Los Angeles Times article.

It is:

Freerepublic Article on Jena, Louisiana from LA Times - Year of racial unrest in La. [Jena, Louisiana] town

[CajunConservative]

Here are the facts from the local paper where it lays out the time line and shows that the “little angels” had jumped and tried to rob the man at the convenience store. He went and grabbed his shotgun to defend himself. There are eyewitness reports to back up the victim not the three thugs.

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

It’s the Dec. 2 incident.

[Age of Reason]

The episode clearly uses on which side of person's fact that one is black or white as what the racism is about. It is only racially acceptable to have white on the right side and black on the left side (or vice-versa for the other person). In other both people are both black and white, but it is the side of the face where one is black or where one is white that is consdiered important by the episode.

Sounds like science fiction to me.

If you have questions, try to watch the episode...

I remember it well; saw it when I was a kid.