Shame on Jena

While I am disgusted by the miscarriage of justice in Jena, Louisiana, I am heartened and by news of the successful demonstration, tens-of-thousands strong, to support the "Jena Six." With the halleople from all over the country went to Jena to express their outrage at the deplorable treatment of the six highschoolers being prosecuted for their involvement in a schoolyard fight. Democracy Now has had good coverage of this story, if I caught you slippin'. Also, be sure to sign the petition of support for the "Jena Six" at ColorofChange.org. Since I could not attend the protest, I also picked up a "Free the Jena Six" tee at the Color of Change store at GoodStorm.com.



Of course, I cannot help but wonder how it is possible that we are still facing such blatant racism in the judicial system in the year 2006. Unfortunately, the fact that injustice exists is no surprise; however, the fact that it is perpetrated so brazenly does indeed astound me. Obviously, Jena still believes in a world where a Black person dare not touch a White one, not for any reason. Welcome to the new millennium.

I don't think too many Black folks fool themselves that we consistently receive fair treatment through the American judicial system, but I do think it is easy to be complacent, especially when the unfairness does not affect you or someone you know. I currently live in Stockton, California, but I am from the San Francisco Bay Area, via Minneapolis, Minnesota. Everywhere that I have lived has been pretty diverse compared to Jena standards. Either discrimination and racism in these parts (where I have lived) are more subtle, or else their pervasiveness has made them more difficult to detect. I am not sure.

I do know that the aspect of these six cases that should not be lost in all the talk about discrimination, racism and injustice is that these are just children. Just kids. Kids whose childhood has been tainted by the vileness of racism. Kids whose innocence has been stolen by systemic injustice.

These are just a few of the videos out there about the "Jena Six."