Something I should have written a while ago
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| Also listed in: Faithfully Liberal |
Cross posted at Faithfully Liberal
Sadly, I have heard people (in which I mean friends) say that they don't think oppression happens as much as it used to. Obviously, I refute this claim as untrue and go into a diatribe in why there is still so much discrimination and oppression.
A while back I heard about the Jena Six. And I should have written about it right then and there. Sadly, this case is the prime example of the struggle that America is still undergoing with racism and other forms of discrimination. This particular community is primarily 85% white while 12% are black. Racism still runs deep in the community according to many of the local residents.
The fact that there was a "white only" tree is an example of the segregated past that still infects many areas of our country. The nooses were not a prank but a death threat based upon a history of lynchings that instilled fear in the black community. Most Americans would believe that we have moved past this era of hatred, but we simply have not. But the case gets worse as fights broke out during the school year between white students and black students.
The school and the community obviously allowed racial tensions to persist, creating an atmosphere where the continuous fights lead to where we now find ourselves. The district attorney has blatantly used this case as a wedge issue in his own community. The excessiveness of the charges for the black students if beyond ridiculous and driven by racism, on top of the fact that the white students that were attackers in other fights have not been charged. These six students have been singled out resulting in an abuse of the justice system.
You can do something by signing a petition to the Department of Justice to take action.
Via Slant Truth.
Sadly, I have heard people (in which I mean friends) say that they don't think oppression happens as much as it used to. Obviously, I refute this claim as untrue and go into a diatribe in why there is still so much discrimination and oppression.
A while back I heard about the Jena Six. And I should have written about it right then and there. Sadly, this case is the prime example of the struggle that America is still undergoing with racism and other forms of discrimination. This particular community is primarily 85% white while 12% are black. Racism still runs deep in the community according to many of the local residents.
It all began at Jena High School last summer when a black student, Kenneth Purvis, asked the school's principal whether he was permitted to sit under the shade of the school courtyard tree, a place traditionally reserved for white students only. He was told he could sit where he liked.
Most whites in Jena dismissed it as a tasteless prank, but the minority black community identified the gesture as something far more vicious.
"It meant the KKK, it meant 'niggers we're going to kill you, we're gonna hang you 'til you die'," said Caseptla Bailey, one of the black community leaders.
Old racial fault lines in Jena began to fracture the town. It was made worse when - despite the school head recommending the noose-hangers be expelled - the board overruled him and the three white student perpetrators merely received a slap on the wrist.
The fact that there was a "white only" tree is an example of the segregated past that still infects many areas of our country. The nooses were not a prank but a death threat based upon a history of lynchings that instilled fear in the black community. Most Americans would believe that we have moved past this era of hatred, but we simply have not. But the case gets worse as fights broke out during the school year between white students and black students.
As racial tension grew last autumn and winter, there were race-related fights between teenagers in town. On 4 December, racial tension boiled over once more at the school when a white student, Justin Barker, was attacked by a small group of black students.
He fell to the ground and hit his head on the concrete, suffering bruising and concussion.
He was treated at the local hospital and released, and that same evening felt able to put in an appearance at a school function.
District Attorney Reed Walters, to the astonishment of the black community, has upgraded the charges of Mr Barker's alleged attackers to conspiracy to commit second degree murder and attempted second degree murder. If convicted they could be 50 before they leave prison.
The school and the community obviously allowed racial tensions to persist, creating an atmosphere where the continuous fights lead to where we now find ourselves. The district attorney has blatantly used this case as a wedge issue in his own community. The excessiveness of the charges for the black students if beyond ridiculous and driven by racism, on top of the fact that the white students that were attackers in other fights have not been charged. These six students have been singled out resulting in an abuse of the justice system.
You can do something by signing a petition to the Department of Justice to take action.
Via Slant Truth.
As to the original alarmingly racist "prank" (that word is woefully insufficient): whoever is responsible needs to be expelled and possibly charged with a hate crime (if such laws are on the books there).
The school refused to expel the students involved in the original lynching reminder.
I have to live with little incidents-- minor things compared to those listed above but people don't realize that racism is HUGE in the U.S. I have a biracial family. My husband is a Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserves-- and an Environmental Engineer.-- He rides the bus every day to Seattle and is usually the only black face on the bus. You would think he was a leaper as the seat next to him is always the last to go???? When I was out with my ex-husband (he is white) I NEVER once received the bill when we went out to eat. I get the check 80% of the time if not more.
My son was driving several years ago and was stopped for NO reason-- The police officer asked for license and registration and then went back to run them through his computer-- He came back to my son's car and said--"There is a warrant out for your arrest... " pause, pause pause-- Then said "just kidding"... THANK GOD my so remained calm as he may haved ended up deat...My son's best friend was killed in a drunk driving incident-- after that he decided to protect his friends and be the designated driver. He was driving his Volvo 3 nights in a row he was pulled over-- no ticket-- just stopped to find out why he was out at 3 am--23 y/o black male-- ???
When I read to stories about the above, it scares me to death about my boys at what they may need to face in their lifetimes...
Thank you for sharing this information-- Gretchen