Things are gearing up for the rally in support of the Jena 6 tomorrow (my last post here). Thousands are expected in Jena, Louisiana and at rallies around the country. You can learn more about the event at freethejena6.com and Color of Change. You can search for events near you here.
* No surprise — The Southern Poverty Law Center Warns of Expected White Supremacist Activity at Jena Rally.
One particular web posting, on the white supremacist message board Stormfront.org, came from former Baton Rouge neo-Nazi leader Robert Moore. In the posting, Moore wrote about police security arrangements in Jena and whether weapons would be allowed in certain areas. "Remember, Louisiana is an open-carry state, and your vehicle is an extention [sic] of your home," he wrote. "We also have the right to defend ourselves if attacked."Additional items and comments related to tomorrow are after the jump.
* Sigh. I am not surprised at the media whoring Jesse Jackson — he criticized Barack Obama for not speaking out more forcefully on the Jena 6.
"If I were a candidate, I'd be all over Jena," Jackson was quoted as saying. "Jena is a defining moment, just like Selma was a defining moment." By not seizing on the issue more, Obama was "acting like he's white," the paper quoted Jackson as saying. Jackson, who endorsed Obama in March, today denied making that last comment, while The State stood by its reporting. Obama's campaign, meanwhile, noted that he had made a strong statement on the matter last week, when he called for the district attorney to drop the charges and said, "When nooses are being hung in high schools in the 21st century, it's a tragedy. It shows that we still have a lot of work to do as a nation to heal our racial tensions."I'm so tired of this "who's black enough" sh*t.
* Donna Payne, HRC's Associate Director of Diversity, is traveling to Jena; There will be Rally of Solidarity in DC and HRC President Joe Solomnese will attend. "The Human Rights Campaign is proud to join with our coalition partners in the civil rights community to show our support for ending racial bias and injustice. This type of prejudice and hate in our country affects all Americans, regardless of race, ethnicity or sexual orientation."
* George Cook interviews reporter Suzanne Malveaux of CNN about the Jena 6. CNN's blog on the politics of the Jena 6 case is here.
* dnA has plenty of hot posts on the topic at his pad.
* David Bowie has donated $10K to a legal defense fund for the six black teens
* Chris Dodd on the Jena 6: "The events in Jena, Louisiana are a sobering reminder that while segregation was outlawed long ago, de facto segregation in many parts of this country is still very real. No reasonable person would call what these young men have received 'equal justice.' I sincerely hope that Governor Blanco intervenes in this case and grants immediate reprieves should any of the Jena 6 be convicted."
* Elizabeth Edwards spoke today at a send-off rally in Columbia, SC for those departing by bus to the rally in Jena. John Edwards released this statement:
"As someone who grew up in the segregated South, I feel a special responsibility to speak out on racial intolerance. To measure our progress in the fight against racism, today our nation looks to Jena, Louisiana. Americans of all races are traveling to Jena because they believe that how we respond to the racial tensions in Jena says everything about who we are as a nation.Feel free to post other links to good blogging, statements or news about the goings-on."When a 'white tree' stands outside a public school, marking a place where white students sit but black students are not welcome, there is something so wrong that the right words are hard to find. When children have learned to intimidate each other with age-old, hateful symbols of racial terror, we are reminded that we cannot take progress for granted. And we must turn to the larger truth: that we still have two criminal justice systems in this country — largely defined by race and class.
"Fortunately, we also still have in this country the desire for racial justice, understanding and tolerance. I am hopeful that justice will be served, these young Americans can look to the future, and the community of Jena will find peace."
29 Responses to “Justice for the Jena 6 — Thursday is the Day of Action”
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Elizabeth Eloquent, rock on!
I’m so glad this seems to be getting increasing attention because it is so utterly and completely WRONG and so obviously so.
You can blow out a candle, but you can’t blow out a fire.
Check out Friends of Justice and their work in Jena (and elsewhere in LA and TX as well):
http://friendsofjustice.wordpress.com/jena-6/
I have tried to repeatedly highlight their work here at Pandagon, as well as at my own site:
http://www.grahamad.com/blog/2007/07/09/the-white-tree/
http://www.grahamad.com/blog/2007/09/14/jena-6-update-judge-overturns-bells-conviction/
We’ve been discussing the case in my Race and Ethnicity class. Some of the kids are in shock that this sort of thing can happen. These tend to be privileged kids from the Northeast. I have to consistently remind them that the racial biases built into the “justice” system are not confined to the South. This is just an exceptionally aggregious example that has made it into the public eye.
Today, there was a rally at the MA Statehouse to overhaul our CORI system (criminal background checks)–it’s broken and penalizes those who have served their time (or even been arrested but not charged), often making it impossible to hold jobs or rent apartments, and it overwhelmingly affects men of color, even after they’ve paid their dues.
I’ve been trying to find a way to work it into my Poetry and Drama classes, but it’s not meshing with my current reading assignments. I feel like I may just have to hit them with it in a “have you heard about this shit?” kind of way at the beginning of class on Friday.
How about reading “Strange Fruit” as a poem, and shocking the hell with them that way…moving into the nooses hanging from the “white tree”…
just a thought from a sociologist who’s trying to figure out how to tie it into a discussion of intersexuality in my Sex and Gender class tomorrow….
Maybe the “have you heard about this shit?” would work better.
It’s funny you should mention your Poetry and Drama class. One of my fave students was in my office today…she’s a double major in English and Sociology, but’s going to switch the soc major to a minor (there are a couple of us younger adjunct faculty who give her no end of shit–good natured–about it). Part of it is that we joke about her spending four years learning to read (yes, I know, I know…it’s a joke)
But today, I was talking about my own music degree and relation to the arts, and how they inform my life, and probably seep into my sociology from time to time. It was shocking because I had her crying. I (and the other teacher who provide those jabs) are among the most arts loving and valuing members of the department you’ll find, maybe of the broader social science faculty. (We also have a member who teaches a sociology of art–we bonded over trashing Adorno’s analysis of jazz today.)
It’s at moments like these when I find my own field inadequate. I can analyze the shit out of the situation, but Billie makes me feel it. And sometimes the emotional experience helps me “get it” far more than any analytical experience.
But have no fear, Jena Six, because David Bowie is here. (Knew there was a good reason why I took my screen name from one of his songs.
But blue jean, with a camouflage face and no money you might get mistaken for one of the Stormtrooperfront set …
Did you all see this nonsense?
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/law/09/19/jena.six.link/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
“U.S. attorney: Nooses, beating at Jena High not related”
It’s just what we’re reading right now doesn’t really fit with the story, MAJeff. My school requires we set our reading lists at the beginning of the term, even down to specific poems, and I’m not doing a section on politics in my poetry classes until the latter part of the term–but it’s on then. Heavy doses of Marge Piercy, June Jordan, and a shitload of others. And in my drama classes, we’re doing Suzan Lori-Parks’s Topdog/Underdog, which this story would work great with–except at the end of the term. It’ll be hard to find a connection between this and Lysistrata.
i can see that (too bad June Jordan’s not now…god i love her)
I love it when events work with my syllabus. A couple years ago, the week i was discussing the feminist sex wars when Dworkin died (not that Dworkin’s death was happy news). Had someone else die that semester when I was focusing on some of their work–and had several people ask me not to teach their work as a result of it.
Then again, I’ve been known to toss the syllabus and say, “Fuck it, here’s what’s going on and here’s what we’re talking about today. I’ll give you a revised syllabus next class period.”
LOL, Ms. Kate! But with a camoflage face and no money, I could be sent to Iraq.
Remember, everyone, we’re fighting for Shrub’s country! Which is far more than he ever did!
BTW, many thanks for the link regarding events nearest zip codes- I was going to be in Augusta today anyways, searched the link, and lo and behold, there is a “sign rally”!
I wasn’t one of the privileged kids MA Jeff describes, but I did grow up here in the Northeast- it took befriending an elderly woman/coworker in Baltimore for me to understand race issues. We worked together for years- she opened my head and poured in her experiences and knowledge; the stories horrified and angered me.
And while she is gone now, I still remember her every year on her birthday and will do so today: a toast of first-cup-of-the-day coffee for you, Miss Bert…one of the best.
From Pam: I’m so tired of this “who’s black enough” sh*t. (re: Jesse Jackson’s comments about Barak Obama)
Agreed. Attitudes like this alienate those who DO support equality for all- it sounds as if Jesse expects Obama to have a stronger opinion and committment, based PURELY on his skin. I’m sick of this, too.
Okay, admittedly I’m a white woman. That somehow means I can’t demand and work for equality for ALL people?? Because I’m not black? I’m also straight- so I’m not allowed to demand the same equality for gays??
I have friends who are black. I have friends that are gay. Via the Internet, I have friends that are both. And I 100% believe we should ALL have the same rights. But according to Jesse, it seems I should just shut up and mind my own business.
That somehow means I can’t demand and work for equality for ALL people?? Because I’m not black? I’m also straight- so I’m not allowed to demand the same equality for gays??
It’s actually worse than that. People like Jackson will in the same breath whine about why there aren’t enough white faces in the crowd at Jena today. When he spouts crap like this it does alienate a lot of people. The “blacker than thou” nonsense is divisive and so reflective of old-school mentality often seen in the establishment civil rights set still clinging to power. Expect a lot of grandstanding by Jackson re: Jena — however, folks try to look past this guy to see the bigger picture. We should ALL care about the fact that the justice system in this country is not blind — either to color , power structure or the almighty dollar.
[We should ALL care about the fact that the justice system in this country is not blind — either to color , power structure or the almighty dollar.]
100% agreement here, Pam…
8:30 am; CNN live showing large gatherings- and here’s Rev. Jackson, quickly comparing Jena to Selma- indepth story tonight.
Last night, NBC ran a story regarding Jena with interviews of the mayor and some local shopkeepers, who were planning on closing up their businesses today (paraphrase) “because they didn’t know what to expect with these crowds and security issues”. The mayor also denounced the crowds, saying (again, paraphrase) “they like visitors, but not so many at one time”, among other statements.
WHY? WHY ARE THEY AFRAID? Why couldn’t ONE person be interviewed, saying that THEY were keeping their business open and supporting the protestors and/or these kids? Oh, that’s right- because what happened and is continuing to happen to these kids wasn’t and isn’t a real problem.
NBC did start the story with acknowledging that bloggers, black bloggers in particular, have continued to give this story legs and not let it fade. Jena is REAL. And this is too important to ignore. It affects the rights of ALL OF US.
Off to Augusta!!!
Why read it when Billie Holliday’s recording captured the mood so perfectly?
Hope the rally goes well.
Good luck to those going.
The ‘freethejena6′ link in the original post should point to ‘freethejenasix‘; right now it’s pointing to a domain-name squatter’s site. Hope this helps!
hey, just a quick note…… It’s
http://jena6.vesana.com
I tried the http://www.freejena6.com and it goes to a camped domain.
I caught some of NPR’s coverage this morning. Perhaps this was in the beginning which I missed, but they were acting as if the only outrage was the “disproportionate charges” on the African-American kids.
Truly the disproportionality of the charges relative to what those kids did is outrageous enough, but what of the events leading up to the fight which led to the charges? How come the silence on the underlying racism?
Because pointing out racism is so 1960s, apparently.
DAS, I caught some of the CNN coverage while waiting around at Jiffy Lube this morning. While I’m glad the story is getting coverage in the MSM, they’re not even mentioning the back-story! The “white tree,” the nooses, the white on black violence that preceeded the beating!
They’re not telling the whole story at all.
WHY? WHY ARE THEY AFRAID?
Maybe it’s because there are a lot of people coming to town who think that hanging a noose from a tree is the moral and legal equivalent of beating somebody up. I know I’d be afraid of such people.
Went to Augusta; was at the Rotary and the Capitol for almost 2 hours. Nada. So decided to come home.
“Maybe it’s because there are a lot of people coming to town who think that hanging a noose from a tree is the moral and legal equivalent of beating somebody up.”
At least we have Tom to give us some perspective. Asshat…
And by “people” you mean “blacks” dontcha Tom?
And the black students were attacked as well.
Oh My Cosmic Muffin*, do they have a large crowd at Jena! Gives me chills- the good kind.
(*since I don’t know what form of “God of Biscuits” is an appropriate expletive…)
The District Attorney needs to be relieved from his duties in Jena. He is not a man who wants fair justice, he wants a modern day lynching. In the 21st century we can not let people who are prejudice and racist imprisoned are children one more day. This man needs to be removed from his position as soon as possible. A lot of the white people in Jena are trying to make it look like the outsiders are bringing trouble to this town, Which is totally ridiculus. When Jena is a town that the local barber shop refuses hair cuts for blacks. When you see this town, you have whites on one side and blacks on the other. I guess the white people would think everything is gravy their in Jena. I feel sorry for people who are that ignorant in this day in age to let color rule everything they do. Remove the District Attorney he is toxic and poison. You can not let people like this be in a position who is not going to have justice for all.