jena six

[JuBru]

You are correct as far as the world is concerned. However, in America, black slavery was by far the most common form of slavery and the most despicable. Black slavery in America scarred African Americans for an eternity because of the viciousness and the reluctance of whites in America to end the practice of slavery. In addition, when slavery was ended, whites went out of their way to find new ways to make life unbearable for black citizens. Yet we wonder why nooses brings their blood to a boil. So many of these people's ancestors were "strange fruit". Whites in America have a very difficult time understanding the black plight because of their position of power and economic well being. It is not surprising that when blacks and even hispanics are mistreated or denied equal justice under the law that most whites dont understand why minorities simply wont "take it". We whites have never experienced what the minorites have had to go through so it will always be tough. This Jena situation was taken to another level because of the ridiculous charge against Bell. If Bell had been charged with "assault and battery", there is no protest of this sort. Attempted murder?? Now that's laughable. Telling some black kids that you could "end their life with a stroke of a pen".....now that's so Louisiana. There are very few places in this country that treatment of Blacks is so blatantly unequal. And we wonder why people call Louisiana the "bananna republic" of the United States.

Excuses... that's all you just said, excuses. Slavery was very bad, yes... as was everything that has followed... but it should not be effecting today, unfortunately, it is. I'm getting tired of it, from both sides of the issue... It happened, can't change that. The ONLY thing that can be done is not let it happen again...

Again, it being more recent doesn't give it precedent. There is still slavery elsewhere, and they are getting treated a LOT worse. Thinking small scale is one of many problems with this issue... American arrogance, gotta love it...

I have a problem with nooses too... I know firsthand, more so than the vast majority of the protesters, how bad they are (don't ask). But nooses have no relation to the case at hand, so any argument on it is frivolous and inflammatory, as related to the cases.

The DA needs to go back to school. He wasn't wrong in charging what he did by law, though, I just personally don't think charging attempted murder for a school fight, regardless of instigator, was the right thing to do... I think it is mostly due to my personal, strict standards, for what can constitute charging a minor as an adult.

Louisiana and Mississippi by no means have a monopoly or the largest shares of racism in this country...

[persnickety]

Excuses... that's all you just said, excuses

. Slavery was very bad, yes... as was everything that has followed... but it should not be effecting today, unfortunately, it is. I'm getting tired of it, from both sides of the issue... It happened, can't change that. The ONLY thing that can be done is not let it happen again...

Again, it being more recent doesn't give it precedent. There is still slavery elsewhere, and they are getting treated a LOT worse. Thinking small scale is one of many problems with this issue... American arrogance, gotta love it...

I have a problem with nooses too... I know firsthand, more so than the vast majority of the protesters, how bad they are (don't ask). But nooses have no relation to the case at hand, so any argument on it is frivolous and inflammatory, as related to the cases.

The DA needs to go back to school. He wasn't wrong in charging what he did by law, though, I just personally don't think charging attempted murder for a school fight, regardless of instigator, was the right thing to do... I think it is mostly due to my personal, strict standards, for what can constitute charging a minor as an adult.

Louisiana and Mississippi by no means have a monopoly or the largest shares of racism in this country...

Sorry, but sometimes excuses are valid. You cannot enslave a people for 200 years, denying them opportunities to participate in the economic system, denying them the chance at an equal education and then all of a sudden expect them to catch up in 25% of that time. Sure the African Americans should do more to help their own cause. They should find them a more reputable leader (not Jesse Jackson or Sharpton). However, when it is all said and done, the root to most of their problems is the prejudices of the past and the prejudices of the present by the white man. I would even venture to say that today's racism and prejudice is even more destructive than the past. At least in the past you knew what side everyone was on. Today, you just never know. A guy could be the banker who gives you an slightly higher interest rate on a home loan by day and klansman at night.

[PawDawg]

People like you will be blaming others for their problems 100 years from now.

[mildawg]

Sorry, but sometimes excuses are valid. You cannot enslave a people for 200 years, denying them opportunities to participate in the economic system, denying them the chance at an equal education and then all of a sudden expect them to catch up in 25% of that time. Sure the African Americans should do more to help their own cause. They should find them a more reputable leader (not Jesse Jackson or Sharpton). However, when it is all said and done, the root to most of their problems is the prejudices of the past and the prejudices of the present by the white man. I would even venture to say that today's racism and prejudice is even more destructive than the past. At least in the past you knew what side everyone was on. Today, you just never know. A guy could be the banker who gives you an slightly higher interest rate on a home loan by day and klansman at night.

Using your logic, I should hold a grudge against people from the UK because of the Revolutionary War and taxation without representation -- serious oppression to my ancestors that still haunts me. Every once and a while when I'm in the grocery store, I grab a box of tea and run to the bathroom and flush it down the toilet. That shows those bastards. I've even burned all my Beatles albums and boycotted "The Weakest Link" until they got an American host because the sight and sound of anything British has seriously scarred me to the point that I wake up in a cold sweat. I only own scales that measure weight in kilograms because I refuse to use the word "pound." Damn those redcoats. I need reparations from the British Government.

[persnickety]

Using your logic, I should hold a grudge against people from the UK because of the Revolutionary War and taxation without representation -- serious oppression to my ancestors that still haunts me. Every once and a while when I'm in the grocery store, I grab a box of tea and run to the bathroom and flush it down the toilet. That shows those bastards. I've even burned all my Beatles albums and boycotted "The Weakest Link" until they got an American host because the sight and sound of anything British has seriously scarred me to the point that I wake up in a cold sweat. I only own scales that measure weight in kilograms because I refuse to use the word "pound." Damn those redcoats. I need reparations from the British Government.

Nah, that was a horrible example. After 1812, the British came to the conclusion that they should make things right with the young United States and actually forge a friendship, which exists to this day. The British realized that colonizing the U.S. was just something that wasn't worth it or even realistic. They realized that working "with" the U.S. would be far more beneficial than trying to hold us down. As opposed to the American treatment of the African Americans and Native Americans where even when there were constitutional amendments to help protect those people, organized governments (state governments) tried their best to work around the constitution. The same constitution that every American President pledges to defend, the same constitution that every American citizen pledges to obey, was under threat from the white racists in the south because of "what they wanted". Our nation's government was nearly rendered meaningless because of the south's dependence on slavery. That is no different from drug addicts ignoring the law to get their drugs. That is no difference from alcoholics ignoring the law risking death to themselves and others by drinking and driving because they "like" to do it. African-Americans have the right to be treated equal under the law because the constitution says so. Now if you don't believe in the constitution anymore, contact your congressman so that he can initiate change or just move the hell out of the country. Absent that action, let's move this country forward by working with the African Americans and the hispanics who are already here. They have something positive to contribute to this country. They always have. That is what made this country as great as it is. Our school systems lead us to believe that caucasians were the lone significant contributors to this country and that simply is not true. Diverse ideas, cultures, and traditions have made us the most powerful country in the world. However, if we dont watch out, our diversity will weaken us with all of the infighting. Abraham Lincoln said it best, "United we stand, divided we fall".

[JuBru]

Nah, that was a horrible example. After 1812, the British came to the conclusion that they should make things right with the young United States and actually forge a friendship, which exists to this day. The British realized that colonizing the U.S. was just something that wasn't worth it or even realistic. They realized that working "with" the U.S. would be far more beneficial than trying to hold us down. As opposed to the American treatment of the African Americans and Native Americans where even when there were constitutional amendments to help protect those people, organized governments (state governments) tried their best to work around the constitution. The same constitution that every American President pledges to defend, the same constitution that every American citizen pledges to obey, was under threat from the white racists in the south because of "what they wanted". Our nation's government was nearly rendered meaningless because of the south's dependence on slavery. That is no different from drug addicts ignoring the law to get their drugs. That is no difference from alcoholics ignoring the law risking death to themselves and others by drinking and driving because they "like" to do it. African-Americans have the right to be treated equal under the law because the constitution says so. Now if you don't believe in the constitution anymore, contact your congressman so that he can initiate change or just move the hell out of the country. Absent that action, let's move this country forward by working with the African Americans and the hispanics who are already here. They have something positive to contribute to this country. They always have. That is what made this country as great as it is. Our school systems lead us to believe that caucasians were the lone significant contributors to this country and that simply is not true. Diverse ideas, cultures, and traditions have made us the most powerful country in the world. However, if we dont watch out, our diversity will weaken us with all of the infighting. Abraham Lincoln said it best, "United we stand, divided we fall".

Nah, that was a good example... and then how about this one, I'm part German and French, I should sue England and the Italians (Romans) and the Catholic Church and blame them for all my plight and sit around and wait for them to give me, give me, give me, and go out and protest every time they do something that doesn't give me that and complain that anytime they do anything to "my people," it's because of long seeded roots of hatred, bigotry, racism, aristocracy, etc... Or maybe the decedents of the WW2 vets who were in Japanese POW camps should sue Japan for all they have because they're still feeling the pain from the experiments done to their ancestors... Those examples, and there are a lot more (anyone here Scottish?), are equivalent, if not worse, than slavery and everything that happened after it...

Read your history, slavery in America was bad, but it was a lot better than what else has been done. History has a lot worse crimes and actions throughout, up until now... and what's been done about it? You have modern society where things that were done like that are now outlawed, and when done still, the severest of penalties are enacted.

Also, get off blaming the south and acting like only the south is racist and did the bad stuff. It happened just as much in the north too, and racism is just as prevalent.

And, a bit more of history for you. Civil War, wasn't started because of slavery. That didn't become a part of it until later. (Read my war changes statement in another thread). A very selective statement people continually make to further their idea. And even at it's outbreak, the U.S. government was at no time about to fall.

No one here says black Americans aren't to be treated the same as others.

You can not move forward when all you do is live in the past and try to make the problems and actions of yesterday, today... and that's not changing anytime soon (because people keep making excuses).

Oh, and there are a lot of English who hate America... dating back to the Revolutionary War.

[persnickety]

Nah, that was a good example... and then how about this one, I'm part German and French, I should sue England and the Italians (Romans) and the Catholic Church and blame them for all my plight and sit around and wait for them to give me, give me, give me, and go out and protest every time they do something that doesn't give me that and complain that anytime they do anything to "my people," it's because of long seeded roots of hatred, bigotry, racism, aristocracy, etc... Or maybe the decedents of the WW2 vets who were in Japanese POW camps should sue Japan for all they have because they're still feeling the pain from the experiments done to their ancestors... Those examples, and there are a lot more (anyone here Scottish?), are equivalent, if not worse, than slavery and everything that happened after it...

Read your history, slavery in America was bad, but it was a lot better than what else has been done. History has a lot worse crimes and actions throughout, up until now... and what's been done about it? You have modern society where things that were done like that are now outlawed, and when done still, the severest of penalties are enacted.

Also, get off blaming the south and acting like only the south is racist and did the bad stuff. It happened just as much in the north too, and racism is just as prevalent.

And, a bit more of history for you. Civil War, wasn't started because of slavery. That didn't become a part of it until later. (Read my war changes statement in another thread). A very selective statement people continually make to further their idea. And even at it's outbreak, the U.S. government was at no time about to fall.

No one here says black Americans aren't to be treated the same as others.

You can not move forward when all you do is live in the past and try to make the problems and actions of yesterday, today... and that's not changing anytime soon (because people keep making excuses).

Oh, and there are a lot of English who hate America... dating back to the Revolutionary War.

Exactly, that is the point that I was trying to make. Hopefully, you are not working from the assumption that only blacks make excuses.:icon_wink:

[JuBru]

Exactly, that is the point that I was trying to make. Hopefully, you are not working from the assumption that only blacks make excuses.:icon_wink:

The you need to learn how to deliver a message that states so...

And no, I'm not.

[arkansasbob]

Exactly, that is the point that I was trying to make. Hopefully, you are not working from the assumption that only blacks make excuses.:icon_wink:

that's funny. while i did have a hard time finding anything aproaching a point in your ramblings, the few rough places that stuck out did not even resemble that point.

[persnickety]

that's funny. while i did have a hard time finding anything aproaching a point in your ramblings, the few rough places that stuck out did not even resemble that point.

Probably because you're biased against the poster. That's ok, I've come to expect opposition.

[mildawg]

Nah, that was a good example... and then how about this one, I'm part German and French, I should sue England and the Italians (Romans) and the Catholic Church and blame them for all my plight and sit around and wait for them to give me, give me, give me, and go out and protest every time they do something that doesn't give me that and complain that anytime they do anything to "my people," it's because of long seeded roots of hatred, bigotry, racism, aristocracy, etc... Or maybe the decedents of the WW2 vets who were in Japanese POW camps should sue Japan for all they have because they're still feeling the pain from the experiments done to their ancestors... Those examples, and there are a lot more (anyone here Scottish?), are equivalent, if not worse, than slavery and everything that happened after it...

Read your history, slavery in America was bad, but it was a lot better than what else has been done. History has a lot worse crimes and actions throughout, up until now... and what's been done about it? You have modern society where things that were done like that are now outlawed, and when done still, the severest of penalties are enacted.

Also, get off blaming the south and acting like only the south is racist and did the bad stuff. It happened just as much in the north too, and racism is just as prevalent.

And, a bit more of history for you. Civil War, wasn't started because of slavery. That didn't become a part of it until later. (Read my war changes statement in another thread). A very selective statement people continually make to further their idea. And even at it's outbreak, the U.S. government was at no time about to fall.

No one here says black Americans aren't to be treated the same as others.

You can not move forward when all you do is live in the past and try to make the problems and actions of yesterday, today... and that's not changing anytime soon (because people keep making excuses).

Oh, and there are a lot of English who hate America... dating back to the Revolutionary War.

Exactly my point. Nice post.

[arkansasbob]

Probably because you're biased against the poster. That's ok, I've come to expect opposition.

i try to take everything in without bias (of course it's difficult sometimes). there is a reason for your negative rep. part of it is you accusing people of bias anytime they disagree with you.

[Dawgbert]

This article was from the Boston Globe. I am sure the reporter was trying to be fair but he lost me with this part of the article:

"And there are endearing figures, like the designated town sweeper who mountain bikes around town with a wagon full of rakes, brooms, dustpans and cleaning fluids, stopping only to sweep shopowners' parking lots or to distribute complimentary bubble gum to grade schoolers."

When was the last time any of you saw a mountain bike in Jena with a wagon on the back? I think maybe it was a very old Schwinn maybe? Ah, the elite Bostonians.

http://www.boston.com/news/education...jena_6/?page=1

[BhadDawg]

This article was from the Boston Globe. I am sure the reporter was trying to be fair but he lost me with this part of the article:

"And there are endearing figures, like the designated town sweeper who mountain bikes around town with a wagon full of rakes, brooms, dustpans and cleaning fluids, stopping only to sweep shopowners' parking lots or to distribute complimentary bubble gum to grade schoolers."

When was the last time any of you saw a mountain bike in Jena with a wagon on the back? I think maybe it was a very old Schwinn maybe? Ah, the elite Bostonians.

http://www.boston.com/news/education...jena_6/?page=1

I haven't seen the mountain bike, but this guy does exist. The last time I saw him, he was riding one of those three wheeled bikes if I am not mistaken. Maybe he upgraded, I'm not sure.

What I am sure of is that the media has only reported on the parts of this which makes news for them, not a very objective job of reporting. If the rest of the US could see the whole story, they would be surprised.

Some of the people who were there marching did not even know exactly why they were there.

You would be amazed at how much money has been sent to the six "victims". I have yet to know of any money being sent to the Barker boy who was beaten.

[FieldDawg]

This article was from the Boston Globe. I am sure the reporter was trying to be fair but he lost me with this part of the article:

"And there are endearing figures, like the designated town sweeper who mountain bikes around town with a wagon full of rakes, brooms, dustpans and cleaning fluids, stopping only to sweep shopowners' parking lots or to distribute complimentary bubble gum to grade schoolers."

When was the last time any of you saw a mountain bike in Jena with a wagon on the back? I think maybe it was a very old Schwinn maybe? Ah, the elite Bostonians.

http://www.boston.com/news/education...jena_6/?page=1

part of this article was in the new-star on yesterday, It is really sad that in 2007, we are having this discussion. I think that Lasalle parish Law enforcement and school adminstration share the biggest blame for this situation as well as noose hanging, the black and white fights in the community leading up the incident at the school and the school burning. The reason that I say that these agengices are to blame there is a lot things that have happen in that area that have gone unreported or uninvestigated unless it violated the wrong people or person. Here is a thought provoking questions if Bell had 4 or 5 prior arrest and two convictions why was he allowed to play football last fall. I grew up in the area I think the biggest problem is that both races keep to themselves therefore the separation of the community

That's my 2 cent .