The Jena 6
Okay, here we go.
In the small town of Jena, Louisiana, six black males were formally charged with battery for beating up a white student. And African-American leaders such as the Rev. Al Sharpton are calling the prosecution of these young men (high school age) as racist. "You cannot have justice meted out based on who you are rather than what you did," said Sharpton.
Hmmm. Let's see. Did they not beat the crap out of fellow student? Isn't this "what they did?" One of the black students was already convicted (as an adult) of the crime, though the conviction was thrown out on appeal. It sounds to me like Sharpton is not listening to his own words. Should they not be held accountable for the actions?
Still, this case does not exist in a vaccuum. Because a few months before the beating of the white student, several white male students hung nooses from a tree (on school grounds I believe), apparently to intimidate black students. This seems the most likely explanation to me. However, the local authorities refused to prosecute the white students for the noose hanging. Reed Walters, the district attorney who is prosecuting the black teens, said he couldn't charge the white noose hangers because he couldn't find a Louisiana law under which they could be charged.
I am no fool, I am sure there is still plenty of racism in Louisiana. I'm also sure that race is playing at least some role here, but the particulars escape me because I am not omnicient. To be fair though, under the strictest interpretation of state law, it appears (I'm no lawyer) that the DA has acted appropriately.
The situation is becoming a flash point for civil rights activists and concerned citizens, as many groups of protesters have made their way to Jena to speak their mind on what they perceive as an injustice, as is their constitutional right.
In my opinion, people should be held accountable, UNDER THE LAW, for their actions--regardless of race. If these students did indeed beat up another student, it is only right and just to hold them accountable for, as Sharpton said, "what they did." If the students who hung the noose broke any law (I think perhaps they might be tried by the Federal prosecutor for denying the civil rights of the students they tried to intimidate, but again I'm no lawyer) then they too should pay for those actions.
I understand why people on both sides of the issue are upset. The African-American community wants to point out the racism they perceive, so that justice will be served. Fair enough. The prosecutors want to point out that a crime was committed and they are just doing their job. Also a fair point. I have no problem with either of these points of view.
But I also believe that sometimes it is better if we leave race out of the issue. That may or may not be the best course of action on this particular issue, but crying racism whenever there is a black-on-white or white-on-black crime often clouds the issue unnecessarily. Sometimes a crime is just a crime. And sometimes a heinous, racist act or statement is protected under the first amendment. We have to take the good with the bad, if we wish to continue to live in a free society with the open exchange of ideas.
But keeping in mind the recent degradation and systematic violation of civil rights by the Bush administration, that "free" society may already gone.
God help us--every one--regardless of race.
In the small town of Jena, Louisiana, six black males were formally charged with battery for beating up a white student. And African-American leaders such as the Rev. Al Sharpton are calling the prosecution of these young men (high school age) as racist. "You cannot have justice meted out based on who you are rather than what you did," said Sharpton.
Hmmm. Let's see. Did they not beat the crap out of fellow student? Isn't this "what they did?" One of the black students was already convicted (as an adult) of the crime, though the conviction was thrown out on appeal. It sounds to me like Sharpton is not listening to his own words. Should they not be held accountable for the actions?
Still, this case does not exist in a vaccuum. Because a few months before the beating of the white student, several white male students hung nooses from a tree (on school grounds I believe), apparently to intimidate black students. This seems the most likely explanation to me. However, the local authorities refused to prosecute the white students for the noose hanging. Reed Walters, the district attorney who is prosecuting the black teens, said he couldn't charge the white noose hangers because he couldn't find a Louisiana law under which they could be charged.
I am no fool, I am sure there is still plenty of racism in Louisiana. I'm also sure that race is playing at least some role here, but the particulars escape me because I am not omnicient. To be fair though, under the strictest interpretation of state law, it appears (I'm no lawyer) that the DA has acted appropriately.
The situation is becoming a flash point for civil rights activists and concerned citizens, as many groups of protesters have made their way to Jena to speak their mind on what they perceive as an injustice, as is their constitutional right.
In my opinion, people should be held accountable, UNDER THE LAW, for their actions--regardless of race. If these students did indeed beat up another student, it is only right and just to hold them accountable for, as Sharpton said, "what they did." If the students who hung the noose broke any law (I think perhaps they might be tried by the Federal prosecutor for denying the civil rights of the students they tried to intimidate, but again I'm no lawyer) then they too should pay for those actions.
I understand why people on both sides of the issue are upset. The African-American community wants to point out the racism they perceive, so that justice will be served. Fair enough. The prosecutors want to point out that a crime was committed and they are just doing their job. Also a fair point. I have no problem with either of these points of view.
But I also believe that sometimes it is better if we leave race out of the issue. That may or may not be the best course of action on this particular issue, but crying racism whenever there is a black-on-white or white-on-black crime often clouds the issue unnecessarily. Sometimes a crime is just a crime. And sometimes a heinous, racist act or statement is protected under the first amendment. We have to take the good with the bad, if we wish to continue to live in a free society with the open exchange of ideas.
But keeping in mind the recent degradation and systematic violation of civil rights by the Bush administration, that "free" society may already gone.
God help us--every one--regardless of race.
Labels: race