2008 Woodie Awards
Justice is the main issue of Jena Six
Issue date: 10/11/07 Section: Letters to the Editor
- Page 1 of 1
After reading the article, "Media Ignores the other side of Jena 6 controversy" by Kirk Watkins and Anthony Sodd, I felt as if this article ignored the heart of the controversy, which is justice for all. I appreciate the fact that both sides of the story were heard. However, I don't believe the media ignored the other side of the Jena Six controversy. I believe the media took action finally for airing the story that had been brewing since September 2006.
Also, who cares if the people of Jena are upset that they are being portrayed as "racist or closet Ku Klux Klan" supporters? They might as well be described as that. Never in my life have I heard of hanging a noose from a tree is a practical joke. If I was a resident of Jena, I would be scared too. Where were these townspeople when the three white students hung three nooses under a tree (used only by white students) the day after black students had sat underneath it? After the principal expelled the students, they were later reinstated by an all white school board. Those same townspeople should have pulled together and held a town meeting making sure the noose incident was not a representation of their town. Instead, a slew of racial tension escalated. What took place? Black students were charged with attempted second-degree murder (for a fight) and white students received a slap on the wrist, or no punishment at all (white student threatening black students with a shotgun).
The people of Jena. La., should be ashamed of themselves and take the blame for what happened in their town. They should have taken care of the situation at the beginning with the noose hanging incident. Thank God that outsiders like 40,000 to 60,000 protestors, civil rights activists, and groups against racial injustice including the Nation of Islam, Black panthers, and the Communist Party intruded on their small town. I am appalled to see something rise like a page of history from the 1960s in 2007. I'm calling for everyone black, white, brown, etc. to stand up for racial injustice and let the older generation know that we will not let their incompetence and ignorance affect our generation.
Like the late and great Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere".
Alexandrea Barney
Junior, Pre-law
Also, who cares if the people of Jena are upset that they are being portrayed as "racist or closet Ku Klux Klan" supporters? They might as well be described as that. Never in my life have I heard of hanging a noose from a tree is a practical joke. If I was a resident of Jena, I would be scared too. Where were these townspeople when the three white students hung three nooses under a tree (used only by white students) the day after black students had sat underneath it? After the principal expelled the students, they were later reinstated by an all white school board. Those same townspeople should have pulled together and held a town meeting making sure the noose incident was not a representation of their town. Instead, a slew of racial tension escalated. What took place? Black students were charged with attempted second-degree murder (for a fight) and white students received a slap on the wrist, or no punishment at all (white student threatening black students with a shotgun).
The people of Jena. La., should be ashamed of themselves and take the blame for what happened in their town. They should have taken care of the situation at the beginning with the noose hanging incident. Thank God that outsiders like 40,000 to 60,000 protestors, civil rights activists, and groups against racial injustice including the Nation of Islam, Black panthers, and the Communist Party intruded on their small town. I am appalled to see something rise like a page of history from the 1960s in 2007. I'm calling for everyone black, white, brown, etc. to stand up for racial injustice and let the older generation know that we will not let their incompetence and ignorance affect our generation.
Like the late and great Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere".
Alexandrea Barney
Junior, Pre-law
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