Comments on: The Jena Six http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/09/05/the-jena-six/ Race, Politics, Gender, Sexuality, Anger Wed, 23 May 2012 23:58:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Juan http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/09/05/the-jena-six/comment-page-1/#comment-3628 Juan Wed, 05 Dec 2007 19:10:06 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/09/05/the-jena-six/#comment-3628 Thank you for posting and thank you for NOT reading any background as to why this is being discussed. Your opinion is quite useful. [/sarcasm] Thank you for posting and thank you for NOT reading any background as to why this is being discussed. Your opinion is quite useful. [/sarcasm]

]]> By: Veda http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/09/05/the-jena-six/comment-page-1/#comment-3627 Veda Wed, 05 Dec 2007 18:34:15 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/09/05/the-jena-six/#comment-3627 good, the black kids are going to jail. they beat up another kid. that's what happens. good, the black kids are going to jail. they beat up another kid. that’s what happens.

]]> By: Ico http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/09/05/the-jena-six/comment-page-1/#comment-3585 Ico Mon, 05 Nov 2007 00:39:28 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/09/05/the-jena-six/#comment-3585 Captain Reality wrote: "What are you, some kind of retard? “Until you’re a black person”!?!?!" Ah, ever the diplomat, Captain... Let's see what other little pearls of wisdom you have dropped for us. I like this one: "How’s this: until you’re a white person, you can’t comment on the assertion that white people are unfairly branded as racists by divisive nuts such as yourself, and that it’s seen as politically incorrect for us to respond." Well, *I* can comment on that assertion, and it's an ignorant bunch of BS. So there. :P Captain Reality wrote: “What are you, some kind of retard? “Until you’re a black person”!?!?!”

Ah, ever the diplomat, Captain…

Let’s see what other little pearls of wisdom you have dropped for us. I like this one:

“How’s this: until you’re a white person, you can’t comment on the assertion that white people are unfairly branded as racists by divisive nuts such as yourself, and that it’s seen as politically incorrect for us to respond.”

Well, *I* can comment on that assertion, and it’s an ignorant bunch of BS. So there. :P

]]> By: CroMagnon http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/09/05/the-jena-six/comment-page-1/#comment-3588 CroMagnon Fri, 02 Nov 2007 22:05:12 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/09/05/the-jena-six/#comment-3588 CaptainReality, At the risk of stating the obvious, ABW's point is that it is impossible to truly feel the symbolic impact of a hangman's noose tied to a tree, unless you happen to be a black American. In the context of the Jena 6 situation, the meaning behind the noose to a black American is: "We got away with doing this to your people before, and we're willing to do it to you too, if you don't behave." If you are a white American, you have no history of being lynched based on your race. Plus, the implied threat is not directed to you as a white American. So, while you may be able to understand intellectually that someone is being threatened, it is impossible for you to feel personally threatened, the way a black American would, because the threat is not directed at you. It's so obvious that I'm a little embarrassed having to explain it. But, the problem is that you don't even acknowledge an intellectual understanding of ABW's point. Until you do, I don't see how you can expect to be taken seriously. If I were ABW, I would devowel you until you displayed an understanding of what is really going on, and stopped the personal attacks. CaptainReality,

At the risk of stating the obvious, ABW’s point is that it is impossible to truly feel the symbolic impact of a hangman’s noose tied to a tree, unless you happen to be a black American. In the context of the Jena 6 situation, the meaning behind the noose to a black American is: “We got away with doing this to your people before, and we’re willing to do it to you too, if you don’t behave.” If you are a white American, you have no history of being lynched based on your race. Plus, the implied threat is not directed to you as a white American. So, while you may be able to understand intellectually that someone is being threatened, it is impossible for you to feel personally threatened, the way a black American would, because the threat is not directed at you. It’s so obvious that I’m a little embarrassed having to explain it. But, the problem is that you don’t even acknowledge an intellectual understanding of ABW’s point. Until you do, I don’t see how you can expect to be taken seriously. If I were ABW, I would devowel you until you displayed an understanding of what is really going on, and stopped the personal attacks.

]]> By: Juan http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/09/05/the-jena-six/comment-page-1/#comment-3587 Juan Fri, 02 Nov 2007 05:41:35 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/09/05/the-jena-six/#comment-3587 "Bigoted weirdo. You’re part of the problem." Indeed captain, you are. Thanks for letting us all know that outright. =) “Bigoted weirdo. You’re part of the problem.”

Indeed captain, you are. Thanks for letting us all know that outright. =)

]]> By: CaptainReality http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/09/05/the-jena-six/comment-page-1/#comment-3586 CaptainReality Fri, 02 Nov 2007 02:06:17 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/09/05/the-jena-six/#comment-3586 BW: Y sd: "ntl yr blck prsn nd ntl y, s blck prsn, hv bn cnfrntd wth ns vrtl ntndd s mssg fr y" Wht r y, sm knd f rtrd? "ntl y'r blck prsn"!?!?! Hw's ths: ntl y'r wht prsn, y cn't cmmnt n th ssrtn tht wht ppl, bth n gnrl, nd ndvdll r nfrl brndd s rcsts b dvsv nts sch s yrslf, nd tht t's sn s pltcll ncrrct fr s t rspnd. Snds mnnglss, rght? N mr mnnglss thn th rbbsh tht y'r spsng. K, BW. W gt t. Y'r NGR. Y'r BLCK. Y'r WMN. N dmn hnk cn ndrstnd wht ts lk, bcs ll hnkys r vl nd stpd, nd r nbl t d thr thn prsct blcks nd wmn. Hnkys shld sht-p, nd p pnnc fr th sns f thr ncstrs nd fllw hnkys. h m, h m, snc 'm wht mn, 'd bst grvl bfr yr stndng lgc. 'm n th grnd nw, tng drt. Tht's wht y wnt, sn't t. Bgtd wrd. Y'r prt f th prblm. BW: Y sd: “ntl yr blck prsn nd ntl y, s blck prsn, hv bn cnfrntd wth ns vrtl ntndd s mssg fr y” Wht r y, sm knd f rtrd? “ntl y’r blck prsn”!?!?! Hw’s ths: ntl y’r wht prsn, y cn’t cmmnt n th ssrtn tht wht ppl, bth n gnrl, nd ndvdll r nfrl brndd s rcsts b dvsv nts sch s yrslf, nd tht t’s sn s pltcll ncrrct fr s t rspnd. Snds mnnglss, rght? N mr mnnglss thn th rbbsh tht y’r spsng. K, BW. W gt t. Y’r NGR. Y’r BLCK. Y’r WMN. N dmn hnk cn ndrstnd wht ts lk, bcs ll hnkys r vl nd stpd, nd r nbl t d thr thn prsct blcks nd wmn. Hnkys shld sht-p, nd p pnnc fr th sns f thr ncstrs nd fllw hnkys. h m, h m, snc ‘m wht mn, ‘d bst grvl bfr yr stndng lgc. ‘m n th grnd nw, tng drt. Tht’s wht y wnt, sn’t t. Bgtd wrd. Y’r prt f th prblm.

]]> By: Mike S. http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/09/05/the-jena-six/comment-page-1/#comment-3589 Mike S. Sun, 07 Oct 2007 19:21:46 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/09/05/the-jena-six/#comment-3589 ABW, We have to agree to disagree on the designation of a crime as a "Hate Crime". There is an obvious imbalance in the Law Enfocement and Judicial system that punishes minorities more severely on average than white criminals. The goal is to equalize the process. By adding an arbritrary factor of trying to determine a defendants state of mind or 'hate' at the time of the crime and modify penalties invites the kind of situation we have in Jena. Many crimes, not just ones motovated by race are fuled by one form of hate or another. It is one wild-card that we need to remove from the judicial process. ABW,
We have to agree to disagree on the designation of a crime as a “Hate Crime”.
There is an obvious imbalance in the Law Enfocement and Judicial system that punishes minorities more severely on average than white criminals.

The goal is to equalize the process.

By adding an arbritrary factor of trying to determine a defendants state of mind or ‘hate’ at the time of the crime and modify penalties invites the kind of situation we have in Jena.

Many crimes, not just ones motovated by race are fuled by one form of hate or another.

It is one wild-card that we need to remove from the judicial process.

]]> By: Ico http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/09/05/the-jena-six/comment-page-1/#comment-3613 Ico Fri, 21 Sep 2007 15:35:16 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/09/05/the-jena-six/#comment-3613 Letting six kids go who beat up another kid does seem problematic to me, but I think ABW is right. Ideally everyone should be charged for the crimes they committed, but that's not going to happen. What absolutely should be upheld is the principle of equal treatment under the law. If white kids go free for assault, so do black kids. Also... this is pure speculation, but I think it's worth noting in the case of the Jena Six. Had the white kids who tormented them actually been prosecuted for their crimes, would the assault have happened? They were reacting to a situation in which white crimes committed against them weren't being addressed. This doesn't excuse their violence by any means, but it does highlight some of the problems of letting the white aggressors go free while only punishing the black ones. Letting six kids go who beat up another kid does seem problematic to me, but I think ABW is right. Ideally everyone should be charged for the crimes they committed, but that’s not going to happen. What absolutely should be upheld is the principle of equal treatment under the law. If white kids go free for assault, so do black kids.

Also… this is pure speculation, but I think it’s worth noting in the case of the Jena Six. Had the white kids who tormented them actually been prosecuted for their crimes, would the assault have happened? They were reacting to a situation in which white crimes committed against them weren’t being addressed. This doesn’t excuse their violence by any means, but it does highlight some of the problems of letting the white aggressors go free while only punishing the black ones.

]]> By: the angry black woman http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/09/05/the-jena-six/comment-page-1/#comment-3599 the angry black woman Fri, 21 Sep 2007 12:19:31 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/09/05/the-jena-six/#comment-3599 If the DA won't charge all of the white students involved in assaulting, threatening, pulling a gun on, and perpetrating a hate crime on the black students, then the black students shouldn't be charged, either. You can't dispense "justice" unfairly. And since it's been many, many months since these incidents and no evidence has been collected and witnesses are completely biased, it doesn't look like the DA will charge those white students, so he should drop the charges against the black students. He should also be fired and disgraced like the Duke Lacrosse prosecutor was. If the DA can't be counted on to do his job (which is to make sure that people who commit a crime are brought to justice) then he shouldn't be in his job. Now you may say "oh, it's not right to let them go if they did something wrong!" I will answer that it's not right to keep them in jail if Mayberry justice hasn't been applied fairly. There have been plenty of times in the history of this country when folks who did something wrong were released from jail because of police or prosecutorial misconduct. That's how the American justice system works. If the authorities do wrong by you, even if you commit a crime, then you get to go free. That system is in place to keep the authorities from doing the wrong thing to do the "right" thing. If the authorities insist on doing the wrong thing, then it's on their heads when someone is let go. If the DA won’t charge all of the white students involved in assaulting, threatening, pulling a gun on, and perpetrating a hate crime on the black students, then the black students shouldn’t be charged, either. You can’t dispense “justice” unfairly. And since it’s been many, many months since these incidents and no evidence has been collected and witnesses are completely biased, it doesn’t look like the DA will charge those white students, so he should drop the charges against the black students. He should also be fired and disgraced like the Duke Lacrosse prosecutor was. If the DA can’t be counted on to do his job (which is to make sure that people who commit a crime are brought to justice) then he shouldn’t be in his job. Now you may say “oh, it’s not right to let them go if they did something wrong!” I will answer that it’s not right to keep them in jail if Mayberry justice hasn’t been applied fairly. There have been plenty of times in the history of this country when folks who did something wrong were released from jail because of police or prosecutorial misconduct. That’s how the American justice system works. If the authorities do wrong by you, even if you commit a crime, then you get to go free. That system is in place to keep the authorities from doing the wrong thing to do the “right” thing. If the authorities insist on doing the wrong thing, then it’s on their heads when someone is let go.

]]> By: Imani http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/09/05/the-jena-six/comment-page-1/#comment-3614 Imani Fri, 21 Sep 2007 03:25:30 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/09/05/the-jena-six/#comment-3614 So are you saying that they should get off scott free because the white people got off scott free or that they should find the white people and also charge them with attempted murder? So are you saying that they should get off scott free because the white people got off scott free or that they should find the white people and also charge them with attempted murder?

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