BET and the Jena 6

Posted on October 22nd, 2007 by ecthompson md

For a nanosecond, I do agree with Tucker.  The Jena 6 are not heroes or celebrities.  On the other hand, anyone who can stand up to the injustice should be honored.

As usual,  the press has condensed the whole Jena 6 incident into the beating up of a White teenager.  If you just focus on the one incident then it is hard to see what folks are upset over.  On the other hand, if you look at the whole thing, the incident comes into focus.  I’m not saying that fighting is the answer.  I’m not saying that beating up a White teenager was right (BTW, I’m not sure about the unconscious thing is wrong.)

Tucker - Jena 6 question [ 4:06 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Media, Race // 4 Comments »

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  • Keith

    I am a black man, and I hate BET, it is not black entertainment, and it never has been, its station made to brainwash blacks, and whites, or whoever wants to watch it….

    Now, should anyone be allowed to hang rope from a tree in fashion designed to either to threaten or scare someone…?

    NO

    and no, it doesnt make it right for six people to attack one, if anything they should settle it in the ring, a nice clean fight…or maybe the school should have done something in advanced….

    but that would have been asking too much in this case….

  • TCB

    ET “The Jena 6 are not heroes or celebrities. On the other hand, anyone who can stand up to the injustice should be honored.”

    The Jena 6 should be honored for standing up to injustice?

    ET “As usual, the press has condensed the whole Jena 6 incident into the beating up of a White teenager.”

    I thought the nooses got a lot of coverage.

    Anyway, in the CSM there’s an interesting article about the media coverage. Here’s an excerpt:

    “By now, almost everyone in America has heard of Jena, La., because they’ve all heard the story of the “Jena 6.” White students hanging nooses barely punished, a schoolyard fight, excessive punishment for the six black attackers, racist local officials, public outrage and protests – the outside media made sure everyone knew the basics.

    There’s just one problem: The media got most of the basics wrong. In fact, I have never before witnessed such a disgrace in professional journalism. Myths replaced facts, and journalists abdicated their solemn duty to investigate every claim because they were seduced by a powerfully appealing but false narrative of racial injustice.”

    http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1024/p09s01-coop.html

  • http://www.whereistheoutrage.net ecthompson

    TCB –

    As usual, thanks for your comments.

    I read this article just the other day. I find it interesting. The picture that the article paints is one of tolerance. Jena has just been wrongly portrayed. There was no Whites only tree. Nooses (which as you pointed out did get some press) weren’t a symbol of the Jim Crow South but were referring to some episode of Lonesome Dove.

    The author of the article claims to be just setting the record straight. He maybe. It is near impossible to figure out what happened last year in Jena. We clearly have 2 separate but unequal stories.

    Mychal Bell was not an angel or a saint. He had been arrested before.

    I have no desire to paint Jena as a town of hatred. On the other hand, I doubt that Jena was the town of brotherly love either. One of the ministers from Jena was interviewed on NPR. He clearly stated that Jena had racial problems. So, I don’t think the author of this latest tale is telling the whole truth either.

    I just wish that justice will be applied evenly. Those boys that beat up the White guy should be punished. The White guys who beat up the Black guy should be punished. The punishment should be even handedly administered to both groups. The guy who pulled a gun at the convenience store should also be charged with some offense. Finally, it is my opinion that the Jena DA’s conduct and judgment be investigated. I would argue if he would have done a better job at handling several of the original incidents all of the subsequent ones would not have occurred.

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