Where's the Outrage?

From AP

With so much going on these days, especially with the passing of a musical icon, I must plead guilty to forgetting about everything else that is still going on in the world.

When I read the latest news online today and saw Jena 6 back in the headlines I instantly remembered the major controversy the case provoked. Back in December 2006, a young white man was attacked by classmates. As all of us may remember the fight lead to an enormous amount of racial tension between whites and blacks in the small Louisiana town and gained national attention. In addition to all of the attention, the school fight also prompted a march on September 21, 2007.

The Jena 6 [ 3:56 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Editor’s Note: At the time, I talked about the Jena 6 case extensively. The original post is here with several follow up posts – here and here.

Thinking back to over two years ago, I felt the charges of attempted murder that were initially charged were a little extreme. I’m not condoning the fight but I seriously doubt the six young men were really trying to kill Justin Barker. School fights happen I’m sure everyday but are those students charged with attempted murder?

From AP:

Five members of the Jena Six pleaded no contest Friday to misdemeanor simple battery and won’t serve jail time, ending a case that thrust a small Louisiana town into the national spotlight and sparked a massive civil rights demonstration.

State District Judge Tom Yeager then sentenced the five, standing quietly surrounded by their lawyers, to seven days unsupervised probation and fined $500. It was a far less severe end to their cases than seemed possible when the six students — all of whom are black — were initially charged with attempted murder in the 2006 attack on Justin Barker, a white classmate. They became known as the “Jena Six,” after the central Louisiana town where the beating happened.

Tags: Civil Rights, Race // 3 Comments »