Showing posts with label Louisiana. Show all posts

Friday, October 12, 2007

Mychal Bell Jailed Again

The Jena 6 situation is getting uglier and uglier.

Louisiana State District Judge J.P. Mauffrey Jr. sentenced Bell to 18 months in the juvenile facility for four previous offenses, including two counts of simple battery and two pertaining to criminal destruction of property that occurred before the beating of classmate Justin Barker, according to The Associated Press.

This is yet another shameful move that continues to show the terror under which Blacks live in, not just in Jena, but the entire United States of America. Nooses being hung on college campuses on on job sites, it's way past time for this madness to stop.

Just so there's an accurate picture of the judge's decision, Bell has been placed in a juvenile detention facility. It's not an adult prison but he's still incarcerated.

Sunday, October 7, 2007

Here a Jena, There a Jena…

James Clingman writes an excellent commentary on the environment Black folks are dealing with lately…

Here a Jena, there a Jena, everywhere a Jena, Jena

By James Clingman, NNPA Columnist October 8, 2007

In case you haven't noticed, Black people are under full attack in this country. The Jena Six case is just another in a long line of travesties heaped upon Black people by our so-called criminal justice system. All over this country there are cases of gross injustice against Black people, so much so that we could conduct a march every week if we chose to deal with them all. Maybe that's the point: I wonder how many of those who went to Jena, Louisiana, have similar situations in their own cities. I also wonder if they have marched and protested in their own backyards about that injustice.

Let's put it right out there, brothers and sisters. Black folks are a mere afterthought in this country. The following is an excerpt from my book, Black Empowerment with an Attitude - You got a problem with that? Read it and think about our standing in the U.S.A. [Continue reading…]

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Alpha Kappa Alpha Demands Justice for the Jena 6

Chicago, Illinois – September 17, 2007 - The decision by the Louisiana Court of Appeals to overturn the conviction of Mychal Bell, one of the "Jena 6," confirms the long-held belief by Alpha Kappa Alpha's international president, Barbara A. McKinzie, that the charges levied against the young man were motivated by "prosecutorial overzealousness." She said the dramatic turn of events should strengthen the resolve to demand "justice in Jena."

To that end, she urged Alpha Kappa Alpha's 200,000 members—and all fair-minded citizens—to fire off letters to Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco and Attorney General Charles Foti and demand that they wield their constitutional power to call for a new trial. McKinzie said that on behalf of the membership, she is sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice asking that federal officials intervene and investigate this issue to make sure the constitutional rights of these young men are protected.

She also asked all members to wear black on Thursday, September 20—the day of unity set aside to show support for the Jena 6.

McKinzie cautioned those hailing the decision to "stop celebrating" since the fates of the six young men still hang in the balance.

"Driven by a racist dynamic in the city of Jena, Louisiana, the district attorney who levied the charges is guilty of prosecutorial overreach," declared McKinzie. "Because lives are at stake, we demand that the governor, the attorney general and the U.S. Department of Justice launch an immediate investigation and right this judicial abuse of discretion. These boys are entitled to their constitutional right to fairness. Right now, the scales of justice are heavily tilted against the young men."

McKinzie said the meting out of punishment that is disproportionate to the "crime" has marked the entire Jena 6 saga.

She noted that the decision to lower the punishment against the white youth who hung nooses on a tree in an apparent protest of a black youth sitting under the "whites-only" tree set the tone of unfairness that has marked the entire series of events surrounding this case.

"Levying a light punishment against these whites and dismissing it as a 'prank' while imposing harsher charges against the black students illustrates an unfair mindset of which school authorities and prosecutors are guilty," McKinzie said. "An investigation will, hopefully, expose this imbalance and will result in a reexamination of this matter and a dismissal of all charges."

She also took the occasion to place culpability on school authorities, the district attorney and parents for relinquishing their responsibilities and allowing this matter to escalate to a "national disgrace."

"The Jena 6 case illustrates misplaced values, erosion of morals and relinquishment of parental responsibility. Because these principles lie at the core of Alpha Kappa Alpha's platform, we must address these issues if we are to engage in an honest dialogue and learn the lessons that this case presents."

McKinzie said that lost in the furor swirling around this case is the fact that the incident for which the students were eventually charged happened prior to the football championships.

"Some of the students charged were members of the winning team and were allowed to play so they could be used for their athletic prowess," she noted. "Once the championship was secured and the trophy hoisted, the boys were no longer of use to the school. That's when the prosecutors descended upon them and the charges were levied."

McKinzie said that the "glorification of athletics" outweighed the alleged crime and minimized the incident until the boys had been used for the school's athletic gain.

"If the charges had been that severe, the LaSalle Parish district attorney would have arrested the youth prior to the game rather than wait until afterward. This is symptomatic of a larger societal dynamic that glorifies athletes when it's convenient and then derides them when their purpose is met. It is a double standard that sends a mixed message about our priorities."

McKinzie also faulted the parents on both sides of the issue for not being vigilant and for not monitoring their sons' behavior.

"Parents are empowered with the task of raising their sons and teaching them character and infusing in them values that would help them avoid situations like these. If the parents had been doing their jobs, this would not have imploded to the level where the boys' lives and futures are at risk," she said.

McKinzie declared that "as a community, we must reclaim our value system."

These realities notwithstanding, McKinzie said Alpha Kappa Alpha is committed to uplifting youth through its Black Male Initiative. The Sorority is also devoted to strengthening the black family. Inspired by this, she said that the specter of these six boys spending years in jail is a dire outcome that is disproportionate to the alleged crime. She also noted that the young men have promising futures and their lives deserve to be spared.

McKinzie said, "The future of the black family hinges on the African American male being an integral part of the family unit. If the judicial system removes these young men from their families and sends them to prison on suspect charges, more than six families will be impacted.

An entire community will be affected and a nation that could benefit from their talents will also be victimized by these actions."

McKinzie added that New Orleans has been the beneficiary of the world's humanity. With chapters in Louisiana and driven by the Sorority's credo to "provide service to all mankind," members donated money to Katrina survivors. Responding to the call to address the need to rebuild homes in the region, Alpha Kappa Alpha members recently sponsored and built two homes for evacuees in partnership with Habitat for Humanity. She added that, in collaboration with the organization Feed the Children, members passed out food to 400 residents. Most significantly, she said Alpha Kappa Alpha decided to cancel a Hawaiian cruise and instead host its Leadership Conference in New Orleans. In making this change, the Sorority pumped $5 million into the economy.

"Louisiana has been the beneficiary of Alpha Kappa Alpha's treasure, time and talents and we have provided a boost to its economy," she said.

McKinzie said that the Jena 6 scenario threatens to cast a bad light on the state. "This can be reversed with a commitment to fairness and with a resolve by officials to see that justice prevails for the Jena 6."

Addresses for the principals:

Hon. Kathleen B. Blanco

Governor, State of Louisiana

P.O. Box 94004

Baton Rouge, LA 70804

Hon. Charles C. Foti, Jr.

Attorney General, Department of Justice

P.O. Box 94005

Baton Rouge, LA 70804

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Website: http://aka1908.org/

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Day of Blogging for Justice: Free the Jena 6!

Most of this post is from one of my entries a couple of weeks ago I am re-posting it today as August 30th has been established as a Day of Blogging for Justice to focus attention on the disparate, shameful punishment of six black students in Jena, LA.

This case of the Jena Six began almost a year ago and the media coverage has been abysmal, at best. If you are not familiar with this case, read the enitre post below and be sure to check out the videos. After you've done that, sign the petition online (I'm #24417) and spread the word about The Jena Six.

The Jena Six: An American Tragedy and a Shameful Reality

Six black students from Jena, Louisiana have been incarcerated since December of last year because of a protest and violence that ensued as a result of one black student sitting under the "white tree" at their high school. The "white" tree --- such a throwback in time. Many using the internet today will not understand or even get the significance of asking "permission" to do something that one takes for granted in the United States. We live in America where we all have rights, don't we?

Yeah, many of you black and white, especially if you're 40 years old or younger, probably thought 'old people' were just tripping behind all this racial stuff. You probably didn't want to read 'Roots', forget about watching it on television. Black people have Oprah with her millions of dollars, top-rated television show and other enterprises, right? Shoot, Denzel, Queen Latifah and Will Smith make millions from the big screen and Barack Obama is positioned to become the next president of the United States.

Then the reality checks kick in. Remember the derogatory words of Don Imus, murder of Martin Lee Anderson, incarceration of Genarlow Wilson, Marcus Dixon, Shaquanda Cotton and the Jena 6. Wake up. This is the real deal. This is the same shameful treatment of black Hurricane Katrina survivors portrayed as 'looting' for food and white Hurricane Katrina survivors 'finding' food. Give me a break. Remember Rosa Parks? Well, the Jena 6 is this century's Rosa Parks.

In Spike Lee's movie about Hurricane Katrina, When the Levees Broke, actor Wendell Pierce made a statement about a permanent underclass in Louisiana. By this Jena 6 situation, I understand how the blatant, inhumane mistreatment of blacks occurred so easily in the New Orleans area immediately after Katrina. The courageous young black people in Jena took a stand. Right-minded folks must stand with them. Expose this shameful situation to the world. Ask the presidential candidates about the Jena 6 and Genarlow Wilson.

Watch the videos below for background information and to get brought up to speed on the Jena 6 case. Take action and spread the word about this story.

Get the banner here

Call and write. Let your voice be heard. The Jena 6 Defense Committee PO Box 2798, Jena, LA 71342 jena6defense@gmail.com

Murphy McMillan, Mayor P.O. Box 26 Jena, La. 71342 Phone (318) 992-2148

To contact District Attorney Reed Walters directly:

Reed Walters, District Attorney 28th Judicial District PO Box 1940 Jena, Louisiana 71342-1940 (318) 992-8282 Fax: (318) 992-4731

Please contact: Senator Mary Landrieu webpage contact link (202) 224-5824 Senator David Vittner webpage contact link Phone:(202) 224-4623 Rep Bobby Jindal webpage contact link Phone: (202)-225-3015 Rep William Jefferson Phone: (202) 225-6636 Rep Charlie Melancon webpage contact link Phone: (202) 225-4031 Rep Jim McCrery webpage contact link Phone: (202) 225-2777 Rep Rodney Alexander webpage contact link Phone: (202) 225-8490 Rep Richard Baker webpage contact link Phone: 202-225-3901 Rep Charles Boustany webpage contact link Phone: (202) 225-2031

Jena High School bans 'Free the Jena 6' T-shirts

JENA, La. (AP) - The LaSalle Parish schools superintendent says T-shirts supporting six black students accused of knocking out a white student, then kicking and stamping on him are a "threat to the order of the campus" at Jena High school. [MORE]

Did Civil Rights movement pass Louisiana by?

Racist incident leads to harsh justice for black students

August 30, 2007

BY MARY MITCHELL Sun-Times Columnist

When I ran across a tale on the Internet about six African-American teens from Jena, La., who are facing decades of prison time for allegedly beating up a white classmate, I couldn't believe their ordeal started with a tree.

A tree holds powerful symbolism for black people. While traveling in the South, legendary singer Billie Holiday saw a tree that inspired her to write "Strange Fruit," a song which contains references to lynching.

Still, it is difficult to comprehend that in 2007, black students at any high school in America felt compelled to go to a school official and ask if it would be OK to sit in the shade of a tree usually enjoyed by white students.

There's no dispute that is what happened on Aug. 31, 2006 in Jena, a town with a population that is about 85 percent white and 12 percent black.

A vice principal apparently told the students they could sit "wherever they pleased." And the next day, Sept. 1, 2006, three nooses were found hanging from said tree.

Just three years ago the nation celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education, the Supreme Court ruling that declared racial separation was inherently unequal. Yet, Jena High School seems stuck in the pre-civil rights era. [MORE]

Afrosphere Bloggers Ask Media to Cover Jena 6

The Afrosphere Jena 6 Coalition “ask that the mainstream traditional media step forward and discharge their duty to provide coverage of this vitally important event to their viewers and readers and act as “the fourth institution” of governmental “checks and balance” that constitutional framers intended the press to be.”

List of Bloggers for Justice

1. Wayne Hicks electronicvillage.blogspot.com/ Cincinnati, OH

2. D. Yobachi Boswell http://www.blackperspective.net/ Nashville, TN

3. Daz Wilson purplezoe.blogspot.com/

4. Francis Holland afrospear.jconserv.net/

5. Jim D. Walton www.blackinbusiness.org/

6. Cooper wonderlandornot.net

7. Yolonda ebonymommy.com/blog/

8. Vanessa Byers vanessabyers.net/ Miami, FL

9. Sincere sincere-thoughts.blogspot.com

10. Pia courtingdestiny.com

11. Adrianne George blackwomenineurope.blogspot.com/ Sweden

12. Eddie Griffin http://www.eddiegriffinbasg.blogspot.com/ Fort Worth, TX

13. PB http://www.savantwriter.blogspot.com/ Kansas City

14. Tom Autopref automaticpreference.wordpress.com/

15. Dave J. wanderingether.blogspot.com/ Haslett, Michigan

16. B. Medusa www.mnemosyne-blog.net/

17. Shawn Williams http://www.dallassouthblog.com/ Dallas, Texas

18. Deidra blackandmissing.blogspot.com Baton Rouge, LA

19. AAPP http://www.africanamericanpoliticalpundit.com/ & http://www.africanamericanopinion.com/

20. Invisible Woman invisible-cinema.blogspot.com/ San Fran, CA

21. Plez pajoyner.blogspot.com Atlanta, GA

22. Shanikka www.maatsfeather.com/frontPage.do

As expected, the media picks up Mychal Bell's juvenile history to distract from the nooses hanging from the "white" tree and the punishments applied to the black students and no punishment for the white students.

Prosecutor: "Jena Six" defendant had four juvenile convictions

8/25/2007, 6:36 p.m. CDT The Associated Press

JENA, La. (AP) — The teenager convicted of beating a student at Jena High School in December 2006 had been convicted as a juvenile for attacking someone a year earlier, then committed three more crimes while on probation for that one, prosecutors say.

That makes Mychal Bell's aggravated second-degree battery conviction his fifth conviction for a violent crime, state District Judge J.P. Mauffray Jr. said Friday.

Because of that record, the judge said, he will not reduce the $90,000 bond he set for Mychal Bell, one of six black students arrested in the attack which left a white student bleeding and unconscious.

"We shall have to repent in this generation , not so much for the evil deeds of the wicked people, but for the appalling silence of the good people.” --- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.