2008 Woodie Awards
The racial divide and the Jena six
Matt Goodrich
Issue date: 10/18/07 Section: Opinions
- Page 1 of 1
Around campus, it was hard not to notice signs hanging on buildings that urged students to wear green in support of the Jena 6 at the end of September. The sign lead students and faculty to believe that after a black student sits under a white only tree, 6 blacks student protest and are now facing jail time, and in support against racism to wear green. With no more background information everyone would think this was a horrible incident and would certainly have worn green last to show his or her support against racism. However, looking at details of the Jena 6, I believe the sign is misleading and we should not be pledging support to criminals.
First things first, there has been a great racial divide in the town since late last August when a black student sat under a 'whites only' tree and a few days later three nooses showed up under the 'blacks only' tree. This ignited a divide in the high school and was the origin of many fights and eventually the alleged assault. The noose incident, as it has been dubbed, was a disgusting a display of racism and those responsible for hanging the noose on the tree should be found and tried to the fullest extent of the law. Such an act is a hate crime, and therefore a federal crime and the students who committed the crime should be held responsible.
Months later, the Jena 6 jumped a white student, beat him to the ground and left him unconscious. The charges at first were second degree attempted murder, but some have had their charges reduced to aggravated second-degree battery and conspiracy. What I do not understand is the support shown for these students. People can argue that this was a reaction crime to the noose incident, but that occurred 3 months prior. There is no doubt racial tensions were high in the town of Jena, Louisiana, but imagine it would be the other way, which it easily could have been, with 6 white kids jumping a black kid. What would the reaction be? I'm sure if the white students faced the same charges the black students do now, Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson would be scolding the prosecutors and calling it racist that the prosecutor dropped the 2nd degree attempted murder charge.
I certainly do not support racism, but I think supporting the defense of the 6 kids who assaulted another student is supporting violence and crime. Martin Luther King Jr. would certainly never be praising these students. The student that who was beat to the ground was done so because he allegedly was commenting on how one of the six got beat up a on a prior day in a lighthearted manner. The student maintains that he never said anything of the sorts, but even if he did, is violence the answer? Are there no other ways to resolve problems that assault and even if the situation arrives at assault should we ever praise those who commit the crime? By praising violence and referring to jumping and beating students as 'protesting' we are legitimizing violence and assault, and that in turn could make Union more dangerous.
First things first, there has been a great racial divide in the town since late last August when a black student sat under a 'whites only' tree and a few days later three nooses showed up under the 'blacks only' tree. This ignited a divide in the high school and was the origin of many fights and eventually the alleged assault. The noose incident, as it has been dubbed, was a disgusting a display of racism and those responsible for hanging the noose on the tree should be found and tried to the fullest extent of the law. Such an act is a hate crime, and therefore a federal crime and the students who committed the crime should be held responsible.
Months later, the Jena 6 jumped a white student, beat him to the ground and left him unconscious. The charges at first were second degree attempted murder, but some have had their charges reduced to aggravated second-degree battery and conspiracy. What I do not understand is the support shown for these students. People can argue that this was a reaction crime to the noose incident, but that occurred 3 months prior. There is no doubt racial tensions were high in the town of Jena, Louisiana, but imagine it would be the other way, which it easily could have been, with 6 white kids jumping a black kid. What would the reaction be? I'm sure if the white students faced the same charges the black students do now, Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson would be scolding the prosecutors and calling it racist that the prosecutor dropped the 2nd degree attempted murder charge.
I certainly do not support racism, but I think supporting the defense of the 6 kids who assaulted another student is supporting violence and crime. Martin Luther King Jr. would certainly never be praising these students. The student that who was beat to the ground was done so because he allegedly was commenting on how one of the six got beat up a on a prior day in a lighthearted manner. The student maintains that he never said anything of the sorts, but even if he did, is violence the answer? Are there no other ways to resolve problems that assault and even if the situation arrives at assault should we ever praise those who commit the crime? By praising violence and referring to jumping and beating students as 'protesting' we are legitimizing violence and assault, and that in turn could make Union more dangerous.
Be the first to comment on this story