JENA 6
 

So, i searched and the only threads about this are in specific forums. i wanted to see if anyone will be attending the rally. roll call?

not attending, but will be in all black tomorrow.

same here. w00t.

I will be at rally, but not in Jena. I too will be wearing black today.

Why defend these thugs?

I guess if you say something stupid and racist, you deserve to be put in the hospital? Is that it? These kids resorted to violence -- that's illegal. They're now in jail or out on bail awaiting trial. What is the great societal wrong here? I just don't see it.

Why didn't the thugs who pelted a young black man with beer bottles before beating him, in the same town, receive the same charges? Why wasn't the thug who pointed a shot gun at three young black men, in the same town, charged with anything?

Whatever. I'm not even going to have this conversation.

^^^oh dear. (little32 you beat me to it, i feel the same way)
Not in Jena but wearing black, as are many of my friends.

Because that gentlemen was trying to force his way into a party he wasn't invited to. There are two sides to that story. It wasn't just one black man either, it was a "group" according to the media sources I've read.

Heck.. in Oklahoma, under the "stand your ground" regime, he could have been lawfully shot.

At any rate, that's a totally separate incident. These six are accused of an entirely separate and unrelated crime which occurred two days later.

OK, if you want to see it that way fine. There are a lot of folks who see this as the confluence of a lot of other issues and not just some "thugs" out looking for a fight.

I guess the fact that most involved have clean records with the exception of this incident does not change your opinion that they are thugs. I know lots of people who got into fights in middle school and high school that have gotten into fights, some that were not always fair, but I would not label those people thugs. But I guess you don't know anyone like that.

Not attending a rally but wearing black and praying.

You're right. I don't know any group of six or more people who beat the hell out of a kid for saying something offensive. That sounds like something a thug would do. I don't know these kids either. I'm assuming none of you do. Maybe they aren't thugs -- but they sure as hell acted like it that day.

They could have killed the kid they attacked. They clearly wanted to do some damage (multiple blows to the head) after he was knocked out. They deserve justice and punishment. Society cannot condone that sort of behavior.

I knew people who got into fights in school, too, but the injuries from those fights weren't anywhere near the extent of those suffered by the victim in this case. I'm not saying it's reasonable to call the boys thugs. Sure, the hanging of the nooses was a bad idea - completely insensitive and inappropriate. But I don't think beating a boy senseless is "equal" retaliation.

Then again, I'm not completely familiar with all the particulars of the case (which, I would assume, is reasonable to say for most of the country), so my opinion is based on the limited info I have. Still, I don't understand why people who are completely removed from the situation are protesting. I might even go so far as to say that if the situation were reversed (six white boys beating up a black boy), the protest would be in support of the victim.

1. Amazing...I have been running a thread on this for over a month and hardly anyone responds...interesting....

2. Kevin....you really need to take those rose colored glasses off...funny how a guy who clamms he got the snot kicked out of him by six people MANAGED to go to a party that night...and then 6 TEENS get charged with ATTEMPTED MURDER?? WHAT??

We just skip past assault and graduate to murder? WOW...and then you want to charge these SAME teens as ADULTS...wow

3. I guess nooses under a tree don't mean much huh?


Hey umm...kevin...define 'thug' in the context that you are using in please...?

There were busses that pulled out of here last night to go protest today. I wish I could gone with them but I couldn't.

However, I am wearing black today.

Wearing black, and reflecting on how far we've really come as far as disparities in this country...

@Kevin Good, so we are agreed. There was thuggish behavior all around, not just on the part of these young men.

For the record, I don't think that anyone is saying that there should be no consequences for their actions, but rather that the consequences right now are disproportionate to the act. Until just a few weeks ago, the young man in jail was face a potential 80 year sentence. He was charged with aggravate battery--his tennis shoes were labelled the deadly weapon. There is something wrong with that, bottom line.