JENA 6

[KDAngel]

My preface to everything I'm about to say -- I'm with Obama here (which is the LAST thing you'd ever expect me to say), but this shouldn't be a black/white issue, but rather a right/wrong issue.

People talk about the jury and how people knew the DA and what not... well Jena is a town of not even 3,000 people, that's to be expected.

It is BEYOND a shame that in a case like this Bell was given a subpar public defender. I would have expected someone to step in and work pro-bono if nothing else. I'm still confused as to why this didn't happen. Yes, he has new representation now, but it's a shame he didn't get it sooner.

Bell does have a record, and while a record is not the equivalent of guilt, it doesn't sit well with me either.

Now I don't think it was right that he got beat up at a party. However, it doesn't seem to compare to the beating that Barker got. However, I'm not trying to compare wrong to wrong. No he wasn't invited to the private party, but he wasn't asking for a beating either. Then again, I'm sure there are those who'd argue that in going he doing just that. Either way, I'd imagine if he really was beaten that badly, the case wouldn't have just stopped. People can appeal cases and that's the point. If a severe injustice has been done to you, why would you just let it rest? It seems to me now that the beating from the party is being used here as evidence to say "well I was beaten too and they didn't get in this much trouble, why should I get in this much trouble for beating him?" It just doesn't work that way.

Finally, there are appeals for good reason and this case proves how valuable they are.


But the details of the case aside, I think this whole ordeal proves just how alive racism is, coming from all directions. Instead of pointing at it and drawing attention to the problem, we need to start thinking of a solution and acting on it.