Thursday, May 3, 2007

Jena Six...what is the truth here?



Wednesday night in Jena a gathering of about 50 people met to protest the treatment of six young men who are charged with various crimes centered around a fight with another high school student. The "Jena Six" as they are now being called are black - the student white. But that is not the only part of the story.

Where this strife begins within the high school is unclear, it really depends on who you talk to. How the anger became so overwhelming that it would erupt in charges of hate crimes (the famous noose in the school yard tree) and attempted murder charges for some is a tough story to reach.

KALB-TV has visited Jena countless times to try and present the facts around what is happening in the community. There have been interviews with high school teachers, students, parents involved, plus community and school leaders. But the story has garnered international attention (the BBC was in town for weeks) and could end up the focus of an Al Sharpton march in downtown Jena.

How does it all get this far? Who is working on a solution? If you have any insight into this situation your local media needs you. This is a story that on the surface would seem easy to report on. Stick the microphone in an angry persons face and use it on TV. But does that approach harm the communities ability to heal?

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

If Al Sharpton gets involved, whether there's a hint of racism or not, he'll do nothing more than stir the pot of hatred. That's his stock in trade. He and Jesse Jackson are the biggest racists around. If they'd stay out of these type situations, in most cases things would settle down normally.

The thing is, you can't change what's in a person's heart. Hatred is something they learn at home and from friends. These are kids, for the most part and this will all more than likely blow over if left alone. Problem is, the adults get involved and the pot gets stirred and on it goes.

Anonymous said...

I was amazed at the on camera black girl who assumed that the nooses on the trees were "racist slurs" against her!! How in the world did she get there from here!? Al Sharpton rubs off on everyone it seems.

Anonymous said...

Attempted Murder?! What?! These kids are only 18! I REALLY believe the charges should be reduced to... Simple Battery. I am so sorry for these young men!
They should be punished but definately not so serverly! Goodness!! 25-100years?!

Free The Jena Six!

Anonymous said...

Excuse me? Simply Battery?? SIX men beat the crap out of ONE person and you think simple battery is proper? Get real. If that were you I'm betting you'd want attempted murder.

Anonymous said...

You Americans make me sick. You murder people in the name of peace all around the world and get away with it, and then you try to jail a couple of kids for up to 100 years for a school brawl. Get Real!!

Anonymous said...

Shabazz speaking...

Steve, Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson exist because of things like this Jena story. You are amazed at how the noose in the tree was considered a racist slur to the black female because you are not the "SUBJECT" of the meaning of that noose. You KNOW that that noose wasn't going to have your WHITE neck in it. Its this mentallity in some white americans that causes these types of incidents. Don't blame Sharpton or Jackson. Blame yourself.