Thursday, September 20, 2007
Jena Six and the modern day civil rights movement
By Khari Johnson, [X]press Online
Jena 6 protests begin nationwide, SF State students involved, too
Today may be the culmination of mounting wills and tension in a racially charged Louisiana town. For a story that was dormant in the mainstream press until recently, today’s events in Jena, LA may cause national controversy and could influence the destiny of a certain presidential candidate.
Busloads across the country descended upon Jena, a town of 3,000, in support of the “Jena 6”, a group of six black teenagers accused of attempted second-degree murder and conspiracy after beating up their classmate.
On Monday, silent demonstrations were held at USF where students taped their mouths shut and wrote letters to the Louisiana governor and the prosecuting district attorney.. On Tuesday, the SF State Black Student Union wore all-black to show solidarity with the Jena 6. Today, protests will be held at the University of California, Berkeley, in downtown San Francisco and across the nation.
A black student asked his principal if he could sit under a shade tree typically only sat under by white students. The next day, three nooses painted school colors were hung from the tree. A series of escalating racial events would follow.
Today one of the six, Mychal Bell, was to be sentenced but after being convicted by an all-white jury, a Louisiana state court overturned the decision because the juvenile was tried incorrectly as an adult. He remains in jail.
More than a quarter million people have signed an online petition. More than 450 different groups have been formed on Facebook with "Jena 6" in their name.
It’s a story all too familiar to some and others are just now hearing. Black Americans and some progressive blogs and press broke the story nearly a year ago, while the mainstream press is just beginning to cover the controversial case.
Obama catching heat from black civil rights leaders
While all this is happening, miles away from Jena and its issues, Senator Barack Obama’s future is contemplated.
A New York Sun report states that Obama’s future rests on how he responds to Jena.
Jesse Jackson, who was without question the most successful black candidate for president in American history, told a crowd of students Wednesday that Senator Obama is “acting like he’s white.”
“If I were a candidate, I’d be all over Jena,” Jackson said after an hour-long speech at Columbia’s historically black Benedict College.
“Jena is a defining moment, just like Selma was a defining moment.”
Jackson, who ran for president in 1984 and 1988, marched with Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil right leaders in the mid 1965 across a bridge in Selma, AL for…
Jackson also said Obama must be “bolder” in his political positions if he is to erase Clinton’s lead in national polls. Hilary leads national polls but is about even with Obama among African Americans.
Barack may not be known for politics as usual but he will have to do some political maneuvering if he wants to avoid being vacuumed into the debate.
The question is, particularly after getting called out by Jesse Jackson, does Barack feel the need to respond in rhetoric or in person?
Rapper calls out to peers for Jena 6 support
African Americans of diverse backgrounds urged people to come and protest in Jena. The NAACP will sponsor the rally. On the other side, rapper and activist Mos Def, while on “Real Time with Bill Maher” on Sept. 9, Mos Def asked for other rappers like 50 Cent, Kanye West, Jay-Z and others. In a statement released through his press secretary, Mos Def urged “African Americans of prominence” to show up and be counted.
MORE VIDEO
Tuesday’s Democracy Now interview with two of the Jena 6, Robert Bailey and Theo Shaw.
Jena 6 protests begin nationwide, SF State students involved, too
Today may be the culmination of mounting wills and tension in a racially charged Louisiana town. For a story that was dormant in the mainstream press until recently, today’s events in Jena, LA may cause national controversy and could influence the destiny of a certain presidential candidate.
Busloads across the country descended upon Jena, a town of 3,000, in support of the “Jena 6”, a group of six black teenagers accused of attempted second-degree murder and conspiracy after beating up their classmate.
On Monday, silent demonstrations were held at USF where students taped their mouths shut and wrote letters to the Louisiana governor and the prosecuting district attorney.. On Tuesday, the SF State Black Student Union wore all-black to show solidarity with the Jena 6. Today, protests will be held at the University of California, Berkeley, in downtown San Francisco and across the nation.
A black student asked his principal if he could sit under a shade tree typically only sat under by white students. The next day, three nooses painted school colors were hung from the tree. A series of escalating racial events would follow.
Today one of the six, Mychal Bell, was to be sentenced but after being convicted by an all-white jury, a Louisiana state court overturned the decision because the juvenile was tried incorrectly as an adult. He remains in jail.
More than a quarter million people have signed an online petition. More than 450 different groups have been formed on Facebook with "Jena 6" in their name.
It’s a story all too familiar to some and others are just now hearing. Black Americans and some progressive blogs and press broke the story nearly a year ago, while the mainstream press is just beginning to cover the controversial case.
Obama catching heat from black civil rights leaders
While all this is happening, miles away from Jena and its issues, Senator Barack Obama’s future is contemplated.
A New York Sun report states that Obama’s future rests on how he responds to Jena.
Jesse Jackson, who was without question the most successful black candidate for president in American history, told a crowd of students Wednesday that Senator Obama is “acting like he’s white.”
“If I were a candidate, I’d be all over Jena,” Jackson said after an hour-long speech at Columbia’s historically black Benedict College.
“Jena is a defining moment, just like Selma was a defining moment.”
Jackson, who ran for president in 1984 and 1988, marched with Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil right leaders in the mid 1965 across a bridge in Selma, AL for…
Jackson also said Obama must be “bolder” in his political positions if he is to erase Clinton’s lead in national polls. Hilary leads national polls but is about even with Obama among African Americans.
Barack may not be known for politics as usual but he will have to do some political maneuvering if he wants to avoid being vacuumed into the debate.
The question is, particularly after getting called out by Jesse Jackson, does Barack feel the need to respond in rhetoric or in person?
Rapper calls out to peers for Jena 6 support
African Americans of diverse backgrounds urged people to come and protest in Jena. The NAACP will sponsor the rally. On the other side, rapper and activist Mos Def, while on “Real Time with Bill Maher” on Sept. 9, Mos Def asked for other rappers like 50 Cent, Kanye West, Jay-Z and others. In a statement released through his press secretary, Mos Def urged “African Americans of prominence” to show up and be counted.
MORE VIDEO
Tuesday’s Democracy Now interview with two of the Jena 6, Robert Bailey and Theo Shaw.
# posted by [X]press Staff @ 2:53 PM 