Jena 6 National Black Out Day, Friday, November 2, 2007

[Ihearu]

We can do this one thing.


National Black Out Day, Friday, November 2, 2007

Many people marched in Jena , La last month in support of the 6 young men unjustly charged with attempted murder for a school yard fight. There are many situations all over the nation that scream of injustice and unfair treatment of people in this country. There is the woman in West Virgini a who was raped and tortured for days with barely any national coverage. They called her the N word but as of this writing, they still had not confirmed they are treating this as a hate crime. We all know the young groom in NYC who was murdered by the NYPD on the eve of his wedding. There is the teenage girl in Texas who was sentenced to jail time for an altercation with a school official. How about the teenage girl who was sprayed with mase for missing curfew.. You can see her in the video restrained by a police officer twice her size. She was in handcuffs when she was sprayed. Maybe you heard of the California girl who had her arm broken by a school security official when she refused to pick up a piece of cake from the floor. It was filmed by a school mate and is all over You Tube. You may have heard of the young man in Georgia who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for having consensual sex with a young girl. He was 17, she was 15. There was also the young brother in Florida who died in the custody of the state when he was admitted to their boot camp. They said he had diabetes but they couldn't explain his battered body. All of these stories happened within the last year or two.
Those are just a few instances where people in this country have been treated unfairly, while 4 young men in Raleigh , NC sue the state for 10 million dollars each because they were 'falsely' accused of rape. There are people who spend YEARS in prison and are exonerated that don't get nearly that much coin. By the way, who else is tired of the Princess Diana wrongful death inquiry? I mean, come on, it's very sad how she died but does her death need to be the top news story 10 years and 2 months after her death?
On Friday, November 2, 2007, Warren Ballentine, Reverend Al Sharpton and other civil rights leaders are calling for a national boycott. Black people alone spend 2 billion dollars a day in the United States and we are only approximately 12% of the population. 2 billion dollars a day, lining the pockets of companies that have shown no interest in our interests. We ARE living in the new civil rights movement. We cannot allow the march in Jena to be only an event. It MUST be a movement. In the 1950s, the bus boycott was only supposed to be for a few days or weeks. It ended up being over a year. The goal was for fair treatment and bus integration. Our parents and grandparents sacrificed and showed that with faith and strength, they could show corporate America the power of the community and demanded fair treatment. As we know, those buses were integrated. This is not about color. This is about class. The middle class and poor people in this country are not treated as the Declaration of Independance says we should be treated. It states that 'all men are created equal'. Clearly the governing class of the United States disagrees with their document.
Join us on on Friday, November 2, 2007 and don't spend ANY money. If you have to shop, do it the day before or the day after. If you need gas, get it the day before or the day after. We have to join together as a community. You may be thinking, it's only one day, what difference will it make? I had the same thought at first, but just think about it. If we all save our money that day, it WILL make a difference. That day may become a weekend. That weekend may become a week and that week a month. As we showed in the 1950s, we can make a difference if we do this together.
If you can pass the many dumb jokes and forwards we all get, you most certainly can pass this important email to all your friends and family.
Show a sign of solidarity.

'In the abundance of water, the fool is thirsty'
'Many tears that are in the heart never reach the eye'
Which would you prefer, money, power and respect or knowledge, wisdom and understanding?

[spokenword]

Thanks for this POST!!!!



It's funny, I've received so many store coupons for these two days!!!!!:rolleyes: I WILL KEEP MY MONEY IN MY POCKET!!!!


I HOPE WE ALL SUPPORT THIS!!!

[JoefromPGH]

Thank goodness the boycott isn't scheduled for November 23 (the day after Thanksgiving). While the impact of a boycott on 11/23 would have far more reaching consequences, frankly it would be hard, real hard, for the consumers amongst us (nation-wide) to refrain from spending on that day.

I will join in for certain and will make it known to all whom I know that its a one small step to not spend on one day and to say that the real people in this country COUNT!

[5Reasons]

I'm sorry, guys, I just can't get into this Jena case. Yes, the prosecutor is a biggot and played to the worst in people, especially by overcharging these guys. And yes, he shouldn't be a prosecutor anymore. However, at the end of the day, the facts of this case are the same. It was a group of kids that beat the he!! out of ONE kid. It doesn't make them tough, they weren't defending their blackness; they're certainly not Civil Rights heroes. Instead, they are what they are - bullies that got carried away. And yes, kicking someone when they're unconcious CAN kill a person. Let's keep a eye on this issue, for sure, but let's de-esculate it. Beating the he!! out of a kid (6 to 1) is not a fair fight. Period.

Oh BTW, you know one of these kids is going to break the law AGAIN in the next few years and WE WILL NEVER hear the end of it.

Now if you want to spotlight injustice in the, STILL, Dirty South, the Genarlo (sp?) case is more relevant. Now that's plain ole Southern racism, plain and simple.

On 11-whatever, I will spend my money the way I usually do. I won't be observing Sharpton-created protest days. Sorry guys for the rant. Sharpton is as much apart of the problem as he is seeking solutions. I just can't get down with this. It's another one of his Dead End hustle-protests. It's time to move on.

[spokenword]

I'm sorry, guys, I just can't get into this Jena case. Yes, the prosecutor is a biggot and played to the worst in people, especially by overcharging these guys. And yes, he shouldn't be a prosecutor anymore. However, at the end of the day, the facts of this case are the same. It was a group of kids that beat the he!! out of ONE kid. It doesn't make them tough, they weren't defending their blackness; they're certainly not Civil Rights heroes. Instead, they are what they are - bullies that got carried away. And yes, kicking someone when they're unconcious CAN kill a person. Let's keep a eye on this issue, for sure, but let's de-esculate it. Beating the he!! out of a kid (6 to 1) is not a fair fight. Period.

Oh BTW, you know one of these kids is going to break the law AGAIN in the next few years and WE WILL NEVER hear the end of it.

Now if you want to spotlight injustice in the, STILL, Dirty South, the Genarlo (sp?) case is more relevant. Now that's plain ole Southern racism, plain and simple.

On 11-whatever, I will spend my money the way I usually do. I won't be observing Sharpton-created protest days. Sorry guys for the rant. Sharpton is as much apart of the problem as he is seeking solutions. I just can't get down with this. It's another one of his Dead End hustle-protests. It's time to move on.



Wow, coming from a black man this is disturbing!


The prediction you made....."it will happen again", mirrors the same predictions White America predicts about jail time for our young boys! :( This wasn't a Sharpton "created" protest this is about JUSTICE!!!! NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS! I, in no way condone violence of any kind, but do you think IF these Jena 6 were white kids THEY WOULD BE SUBJECTED TO THE SAME PUNISHMENT... NO!!!!


With all do respect 5, it's comments like this that annoy me! Our kids face obstacles daily just because of the color of their skin and for you to trivialize anything UNJUST, is why some of our youths get caught up in the system. BLACK FOLKS, JUST DON'T CARE ANYMORE!!!!


BTW- YOU ALSO, MENTION THAT IT WASN'T TIME FOR BARACK OR WHITE AMERICA TO EXCEPT A BLACK PRESIDENT.......WELL, WHEN THE HELL IS THE TIME?????? IT'S ALL ABOUT FEAR WHEN IT COMES TO BLACK FOLKS, BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN TOLD FOR CENTURIES.....'YOU'RE NO GOOD", YOU CAN'T ACHIEVE, YOU'RE THIS, YOU'RE THAT!!!! AND FOR YEARS WE BELIEVED THIS CRAP!!!!


EVERY FRIGGIN BLACK PERSON IN AMERICAN NEEDS TO SUPPORT ANY INJUSTICE AGAINST US!!!!:mad:


PEACE!


I'M SO ANGRY, I'M STARTING TO MIRROR TE2:eek:

[Inkwell]

I'm sorry, guys, I just can't get into this Jena case. Yes, the prosecutor is a biggot and played to the worst in people, especially by overcharging these guys. And yes, he shouldn't be a prosecutor anymore. However, at the end of the day, the facts of this case are the same. It was a group of kids that beat the he!! out of ONE kid. It doesn't make them tough, they weren't defending their blackness; they're certainly not Civil Rights heroes. Instead, they are what they are - bullies that got carried away. And yes, kicking someone when they're unconcious CAN kill a person. Let's keep a eye on this issue, for sure, but let's de-esculate it. Beating the he!! out of a kid (6 to 1) is not a fair fight. Period.

Oh BTW, you know one of these kids is going to break the law AGAIN in the next few years and WE WILL NEVER hear the end of it.

Now if you want to spotlight injustice in the, STILL, Dirty South, the Genarlo (sp?) case is more relevant. Now that's plain ole Southern racism, plain and simple.

On 11-whatever, I will spend my money the way I usually do. I won't be observing Sharpton-created protest days. Sorry guys for the rant. Sharpton is as much apart of the problem as he is seeking solutions. I just can't get down with this. It's another one of his Dead End hustle-protests. It's time to move on.

ALL OF THE FACTS SURROUNDING THIS CASE. BUT BE THAT AS IT MAY, A BOYCOTT OF ANY KIND BY THE NATION'S LARGEST CONSUMERS WOULD BE SIGN THAT BLACKS AND OTHERS ARE NOT GOING TO CONTINUE TO IGNORE UNFAIR TREATMENT UNDER THE LAW. MASSA IS COUNTING ON THE STATUS QUO NEGROS TO SHOP AND SPEND AND CONDONE. MY MOM ALWAYS SAID, THAT IF THE SOUTH DEPENDED ON THE NORTHERN NEGROS TO BOYCOTT THE BUSES, THEY WOULD STILL BE RIDING IN THE BACK:mad:

[5Reasons]

Both Ink and Spoken,

Your responses are both, well, ignorant. They demonstrate an EMOTIONAL attachment and not a LOGICAL one. Here are the facts. Six kids beat the living sh!t out of ONE kid. No matter which way this issue goes, it does NOT make them Civil Rights heroes. Now demonstrating against this half-wit hill billy prosecutor, I have no problem with. Protesting a system in which AAs are punished at unfair rates, again, I have NO PROBLEM WITH. I do, however, have a problem with SIX FRIGGIN BULLIES being the cause celeb. They aren't. And trust me, the moment one of them gets in trouble again (and it WILL HAPPEN), you will never hear the end of it...from whitey.

Again, they are NOT Civil Rights heroes. The Genarlo case is much more pertinent and a far more devestating case of "Southern" justice.

For the record, nitwits, I DO NOT deny racism. I don't deny institutional racism. And I've certainly never denied that we are treated different in this so-called justice system. What I can't get down with, however, is the same halfwits that protest this case, can't seem to say a friggin coherent sentence about the fact that what these kids did WAS WRONG and they DESERVE TO BE PUNISHED! If you don't think so, then let me get six of my friends so they can beat the sh!t out of your kid and kick him/her in the head when they're unconcious. After that happens, get back to me and tell me how you feel.

And friggin Sharpton as the leader? Are you serious? Sharpton, frankly, is the kind of one dimensional Negro that whites loves. Of course Sharpton can spot bigots. All bigots can spot each other. One of the quickest ways to spot a white bigot is to see how they respond to the word "Sharpton." You see, bigotry, in America, is symbiotic. Sharpton is just a hustler, a man that was a roady for James Brown, a so-called preacher at 7. Gang, he's been putting on a show for years. He's a racialist show stopper in the same vein as P.T. Barnum. Nothing more, nothing less.

For the record, I have clearly stated my point with Obama. The simple fact of the matter is, he's black. Yeah, he's "clean" and "articulate" and even half-white, but in the end, he's BLACK ergo he will NOT be the president. This is 2007 NOT 2077. I don't live in DENIAL of where we're at in this country. And this country, still, is not ready. Besides, you're talking about this issue and Obama has done nothing but make great speeches all the while losing points in the opinion polls.

Finally, as African Americans, we must always stand up for truth and justice in all of its forms. We, as African Americans, know that, frankly, many whites just can't do this. We know that in their politics, standing up for what's right won't win many elections in many counties. We know that. However, taking up this moral challenge means that we must always seek the truth of things. We cannot, ourselves, become compromised in our effort to highlight injustice in a, still, predominately white system. The JENA case has brought out the worst in everyone. Six kids beat the living sh!t out of one. Their justice was, frankly, hick justice and that should be opposed. This does not, however, make them celebs.

I mean, really gang, these fools were invited to the friggin Hip Hop Music Awards. WTF has the JENA 6 done? :rolleyes: Six on one beat down gets you into exclusive parties? Give me a break.

Stand for justice in all its forms. That's our challenge in this AND EVERY case.

[ForChange]

have a permanent moratorium on all brand names. A one day boycott of all businesses is symbolic and meaningless. If people of color and their allies would research what companies are owned or run by people of color and boycott (forever) those that aren't, that would be more powerful. If people of color and their allies stopped spending money on name brands where the profit is made off the backs of sweatshop workers around the world and goes to rich white men, that would be powerful.

Symbolism can be powerful, but I believe that any new wave Civil Rights movement is going to need to be more than symbolic. That was successful in the 1950's and 1960's when the racism being targeted was also symbolic. Now that the racism is much more hidden, the response needs to be different.

Jena 6 was a miscarriage of justice (although I think that the gravest injustice was that of the school which did nothing to stop the bullying and racism that led the the attack). But to be perfectly honest, I think that the institutional racism of our criminal justice and education systems make Jena 6 or rash of noose hangings seem like child's play.

[spokenword]

Both Ink and Spoken,

Your responses are both, well, ignorant. They demonstrate an EMOTIONAL attachment and not a LOGICAL one. Here are the facts. Six kids beat the living sh!t out of ONE kid. No matter which way this issue goes, it does NOT make them Civil Rights heroes. Now demonstrating against this half-wit hill billy prosecutor, I have no problem with. Protesting a system in which AAs are punished at unfair rates, again, I have NO PROBLEM WITH. I do, however, have a problem with SIX FRIGGIN BULLIES being the cause celeb. They aren't. And trust me, the moment one of them gets in trouble again (and it WILL HAPPEN), you will never hear the end of it...from whitey.

Again, they are NOT Civil Rights heroes. The Genarlo case is much more pertinent and a far more devestating case of "Southern" justice.

For the record, nitwits, I DO NOT deny racism. I don't deny institutional racism. And I've certainly never denied that we are treated different in this so-called justice system. What I can't get down with, however, is the same halfwits that protest this case, can't seem to say a friggin coherent sentence about the fact that what these kids did WAS WRONG and they DESERVE TO BE PUNISHED! If you don't think so, then let me get six of my friends so they can beat the sh!t out of your kid and kick him/her in the head when they're unconcious. After that happens, get back to me and tell me how you feel.

And friggin Sharpton as the leader? Are you serious? Sharpton, frankly, is the kind of one dimensional Negro that whites loves. Of course Sharpton can spot bigots. All bigots can spot each other. One of the quickest ways to spot a white bigot is to see how they respond to the word "Sharpton." You see, bigotry, in America, is symbiotic. Sharpton is just a hustler, a man that was a roady for James Brown, a so-called preacher at 7. Gang, he's been putting on a show for years. He's a racialist show stopper in the same vein as P.T. Barnum. Nothing more, nothing less.

For the record, I have clearly stated my point with Obama. The simple fact of the matter is, he's black. Yeah, he's "clean" and "articulate" and even half-white, but in the end, he's BLACK ergo he will NOT be the president. This is 2007 NOT 2077. I don't live in DENIAL of where we're at in this country. And this country, still, is not ready. Besides, you're talking about this issue and Obama has done nothing but make great speeches all the while losing points in the opinion polls.

Finally, as African Americans, we must always stand up for truth and justice in all of its forms. We, as African Americans, know that, frankly, many whites just can't do this. We know that in their politics, standing up for what's right won't win many elections in many counties. We know that. However, taking up this moral challenge means that we must always seek the truth of things. We cannot, ourselves, become compromised in our effort to highlight injustice in a, still, predominately white system. The JENA case has brought out the worst in everyone. Six kids beat the living sh!t out of one. Their justice was, frankly, hick justice and that should be opposed. This does not, however, make them celebs.

I mean, really gang, these fools were invited to the friggin Hip Hop Music Awards. WTF has the JENA 6 done? :rolleyes: Six on one beat down gets you into exclusive parties? Give me a break.

Stand for justice in all its forms. That's our challenge in this AND EVERY case.




Thank you for your long drawn out response!!:rolleyes:

[newarksbravest]

On Friday, November 2, 2007, I will boycott the following:

1) Two sizes too big white t-shirts

2) sagging pants w/ draws showing

3) dreadlocks on anyone who is not a "Rasta"

4) hair weaves (my Wife won't be pleased)

5) Memphis, Jersey, Atlanta, New York or any other "fried" chicken joint that doesn't start with Kentucky

6) all bodegas

7) any person nodding on any corner selling a Star-Ledger

8) Rooks' Castle

9) Bon Jovi

10) "Why Did I Get Married" by Tyler Perry... it's date night with the Wife and I will see "American Gangster". I know she wants to see Denzel. This is a no-brainer! Win-Win for me!

Boycott "Black Friday" then I'm down! Boycott Hot 97, 105.1, BET and that movie coming out...the remake of "Soul Food" with Chris Brown singing damn Christmas carols (I know you've seen the previews), then I'm down. Other than that, leave me and my cash be!

By the way 5, I'm feeling you Bro'!

[APH]

A local journalist tells the story you haven't heard.
By Craig Franklin

Jena, La.

By now, almost everyone in America has heard of Jena, La., because they've all heard the story of the "Jena 6." White students hanging nooses barely punished, a schoolyard fight, excessive punishment for the six black attackers, racist local officials, public outrage and protests – the outside media made sure everyone knew the basics.

There's just one problem: The media got most of the basics wrong. In fact, I have never before witnessed such a disgrace in professional journalism. Myths replaced facts, and journalists abdicated their solemn duty to investigate every claim because they were seduced by a powerfully appealing but false narrative of racial injustice.

I should know. I live in Jena. My wife has taught at Jena High School for many years. And most important, I am probably the only reporter who has covered these events from the very beginning.

The reason the Jena cases have been propelled into the world spotlight is two-fold: First, because local officials did not speak publicly early on about the true events of the past year, the media simply formed their stories based on one-side's statements – the Jena 6. Second, the media were downright lazy in their efforts to find the truth. Often, they simply reported what they'd read on blogs, which expressed only one side of the issue.

The real story of Jena and the Jena 6 is quite different from what the national media presented. It's time to set the record straight.

Myth 1: The Whites-Only Tree. There has never been a "whites-only" tree at Jena High School. Students of all races sat underneath this tree. When a student asked during an assembly at the start of school last year if anyone could sit under the tree, it evoked laughter from everyone present – blacks and whites. As reported by students in the assembly, the question was asked to make a joke and to drag out the assembly and avoid class.

Myth 2: Nooses a Signal to Black Students. An investigation by school officials, police, and an FBI agent revealed the true motivation behind the placing of two nooses in the tree the day after the assembly. According to the expulsion committee, the crudely constructed nooses were not aimed at black students. Instead, they were understood to be a prank by three white students aimed at their fellow white friends, members of the school rodeo team. (The students apparently got the idea from watching episodes of "Lonesome Dove.") The committee further concluded that the three young teens had no knowledge that nooses symbolize the terrible legacy of the lynchings of countless blacks in American history. When informed of this history by school officials, they became visibly remorseful because they had many black friends. Another myth concerns their punishment, which was not a three-day suspension, but rather nine days at an alternative facility followed by two weeks of in-school suspension, Saturday detentions, attendance at Discipline Court, and evaluation by licensed mental-health professionals. The students who hung the nooses have not publicly come forward to give their version of events.

Myth 3: Nooses Were a Hate Crime. Although many believe the three white students should have been prosecuted for a hate crime for hanging the nooses, the incident did not meet the legal criteria for a federal hate crime. It also did not meet the standard for Louisiana's hate-crime statute, and though widely condemned by all officials, there was no crime to charge the youths with.

Myth 4: DA's Threat to Black Students. When District Attorney Reed Walters spoke to Jena High students at an assembly in September, he did not tell black students that he could make their life miserable with "the stroke of a pen." Instead, according to Walters, "two or three girls, white girls, were chit-chatting on their cellphones or playing with their cellphones right in the middle of my dissertation. I got a little irritated at them and said, 'Pay attention to me. I am right now having to deal with an aggravated rape case where I've got to decide whether the death penalty applies or not.' I said, 'Look, I can be your best friend or your worst enemy. With the stroke of a pen I can make your life miserable so I want you to call me before you do something stupid.'"

Mr. Walters had been called to the assembly by police, who had been at the school earlier that day dealing with some students who were causing disturbances. Teachers and students have confirmed Walters's version of events.

Myth 5: The Fair Barn Party Incident. On Dec. 1, 2006, a private party – not an all-white party as reported – was held at the local community center called the Fair Barn. Robert Bailey Jr., soon to be one of the Jena 6, came to the party with others seeking admittance.

When they were denied entrance by the renter of the facility, a white male named Justin Sloan (not a Jena High student) at the party attacked Bailey and hit him in the face with his fist. This is reported in witness statements to police, including the victim, Robert Bailey, Jr.

Months later, Bailey contended he was hit in the head with a beer bottle and required stitches. No medical records show this ever occurred. Mr. Sloan was prosecuted for simple battery, which according to Louisiana law, is the proper charge for hitting someone with a fist.

Myth 6: The "Gotta-Go" Grocery Incident. On Dec. 2, 2006, Bailey and two other black Jena High students were involved in an altercation at this local convenience store, stemming from the incident that occurred the night before. The three were accused by police of jumping a white man as he entered the store and stealing a shotgun from him. The two parties gave conflicting statements to police. However, two unrelated eye witnesses of the event gave statements that corresponded with that of the white male.

Myth 7: The Schoolyard Fight. The event on Dec. 4, 2006 was consistently labeled a "schoolyard fight." But witnesses described something much more horrific. Several black students, including those now known as the Jena 6, barricaded an exit to the school's gym as they lay in wait for Justin Barker to exit. (It remains unclear why Mr. Barker was specifically targeted.)

When Barker tried to leave through another exit, court testimony indicates, he was hit from behind by Mychal Bell. Multiple witnesses confirmed that Barker was immediately knocked unconscious and lay on the floor defenseless as several other black students joined together to kick and stomp him, with most of the blows striking his head. Police speculate that the motivation for the attack was related to the racially charged fights that had occurred during the previous weekend.

Myth 8: The Attack Is Linked to the Nooses. Nowhere in any of the evidence, including statements by witnesses and defendants, is there any reference to the noose incident that occurred three months prior. This was confirmed by the United States attorney for the Western District of Louisiana, Donald Washington, on numerous occasions.

Myth 9: Mychal Bell's All-White Jury. While it is true that Mychal Bell was convicted as an adult by an all-white jury in June (a conviction that was later overturned with his case sent to juvenile court), the jury selection process was completely legal and withstood an investigation by the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. Court officials insist that several black residents were summoned for jury duty, but did not appear.

Myth 10: Jena 6 as Model Youth. While some members were simply caught up in the moment, others had criminal records. Bell had at least four prior violent-crime arrests before the December attack, and was on probation during most of this year.

Myth 11: Jena Is One of the Most Racist Towns in America. Actually, Jena is a wonderful place to live for both whites and blacks. The media's distortion and outright lies concerning the case have given this rural Louisiana town a label it doesn't deserve.

Myth 12: Two Levels of Justice. Outside protesters were convinced that the prosecution of the Jena 6 was proof of a racially biased system of justice. But the US Justice Department's investigation found no evidence to support such a claim. In fact, the percentage of blacks and whites prosecuted matches the parish's population statistics.

These are just 12 of many myths that are portrayed as fact in the media concerning the Jena cases. (A more thorough review of all events can be found at www.thejenatimes.net – click on Chronological Order of Events.)

As with the Duke Lacrosse case, the truth about Jena will eventually be known. But the town of Jena isn't expecting any apologies from the media. They will probably never admit their error and have already moved on to the next "big" story. Meanwhile in Jena, residents are getting back to their regular routines, where friends are friends regardless of race. Just as it has been all along.

• Craig Franklin is assistant editor of The Jena Times.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1024/p09s01-coop.htm

[spokenword]

Jena Six Mom Speaks
Days after her son was released from prison, Mychal Bell’s mother talks about the journey ahead
By Cynthia Gordy


Credit: AP Photo/Alex Brandon

It’s been a hard year for Melissa Bell. The life of the single mother of three from rural Jena, Louisiana, changed drastically last December when her eldest son, Mychal, was one of six Black teenagers who allegedly took part in a school fight against a White student. The boys were charged with attempted second-degree murder and conspiracy for the schoolyard brawl. In June, Melissa’s son—the only one of the six male students accused to stand trial thus far—was convicted in adult court of aggravated battery and conspiracy and faced a prison sentence of up to 15 years.

However, in recent weeks, Mychal’s case has taken a hopeful turn. In September, his conviction was overturned when a judge ruled that he had been improperly tried as an adult. Shortly after, tens of thousands of supporters, angered by the severity of the charges filed against the Jena Six, flooded the small town in protest. After nine months behind bars, the 17-year-old was released on bail last week. Essence.com caught up with Melissa Bell to learn how her son is coping, what they both have taken from this experience and why their battle is far from over.

Essence.com: For months you had been fighting for your son’s freedom without success. What was your reaction when you learned that he would finally be released?

Melissa Bell: I didn’t want to get too excited until I saw that he was out. When we actually signed the papers to let him out that’s when I really got excited. We’re not fully celebrating because we still have a long way to go, but we were happy to go in there, put some clothes on him and walk him out.

Essence.com: How is Mychal doing?

M.B.: He’s doing well. They have him under house arrest and he can’t go any farther than home, but all his friends have been visiting him. His first night home he watched TV all night with his friends and slept in the living room. He’s nervous, of course, because he has his juvenile court date on October 11, but he’s trying to enjoy his friends and not think about it. That’s what I told him, “Don’t think about it right now; let the lawyers do the thinking.”

Essence.com: Last week you spoke with members of Congress about the case. How did that go?

M.B.: I went to Washington with Mychal’s dad, Marcus Jones, the Reverend Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III, and we met with the Congressional Black Caucus. They told us they were going to get on this and they did what they said they were going to—help us get Mychal out of there. They’ve done that and were a big help. They said they were going to see us through all of it.

Essence.com: Are you surprised by the support you’ve received from around the country?

M.B.: I feel very good about it. It’s encouraging to know that so many people are standing behind you and still believe in helping each other. It’s great to see all the civil rights leaders, people in high places and all the thousands of people who came to the march. You sometimes forget that people still love each other like that. We need more of that in the world.

Essence.com: How has this experience changed you?

M.B.: It opened my eyes to see that you can’t trust everybody because everybody’s not your friend. Things can happen to you in the blink of an eye. Your life can change in one day. It made me think about life more and getting my kids together and getting them right with God. We’re with God, but getting them straighter with God. And I realize that your kids can be taken from you with a stroke of a pen.

Essence.com: And what about Mychal? Does he seem different?

M.B.: Yes, but not a lot different. He still likes having fun, talking and laughing with his friends, but being locked up for nine months made him grow up a lot quicker and become a man, a better person. He just knows how to handle life better.

Essence.com: Have you talked to Mychal about staying out of trouble?

M.B.: Oh yes, we’ve been having those conversations for the last ten months. He knows not to get in trouble because he doesn’t want to go back to jail and he knows that people will be quick to get him back in there. He knows it won’t take much for him to end up in jail again.
Essence.com: There are reports of White supremacist Web sites posting the addresses of the families of the Jena Six. Have you received any threats?

M.B.: I got a hateful letter addressed to Mychal. It didn’t have a (sender’s) name written on it, but it was from Virginia. Other than that, nobody’s bothering me. One of the parents, Bryant Purvis’s mother, got a phone call from some guy who left a message (threatening) her son.

Essence.com: Are you concerned about anything happening to your family?

M.B: Not really. We have around-the-clock protection since Mychal’s been out. We have undercover state police around the area.

Essence.com: This month, Mychal’s case will be tried in juvenile court. Do you think this trial will be different from the previous one?

M.B: Oh yes, I know it’s going to be different. I know that for a fact. I have an attorney that’s going to fight for Mychal. It isn’t like it was last summer.

Essence.com: How was it last summer?

M.B.: It was an all-White trial. There weren’t but two Black faces throughout the trial and that was Mychal and the lawyer. The witnesses, the jurors, everybody was White. That was the first problem. The lawyer he had then was appointed to him and didn’t call any witnesses. I know the lawyers we have now are ready to take care of business and they will.

Essence.com: What can people do to help?

M.B.: We’re still trying to get financial help. We will need to pay our legal team. Right now we have a bank account open for the Mychal Bell Defense Fund.

If you’re interested in contributing to the Mychal Bell Defense Fund, please send checks to P.O. Box 2856, Jena, LA 71342

Share a message of support for Mychal Bell and/or his mother, Melissa Bell, on our boards below.

[spokenword]

Join us on on Friday, November 2, 2007 and don't spend ANY money. If you have to shop, do it the day before or the day after. If you need gas, get it the day before or the day after. We have to join together as a community. You may be thinking, it's only one day, what difference will it make? I had the same thought at first, but just think about it. If we all save our money that day, it WILL make a difference. That day may become a weekend. That weekend may become a week and that week a month. As we showed in the 1950s, we can make a difference if we do this together.


COMPLIMENTS OF IHEARU POST :)

[CaseClosed]

Join us on on Friday, November 2, 2007 and don't spend ANY money. If you have to shop, do it the day before or the day after. If you need gas, get it the day before or the day after. We have to join together as a community. You may be thinking, it's only one day, what difference will it make? I had the same thought at first, but just think about it. If we all save our money that day, it WILL make a difference. That day may become a weekend. That weekend may become a week and that week a month. As we showed in the 1950s, we can make a difference if we do this together.


COMPLIMENTS OF IHEARU POST :)

I don't have any food in my house and was planning to shop tomorrow. So, now, I'll fast for a day. My body can benefit from a fast.

[CaseClosed]

A local journalist tells the story you haven't heard.
By Craig Franklin

Jena, La.

By now, almost everyone in America has heard of Jena, La., because they've all heard the story of the "Jena 6." White students hanging nooses barely punished, a schoolyard fight, excessive punishment for the six black attackers, racist local officials, public outrage and protests – the outside media made sure everyone knew the basics.

There's just one problem: The media got most of the basics wrong. In fact, I have never before witnessed such a disgrace in professional journalism. Myths replaced facts, and journalists abdicated their solemn duty to investigate every claim because they were seduced by a powerfully appealing but false narrative of racial injustice.

I should know. I live in Jena. My wife has taught at Jena High School for many years. And most important, I am probably the only reporter who has covered these events from the very beginning.

The reason the Jena cases have been propelled into the world spotlight is two-fold: First, because local officials did not speak publicly early on about the true events of the past year, the media simply formed their stories based on one-side's statements – the Jena 6. Second, the media were downright lazy in their efforts to find the truth. Often, they simply reported what they'd read on blogs, which expressed only one side of the issue.

The real story of Jena and the Jena 6 is quite different from what the national media presented. It's time to set the record straight.

Myth 1: The Whites-Only Tree. There has never been a "whites-only" tree at Jena High School. Students of all races sat underneath this tree. When a student asked during an assembly at the start of school last year if anyone could sit under the tree, it evoked laughter from everyone present – blacks and whites. As reported by students in the assembly, the question was asked to make a joke and to drag out the assembly and avoid class.

Myth 2: Nooses a Signal to Black Students. An investigation by school officials, police, and an FBI agent revealed the true motivation behind the placing of two nooses in the tree the day after the assembly. According to the expulsion committee, the crudely constructed nooses were not aimed at black students. Instead, they were understood to be a prank by three white students aimed at their fellow white friends, members of the school rodeo team. (The students apparently got the idea from watching episodes of "Lonesome Dove.") The committee further concluded that the three young teens had no knowledge that nooses symbolize the terrible legacy of the lynchings of countless blacks in American history. When informed of this history by school officials, they became visibly remorseful because they had many black friends. Another myth concerns their punishment, which was not a three-day suspension, but rather nine days at an alternative facility followed by two weeks of in-school suspension, Saturday detentions, attendance at Discipline Court, and evaluation by licensed mental-health professionals. The students who hung the nooses have not publicly come forward to give their version of events.

Myth 3: Nooses Were a Hate Crime. Although many believe the three white students should have been prosecuted for a hate crime for hanging the nooses, the incident did not meet the legal criteria for a federal hate crime. It also did not meet the standard for Louisiana's hate-crime statute, and though widely condemned by all officials, there was no crime to charge the youths with.

Myth 4: DA's Threat to Black Students. When District Attorney Reed Walters spoke to Jena High students at an assembly in September, he did not tell black students that he could make their life miserable with "the stroke of a pen." Instead, according to Walters, "two or three girls, white girls, were chit-chatting on their cellphones or playing with their cellphones right in the middle of my dissertation. I got a little irritated at them and said, 'Pay attention to me. I am right now having to deal with an aggravated rape case where I've got to decide whether the death penalty applies or not.' I said, 'Look, I can be your best friend or your worst enemy. With the stroke of a pen I can make your life miserable so I want you to call me before you do something stupid.'"

Mr. Walters had been called to the assembly by police, who had been at the school earlier that day dealing with some students who were causing disturbances. Teachers and students have confirmed Walters's version of events.

Myth 5: The Fair Barn Party Incident. On Dec. 1, 2006, a private party – not an all-white party as reported – was held at the local community center called the Fair Barn. Robert Bailey Jr., soon to be one of the Jena 6, came to the party with others seeking admittance.

When they were denied entrance by the renter of the facility, a white male named Justin Sloan (not a Jena High student) at the party attacked Bailey and hit him in the face with his fist. This is reported in witness statements to police, including the victim, Robert Bailey, Jr.

Months later, Bailey contended he was hit in the head with a beer bottle and required stitches. No medical records show this ever occurred. Mr. Sloan was prosecuted for simple battery, which according to Louisiana law, is the proper charge for hitting someone with a fist.

Myth 6: The "Gotta-Go" Grocery Incident. On Dec. 2, 2006, Bailey and two other black Jena High students were involved in an altercation at this local convenience store, stemming from the incident that occurred the night before. The three were accused by police of jumping a white man as he entered the store and stealing a shotgun from him. The two parties gave conflicting statements to police. However, two unrelated eye witnesses of the event gave statements that corresponded with that of the white male.

Myth 7: The Schoolyard Fight. The event on Dec. 4, 2006 was consistently labeled a "schoolyard fight." But witnesses described something much more horrific. Several black students, including those now known as the Jena 6, barricaded an exit to the school's gym as they lay in wait for Justin Barker to exit. (It remains unclear why Mr. Barker was specifically targeted.)

When Barker tried to leave through another exit, court testimony indicates, he was hit from behind by Mychal Bell. Multiple witnesses confirmed that Barker was immediately knocked unconscious and lay on the floor defenseless as several other black students joined together to kick and stomp him, with most of the blows striking his head. Police speculate that the motivation for the attack was related to the racially charged fights that had occurred during the previous weekend.

Myth 8: The Attack Is Linked to the Nooses. Nowhere in any of the evidence, including statements by witnesses and defendants, is there any reference to the noose incident that occurred three months prior. This was confirmed by the United States attorney for the Western District of Louisiana, Donald Washington, on numerous occasions.

Myth 9: Mychal Bell's All-White Jury. While it is true that Mychal Bell was convicted as an adult by an all-white jury in June (a conviction that was later overturned with his case sent to juvenile court), the jury selection process was completely legal and withstood an investigation by the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. Court officials insist that several black residents were summoned for jury duty, but did not appear.

Myth 10: Jena 6 as Model Youth. While some members were simply caught up in the moment, others had criminal records. Bell had at least four prior violent-crime arrests before the December attack, and was on probation during most of this year.

Myth 11: Jena Is One of the Most Racist Towns in America. Actually, Jena is a wonderful place to live for both whites and blacks. The media's distortion and outright lies concerning the case have given this rural Louisiana town a label it doesn't deserve.

Myth 12: Two Levels of Justice. Outside protesters were convinced that the prosecution of the Jena 6 was proof of a racially biased system of justice. But the US Justice Department's investigation found no evidence to support such a claim. In fact, the percentage of blacks and whites prosecuted matches the parish's population statistics.

These are just 12 of many myths that are portrayed as fact in the media concerning the Jena cases. (A more thorough review of all events can be found at www.thejenatimes.net – click on Chronological Order of Events.)

As with the Duke Lacrosse case, the truth about Jena will eventually be known. But the town of Jena isn't expecting any apologies from the media. They will probably never admit their error and have already moved on to the next "big" story. Meanwhile in Jena, residents are getting back to their regular routines, where friends are friends regardless of race. Just as it has been all along.

• Craig Franklin is assistant editor of The Jena Times.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1024/p09s01-coop.htm

hung to promote fear in African Americans across this country and those nooses were not myths.

Why so long after the Jena 6 incident are these myths being revealed?

Sounds like an alibi for the noose hangings because people in Jena, Louisiana didn't expect the incident to receive national exposure.:(

[spokenword]

I don't have any food in my house and was planning to shop tomorrow. So, now, I'll fast for a day. My body can benefit from a fast.




FASTING AND PRAYER IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL!

JUST DON'T SPEND ANY MONEY TODAY!!!!