Jena 6

By Yasir Khalid

Greetings readers, I am elated to be able to come to you once again from Alkebulan Reference Center (ARC).  I hope you stay connected with us at ARC on a daily basis. We have ironed out some of the kinks in our ARC BLOGS system.  We are still working to the standard Blog format.  However, we now can provide a means where you can engage us with your feed back. Please click the View My Message Button at the end of this Blog and post your comments.

We started out on our first ARC Blog dealing with Racism, and I find it very necessary to pick up where we left off. As we know now from reading my “Racism is Alive in America” Blog, Racism is engrained in the foundation of every institution in America.  These institutions are designed, operated and maintained by whites.  Through these institutions, Racism can surface by a subtle or blatant act. A blatant act of overt Racism surfaced in the Jena 6 case.  I stated in my previous ARC Blog that when you find an injustice you should not go to sleep “mentally” until you address it.

To clearly illustrate the point I was trying to make in my “Racism is Alive and well” Blog and how Racism is robust in 21st century America, I want you to examine the following acts of Racism perpetuated against a group of black students in Jena, Louisiana. This case brings to life and gives credence to the phrase coined by our brother and New York Supreme Court Justice Bruce Wright who said, that when it comes to the Criminal Justice System in America in terms of African-Americans, It becomes a case of "Black Robes and White Justice".

On June 28th 2007, an all white jury in Jena Louisiana convicted a 16-year old black football player Mychal Bell of aggravated second-degree battery and conspiracy to commit aggravated second degree battery.  This conviction could possibly carry a prison sentence of 22 years.  Mychal Bell and 5 other black co-defendants are involved in this case.  If the racist District Attorney, judge and jury have their way in this case, these 6 blacks kids could face up to over 100 years in prison.  I read today that some of the charges were reduced however these kids are guilty of nothing but taking a stand and challenging the Racist system in Jena, Louisiana. Mychal Bell is scheduled to be sentenced on Thursday September 20th 2007.  The sentencing has already been postponed once.

The case stems from an incident that took place on a late summer day in 2006. The scene could have been one taken out of a chapter recorded in the history of Bombingham (Birmingham), Alabama in the 1950's and 60's, but this happened 2007 in Jena, Louisiana. Mychal Bell and five other black students who attended Jena High School allegedly beat a white boy and sent him to the hospital for injuries sustained during the altercation.  Prior to the alleged beating of the white boy, a black student challenged an unwritten Racists law that essentially upheld a policy from the Jim Crow era that allowed whites students to sit under a tree on the grounds of Jena High School.  This created an invisible wall of intimidation that prevented black students from going near the tree called the "White Tree". The only thing was missing was the for "Whites Only" sign.

Six black students who were fed up with this racist practice at Jena High School had no place to turn, no where to go, so they went under the "White Tree". Because the black students went under the "White Tree", some of the white students got mad and the next day hung three nooses on the “White Tree” to represent the black students should be hung with a white rope. These black kids stood up for justice in the face of seemingly impossible odds.  How many of us are willing to take a stand?  These events set in motion a schoolyard fight. The three white students found guilty of hanging the nooses from the "White Tree" were given "White Justice", a three day suspension from school.

On a Friday night, Robert Bailey, a 17-year old Black student from Jena High School (the only high school in town), was invited to a dance at a house called the "White House" sound familiar? This situation went from a “White Tree” to a “White House”. When Robert walked into the "White House" he was immediately punched in the face without warning by a white Thug. He was knocked to the ground and attacked by a white mob.  This reminded me of the Rodney King beating, remember? Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. This time it wasn't Rodney it was Robert, the next time it might be you or a close family member. It wasn't the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) doing the beating this was a bunch of Louisiana White Thugs. The one thing that was common to both beatings was that both Rodney and Robert were attacked by a mob of White Racist Terrorist.

Only one of the terrorist that beat Robert Bailey was arrested, and he was ultimately given probation and asked to apologize, while Mychal Bell remains in jail and faces a 22 year prison term. This is 21st Century American “White Justice”.  This is not the end of the saga; the night after the beating of Robert Bailey, a 22-year old White Thug along with two of his cronies pulled a gun on Robert Bailey and two of his friends at a local gas station. The black youths wrestled the gun from the white terrorist to prevent someone from being killed, and can you believe it? The black victims were charged with theft, and the White Terrorist Thug was set free.

Sisters and brothers, this is a wake up call.  It's time now more than ever to get serious. Racism is the foundation of this American system that we are depending on.  Some of us have been lulled to sleep and mislead into thinking that everyone is playing on a level playing field.  This Jena case is not an anomaly, not the exception, it’s the rule.  It's very important that we follow this case.  We need to be more connected to our community affairs.  We need to address and work to resolve these issues from a Black Conscious perspective.

Please support the Jena 6 case.  You can look at the ARC news site and link up to sources and other media that will keep you posted on a daily basis.

End Racism Now