Dan is right – this story has been butchered, but I don’t necessarily blame the media . . . solely, anyway. There have been conflicting reports from day one and all parties have enhanced, contradicted, and otherwise altered their version of events.

Given the totality of the information out there – I am sympathetic to the black kids involved. I’m not excusing or condoning their actions in any of the incidents, but I do believe they were unfairly treated by the DA and the law enforcements agencies. I think that the mistreatment was racially motivated.

A.

Your characterization of the “shotgun incident” is grossly flawed.

“white kids pull shotgun and threaten to kill black students off school property; gun wrestled away, victims fled, then found and charged with theft?! Attacker faced no charges?! Puh-LEEEZ!”

* There was only one “white kid” involved, not a group of them

* The white kid was also a student

* There were three black students

* The single white student was chased from the “Gotta Go” convenience store by a group of three black students, ran to his truck, TRIED to grab his gun, but lost it in the ensuing struggle. You make it sound like he started the incident, but he clearly didn’t.

* Just think logically… if he HAD the gun pulled on them and was threatening to kill them, how were they able to stroll up to him and wrestle it away? Are these black students some sort of superheroes? No.

Like with so many aspects of the Jena 6 saga, most people are ignorant of the facts and blindly believe the first news report they stumble across.

Branches are not races.

Laurie

Now, that’s just my perspective as a white guy growing up there and I’ve never spent much time there as an adult. But I see the near absence of a middle class here in New Orleans as divisive. People on both sides are quick to point out that they’re not [insert group here]. So there’s a tendency on everyone’s part to see the differences – sometimes in horribly inaccurate categorizations. But, like you pointed out very well, there’s a big gray area. And I think sometimes broad class statements take on a racial charge that may not be necessary. Still, you can’t discount the racial implications because as soon as you do, examples of institutional racism surface to suggest there is a racial bias in the system (i.e. per capita income by race, availability of quality health care and let’s not forget the implications of prison demographics).

It may just be that there were significant race riots in Cincinnati in the 60′s and as a result, the community that is Cincinnati seemed to sort it out and I probably grew up in the fallout of that. Also, Cincinnati wasn’t as heavily hit by the introduction of Crack cocaine in the 80′s and later heroine in the 90′s so that didn’t impact the delicate balance. There was, however, a pretty big problem with neo-Nazis in the 90′s but somehow that was seen as a “white problem” since most of it ended up being white on white hate crimes.

Truth is, I don’t really know the answer, but I’m confident there is one. It’s just lost in misinformation and ignorance and suspicion. Some individuals and groups are really doing great work to bring things together but still others are pulling it all apart. Its unfortunate. But I do know this; talking about it has to be a good thing as long as its respectful and honest. It doesn’t mean everyone has to agree, but everyone should be able to state what they think, and more importantly, why they think it. If you don’t know why you think something then you’ve never questioned it so you’ve never given yourself a chance to grow out of some of the beliefs you inherited that may just be wrong. And it gives you a chance to appreciate the things you inherited that were right and to make sure you pass that stuff on. If everyone did that, many of the beliefs people hold would not stand up to the burden of proof life experience offers. These problems with race (among others prejudices) would have long since disappeared into the books as just an ignorant phase of human evolution where people were hurt and killed for no good reason at all…like so many others already behind us.

Damn, where’s OJ when you really need him