We've all heard the Edmond Burke quote, “For Evil to triumph, all that is required is for Good men to do nothing.” These words never rang truer than now, and never did they more aptly resonate than in the small town of Jena, LA. I know, many of you will wonder, “Where in the world is Jena, LA,” and next, “Why should I care?” That's because in their unbridled zeal to update us all on the paternity of Anna Nicole Smith's baby and to keep us apprised of the latest antics of Paris Hilton and company (You know, “Real News”) the national media, both liberal and conservative, somehow managed to let this little tidbit slip through the cracks. In order to address this oversight by media possessed of a Candyland Mentality, let me bring you up to date.
Many years ago the high school students of Jena, LA, pop. 4000 and 85% white, planted a tree in the courtyard of their school, which they dubbed “The Tree of Knowledge.” The name is ironic, as future actions would show this to be anything but the Garden of Eden. Over the years as the tree grew, it became the practice for white students to congregate in the cool shade beneath. Only white students. Last September 17 year old Justin Purvis, a black student requested permission from the school's principle to sit under the tree. It was granted. The next morning students arrived at the school to find THREE NOOSES hanging from the tree! I gets worse!
The principle contacted the local Superintendent of Schools to report the incident. He wanted to expel the culprits, but the Superintendent saw, “no racial overtones,” and called the incident, “only a harmless prank!” The students responsible received a three day suspension! The next day, the nooses now removed, a group of black students approached the tree. They believed that they were living in the 21st century. They thought that they, too, had rights. They were soon confronted by the police and the local District Attorney, Reed Walters. The District Attorney was heard by nearby teachers and students to tell the black students the he could, “end their lives with the stroke of a pen.” He wasn't kidding.
In the months that followed, racial tensions rose. In November the school was set on fire! In December of 2006 a black student, Robert Bailey, was severely beaten at a local party by white students. The police filed simple battery charges and the suspect was released! A few nights later Robert and two other black students were confronted at a local convenience store by a former white graduate of the school. He pulled a sawed off shotgun on them, which they wrestled away from him before fleeing the scene. Robert's mother says this was done so they wouldn't get shot in the back while leaving! The police filed no charges against the ADULT WITH THE GUN, but filed assault charges against the three teens which were later dropped!
The following Monday a fight broke out at the high school under the tree, as white students taunted Bailey about his beating. One white student was taken to the hospital, though he was later released, smiling in the company of his friends. Robert Bailey and five other black students were arrested. The charge levied by District Attorney Walters... ATTEMPTED 2nd DEGREE MURDER!
In July the first student, 17 year old Mychal Bell, a promising young football player on track for a college scholarship, was convicted by an all white jury on lowered charges of aggravated battery as well as conspiracy charges. In Louisiana , aggravated battery requires a weapon be involved; the qualifying weapon cited by the prosecution in this case was the boy's TENNIS SHOES! His court-appointed defense attorney called NO witnesses on his behalf!
I guess District Attorney Walters was definitely NOT kidding! “A stroke of his pen!” indeed! He is doing his level best to destry six promising lives because these young students had too much intelligence, too much pride, and too much dignity to quietly conform to a system that required them to say, “Ya suh, Boss! You's right, Boss! Dat der is sho a white tree, Boss!” and shuffle on. Instead they stood up to injustice. In the face of overwhelming numbers, in the face of long-antiquated bigotry and hatred, they REFUSED to “shuffle on” for ANYONE! They proudly held their heads high, as we would want any American youth to do in the face of adversity. AND A BIGOT WITH A PEN IS DESTROYING THEM FOR IT! ...while Good men and women do NOTHING!
Since the original trial, and largely due to the efforts of African American activists including the Rev.s Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, as well as the NAACP, the ACLU, the Congressional Black Caucus, and the Southern Poverty Law Center, a Federal Appeals Court to set aside Mychal Bell's conviction and grant him a new trial. Just days ago a Louisiana Appeals set aside the conspiracy charge, as Bell was only 16 at the time of the incident, and could not have been tried as an adult on that charge. Of course that only reduced his possible sentence from 22 years to 15½ YEARS, and D.A. Walters can STILL retry the conspiracy charge in juvenile court! Of the remaining five students, two have had their charges reduced to those similar to Bell's, two others are expected to be treated in a like manner at arraignment, while the last, young Mr. Purvis, he who first asked permission to sit under the Tree of Knowledge, is still facing the attempted 2nd degree murder charge with a possible 100 YEARS!
The most heartening news to come out of Jena, LA of late is that the The Tree of Knowledge has been cut down! It's too bad that wasn't done before the Serpentine District Attorney had a chance to spew his venom on innocent students.
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