The quick answer is "no" read on if you'd like...
Bossip.com has posted a youtube video which alleges to show members of the Jena Six flossing with defense funds. And when I say flossing, I really mean flossing...one picture shows Robert Bailey (allegedly) eating hundred dollar bills! But what's the real deal? Should we really "put them back in jail" as Bossip's headline states? Or is this another sign of how quickly we turn on each other?
When I first saw this, my stomach turned...first the appearance on the BET Hip-Hip Awards...and now this! Don't they know we have roles to play when in the public eye? We most certainly can't act "ghetto" when we've reached a certain level of fame (no matter how we got there.) Don't they know how this makes "us" look? Those were my first thoughts if I'm being honest. But, after some thought, what the hell do we expect from kids?
Flossing. Bling-Bling. Making it rain. Stuntin'. These words have become part of pop-culture and are not limited to the hip-hop crowd. I've heard the straightest arrows use these words. So why is it so alarming to see young Black boys acting a fool--like so many of us do when we chase bling and shiny things?
Even more disturbing were the quick-to-judge comments from Bossip's readers. It seems neither Bossip nor its readers bothered to research this! Instead they accused supporters of jumping on Al and Jesse's bandwagon and not checking for the facts. If you have followed my blog, you know I debated this very issue before I jumped on anything!
This is apparently not a new story. A quick Google search led me to an October 1st news article regarding these pictures. These pictures were posted and removed (on MySpace) BEFORE the protest. But, a NEO NAZI group is furthering the story by posting this nonsense on its site and accusing the boys of using defense funds for bling.
According to the parents, checks and money orders come into a P.O. Box and are used for the defense fund only. I remember a recent article which said their defense is exceeding the amount of donations, a number easily tracked based on account statements (I presume.) So I would seriously question these allegations before jumping to conclusions! http://www.katc.com/Global/story.asp?S=7134753
I'm not saying these guys are saints...these pictures, if authentic, are troublesome. Seeing them at the hip-hop awards - given the recent controversy - was troublesome. They are certainly not "performing" well. But you know what? I swear I see celebrities and rappers doing much of the same...on Bossip…on a daily basis. So I’m not sure why it is so shocking that our kids would be doing nonsense like this.
I didn't realize equal justice was limited to perfect angels! It was a known fact that Mychal Bell had previous convictions. I never supported them under any illusions. I supported them because no matter what *I* think about a person's choices, intelligence level, race, class, etc., EVERYONE deserves equal justice and those boys didn't get it!!
Showing posts with label Jena Six. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jena Six. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Friday, September 28, 2007
Fire Reed Walters!!
As if his past behaviors weren't enough, these were his words from yesterday's press conference...
"I firmly believe and am confident of the fact that had it not been for the direct intervention of the Lord Jesus Christ last Thursday, a disaster would have happened," Walters said.
"The Lord Jesus Christ put his influence on those people, and they responded accordingly," he said, without explaining exactly what he meant.
Until he prayed, us Black folks were coming to destroy the town!! Fire this guy!!!
"I firmly believe and am confident of the fact that had it not been for the direct intervention of the Lord Jesus Christ last Thursday, a disaster would have happened," Walters said.
"The Lord Jesus Christ put his influence on those people, and they responded accordingly," he said, without explaining exactly what he meant.
Until he prayed, us Black folks were coming to destroy the town!! Fire this guy!!!
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Mychal out on bail!
Yesterday, Gov. Blanco held a press conference announcing that Mychal's case would remain in the juvenile s system. While his conviction was overturned, he remained in jail because the DA appealed that ruling. So yesterday's news was a big development. I just got home, logged on and saw this headline "Mychal Bell of 'Jena 6' released; bail being posted". How wonderful is that?!
Even better, Al Sharpton made a few comments...
"We do not condone violence of any kind, but we ask that people be given a fair and even chance at the bar of justice," the Rev. Al Sharpton said outside the courthouse.
"Tonight, Mychal can go home, but Mychal is not out of the juvenile process. He goes home because a lot of people left their home and stood up for him," he said.
"Let America know -- we are not fighting for the right to fight in school. We're not fighting for the right for kids to beat each other. We're fighting to say that there must be one level of justice for everybody. And you cannot have adult attempted murder for some, and a fine for others, and call that equal protection under the law. Two wrongs don't make one civil right."
Love it! Get em Al!!
Even better, Al Sharpton made a few comments...
"We do not condone violence of any kind, but we ask that people be given a fair and even chance at the bar of justice," the Rev. Al Sharpton said outside the courthouse.
"Tonight, Mychal can go home, but Mychal is not out of the juvenile process. He goes home because a lot of people left their home and stood up for him," he said.
"Let America know -- we are not fighting for the right to fight in school. We're not fighting for the right for kids to beat each other. We're fighting to say that there must be one level of justice for everybody. And you cannot have adult attempted murder for some, and a fine for others, and call that equal protection under the law. Two wrongs don't make one civil right."
Love it! Get em Al!!
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Mychal Bell's Case Moved to Juvenile Court!
Action = Action!!
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana (CNN) -- The case of Mychal Bell, a black teenager accused of beating a white classmate in Jena, Louisiana, will be heard in juvenile court, Louisiana's governor announced Wednesday.
Gov. Kathleen Blanco said that she discussed Bell's case with LaSalle Parish District Attorney Reed Walters on Wednesday, and that Walters agreed not to challenge a state appeals court ruling that dismissed Bell's battery and conspiracy convictions.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/law/09/26/jena.six/index.html
_____________________________________
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana (CNN) -- The case of Mychal Bell, a black teenager accused of beating a white classmate in Jena, Louisiana, will be heard in juvenile court, Louisiana's governor announced Wednesday.
Gov. Kathleen Blanco said that she discussed Bell's case with LaSalle Parish District Attorney Reed Walters on Wednesday, and that Walters agreed not to challenge a state appeals court ruling that dismissed Bell's battery and conspiracy convictions.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/law/09/26/jena.six/index.html
_____________________________________
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
"White Backlash" to Jena Six & Vick
Over the weekend, I saw a story on the "white backlash" from the Jena Six protests. The report detailed how race and opinions (on the case) are related. Not surprisingly, a large percentage of White America did not understand last Thursday's protest. Why were they out there fighting for six thugs? Do they know Mychal Bell has priors and is headed for a life of crime? Oh, here we go, Jesse and Al showed up...time for the race card. I saw the comments on local and national news sites. As the shell of the story made its way to mainstream America, the entire purpose of the fight got lost. Once again, we were misunderstood. So let me state the following: The protests were not about approving violence--we were demanding equal treatment in the judicial system...something that is FAR from the reality in America.
I cannot say that any of this was surprising to me. Being me, I like to look at everything from all perspectives. This is one of the biggest "issues" my friends and family have with me. t takes FOREVER for me to form a concrete opinion on something. I actually asked myself the same questions--double-checking my beliefs. Forming an opinion is a major thing and I like taking the time to weigh all aspects and come to a conclusion which is in-line with the facts AND my personal beliefs. So, believe me when I say I did not "jump" on the Jena Six bandwagon blindly.
Nope, Al and Jesse did not hand me a few race cards to play. There is no single factor--not race, anger or hate--driving my opinion. There is no single part of this story that got me either. It is the sum total that caught my attention (see below for details). Us Black folk don't sit around waiting for something to jump on. I am American and, like the rest of you, I tend to be self-centered. But the more I read about the Jena Six, the more I thought of MY children and how this could easily be one of them.
Regardless of what you think of these guys or the crimes they are accused of, this story did not play out fairly...
- For whatever reason, a group of Black students believed a tree was off-limits because of their race. They asked a school official for "permission" to sit there and did just that one day
- The following day, three nooses were hanging from the tree. The responsible students were expelled from school, however that was over-turned by the school board, and replaced with in-school suspension because hanging a noose is "just a silly prank." Actually, it's a federal hate crime!
- The Black students held a protest after the noose hangers were given a slap on the hand
- In reaction to the protest, the DA visited the school to speak with the students. He has admitted to telling the Black athletes "I can erase your life with the stroke of a pen". The Jena Six were part of the Black athlete crew.
- Teachers and officials allegedly held the Black students in a different light because they protested--some of the protest leaders are now part of the "Jena Six"
- A few days before the fight with Justin, Robert Bailey attended a mostly-White party. When he walked in, he was greeted with a punches and beer bottles. Supposedly, people didn't realize he was INVITED to the party--just assumed he was there to get jumped. Robert's first attacker was a 22-year-old man. His charge? Assault His punishment? Probation
- A few of the "six" ran into one of the guys who beat up Robert. Words were exchanged and the guy pulled a shotgun on them. They wrestled it away and were later charged with assault and theft of the handgun!
- STUDENTS testified that Justin Barker made racial slurs and made fun of how Robert was jumped at the party. This happened over the lunch period preceding the fight.
- At least one of the six says he was not part of the fight, others testified to say it's impossible to pinpoint everyone that was involved. Also only one witness testified to the alleged kick after Justin was unconscious and he was one of the noose hangers!!!
- Attempted second degree murder?...charged as an adult? That doesn't jibe with anything I've seen before and apparently the courts agreed. The initial charges were lowered in court and the appeals court said Mychal Bell should not have been tried as adult
Where is the equality in this picture? Why shouldn't we all question the behavior of this DA? We all deserve equality, regardless of our skin color, priors or anything else.
This evening, we watched ESPN's The Vick Divide which, like the CNN story, detailed how race affects opinions in the Vick case. It was filmed in Atlanta, Ga., and included a fairly diverse audience. Panelists included former Falcons players and talk radio's Neal Boortz. I can sum it up with a few sentences...At one point, Neal Boortz said, "You're not doing Vick a favor by thinking he didn't commit a crime" and the show closed with several Black audience members chanting, "We love Vick! We love Vick" over and over again.
I cannot say that any of this was surprising to me. Being me, I like to look at everything from all perspectives. This is one of the biggest "issues" my friends and family have with me. t takes FOREVER for me to form a concrete opinion on something. I actually asked myself the same questions--double-checking my beliefs. Forming an opinion is a major thing and I like taking the time to weigh all aspects and come to a conclusion which is in-line with the facts AND my personal beliefs. So, believe me when I say I did not "jump" on the Jena Six bandwagon blindly.
Nope, Al and Jesse did not hand me a few race cards to play. There is no single factor--not race, anger or hate--driving my opinion. There is no single part of this story that got me either. It is the sum total that caught my attention (see below for details). Us Black folk don't sit around waiting for something to jump on. I am American and, like the rest of you, I tend to be self-centered. But the more I read about the Jena Six, the more I thought of MY children and how this could easily be one of them.
Regardless of what you think of these guys or the crimes they are accused of, this story did not play out fairly...
- For whatever reason, a group of Black students believed a tree was off-limits because of their race. They asked a school official for "permission" to sit there and did just that one day
- The following day, three nooses were hanging from the tree. The responsible students were expelled from school, however that was over-turned by the school board, and replaced with in-school suspension because hanging a noose is "just a silly prank." Actually, it's a federal hate crime!
- The Black students held a protest after the noose hangers were given a slap on the hand
- In reaction to the protest, the DA visited the school to speak with the students. He has admitted to telling the Black athletes "I can erase your life with the stroke of a pen". The Jena Six were part of the Black athlete crew.
- Teachers and officials allegedly held the Black students in a different light because they protested--some of the protest leaders are now part of the "Jena Six"
- A few days before the fight with Justin, Robert Bailey attended a mostly-White party. When he walked in, he was greeted with a punches and beer bottles. Supposedly, people didn't realize he was INVITED to the party--just assumed he was there to get jumped. Robert's first attacker was a 22-year-old man. His charge? Assault His punishment? Probation
- A few of the "six" ran into one of the guys who beat up Robert. Words were exchanged and the guy pulled a shotgun on them. They wrestled it away and were later charged with assault and theft of the handgun!
- STUDENTS testified that Justin Barker made racial slurs and made fun of how Robert was jumped at the party. This happened over the lunch period preceding the fight.
- At least one of the six says he was not part of the fight, others testified to say it's impossible to pinpoint everyone that was involved. Also only one witness testified to the alleged kick after Justin was unconscious and he was one of the noose hangers!!!
- Attempted second degree murder?...charged as an adult? That doesn't jibe with anything I've seen before and apparently the courts agreed. The initial charges were lowered in court and the appeals court said Mychal Bell should not have been tried as adult
Where is the equality in this picture? Why shouldn't we all question the behavior of this DA? We all deserve equality, regardless of our skin color, priors or anything else.
This evening, we watched ESPN's The Vick Divide which, like the CNN story, detailed how race affects opinions in the Vick case. It was filmed in Atlanta, Ga., and included a fairly diverse audience. Panelists included former Falcons players and talk radio's Neal Boortz. I can sum it up with a few sentences...At one point, Neal Boortz said, "You're not doing Vick a favor by thinking he didn't commit a crime" and the show closed with several Black audience members chanting, "We love Vick! We love Vick" over and over again.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Well I'll Be...Mychal Bell's Conviction Overturned!!
Mychal Bell's conviction has been overturned and sent to juvenile court!!! Hallelujah!! Today was really odd...I finally posted about it and also wrote up an email urging my friends/family to get involved...and now this. How wonderful!!
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/09/14/jena.six/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/09/14/jena.six/index.html
Jena Six...What if they were YOUR sons?
I mentioned it yesterday and soon realized I have never posted the info here. I am hoping that any and everyone is aware of the Jena Six. I am also hoping everyone knows about September 20th. If not please see the links below. Words cannot express the feelings I have surrounding this story.
It's time to STAND UP and speak out people. These could be your children facing 20+ years over provoked nonsense. What happens when YOU need help? Let's join together and make a change!
If you cannot make the rally, please support the boys by wearing ALL BLACK next Thursday, September 20th!!!!!
http://www.michaelbaisden.com/Article.asp?id=470156 (Best source for info on Jena Six story and the upcoming protest on Sept. 20th)
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/07/10/1413220
FYI....Per Tom Joyner, the leading Democratic candidates were all contacted for support. Obama's team responded within hours and have requested briefs to see how they can help. They are still waiting for Hillary's response....
It's time to STAND UP and speak out people. These could be your children facing 20+ years over provoked nonsense. What happens when YOU need help? Let's join together and make a change!
If you cannot make the rally, please support the boys by wearing ALL BLACK next Thursday, September 20th!!!!!
http://www.michaelbaisden.com/Article.asp?id=470156 (Best source for info on Jena Six story and the upcoming protest on Sept. 20th)
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/07/10/1413220
FYI....Per Tom Joyner, the leading Democratic candidates were all contacted for support. Obama's team responded within hours and have requested briefs to see how they can help. They are still waiting for Hillary's response....
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Officially Obama!!
If you have followed this blog, or happen to know me personally, you know I am a life-long Democrat. The party is not perfect and I don't follow anything blindly (ask my husband!) However, I am a PERMANENT Democrat. The parties would have to do a 180 for me to change that.
As you can imagine, the last seven years have been rough! Between the 2000 election debacle and the never-ending Iraq war, I was *this* close to giving up on politics. When your country is headed in the WRONG direction, what do you do? I'll tell ya. You feel like a prisoner in your own home and become completely disengaged. I have bounced between both feelings...and yes, I do take it that seriously!
After years of anger and outrage, I realized action was my only choice. Martin Luther King, Jr. once quoted Marti Jose with, "I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees." That sums up my beliefs on everything in life. I have never been one to shut up, only to get "done" in the end. Again, my husband can vouch for me on that one!
When the media started covering the 2008 election (back in 2006!) I knew it was time. I have spent my entire life watching from the sidelines and there was no time like the present to change that. While I enjoy offering commentary, words without action mean nothing. As the cliche goes, "You are either part of the problem or part of the solution."
Mention the Jena Six, Imus/Hip-Hop, Genarlow Wilson or NCLB and you're sure to boil my blood. This country is topsy-turvy if you ask me. The rich get richer (check out this satirical Onion piece) and the poor get killed after unlawful break-ins by COPS.
We need a resolution...and I am convinced Senator Barack Obama is the answer.
I did not make this decision lightly. I started off as a STRONG Clinton supporter. I know what we'd get with Hillary...I mean she's just Bill minus the charisma right? Despite what the conservatives say, I thought she was the one. Then I read Audacity of Hope! If you saw my posts, you know this book really touched me. I think it should be required reading for the voting public. Barack is not a politician, he's a motivator and one of the best sociologist I've read. He knows what he's talking about and has gone to great leangths to analyze our issues and provide reasonable solutions to them. He is not defined or limited by his labels (e.g., Black, newcomer, Democrat, liberal.) This man is the truth and for that reason, I am officially Obama now!
I attended a volunteer meeting this past Saturday. It was not surprising to see dozens of supporters in the Atlanta area (due to a large population of Democrats and minorities.) However, it was surprising to see so much diversity in the room of supporters. The crowd was a mix of generations, colors and even sexual orientation, and we were all there to support our first Black president.
As I walked to my seat, I was greeted by a young Black male. When I first saw him, I assumed his parent forced him to come. I couldn't have been more wrong! This HIGH SCHOOL student was one of our leaders and an official Camp Obama graduate! After local politicians shafted his school--and failed to make promised repairs--this young man took action. After seeing Obama on TV, he was intrigued to learn more and read everything he could find on the senator. He then signed up to help out because, as he said, Barack is the only truth-speaker/seeker out there...and I totally agree!!!
So, for those that aren't too sure about Barack I suggest you watch the videos below and then cop The Audacity of Hope. I promise it will move you...hopefully it will move you to vote for Barack!!
As you can imagine, the last seven years have been rough! Between the 2000 election debacle and the never-ending Iraq war, I was *this* close to giving up on politics. When your country is headed in the WRONG direction, what do you do? I'll tell ya. You feel like a prisoner in your own home and become completely disengaged. I have bounced between both feelings...and yes, I do take it that seriously!
After years of anger and outrage, I realized action was my only choice. Martin Luther King, Jr. once quoted Marti Jose with, "I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees." That sums up my beliefs on everything in life. I have never been one to shut up, only to get "done" in the end. Again, my husband can vouch for me on that one!
When the media started covering the 2008 election (back in 2006!) I knew it was time. I have spent my entire life watching from the sidelines and there was no time like the present to change that. While I enjoy offering commentary, words without action mean nothing. As the cliche goes, "You are either part of the problem or part of the solution."
Mention the Jena Six, Imus/Hip-Hop, Genarlow Wilson or NCLB and you're sure to boil my blood. This country is topsy-turvy if you ask me. The rich get richer (check out this satirical Onion piece) and the poor get killed after unlawful break-ins by COPS.
We need a resolution...and I am convinced Senator Barack Obama is the answer.
I did not make this decision lightly. I started off as a STRONG Clinton supporter. I know what we'd get with Hillary...I mean she's just Bill minus the charisma right? Despite what the conservatives say, I thought she was the one. Then I read Audacity of Hope! If you saw my posts, you know this book really touched me. I think it should be required reading for the voting public. Barack is not a politician, he's a motivator and one of the best sociologist I've read. He knows what he's talking about and has gone to great leangths to analyze our issues and provide reasonable solutions to them. He is not defined or limited by his labels (e.g., Black, newcomer, Democrat, liberal.) This man is the truth and for that reason, I am officially Obama now!
I attended a volunteer meeting this past Saturday. It was not surprising to see dozens of supporters in the Atlanta area (due to a large population of Democrats and minorities.) However, it was surprising to see so much diversity in the room of supporters. The crowd was a mix of generations, colors and even sexual orientation, and we were all there to support our first Black president.
As I walked to my seat, I was greeted by a young Black male. When I first saw him, I assumed his parent forced him to come. I couldn't have been more wrong! This HIGH SCHOOL student was one of our leaders and an official Camp Obama graduate! After local politicians shafted his school--and failed to make promised repairs--this young man took action. After seeing Obama on TV, he was intrigued to learn more and read everything he could find on the senator. He then signed up to help out because, as he said, Barack is the only truth-speaker/seeker out there...and I totally agree!!!
So, for those that aren't too sure about Barack I suggest you watch the videos below and then cop The Audacity of Hope. I promise it will move you...hopefully it will move you to vote for Barack!!
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