You might think that in the year 2007 things like a “tree just for white kids to sit under” wouldn’t exist in America. I know I certainly believed that to be true. Sadly, I was gravely mistaken. You see, that segregated tree – and town – does, indeed, exist today. That town is Jena, Louisiana, where a travesty of yesteryear’s proportions is being played out.
From the ColorOfChange website, here’s what sparked the injustices that are going on today:
Last fall in Jena, Louisiana, the day after two Black high school students sat beneath the “white tree” on their campus, nooses were hung from the tree. When the superintendent dismissed the nooses as a “prank,” more Black students sat under the tree in protest. The District Attorney then came to the school accompanied by the town’s police and demanded that the students end their protest, telling them, “I can be your best friend or your worst enemy… I can take away your lives with a stroke of my pen.”1
A series of white-on-black incidents of violence followed, and the DA did nothing. But when a white student was beaten up in a schoolyard fight, the DA responded by charging six black students with attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
Much more has happened since those 6 black students were charged, the basic gist of it being these kids have been in jail with bail set so high they can’t get released, and the court cases are resulting in ridiculously long sentences with extremely shoddy public defenses. Please take the time to read the whole story to educate yourself on this outrageous, racist mess.
You can help. There is a peaceful march being held on September 20th in Jena. If you’re in that area, please consider participating. The kids need help for their legal funds, so if you are able, please consider donating. Another alternative is writing the Governor of Louisiana. Finally, please take a moment to sign the Jena 6 online petition requesting the Civil Rights Division of the US Department of Justice investigate this matter.
Consider blogging about this to help spread the word. Marisa and Suni have started an online blogging drive to raise awareness in the blogging community about this horrible injustice.