By all accounts the March on Jena, Louisiana today was a huge success. And quite honestly, it could have started a whole new era for the civil rights movement in this country. I felt proud of my peeps and their activism today, and it gave me serious hope for the future. It was amazing to see all the people of color here in Philly, coming together for a common cause, and showing solidarity by dressing in black. And one only has to read the comments section of my last post, to see that that spirit was not only here in Philly, but it was nationwide as well.
That was the good. So now let me tell you about the not so good. It would seem that our so called progressive friends in the "blogosphere" have been strangely silent about Jena. Yes folks, once again, our so called friends on the left, have shown that they only care about our causes when it suits them and their agendas.
Shame on you Kos, MyDD, Huf Post,and all the usual suspects. You guys had a chance to step up to the plate and show us that you are our friends and you came up small. I expect this kind of treatment from the folks on the right, not you guys. Look, I blog about the war constantly, because it's fucked up, and young Americans are losing their lives to make some fucking oil companies rich. So I understand your issues with the war, and the fact that you have to blog about it. But would it kill you to show some passion and blog about social injustice and domestic terrorism in our own fucking country? Would it kill you guys to get a fucking clue and not be so far behind the eight ball? Folks, when the gang at CNN are ahead of Markos and company on Jena, we have a problem. The entire orange crush crew ought to be ashamed of themselves.
But honestly, I don't even know why I bother. I am feeling like a hypocrite for telling people like Francis Holland to leave the progressives alone, when I am doing the same thing by even tripping about this. I don't know, I guess I was just hoping....aah fuck it.
Yep, this was almost a perfect day, until I read this wonderful post, from a blogger with a coffee avatar, and realized that even perfect can be a relative term.
I'm out.
86 comments:
I don't think I understood this issue until today. Honestly, I didn't know what Francis Holland was so excited about... but it's true. I first read about this issue on African-American blogs like this one... and only last week or so did CNN pick up on this. And still, little or no play on Kos or HuffPost, and virtual silence on Salon and Slate. My liberal white friends have little to no idea what the hell Jena is about.
I get it now. If it wasn't for black blogs, I don't even think CNN would have given it much thought. My eyes have opened.
Jimbo
Jimbo, the fact that you are a regular on this blog, tells me that your eyes have been open for awhile. Now if we could just get some of your white liberal friends to the fields :)
Working on it!
Jimbo
No one goes on and on about their black friends like white liberals. They have their own issues with race they just don't see it because they are too busy trying to call out the Republicans for being a racist party.
Wasn't able to attend the march but I was definitely there in spirit...dressed in all black....it was beautiful to get a nod & smile from passersby who were also dressed in black
FN,
As I told P6, I have been having my own Francis Holland-type relationship with a mainstream ' thoughtful' blogger.
I've been sending this blogger information about The Jena Six for months now, and NOT ONE MENTION in his blog.
But, his refusal to even acknowledge The Jena Six pissed me off awhile ago, but now I send the emails just to let him know that he can lie to everyone else but himself about not knowing about this story.
Yet, I am thrilled to have the Black Blogosphere, and today was a good day. Some days you wonder why we blog - we got that answer. And, I don't think it's too much to toot our own horn. To be proud of sites like ColorofChange and The Afrosphere.
Without the Black Blogosphere, along with some Black-owned media, this story would have been nowhere, and we know, in the depths of our hearts, that the rest of The Jena Six would be on their way to being convicted by All-White Juries. We know it in our souls.
So, while we told Francis to leave it alone, I understood why he couldn't. And, yet, the Black Blogosphere is just rolling on.
We need flame throwers like Francis out there. And, always have a place at the table for him when he wants to rest awhile for his next battle.
First Shaquanda Cotton, then Genarlow Wilson, now The Jena Six. How many more of these ' moments' is the supposedly 'Progressive' blogosphere going to 'miss' before we get the missive.
THEY DON'T WANT ANY OF OUR ' BLACK' PROBLEMS.
Isn't it obvious?
I am so proud of the marchers being in unity to accomplish a goal. Equal Justice for all!
God Bless The Jena 6!
Yep, I just wanted to tell you that I am sitting here watching CNN, and no one had a story like theirs, at least in depth. You need to add that atty gen to your house Negroes, he was a complete and total ass.
rikyrah...
"How many more of these ' moments' is the supposedly 'Progressive' blogosphere going to 'miss' before we get the missive.?"
Sis. They knew about Jena, believe me. But the "progressive" nee, "white" blogosphere is about a powerstruggle within Whiteland. Issues facing black folks are only relevant to them to the extent to which one or another white faction can mobilize these issues in support of their power struggle against another white faction.
This is why I have been arguing for so long that black assimilationism is the wrong political move.
Michael, you got it exactly right. Thake a look at Huffingtonpost. It's damn near overflowing with posts about the Republican candidates declining to appear at the Morgan State forum. That's because it serves their purposes and interests to make a stink about that particular issue.
... and we are surprised because ...
I'm just annoyed with a lot of the blogosphere already. The blogosphere is definitely a microcosm of what's really happening outside of cyberspace.
Please, Field, as Francis has been trying to tell you, me, and everyone else on this blog that Markos is not a progressive. He's an ex-Reagan ReThug, who gave birth to those damned "Reagan Democrats" that mashed out Jimmy Carter and allowed Reagan to set the foundation for the Bush junta.
Arianna gets a slap, cause she's usually on top of shyt like this. But, again, you're dealing with an ex-ReThug.
I can't speak for MyDD, but Chris Bowers and Matt Stoller have been all over this over at OpenLeft's blog (they left MyDD, so that might explain the silence over there).
CNN said the other blogs kept the heat on about the Jena 6 - no mention of DailyKos at all. It was also silent how CNN didn't mention DailyKos, either.
I think we should allow Francis to do what he does regarding "progressive" bloggers like Kos because they are really subversives for the ReThug Reich Wing.
Mychal Bell, Genarlow Wilson, Shaquanda 'nem welcome in your hood?
They (Mychal Bell, Genarlow Wilson, Shaquanda 'nem type Negroes) welcome where you stay Field?
If not, then do not release them into anyone else's hood.
`
Field, I've got tears in my eyes this morning. I just visited a Black blog in Louisiana by a guy named "Reginald M." who started a blog called "Listen to me for a Minute" about the Jena Six back on April 10, 2007. This blog had the first in-depth description of the Jena events that I had read, so it really is how I found out how bad things really were in Jena.
I wrote a comment to Reginald M and virtually begged him to join the AfroSpear, but I haven't heard from him again. Still, the thing about posting a blog is that it is virtually eternal. It speaks for you and to you even when your voice is tired and you can't say anything more.
If I could, I would hug Reginald M right now and tell him that we never did forget him and we never will forget him and his community here in the AfroSpear.
We need to build a national movement of Reginal M's, which is why I've been bugging the AfroSpear to invest its efforts in the Black Accused Support Groups, encouraging victims of police brutality and injustice to start blogs and link those blogs nationally.
Well, even if the whole AfroSpear hasn't adopted by BASG acronym, the entire group has taken up this cause in earnest and acronyms don't matter a wit. I'll take a 60,000 person demonstration over an acronym any day!
A reporter asked me how we decide what issues are priorities in the AfroSpear. I told her that we all write about what we feel and our feelings and our advocacy reach a critical mass around the things that touch the most people most deeply. Every family in America, there is someone (like me) who has been persecuted by the police just for driving while Black.
Yeah, I've been stopped and told that I was "weaving," with officers asking if they could look into the trunk of my car, hoping to find a leaf of marijuana that would have been insignificant thirty years ago, but now can send a Black man to jail until his kids are grown up.
Now, I live in Brazil, and maybe I should be at the beach, trying to forget what's going on in the big prison yard that the United States has become. But, even at the beach, I cannot forget what my brothers and sisters are going through in Jena, Louisiana, and Killadelphia, and the Union City Texas "Salty Burger" shack. So, here I am, even though I'ms even thousand miles away.
We've had an historical victory this week, with more to come. It's alright to take a moment to cry today for what we've been through, for Reginald M. and the "Listen to Me for a Minute" blog.
And it's alright to take out our cudgels and give Markos Moulitsas one more crack over the head.
i don't know field. i am usually with you but after reading these last two post, i can't stop shaking my head.
a quote that comes to my mind after reading some of the comments from yesterday and today.
"I understand wearing black because you don’t want to see the book thrown at these boys or because you want the racism is this town to be erradicated but for any other reason, it is absurd. It is absurd to think that this situation wasn't provoked. It's absurd to think this march couldn't have happened well before they beat that boy down when the issues that precipitated the beat down occurred. It's absurd to think that those whites involved don't deserve to be punished for their involvement. But it is also absurd to think Bell doesn't deserve punishment for his actions."
JustMyOpinion
Field and Francis:
Your screaming about the progressive bloggers not covering the events in Jena have resulted in the following:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/9/21/11536/1665
And over at Pam's House Blend, she took her fellow progressive bloggers to task. FDL's Jane Hamsher is excusing herself on the grounds of "If I say something about it (Jena) now, I have to defend myself against racism..."
Think "The Dog Ate My Homework" excuse on that one. But isn't she one of the progressive bloggers that banned our guy Francis' from posting there about these very issues?
First, let me say I found out about the Jena 6 on blogs such as yours, Black Agenda Report, etc. So thank you for educating me on this issue, one that before i came across your blog I knew nothing about. And I blogged about it at Booman Tribune. Unfortunately, we're no Atrios, Firedoglake or Daily Kos in tern=ms of page views, membership, etc., and it astonishes me that those big blogs have chosen to ignore what is one of the most significant news stories of this year. All I can say is that you are probably right: its not an issue that directly effects them so they don't bother. I wish I was wrong about that, but I fear I am not.
Mychal Bell Denied Bail
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-09-21-jena_N.htm
On NPR's Day-to-Day show, they are characterizing the white victim of the Jena 6 as the "Forgotten Victim". And giving his father a platform to speak.
LOL
-Caged Lion
Anon/Just My Opinion 1:00pm
Do you find it absurd that two white men drove their red pickup truck around Jena as marchers were leaving with hangman’s nooses dangling from the cab?
No one is condoning the actions of the Jena 6 it is the actions of the legal system. No it is not absurd to think the boys should not receive some sort of punishment for their actions, but it is absurd in 2007 that it is okay and it is only a prank to hang nooses to intimidate. It is also absurd to give the white youths a slap on the wrist (simple assault) for beating up a young black, but give Jean 6 felony charges. This legal injustice is happening in my cities around America and I hope the young blacks and the whites that marched to protest America two tier justice systems continue to fight and expose the racist in our legal system.
Now that Jena 6 is in the MSM the spinning has started. I will let the talented blog bloggers talk about that, but I do have this to say. MSM is trying to associate the organization of what happened in Jena as the Jesse and Al show. That couldn’t be further from the truth had it not been for talented blog bloggers, black radio personalities, artist, and young activist yesterday would not have happened. Al and Jesse came in on the tail end and they damn sure do not deserve the credit of mobilizing thousands of blacks to march in Jena and hold rallies in other states.
It is time for MSM to stop promoting Al and Jesse as Black Americans leaders. There are many unknown and known blacks in America who champion causes that affect Black Americans and it is time for the MSM to take notice and stop making it about Jesse and Al.
When are we going to get that the binary system we're sold - conservative vs progressives - is a bullshit dichotomy, primarily because it doesn't exist.
People who classify themselves as white may have differences regarding tactics, but not in terms of their aims for this culture. Spending time bemoaning white progressives lack of interest in us...you CANNOT be serious?! They are letting you know how they feel about you. Pay careful attention.
Now what?! Continue to complain about how they don't care/aren't for real?
OR, turn to those who do care and work with them "EXCLUSIVELY." Create and expand OUR media, OUR networks, OUR pro-active actions. OUR agenda.
We don't have the same agenda as these folks and they let us know this Monday thru Sunday. When are we going to learn?
Jena 6 is on Kos. It's at the top of the recommended list right now.
But yeah, field, I know what you're talking about. Until the story hit the MSM I could count on my hands how many times this story was given any real attention on there. I wrote a couple diaries on it, only to watch them get flushed down the drain.
Most of the people there are more concerned with diaries talking about their favorite primary candidate than they are with current events or issues. It's frustrating as hell.
Maxjulian, I am a white liberal. And my issues are the same as yours. I wouldn't be here if I didn't care.
Just because some other white folks are total jackasses doesn't mean ALL of us are.
And yes, thank you Field. If it wasn't for this blog I wouldn't have known about the Jena 6, the McDonalds incident, or the bullshit about white people kidnapping a black woman and making her eat feces while calling her racial slurs somehow isn't a hate crime according to a white southern attorney.
OT: Some jockeys for your sidebar.
-Caged Lion
http://static.crooksandliars.com/2007/09/yaf.jpg
Some jockeys for your sidebar.
-Caged Lion
I guess noose hanging is the "in" thing these days. It was done today at a North Carolina school.
Check it out here.
Pam is terrific. She's become an A listblogger, but she works at keeping a ground level view.
Even as the Jena Six demonstrations were occurring, the prosecutor was insisting it wasn't about race. Excuse me? You mean those thousands of demonstrators in your streets are just there for a freakin' fun day under the southern sun? Ya know what Bull Connor used to say about "outside ajitaytahs comin down heah to rile up our cahlud folk."
"Mychal Bell, Genarlow Wilson, Shaquanda 'nem welcome in your hood?
They (Mychal Bell, Genarlow Wilson, Shaquanda 'nem type Negroes) welcome where you stay Field?"
Yes, nsangoma, "nem Negroes" welcome where I stay, but you are not. I don't like clutter on my lawn, and I don't need a lantern. So honestly, I really don't have any use for you,sorry ;)
Yep, the Al & Jessie thing is getting a bit old. But I will give MLK Jr. credit, he was on CNN and he gave credit where it was due.
But hey, it's getting ugly folks. No bail. KKK web sites heating up. Publishing the address of the Jena 6 with no police protection.
But I know that you all didn't expect that there would be no backlash. Just brace yourselves for it.
"JustMyOpinion", again, this is not about Mychal Bell, it's about a justice system in this country that treats people of color in a subjective manner. As I said earlier, you ar emissing the point if you are not choosing to focus on the larger picture here.
I must say, the dialogue here is riveting. I am not sophisticated enough to speak about the Jenna 6 except as an onlooker and a mother of sons who could someday find themselves in this same predicament. I do believe this incident is an indication of a more systemic problem of race and class in America. I am not sure how to begin to think how all this may turn out. I suspect it will get worse before it gets better. We have telling examples of blantant racism before us--Katrina, Jenna and countless other stories that we know and will come to know in the days ahead. The real question is how do we move forward in America? And what will this mean for linersla, conservatives, Republicans and Democrats alike. If there ever was a more pregnant moment in our history in America, now would be the time to see sweeping changes.
First, Field, I told you to leave Jason W be. We NEED Gadflies like that to balance out the idiot rapper and athletes out there, and folk like Dyson who spin academic excuses for their foolishness.
I donated a sponsorship for some Howard students to go down there. But then I asked them to march in their heads to stop the madness in our own backyard (which i just blogged on). We'll see, because our young people still have a better chance of being victimized by our other young people than by cracker DAs, cops, and teenage rednecks hooped up on brew. BET that...and I'm sorry.
In fairness to one white liberal blogger, Majikthise has been good on Jena and good on Genarlow Wilson.
Field, I was working in DC yesterday and I saw a massive contingent from, I think, Coolidge High School, a proud army of young organized activists with black Jena 6 T-Shirts. Of course, I was too pissed off at getting laid off of a project I was working on to notice the details.... But they were well organized at Union Station's Metro entrance, presumably for a support rally.
Idea for those in a state with a member of the senate judiciary committee: Write to your senator, and ask them when they'll be holding hearings on Jena.
Here's my first letter:
Senator Arlen Spectre,
I would like to start by reminding you that I appreciate your work in attempting to re-instate Habeas Corpus. This shows dedication to our basic rights as Americans.
In the event that you missed the news of tens of thousands of protesters in Jena alone, there appears to be strong evidence that "justice" is being met out with extreme bias due to skin color.
Since I know that you are a champion of such fundamental rights as the right to a fair trial, when will the Senate Judiciary Committee hold hearings on the events in Jena, La?
Thank you for your time,
Wake up, bud. The "white liberals" only care about African-Americans because you mean votes to them. They don't care of your issues.
This story was covered very deeply by the right-wing blogosphere and we forced the media to pay attention. Note that you received an "Instalanche" today and now take a few seconds to see what Glenn Reynolds has witten of this story.
As with any story that ninvolves human rights, it's always the right blogosphere blogging about it, the libs blog about how evil Bush and Cheney are for the 768,098th time. It gets old.
They'll start writing about it now that it's front-page just as Jesse Jackson finally took notice after the media reported it.
Read some right-side blogs and you'll see what I mean. I imagine the fact that MyDD and Kos not paying attention is surprising to you, it sure as hell isn't to anyone who pays attention to both sides of the blogosphere.
I am a white, conservative Republican who supports the war. I've done a lot of reading on the Jena 6, and you are absolutely right that there is clear prosecutorial misconduct going on here, in a place where racism clearly runs rampant.
They shouldn't have beaten that boy. That's clear, and it's against the law. However, given the passes given to the violent white kids in the past, I can't say I blame them.
Just don't let Jesse and Al turn this into a caricature, or it won't get the attention it deserves. They'd never listen to me; maybe they'll listen to you.
Black people need to stand up for the right to assault white folks.
It is what Martin would have wanted.
I'm so proud of field negro.
What with whitey hanging nooses, assault shouldn't even be a crime for black people and murder should be just a misdemeanor.
Stand up for the brothers.
Seriously,
This case is so effed up that both sides deserve to lose.
Oh yeah. Blacks are just part of the Democrat plantation. Why not? Alcee Hastings, William Jefferson, etc. Democrat/black exemplars.
Publishing the addresses of the Jenna 6 is terrible.
I recall the Duke case where the addresses of 46 LAX players was published.
And those boys hadn't even committed a crime. Unlike Bell.
I wonder if any Jews were involved in the 6 case? Maybe we can get the Rev. Al to burn them out.
Let me also say that Jason Whitlock had some important things to say about character. Something that has evidently gone out of style since Martin was killed.
Shame.
Look, I'm as progressive as anyone, but the facts in this case are not all that clear cut.
There is a lot of blame on both sides, and pretending that it's a simple case of white race hate only makes progressives look like idiots.
Are there some valid issues here? Sure are. Plenty of them.
But this isn't 1965, that isn't the bridge in Selma Alabama and the Jena 6 are not the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
Sorry.
We'll all get on board with you when there's a serious wrong being committed, but these six kids who bat up an innocent white kid two months after some stump-toothed, sister-marrying redneck yokel hung up some nooses isn't striking a blow for civil rights, it's just hooliganism.
I am a white, conservative Republican who supports the war. I've done a lot of reading on the Jena 6, and you are absolutely right that there is clear prosecutorial misconduct going on here, in a place where racism clearly runs rampant.
They shouldn't have beaten that boy. That's clear, and it's against the law. However, given the passes given to the violent white kids in the past, I can't say I blame them.
Just don't let Jesse and Al turn this into a caricature, or it won't get the attention it deserves. They'd never listen to me; maybe they'll listen to you.
What he said. But I'm Australian. That means I have less of an idea of the facts, but maybe a bit more in the way of obectivity.
In any case, it seems like this racist hellhole is atypical of the US, a real problem, and that "prosecutorial misconduct" is putting it mildly. This is no OJ case, it's real injustice to some kids who deserve severe punishment - maybe some jailtime - but nothing more than a few months at most for common assault.
Oh BTW - this may not get much airtime on leftist blogs, but the sheer injustice is being reported as such on right-wing ones, including that of the Blogfather, Instapundit.
Expect an Instalanche.
You misread the purpose of the demonstration at Jena yesterday. It had nothing to do with justice.
It was simply a gesture, a feel good, toothless gesture whose ONLY real purpose was to let the Democrat party know that the usual race pimps want their regular places at the table next year when the goodies are handed out right before the Democrat convention.
A real blow for civil rights could have been struck in Philadelphia by turning in some of the killers and confiscating a lot of their guns. That, of course, would have taken work and the effort would not have meant Sharpton/Jackson on the six o'clock news.
Sorry, guy, but Jena is nothing more than another race hustle by Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. The notion that six thugs should be let off for beating another kid into unconsciousness is stupid, and the fact that thousands of people would protest trying to make that happen is really a sad statement about the state of the civil rights movement in this country.
This country must be in much better shape than we thought if this is the best issue the race hustlers can come up with.
Dude, you're a racist. Even the name of your blog is racist. I don't think too much of your reasoning skills, either.
I've followed this case through the right side of the blogsphere.I couldn't believe that this kind of racism still existed in this country.This is the first time I've read the "black" perspective and you know what?You guys are just as bad as "whitey"!All of you racist bastards MAKE ME SICK!Both sides are wrong in this.
The 6 kids were clearly the target of an overzealous prosecutor. But when Sharpton and Jackson and the rest of the shakedown artists showed up, I tuned out.
What is it exactly that Sharpton, Jackson, et. al. do for living? They are clearly wealthy. Is it true that they shake down companies? That's what I hear. "We will march and boycott and get on the news, unless you 'donate' $100,000 to my 'church'."
Here's a fact for you. It took six black kids to beat one white kid.
I don't know.
Maybe this one white kid was the second coming of Rocky.
Maybe he was Jackie Chan in white face.
Or maybe these six black kids are cowards and you are only supporting them on the basis of race.
At any rate it's good that the author is getting re-aquainted with the party which perpetuated slavery with targeted assassination, open rebellion, censorship, Jim Crow law, and lynching.
Now they use race baiting, affirmative action, welfare, and imported Mexican slaves to keep the black man down. And the rest of us too.
"Dude, you're a racist. Even the name of your blog is racist. I don't think too much of your reasoning skills, either."
"Dude"? What is that, some kind of stoner term of endearment or some shit? The fact that you have no clue about the genesis of the term "field Negro" says all I need to know about you.
Try gettig out of your trailer park, turning off FOX NOISE, and reading a book somtime; it might really make you a better person.
As for my reasoning skills; well, it doesn't take much reasoning to see that you are pretty much an uneducated moron now does it?
"Sorry, guy, but Jena is nothing more than another race hustle by Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. The notion that six thugs should be let off for beating another kid into unconsciousness is stupid.."
Yep, I think some of the inmates at the "red state" mental asylum have escaped. Jessie & Al? Two of the most irrelevant people to black activist are front and center in the thoughts of these folks. And people wonder why A-merry-ca is fucked up.
I was going to comment but seeing as you seem to be pretty much akin to a 'African American' Fascist, you will probably paint me as anyone who opposes you
FWIW, The Jena 6 got excessive sentences
But that does not change the fact that they are still guilty of assault
Yeah, it sucks that the democrat party takes black people for granted. It makes one wonder why blacks vote monolithically for the democrats. The democrats were the party of slavery, the only party with a highly respected KKK grand kleage in their ranks. They are pro-choice even though blacks (13% of the population) abortions account for 35% of total abortions. Planned parenthood founder gave speeches to klan meetings, over 80% of planned parenthood clinics are in poor minority neighborhoods. Democrats are against school vouchers while the whites send their kids to private school for a real education. Democrats are against privatizing social security so the average black male will die just about the same time he starts collecting his $$, if social security was privatized the money he paid into the system could be used for his kids to buy their first house or grand children given a chance to attend college.
Anyone see pictures of the yearlyKos convention? Was there a "no blacks allowed" sign posted outside? Even Clinton's lunch with bloggers was a pure white event.
Keep voting for the democrat party, no doubt the klan appreciates your help.
I learned about the Jena 6 from Radley Balko, linked by Instapundit, who has been following the story regularly. Maybe the old categories and sterotypes of the compassionate liberals versus the uncaring conservatives needs some updating? Remember, it's the liberals who want to leave those brown people in Iraq, who are incapable of living like anything other than animals, to their fate. Sound familiar? It does to me, but then, I grew up in the South in the '60's.
FN, they cannot focus unless it's on some symbol of evil. Mind you the folk who've left comments that appear right wing aren't retarded, but they are hard wire for this sort of symbol-fixation...the way a baby is fixated on a tit. I've disagreed w/you before but I try to see the nuances and point out the blind myths. Indeed, you and I have gone around the block on Jason Whitlock and my hero, Stanley Crouch. But trust me, I don't think either would give the time of day to some of these folks who jump the walls at the "Red State mental asylum." hahahaha. They are deluding themselves. I'm recalling one these commenters who spoke of right wing bloggers drawing attention to Jena. Yeah, they did, bless their souls...only in derision. Then there's the person who says measuring character is out of styles since martin's assassination? Hmmm...first, who assassinated him. Second, most of the clowns had they been white adults in MLK's heyday would have despised or ignored him. Third, character, like everything else in this polarized world (and wedidn't polarize it--they did as a knee jerk to some perceived injury and true mania that "their" way of life was somehow ending...e.g., them as masters) can be twisted, misapplied, hyperexamined in some whilst others geta pass.
So FN, I have said that beating down this white kid was inexcusable. But so were the events leading up to it. So's Blackwater. So's Mike Vick. So's Bush ripping apart CHIPS (responding to a person attacking me on my blog). So's the lack of leadership from our black elected officials. So's Jesse and Al trying to take center stage. So's the racist and clearly political pussy-move/parliamentary games that the GOP played to deny DC full voting rights. You can go on and one. In the end it's all about power. As the descendents of fucking slaves and all that entails, we really can't claim we've had it or have been smart about using it, no matter how much money Diddy or T.O. has, please! And they naturally have to circle the wagons (interesting imagery from South Africa and the old West push into land that didn't frigging belong to them) to justify their stances. Otherwise every aspect of every piece of their lilly white lives would be questioned and under assault an how would yu feel were the tables turned?
Well, you feel like we feel. Their biggest fear. Flipping the script. In way, it's an admission. Subsconsciously they've seen the way we suffer. The destruction and the self-destruction. If they startagreeing with us, then they feel they aren't on top and if you aren't on top there's no where else to go but bottom, and they'll be damned if they are going to let that happen. In short, FN, being a Red State dickhead or snide commenter on this blog is not political, or even historically-based or even a vote with one's pocketbook.
It's psychological. It was not Jena that pushed their button. I'm sure even a few were as disturbed by it as they claim here. It was the response, the symbolism. Hell maybe someday they'll get counseling and see that Dick Cheney or Sean Hannity's just as much of a hustler at Jesse, sr., but that takes years of therapy. I'm opting for a new type of suppository containing Paxil for them...
Where was Jessie, and crew when Bell was busy commiting his crimes before the latest incident. Where were all the protesters when Bell and his buddies were beating some random other kid unconscious? Where were all the protesters when the nooses were hung 3 months prior to the beating? No matter how hard you try to justify it, what they did was wrong, and a felony under every state in the Union's criminal collective statutes. Just once I'd like to see Jessie and crew marching through a black ghetto protesting the black on black violence. Just once I'd like to see the thousands of protesters that showed up in Jena, pickett some crack houses in those same urban ghettoes. Just once I'd like to see the people living in those ghettoes stand up and testify against the gang bangers that make their lives hell on a daily basis, instead of the same old same old, "we didn't see nothin officer".
There is one hell of a lot more things wrong within the black community, than without, and some imagined racism because some prosecutor who is sick and tired of seeing the same faces, decides to make a point to 6 young thugs who beat a random person unconscious, makes for a great excuse for the rampant dysfunction within the black community, doesn't it?
Why is it that it's a sign of status amongst inner city black males to father as many children on as many women as possible?
Why is it that black children that succeed in school are ostracized, and harassed by other black children for being "too white"?
Why is it that so many black men, have a hard time being a father to those children they create?
Black people have been their own worst enemy for quite some time now, and until they unfuck themselves, no amount of money tossed at them, or white guilt passed out by their so called "leaders", will help them.
Ironic, isn't it, that while you complain (rightly) about being ignored on Daily Kos, a mention by Glenn Reynolds on Instapundit brings all sorts of traffic.
Damn Rev. Chris, where do I join the church of "Nat Turner's revenge"? Great points! Although we will forever disagree on HN Whitlock.
"Why is it that it's a sign of status amongst inner city black males to father as many children on as many women as possible?"
Urban legends anyone? But honestly, you make some good points, but you aren't saying anything that has not already been said here, or by any other black activist,or celebrity---see Bill Cosby-- in this country. So tell me something I don't know. I fight that fight everyday in more ways than one. So... I will leave it at that.
chas s.clifton, thanks for coming to my site. But quite frankly, I don't give a damn about "instapundit" and his traffic. It wouldn't make a difference to me if five or five thousand people read my blog every day. I am still going to speak my mind no matter who it offends. And if that bothers you; don't come back. If not, well, you are always welcome.
And BTW, I have been linked on some of those Wal-Mart blogs on the left too ;)
I'm part of the instalanche. I won't be back.
Anyone so stupid as to say: "...young Americans are losing their lives to make some fucking oil companies rich." is too stupid to waste any more of my time.
Go to hell nigger.
Maybe one reason the lefty blogosphere ignored the story is that the prosecutor is a Democrat.
Whoa, there seems to be a sudden burst anonymous people making vile, hate filled, dumb as shit, misguided, back to back comments about blacks in this thread huh?
Clearly a button has been pushed. Clearly, they're disturbed by the fact that we aren't shutting up and "taking" this one like we have in the past.
It seems they're afraid that this might start a people powered movement against injustices again, and right when it seemed they had tranquilized us all into submission/complacency too.
Me thinks that this is a good thing for freedom and democracy. I'm starting to have hope in the fight again...
"Go to hell nigger."
Mr. Reynolds, your people are not being very good guests. I think their true colors (No pun intended) are showing.
Anyway, if there is such a place---hell---do you really want me to go there? Because if I do go, I am sure you and your family will probably be my neighbors ;)
"I'm part of the instalanche. I won't be back."
Gee, and we hardly had time to get to know each other.
Please close the door when you leave.
I'm sorry about some right-oriented guys (instalaunched, like me) being poor guests, but your own use of the F* word encourages use of the N* (not Negro). If a guest acts like the host, and the host says such "people are not being very good guests", I think the host is not so great.
It's not clear you really want arguments as much as a group-hate session against injustice.
Skimming the comments, I'm glad you respond a bit, and glad you speak your mind. Also good:
- why are so many blacks so likely to be attacked ... by blacks?
- what do you think about black men being proud daddies of many kids by many women?
- are you happy to support the pro-abortion party?
- Is 90% black "unity" really good, if such unity is against advancement of black culture?
I read Jason W's account first, and your side ad about him being a house Negro, without addressing his points, makes me feel you're more of lightweight than your own opinion indicates (although, first time, you might have written more elsewhere).
I'm not sure if I'll be back often, but while I am against injustice, it's not clear to me what the right punishment for guilty aggravated assault should be.
Cheers from Bratislava.
That racist comment is a setup. Go into your Sitemeter and look, the comment was made by someone who did not come from Glenn's site.
Typical libs, if it's not racist, make it so.
Show your numbers at 2:45 and the truth will be known.
"go to hell nigger"
"I'm part of the instalanche. I won't be back"
That is regrettable. Also the comments from the out of country folks lumping Katrina, Jena, and the supposed racial caldera ready to boil over any minute, characterising this as America, that too is regrettable.
Katrina was an example of the best of America coming forward to help in a terrible situation. But because the media are geared, much like Daily Kos, Atrios (no shit Atrios didn't even blog this? - mumbles under breath "race traitor"), My DD, and firedoglake (which I am proud to say I have never visited), to getting democrats elected.
So we heard horror stories - such as rape, pillage, and plunder - grim fairy tales of murder and pandemoneum in the Superdome - rescue workers being shot at from New Orleans rooftops - never mind that the only truly out of control individuals we saw were the New Orleans PD, and other elected officials, mayor, governor, congressmen from Louisianna.
The media painted that picture because it was the only way they could draw a negative out of a truly amazing outpouring of support by the rest of America.
They will race bait on any and all occasions, because if they don't Hillary Clinton is just an extortionist with a screechy voice
and bad instincts in men, who doesn't care where the money comes from to buy the presidency, be it organized crimelords in Florida or Chicom front men in California.
I live in California, racism is something, I read about that happens somewhere else. Where I grew up the school pictures look like the wide view of the "I'd like to teach the world to sing" Coke commercials.
I regret the broad brush treatment these incidents put on my America, and what it projects to the rest of the world.
By the way, Calif is open and always available if you get tired of it, and want to download from Louisiana. (I hear the housing bubble popped so it's a buyers market)
First of all, the N* comment is not at the same time and is just from another anonymous poster. It is not representative of Reynolds' site or the type of people to whom he appeals. The most likely source is a liberal disgruntled by the criticism of the lefty blogosphere (if you peruse their sites, you will find all kind of juvenile hate speech direct against anyone who dares question the party line) who wants to pose as a conservative to push the buttons that he believes will bring you crawling back to them. Liberals are expert at such fear-based manipulation. They've been doing it a long time to seniors, minorities, and other groups they want to keep down and marching in lock step to their tune.
"I live in California, racism is something, I read about that happens somewhere else."
Bullshit. I was in Watts after Rodney King. California is a place where minorities are bought off for small change and kept in their place. If you want to go to a place where minorities have real power, you go to Atlanta.
Well, I'm part of the Instalanche too. And, though you've got a great point about the crickets chirping over at Kos and Hufpo, I'm not interested in jumping on the "See the bad lefties!" bandwagon.
I am glad that this is getting wider exposure. I've blogged a little and commented a lot - my current best thoughts here.
We would not agree on a lot of things - I'm conservative, not Republican, and I have a hard time talking to people who think there's only a dichotomy at work, and its name is either leftard or rethuglican. I'm also pro-GWOT, for the good of the globe. I took this position long before the events of 9/11, and I have little wiggle room on it.
I also have the problem of passing for white with hidden African ancestry (look up the term Black Irish, and you'll find my great-granfather in the closet) while living in predominantly white areas in Calif. and Wisc. (except for the years spent in Oakland), and struggling with inequity and a too-well hidden undercurrent of racism.
I work at a tech college, and most of our students are white because it would be racist for high school counselors to suggest to black kids that they should consider the tech route as well as the full-blown liberal arts route. But our kids go on to get the good jobs, and run companies and the community because of their business focus and acumen. And they get a two-year head start doing it.
You also consider Jason Whitlock to be a house negro - and some of his comments, especially about only race-baitors drawing a line between the nooses and the Jena 6 incident, sounded a little too stilted - I think what he had to say about community was worthwhile.
So we wouldn't agree on much, and I'm clearly grappling with my own issues, but if you check that post at Jib's, you'll see that a grasp of justice isn't one of them.
I couldn't help noticing that someone way upthread mentioned that you had experienced an "Instalanche" before the "Instalanche" actually started. Another striking comment I see is the one that gives credit to the white rightist blogosphere for bringing Jena to the attention of the mainstream media. That's bullshit, of course.
Yes, they were a few liberal blogs that were all over this story, but most of the more popular ones weren't. My question is...why is that something to complain about? As far as I'm concerned, it's cause for rejoicing. It means the the BLACK BLOGOSPHERE managed to accomplish a great thing without needing help or buy-in from anyone else. That's a wonderful thing! Now..what else can can be accomplished without having to ask other people to pay attention?
As for the "Instalanchers", what do you hope to accomplish with these comments here? There's something you're not understanding. That rigid left/right, conservative frame of yours is yours...not ours. We (by and large) don't fit into it, and don't buy it. Sorry. I think y'all know that, though. I think all you rightists are just here to vent your frustration because feel as if some black people have won a little something this week. You're right- we did:). And yes, when black people win, white rightists lose:).
Yes, i am a white American conservative with a few moderate opinions (and this happens to be one them), and yes i am part of the Instalanche, in which... you seem to come across as not caring very much for! But i am still very grateful he had linked to your site!
No, i am not very happy how this clusterf**k is turning out for everyone involved! None of this should even be tolerated by the more mature adults in this country, if there is any left!
The white kids invovled in the "noose in the tree" incident should "still" be held equally accountable for their actions, even more so as the primary instigators of this sordid mess, just like the black kids are still being held accountable for their actions, as i understand it so far! What was the big deal if they sat under the tree? That just boggles my mind, the callous actions they took!
This would have never even gotten very far if the school board had stuck to the original punishment of the white kids by expulsion as recommended by the principle, or in the very least... treating it as a crime as it appears to me! Instead of giving them a 3 day in-school suspension, WTF!?! I am not surprised that Americans on the other side of the color barrier, are as pi$$ed off as they are about this!
I also believe the adults in La., regardless of skin-color, political position or those within state government, who are involved in allowing this too get as far as it has, need to be held just as equally accountable, for their extreme failure in being the disciplinarians too the state's youth, in which... apparejntly they are sorley in need of! This is an instance where the adults need too be disciplined just as much as the kids do!
And finally, i believe justice will best be served, by not allowing all or any perpetrators, irrespective of skin color... who are involved in this "could have been easily avoided" mess; By not allowing them too get off the hook so easily or with a simple slap on the wirst! By actually doing something radical like, oh i don't know... treating this like criminal behavior?! Instead of shrugging it off as not part of anyones politcal agenda! No, i am not saying long jail terms for all involved; But make them realize the dire consequences of any future actions like this simply will not be tolerated in the very least, regardless of skin color!
I can tolerate extreme views, but i simply cannot tolerate rascist actions!!! I believe i have said enough!
Thanks for letting me get this off my chest!
OK, so help me out here:
Everyone wants "justice". Great. What's the problem? I've read the comments here, and remain hopelessly underinformed.
Six guys commit violence against one guy, and get charged (initially) with attempted murder. Protesters march, the charges are reduced. What's the problem now?
Is the problem the charges faced by the noose-decoration guys, the original charges against the violent guys, or the current charges against the violent guys?
Or is there really no problem at all, apart from a desire to posture, play the victim, and have sympathizers fawn all over you?
If the answer to the latter is "no, that's not it", then seriously, what's the problem?
BTW, on the initial attempted-murder charges, is it obvious that those were inappropriate? The MSM are doing their usual thing, airbrushing away the relevant details, but those of you who seem to know everything, tell us: when the victim fell unconscious, what did the assailants do? Did they:
(1) Call 911 or otherwise attempt to help the victim;
(2) Realize that they had crossed a line and walk away;
(3) Continue the beating?
I'm no lawyer, but in my common-sense world response 3 calls for attempted murder charges, response 2 is more like negligent homicide, and response 1 is some form of assault. But what really happened?
Kristo Miettinen
Ah. I should have just waited longer.
While I was typing my entry here, Glenn Reynolds was publishing a link to the answer on what exactly happened:
http://patterico.com/2007/09/22/reynolds-and-balko-on-the-jena-6/
The answer is #3.
Kristo Miettinen
How'd did all these 70 comments get on her, Field? Sixty dweebs or one right wing dweeb writing sixty times? Just kidding.
But seriously now you do see that folks like Kos aren't so bad after all hahahaha
I was dismayed as you were to not read more about Jena, on the progressive blogs.
On the other hand when the”Lesbian Seven,( seven young lesbian women from Newark, New Jersey, all of whom are either serving or will serve time in jail — up to 11 years – for their parts in an altercation which began when a man sexually harrassed them, approaching them in a menacing and intimidating way, taunting them with hate speech.), were in the news I looked on all the blogs for info on that. Same deal, top progressive blogs silent. Then I thought "Field Negro" I mean these women are black women. Damn not there either. Only place I found stuff about the 7 New Jersey women was on the feminist blogs and the gay blogs.
Seems like none of us is perfect.
I guess we need to educate each other, learn from our mistakes, and recognize who we have a chance at getting to stand for justice for ALL.
Go here for more info on the seven young African American lesbians run in with Jim Crow justice http://www.fiercenyc.org/updates_events/
"I'm sorry about some right-oriented guys (instalaunched, like me) being poor guests, but your own use of the F* word encourages use of the N* (not Negro).
If a guest acts like the host, and the host says such "people are not being very good guests", I think the host is not so great." Tom
What the hell?
I usually don't respond to trolls, but...
Because Field uses the the F**k word, it's okay to call him a nigger? What?!
Ridiculous reasoning!!!
peonista: For your information, the Afrospear has posted about those young women. Yes, Field is apart of the Afrospear... So, you were saying what?
Because Field uses the the F**k word, it's okay to call him a nigger? What?!
Welcome to the right's New Civility: All "bad" words are (1) equal in badness and (2) required to be evaluated in a super-special context-free zone.
Oh, Glenn. The gifts you keep on giving! I think you meant to throw those in with the recycling.
It doesn't take a Rocket Scientist to predict an Instalanche. Though as a matter of fact, I am one.
I'm also Australian, and an Immigrant. I'm also a member of not one, but two minority groups that are persecuted to one degree or another in every country of the world. Often mildly, but persecuted all the same.
I'm clueless as to the problems of Blacks in the US; from what I gather, some places there's very little racism, in a few places, a lot.
Young Black Urban Males have a rate of being murdered 3 times the average, according to figures I've seen. One of my own minority groups has a rate 17 times the average, but as there are so few of us, there's far less in aggregate. But I might know what prejudice against Blacks is like, approximately.
Here's a (fictional) story from the Bad Old Days in the Deep South.
A Bus-driver got fed up of "passing or white", and thought the new laws on employment protection on the basis of race would be adequate. So he outed himself - and got fired.
The reason they gave was that there might possibly be some complaints if a Black was found using a White restroom - even though he looked White. The bus company didn't bother to check if there were any Black restrooms available on his route, they thought there might be a liability issue. So they didn't fire him for being Black, just in fear of liability.
That was their story. They won in court too, and won the appeal as well.
Course such a thing could never happen in the USA today, no, not even in the most benighted, racist county in the country.
Now go read http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_6959500
I am from North Carolina and I thought this ingnorance would be over years ago.But I got two different perspectives this weekend.Me and my friend Ronny went to our old high school football game to se his nephew play. On the way, he asked me about The Jenna 6. I told him I couldn't believe in 2007 this BS was happening. He looked hurt and pissed about the whole thing, which cause me to hurt.This morning I go to get a coffee and run into an old man who I know well, after a while The Jenna 6 story came up and he started spouting the BS that Sean Shamity must have been spewing all week,
and I got a different emotion this time, anger! I still can't believe the racism in this country, Racism is the first sign of Ignorance. I'll stand with you against the MF'ers, this Country is supposed be a freakin Beacon? Let's Take the Power Back!!!!!!!!!!
Wow.
Even more irrational anger here today, with as yet no sense of what the problem is.
Luckily, details are available, you just have to look past the folks who have an axe to grind (as most posting here seem to).
Check this out:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/crime/jena6.asp
Those of you protesting, marching, demostrating, or just venting on behalf of the "Jena 6" should just cool your jets. The evidence isn't all in, of course, but what is known paints a very ugly picture of these young men. Enough to warrant caution and letting the authorities sort this out methodically, without outside pressure.
Kristo Miettinen
Kristo, I read the snopes link, and it doesn't contain anything I didn't already know. I'm betting that most other people besides myself who marched, demonstrated, and are venting already know every actual fact (as opposed to opinion) presented in that article. And needless to say, if it wasn't for outside pressure, nothing positive in regard to this situation would have ever happened.
I heard the same accusations against white bloggers during the Duke scandal. I warned on blogs that it wasn't such a simple issue, and the truth could go either way. I was called a racist.
The stripper (who was a mother AND a prostitute) wasn't treated right at that party. There was at least one misogynist there, and a racist or two. And three other guys who didn't rape her. The fake Black Panthers marched. You know, who David Hilliard called racists.
The whole Duke incident made people leery about being vocal about legal situations where the full truth is not known, race be damned. There's plenty of normal-looking white guys (as opposed to the loner psychos) who might have killed their wife that I wouldn't go to bat for either. I warned that the Duke case would have an effect on the early judging of cases, and unfortunately I was right. The black community got burned by the Duke accusation.
White liberals will always be accused of being ingenuine. As a member of that group, I take it with a grain of salt, because there's close-minded people regardless of race in every aspect of our society. I've met a lot of Sherri Shepherds in my time.
That's what we really need, more generalizations and stereotypes.
Go to hell nigger
Wow. A few billion years of evolution sure worked wonders in your case.
You embarrass the rest of humanity with comments like that. More importantly, you reinforce the stereotype that "conservatives wear their sheets instead of sleep in in them."
If you guys on the Right want to win friends, throwing the N-word around isn't going to do the job.
Yeah, the black community sure did get burned by the Duke incident. Nifong messed up, to be sure, but what primarily happened was that the media and the white community stepped in and constructed a narrative that exonerated those guys. I'm convinced that the real truth of what happened that night didn't get out there because it was obscured by the counter narrative. You can already see the same kind of thing being attempted with Jena. I don't think we're going to let that happen this time.
The idea that somehow Duke is a coverup simply because it goes against your own bigotry is ridiculous. The woman was out on her kids' school night, on alcohol and prescription drugs, and worked for an escort service. Duke was not her first "date" that night. Her irresponsibility further caused her to be pregnant and have a child earlier this year.
Her race has nothing to do with her false accusation, just as the player's race has nothing to do with their innocence.
She and Nifong took advantage of people with good hearts and that is unforgiveable. Ironically, the lawsuit that the former players have against the city of Durham includes reforms that will likely help people of color who might find themselves in a similar situation in the future.
I won't be surprised to see BOTH of the following headlines a few years from now:
FORMER JENA SIX MEMBER ARRESTED FOR MURDER
TRYING TO PIECE HIS LIFE TOGETHER YEARS AFTER BEING ONE OF THE JENA SIX
Supporters for or against people involved in the justice system, in their rush to judgment in praising or demonizing people associated with a case, often fail to see them as human beings with faults and merits that contradict the very evidence used to simplify their plights.
...and there's the narrative, under construction.
Just an FYI, as a white progressive, I have been following the Jena story for about 4 months on Democracy Now with Amy Goodman. I came to this website from www.crooksandliars.com. I don't know about Kos and don't really care. I do care about social justice and I love Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson.
Free Mychal Bell!
OT: Field,
I'm having problems viewing your front page - it's like there was a bad server restore. The Sept. 20th entry is the most recent one, and the page claims 14 comments (there are far more than 14 comments here).
If you need help with recovery, give a shout out. Google Cache is often a pretty easy way to restore.
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