Does anyone find it crazy that the "Jena 6" are being portrayed as victims when they in fact committed a hate crime based on race? While the decision to not prosecute the white boys for hanging nooses to scare blacks was out of line, it is equally out of line for black people to beat the crap out of a white person for the same reasons. If 6 white guys did the exact same thing to a black guy, Al Sharpton would be hollering, "HATE CRIME!!!!!!", and demanding that the perps be brought to justice, but he's defending black people who did the same thing. These guys have committed a hate crime, plain and simple, and even though it was reactionary to the noose incident, and should be prosecuted for it. That, I believe, is the reason why so many hate crime law supporters are seen as hypocrites when people of their own race or ethnicity commit crimes that, by their own definition, is a hate crime. Johnny Bravo
Part of the reason why people are so upset about this is that the black students are being charged with attempted murder, while the white students were only charged with simple battery (a misdemeanor) for assaulting a black student at a party. From what I understand, the "Jena 6" committed the crime they did in response to some white students mocking the black student whom they had assaulted. Of course, that doesn't justify their actions, either. The whole thing is really sad, though. We shouldn't still be having these kinds of problems in America. I feel really bad for everyone involved, for whatever kinds of hatred and anger made them do these things and for having to deal with all of the negative energy that that environment must be full of now.
I think both sides are wrong, but the charge of "attempted murder" is a little outrageous! They could get up to 25 years in jail. That is horrible. I think hanging nooses is attempted murder too. As a side note, there are child molesters and rapists who get out of jail in as little as 2 years; meanwhile, these young men may get 25 years. It's horrible. There has been protests at the university I go to all week. It's beautiful to see people speak there opinions to get their voices heard.
