Jena 6: Is it Wrong to Expect More of Our Justice System?

In recent weeks, I've witnessed something we rarely see publicized in the 21^st Century: blatant, outright racism - and the Jena 6 is in the center of publicity. For those who are unfamiliar with the case of the Jena 6, let me get you up to speed. "Jena 6" is the name created to represent six African American high school students in Jena, Louisiana who were charged with attempted murder after injuring a Caucasian student during a schoolyard fight. The fight wasn't the result of run-of-the-mill teenage bickering however; instead it was the culmination of three months of racially charged encounters that started with nooses hung on a "whites only" tree at the school by white students who sought to and succeeded in sending a domineering message to the black students who sat under it.

The incident with the tree, which was cut down after the students were arrested, resulted in protests among African American students who were essentially addressed by the small town's District Attorney letting them know they could essentially be handled legally if they caused too many problems regarding the tree. This incident was followed by a fight at a local party where an African American male was assaulted by some Caucasian partygoers. And in another incident, a Caucasian male pulled a gun on some African American males, and after they managed to wrestle the gun from him, were charged with theft of a firearm, second-degree robbery and disturbing the peace. None of the Caucasians in mention were given more than probation.