<p>This is a non-issue. Honestly.</p>
<p>...enough to distract sheeple from wasteful government spending, the devaluation of the dollar, Al-CIAda, illegal immigration, etc</p>
<p>rl.hill, your facts are wrong - very wrong. It was not an "all-white" party that the black students went to. It was an invitation-only party, attended by both blacks and whites. The black students who were beaten up by white students tried to push their way in without an invitation.</p>
<p>And as for six students attacking one being okay because he went to a ring ceremony later on... first of all, that's terrible. Second of all, he had to leave early due to pain. He lost sight in one eye for three weeks. Ever since then he has suffered from a migraine and decreased memory.</p>
<p>Ok my 2 cents</p>
<p>Both parties were wrong, but the white kids in the incident aren't receiving as much punishment as they should.</p>
<p>Why is it that we completely overlook the fact that one of the white students pulled a shotgun on the black students at a party? Or the fact that the three nooses on the tree were OBVIOUSLY an attempt at racial intimidation. Or the fact that one of the black students was jumped the week before by a white student who obviously instigated the fight.</p>
<p>^^^and people always make up grievances after an injury for lawsuit purposes, you cant trust them. black eye= "loss of sight", he had a history of migraines beforehand, and anybody can say loss of memory, so his statements could be bs</p>
<p>Should the Jena 6 have had the honor and courage to walk away and rise above racism instead of succumbing to it? yes, they definitely took a step backwards in the face of a racist society. But if the students were white would they have been charged with attempted 2nd degree murder? I strongly doubt it. </p>
<p>The school should have taken action much sooner but hesitated to do so because the white students were just "being teenagers". Those students who hung the nooses should have been expelled to send a message and squash the issue right then.</p>
<p>And whoever is calling it "playing the race card", is truly ignorant of our world.</p>
<p>Umm, when Jesse Jackson is getting involved. The race card, by definition, has been played.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Why is it that we completely overlook the fact that one of the white students pulled a shotgun on the black students at a party?
[/quote]
Your facts are also wrong. Those were two completely separate incidents, the shotgun and the party.</p>
<p>I think that we all need to understand that different crimes result in different punishments. It is wrong to focus on the past as a way to justify one’s actions. In other words, criminal actions should always be taken at their face value. So, why are we trying to equate crimes based on the color of the person’s skin doing the crime?<br>
*Example #1: *
Knocking someone to the floor and kicking them in the head after they are unconscious.</p>
<p>*Penalty under our law: * Aggravated Battery; Attempted Murder (although attempted murder sounds harsh, it could still fit this particular crime….the problem is that it would be hard to prove the motives of the attackers)
*Penalty given (currently): * aggravated battery (reduced from attempted murder) + expelled from school
*My recommendation for penalty: * same as given</p>
<p>*Example #2: *
Boy attends party and gets struck by beer bottles. </p>
<p>*Penalty under our law: * Simple battery
*Penalty given: * same
*My recommendation for penalty: * same</p>
<p>*Example #3: *
Boy pulls shot gun on another boy at convenience store. </p>
<p>*Penalty under our law: * Assault; additional charges for pointing and presenting a firearm.
*Penalty given: * person who took gun charged with theft of gun and disturbing peace; boy who pulled gun was not charged
*My recommendation for penalty: * If you are going to scream racism, then I will accept it here, and only here, because the penalty given doesn’t fit the crime. </p>
<p>*Example #4: *
Hanging nooses</p>
<p>*Penalty under our law: * Hate Crime
*Penalty given: * Suspended for a few day (out of school), couple weeks (in-school)
*My recommendation for penalty: * A lengthy suspension, possibly expulsion, should be the best course of action. This is a teenage prank, although one that I, nor anyone I know, would ever do. I personally think hate crimes are being overhyped in the media and in the U.S. Congress. ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS OR SYMBOLS EVER WILL. </p>
<p><a href="Side%20Note">b</a> ** If you look back in history, then you will realize that “hate crimes” have always played a role in society, e.g., The Holocaust, the Spanish Inquisition, etc……..So, why are we making a big deal about them today? It is just another way to divide society. Also, there should be no need to send a message by creating greater penalties for certain actions. If you can’t follow the law to begin with, then you don’t belong in a civilized society.<br>
<a href="2nd%20Side%20Note">b</a> ** In Louisiana, an attempted murder charge will result in being tried as an adult, if you are at least 15 years old. I disagree with this law. Juveniles should always be tried as juveniles. Tying them as adults is excessive and should not be used as a deterrent to future criminal activity. I say this because it doesn’t work as a deterrent; crimes will always exist.</p>
<p>^^^^Agreed</p>
<p>However, for your example #3, witnesses report that the the boy who pulled the gun was continuously being harassed by the group of other boys at the gas station and they chased him to his car, where he got his gun. Granted, he should not have pulled his gun, but they were threatening to kill him and so he ran for something to defend himself. Then they took his gun. I think that the police there took the correct action with disturbing the peace, maybe not with "theft of a firearm".</p>
<p>And for example #4, I also agree that they should have gotten expelled, but they were punished a bit more than what you listed. They had to go through a psychological evaluation, serve detentions on multiple Saturdays (I have not seen how long but, from the way I have seen it phrased in various places it sounds like it was for the rest of the school year), and attend "Discipline Court" (though I have no idea what that is).</p>