Contact Us

To ask questions or arrange an interview with Friends of Justice:

Executive Director, Dr. Alan Bean
email: bean_alan@att.net
cell: 817.688.6765
office: 817.457.0025

Mailing Adress: 3415 Ainsworth Court, Arlington, Texas 76016

Due to high demand and limited resources, Friends of Justice is not able to respond to all queries and requests for assistance, but we do the best we can. Thank you for being a friend of justice.

DO JUSTICE. LOVE MERCY. WALK HUMBLY.

Responses

  1. WHERE’S OPRAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    SHE WOULD BE THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSON TO GET THIS MESSAGE ACCROSS!

  2. THANK YOU

  3. I am very disappointed in america’s so called criminal justice system where our black males are being treated like modern day slaves! and still none of these issues are debated among the presidental hopefuls–what an injustice for the black race in the hells of north america!

  4. I am utterly disgusted to be considered “white” in more cases than none it seems. This case was brought to my attention by my boyfriend’s parents in regards to his and my safety. We want to do something! Where can we start? Are there petitions that can be signed? Fliers that can be passed out? What can we do to help the Jena 6 from this preposterous government that calls itself a court system?

  5. Why are white men still trying to lock up the black men? It is wrong and something should be done about it. The Jena Six case should get more media attention, to not allow those boys to go to prision for beating up a white boy at school.

  6. The first comment is my sentiments exactly. Oprah we need you to get this out across the airway. Not too many people know about this. We can not let this go. Every Black person should be marching to JENA to stand up for our children.

    I need to know if a bus is leaving from Philly before the day is over. I’m mad as hell as we all should be. Can someone let me know ASAP. HELLO IS THERE A BUS LEAVING FROM PHILLY?

  7. I want so much to help these youn men. I also want to remind everyone that there is a whole community of young people that have come to their place of power. We must stand up with them or lose them forever. I wrote this poem to work toward that end.

    When Will A Nation Speak
    by Dark The Poet on September 7. © All rights reserved

    http://allpoetry.com/poem/show/3383836

    When Will A Nation Speak

    Somewhere off in Jena-land
    There is this white tree that stands
    Managed to grow through time

    Where slavery still lives
    And Jim Crow still swings
    And eye contact is still a crime

    Then came a brave young man
    And his bold young friends
    They took a seat
    To beat the heat
    Now they sit
    On the jail house seat

    Can we leave them there alone?
    Battling bygone time
    Fighting racist idiocy
    Discrimination’s foolish mind

    Has this cute little funny tickled you?
    Then it will surprise you when I say,

    I so dearly and sweetly pray
    That my nation wakes from this nightmare
    And demands from all my brethren
    That we live up to our credo
    That such dear blood
    Is being spilled in Iraq for

    How dare we imprison our children?
    Send them off to die
    To give unwanted to others
    What we our own deny

    (On 9-20-07 wear a black tee and tell some one about the Jena-6. If you don’t know about it, look it up. It will be hard but not impossible)

  8. Hey, I am coming to Jena on the 20th, I am flying in and do not have transportation from the airport nor hotel accommodations. If there is anyone wiling to share a room let me know ASAP! Mingle City member. ReggieC

  9. I am very sadden by this story. i only learned of this a few days ago and i just can not believe that this is really real!!! We as a black race can not allow white people to continue to think they hold the key to the city!!!!!!!! These kids have done no wrong. Now is the time for US(blacks) to stand in agreement and to stand strong!!!!!!!

  10. The BBC did a documentary on the Jena 6 after Alan Bean of Friends of Justice informed them about what was happening in Jena. That documentary ran in May of 2007. In the opening minutes of the video a radio personality said he had been contacted by Oprah’s “people” about doing a story. Appears we’re still waiting. Although on The Sharpton & Baisden Shows last week, they mentioned she’d REACHED OUT to the families. Seems easier to “reach out” with cash when you have so much you won’t miss it. Kind of makes you look like a savior when you swoop in with more money than a person’s ever had then put them on TV. Seems easier to tackle the topic on a show once it’s already a story than seize the opportunity to put it out there back in May because you believed the story needed to be told, when the families really needed the world to know. But that’s just me.

  11. I suggest not purchasing anything on September 20. An economic boycott (with the purchasing power that especially African Americans have) should drive home a powerful message. Let’s see what happens, what do ya say?

  12. Alan,
    Just listening to Michael Baisden and it was announced that Mychal’s adult conviction was just overturned and will be now heard in juenile court. I just want to say thanks for all your organization has done to bring this to the forefront and start the fire that resulted in this great victory. Everyone, all races and people of conscience, got together and made this happen. The credit goes to EVERYONE!

  13. Alan,
    Just listening to Michael Baisden and it was announced that Mychal’s adult conviction was just overturned and will be now heard in juenile court. I just want to say thanks for all your organization has done to bring this to the forefront and start the fire that resulted in this great victory. Everyone, all races and people of conscience, got together and made this happen. The credit goes to EVERYONE!

  14. OOPS! Post above was done at 4:15pm eastern time – can’t seem to synchronize the time with the server.

  15. CONTINUE TO WALK BY FAITH NOT BY SIGHT

    AND PUT ON THE FULLARMOR OF GOD.

    PEACE AND LOVE

  16. those white racists need to get a life ! don’t they have anything better to do? you never see black people doing those kind of things. that one blogger has a lot a nerve to say what he did on this website about black people cuz he obviously doesnt know one thing about my people he shouldnt be allowed to say that and not get jumped in the middle of the night and I hope he does (lol) ….his name is “rolling my eyes at louisiana”(what a fag ) I dont understand how one race can have so much hatred in them ,kill people and sleep peacefully @ night what’s wrong with them I wouldnt want to be white look what they’ve done to every race .I’M BLACK AND I’M PROUD SAYIN’ IT LOUD!!!! and the only reason your woman like our men is because you all suck! your gay fags! youlike other men ! your queers!rapists, predators and murderers! if he’s gonna have all that and say that about my people well go right ahead I’ll say all I can
    too(ha!ha!) SOME white people say and do all those things to blacks,mexicans etc. and expect us to not say anything back well guess what there’s more non-whites in the world than there are white you idot I’d watch your back if I were punk .Who do you think you are!
    You wanna know why the terrorist attacked us so easily ? that’s because the gov’t . is so focused on blacks and puting them in jail that the terrorist decided “hey their distracted let’s get them” if you keep trying to hold us back your only gonna kill yourselves,if those white boyz would have just let under the tree the wouldn’t have the public on their backs it shows you how smart they are.When you have a prisoner in jail, he can figure out ways to smuggle drugs and money into his cell so if you keep trying to hold people back your only making them smarter and stronger.And for saying we’re lazy ! u r so rong ….. we’re allowed to be lazy IF WE CHOSE because our ancestors were worked, beatin,yelled for 400 yrs. by your people for free and then after all that labor (free)you guys are still heartless people I dis you guys as a race like you’ve done everyone else .

    THAT’S WHY YOUR WOMAN LIKE BLACK MEN ! AND THAT’S WHY YOUR DUAGHTER’S GONNA GROW – UP AND MARRY A BLACK BOY(OH NO)LITTLE BLACK GRANKIDS CALLIN YOU GRANDPA THAT YOU DESERVE AND i HOPE YOU GET IT !!!

  17. I don’t regret anything I said in that last comment that’s too bad because blacks are lynched without remorse . innocent people killed by those WHITE DEMONS hippocrats (kkk) calling themselves christians. And then they make up those lies about black people that’s dum to believe anything they say what if we decided to make up lies about them and call them names that I won’t type because im a nice black person unlike that loser who said the n-word that shows you how nice blacks are

  18. DISCOVERY IN A FEDERAL SUIT AGAINST POLICE

    Can we get this information? How do we get this information? Does another civil rights attorney, activist, organization, or agency already have this information on the San Antonio, Texas Police Department?

    Officer’s Personnel Files
    Internal Matters Concerning Each Officer’s Conduct Not Located In Personnel Files
    Each Officer’s Training Histories and Educational Background
    Each Officer’s Use of Force History
    History of Similar Complaints Against All Defendant Officers
    Other Internal Affairs Investigations Concerning All Defendant Officers (Sometimes known as Internal Affairs “Rap Sheets”)
    Internal Affairs master logs of all matters investigated which included the defendant officers.
    “Personal History Statements” of each officer defendant.
    Performance appraisals/evaluations of each officer defendant.
    Reprimands, counseling, and coaching reports for each officer defendant.
    Applicable psychological reports, testing, and lie detector test results for each officer defendant.
    Psychological and psychiatric conditions, history of mental illness, incarceration, violence, including diagnostics, records, and psychiatric medications for each defendant officer, including but not limited to anti-depressants, anti-anxiety agents, anti-psychotics, ADD and ADHD medications.
    History of alcohol or drug abuse, history of alcohol or drug abuse treatment for each defendant officer.
    Officer’s Use of Force History
    Please craft your requests to include “All departmental internal investigations involving citizen, officer or supervisor complaints against each officer defendant”.

    I would also like to obtain arrest specific information that is not reflected in the arrest report.
    I would like to obtain all computer aided dispatch data including print out of screens that the dispatchers were looking at and completed when dispatchers received all 911 calls related to this incident (including those from civilian witnesses, Officer Christian, other defendant officers, and Officer Christian’s female companion). These print outs should contain the information the police were provided by dispatch and the time they received the information (and in what order). It should also show the names of all officers contacted regarding this matter and all officers responding.
    The actual police report in my matter – the one they have kept secret and behind the scenes.
    All defendant officer notes (handwritten and typed) which may include a record of anything any officer did incorrectly on May 1, 2004.
    All mobile data transmissions, including all e-mail from car to car, all e-mail from car to station, all radio transmissions from car to car, and all radio transmissions from car to station.
    All documented communication between officers, officer vehicles, and between officers and the police station related to this matter.
    All MDT transmissions sent and received by Officer Christian, the arresting officers, and other officers at the scene for the ENTIRE SHIFT.
    The Internal Affairs report in this matter and investigative evidence they utilized.
    None of the above information is contained in the standard arrest reports, and may contain information and/or discussion regarding the event in question!

    Finally, can we subpoena:
    All training records for the SAPD;
    Any recommended training protocols from the DOJ or other authorities;
    Defendant officer’s actual training histories;
    SAPD Standard Operating Procedures Manual, particularly relating to off duty officers, arrest protocol, excessive force, deadly force, required reporting, and other related matters?
    Any and all Department of Justice reports and/or investigations into the SAPD and/or all defendant officers?

  19. We still deal with Racism every single day, and its ashamed that some people still don’t get it, we all breath the same air, we all bleed when were cut, we cry when we are sad and laugh when we are happy, I am very pleased to hear that the adult covicton was over turned, and its nice when every one off all races take a stand together , to make a difference. God Bless and I will be following the cases here fron Canada.

    God Bless

  20. Louisiana is an embarressment to the United States. It’s judicial Justice System is dysfunctional and it District Attorney’s and Judges keep the dysfunction growing. Louisiana continues to eat its children alive black and white with its archiac laws governing juveniles.

    Why can’t it take a sense of direction from the other states in the Union and move into the 21st century.

    Jena, Louisiana is all about ego and ignorance. It should never have happened and it should never happen again in the south. It’s clearly good vs. evil in the south.

  21. I think that wrong what happen to the black kid I’m so tired of racism why everybody just get along. We are all of GOD children even though we different colors and speak different language we still the same on the inside it’s ashame that racism still going on in 2007. White people thank they can do whatever they want to us and it’s okay, but it’s not okay we are not dogs, or idiots

  22. I think that it is horrible that we still are dealing with racism after all our ancestors endured with hopes of ending racism. We must take this time out to consult God and to move into prayer position. We must act now, and become uniformed so a change can coem. Although we may not see it in this generation we can plant the seed and allow God to do the rest. My heart goes out to eveyone in Lousiana and everyone that effectedby this horrible crime. Be encouraged in the Lord. He will havethe last say.

  23. How can I recieve e-mails updating me about what’s going on with the friends of justice?

  24. I Think It Is Bull That Out Of A Whole School Yard That The Brother’s Could Not Find Anywhere Else To Sit.If It Was The Other Way Around And The Victim Had Been Black Then The Black Community Would Want There Head’s On A Stick.This Is A Prime Example Of Reverse Discrimination.What About The Case In Tennessee About The Five Black’s That Car Jacked,Raped And Tortured A White Man And His White Girlfriend.I Have Yet To HEAR About This On Any New’s Report.Where Is The Justice In This Case.This Is Another Example Of The Over Populated Black Race Trying To Impose There Weak Minded Will Over The More Traditionally Based White Race

  25. I understand the outrage. But I do not understand the suprise. Why are we suprised that this is happening? Because we no longer have to live in slums? Because we can go to college and get “management” level jobs? Because we can own our own businesses (though far to few of us do? )

    I hope this is a wake up call so that there is no more confusion. Until we learn to work together so that we can build wealth, look out for each other’s families and build up our own communities, we will never be free and there will always be thousands of Jena’s out there.

  26. Reed Walters is a Rascist Bully. I’d like to see him come up to Delaware and try some stuff like that.

  27. Download the resource guide For FREE:

    http://www.nycore.org or http://www.t4sj.org or http://www.teachersforjustice.org
    Revealing Racist Roots:
    The 3 R’s for Teaching About the Jena 6

    Download the resource guide in PDF Version or Word Version for FREE at:
    http://www.nycore.org OR http://www.t4sj.org OR http://www.teachersforjustice.org

    The Jena 6 is much bigger than the spirit of Jim Crow being found alive and well in the South!
    The Jena 6 crystallizes the police violence, discrimination, and criminalization faced by African American and other youth of color!
    The Jena 6 are high school students, youth like the youth in our classrooms with experiences that are all too similar!
    But the Jena 6 case also shows that the legacy of the Civil Rights movement is alive in our youth, communities, and schools!

    If all students are expected to learn about our country’s justice system,
    our history, our laws and our rights,
    what kinds of lessons can we learn from the Jena 6?

    TAG’s resource guide, entitled, Revealing Racist Roots: the 3 R’s for Teaching About the Jena 6 , calls upon educators to bring discussions about the case of the Jena 6 to their schools. TAG is a growing network of teacher organizations with a focus on social justice education, including NYCoRE, Teachers for Social Justice, Chicago, and Teachers 4 Social Justice, San Fransisco. TAG collected resources and lesson ideas to help teachers and students understand contemporary racial conflict by placing the case of the Jena 6 within a historical framework.

    Topics include:

    • The Historical Context of American Racism
    • Linking to Literature
    • Media Literacy
    • Artivism: Responding Through the Arts
    • Social Action
    • Detailed Mathematics Unit
    • Links to organizations & more information

    The outpouring of national support for the Jena 6 has pushed the court to vacate the conviction of Mychal Bell and reduce charges against the other students. But they are still not free and justice has not been done. TEACH about the JENA 6 in your classroom TODAY!

    Download the resource guide in PDF Version or Word Version for FREE at:
    http://www.nycore.org OR http://www.teachersforjustice.org or http://www.t4sj.org

  28. I think that the way these people handled this is not right. Those kids should get exactly what they deserve. If they beat anyone up then they need to be held accountable for it. And for all those people that are out there trying to cause more problems in Jena and surrounding communities is completely uncalled for!!!!!!! They are making a bad situation worse!! They are making it unsafe for anyone that lives around there. They should all go back to there own homes!! Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are trouble makers! Why can’t everyone just get along? This type of behavior is the reason why black people have a bad reputation and that is why people are scared of them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

  29. Hello.
    I have read Alan Bean’s article, ‘The Jena Case in Brief’, and I am very impressed with its clarity of presentation. It was helpful to read the details of the crimes laid out in chronological order, so one could clearly see the disparity of response to white versus black actions (I don’t really like the terms ‘black’ and ‘white’, but will use them for ease of communication.) I am horrified that this violent, racist nonsense is still alive and well in our country. I hope that the people of Jena and Louisiana will come to their senses and adopt a just response to this unacceptable instigation of violence and outrageously unfair response of the town’s school and legal system. (Good grief, I am so disgusted with this racist crap. For goodness sake, can’t those people get a frigging life?!)

  30. The noose is on the loose! Nice work boys.

  31. it is hard for me to say how i fill so let me do this the best i can lets look at this both ways lets say it was 6 white men that beat up a black man then the head lines would read 6 klan members brutally beat up an african american and that is wrong also as is 6 black men beatting up a white man it is all wrong you all need to think about the saying if you do the crime pay the time maybe the charges are a little strict but if you think so then maybe instead of going to a protest why don’t you vote for a better district attorney instead and why is it that the african american community is the first to preach about civil right, racism etc… but in theory it should be the other way around every time comething happens to the african community their has to be a big ralley, protest so before you all through such words out as racism look at what you all are doing you have people dressed up like black panthers standing beside rev. jackson so you all need to think about that look at it both ways thanks for your time

  32. I HAVE ONE THING TO SAY AS AN ITALIAN AMERICAN THE ONLY WAY YOU GET OFF IS IF YOU HAVE MONEY IT ISN’T A WHITE OR BLACK THING IT’S A MONEY THING I’VE SEEN SEVERAL CASES WHERE RICH ARFICAN AMERICANS AS WELL AS RICH WHITE AMERICANS HAVE COMMITTED CRIMES AND BECAUSE THEY HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY THEIR WAY OUT OF IT THEY ARE SET FREE!

  33. PLEASE UPDATE US ON THIS EFFORT AS WELL….PLEASE SEE ABOUT 8 COMMENTS DOWN THE MAIN PAGE

    I saw this for the first time on your page “Moishe C. Turner # 1424592”

    http://friendsofjustice.wordpress.com/

    I haven’t been able to find any support given to this family for the injustice of her son.

    If your group has had an effect on this effort as well please let us know. As well how we can effectively help get her son out of prison.

    I am an attorney who knows the system intimately feels like our hands are tied at every turn. I clearly know this child like many others are probably innocent most of the time and the horrible assaults that have been perpetrated against them in prison. This can happen to any of our young girls or boys at any given time because of who they are. Even if we can effectively make a change for him, the system has destroyed a human life forever. Another human being marred for life for being born in the wrong place and time.

    If your skin is not white just remember that at any given time or place in this country being non-white can change you, a friend or family members’ life in an instant. The wrong place at the wrong time is more likely for you or someone you know in your life-time; none of us, our families or our friends is immune to having our minds and records mangled for life – because that is the real system we live in.

    We all need to stop being too busy in our comfortable lives, because the sad part is that we have more control than we give ourselves credit for, collectively we have more power than the establishment – I believe we are all too afraid to use it, therefore nothing real and collective ever manifests on a constant basis. I do not speak of arms because real power is not in the taking up of arms.

    Unfortunately, like the family of young Moishe Turner age 15 – there will be nothing on this planet that can be done to protect us, our families or our friends. Did you know all crimes tried as an adult creates a permanent door to over 95% of all jobs where the salary is 45,000+ or any federal or state jobs, no matter what your education level. What kind of life does that set for anyone getting out of prison, whether proven guilty or innocent?

    “Deborah T. said,
    July 6, 2007 at 3:25 am

    Our 15 year old son witnessed a murder shortly after moving to Abilene, TX. He was held with no bond for from July 2005 until Feb. 2007 and was coerced into signing a 30 year prison term during a 2 month period we were not allowed to even see or talk to him.
    We paid Robert McCool almost all the 100 thousand dollars he required and then he and his detective backstabbed us. Wayne Knowles, the detective, told Moishe Turner that if he was a rich little white boy he would have already walked, but he is just some black kid nobody knows. Wayne told Moishe a jury would hang him and his mother was about to be arrested for witness tampering, all lies! There was no fingerprint or DNA evidence linking Moishe to the crime. He has never been in trouble before, not even a boy’s fight in the street. We were confident that the attorneys were right when they continually refused to allow Moishe to take a lie detector test he kept asking for. I did not know why the police refused to test his hands for gunpowder the first four days he was arrested. I kept trying to get them to test his hands because I know Moishe is not violent.
    A 15 year old with a 7th grade education is nor equipped to make decisions like this with no adult/family there…..and is INNOCENT of shooting the drug dealer Stewart Wofford in Abilene, TX. The DA’s Harriet Haag, and Dan Joiner supervised by James Eidson have done worse than Mr. Nifong ever dreamed. Something must be done!
    Moishe was violated (including sexual) at the Taylor Co. juvenile center. Drawings I recovered from his belongings after he was sent to prison, cause me to know he was raped in the Taylor Co. adult jail. I knew in my gut that something was happening to him but fear and memory loss kept him at times from speaking in complete sentences. He would say nothing while behind the glass on visits.
    I also recovered letters from the deceased man’s mother that she wrote to Moishe and also learned she had been allowed out of town visits to our son at the jail.
    He acted like he was given Rohypnol in his tea. He seemed hypnotized the last 2 weeks in jail. I wanted him tested for the date rape drug but they whisked him away to prison.
    Moishe was fast tracked to adult jail Oct.2005 by Judge Barbara Rollings who slept during the proceedings. When I complained to Mr. McCool, I was simply told he had seen worse than that and the previous week he had witnessed one judge reading the newspaper during court.
    Judge Wheeler in the 350th District Court sent Moishe to prison Easter Sunday and he is now at the Clemens Unit in Brazoria, TX. He needs to be tested for autism. This is the first time he has received any schooling since the July 2005 juvenile lockup. We are thankful for that.
    Moishe C. Turner # 1424592
    Clemens Unit
    11034 Hwy 36
    Brazoria, TX 77422
    (979) 798-2188
    Is this America or is Taylor County, TX exempt?

    New attorney;
    Vera Verhoeven of Ft. Worth, TX”

  34. There’s something seriosly wrong with America’s judicial system if black teens who were involved in a fight can be charged with attempted second degree murder and white teens who hung nooses from a tree weren’t even charged with a hate crime what does that say ,(what white is right and black is wrong)?

  35. I get so sick and tired of this Sharpton guy as he himself his a racist SOB…i do not agree with what is going on but it is funny how this SOB takes on everything that will get his face and name some exposure..I being a black man married to a white woman i would like to see what would happen if this was flipped and see if he would be in line to fight for the white people but my be he would be in line to some how to twist the story like he has before. Get this racist SOB off the T.V. and let the people themselves march it doesnt take Sharpton for the GREAT AFRO AMERICAN population to band together. God i am soooo tired of this person watching out for himself and using us for the sake of himself. Thanks god bless the jena 6 and be FAIR!!!

  36. I live in Jena, LA and today we had a rally. I believe that we all have the right to exercise our constitutional rights. Well today mine were violated. I had protestors sitting in lawn chairs and parking their cars in my yard. This is my private property and it was not respected. I have never been a person to judge by color but to judge by a persons measure and how they conduct themselves. Today that has changed, I now hate the black community. Todays rally has taught me never to help a black person in any way. I will never hire them to work at my house or allow them to check me out in the store.
    About 2 months ago I had a black boy give me a sign that meant ##ck you. I did not beat him. I ignored it and treated it as youth and ignorance. I am no longer able to do that. Now I will go out on a limb to not help a black person. Hope todays rally changed something it changed my house.

  37. Thank you for the informative play by play description of what has transpired regarding the Jena 6 over the past year. I’m grateful to the Friends of Justice for filling in the blanks, which the media rarely does. This is an important case.

    I live in Tulsa, Oklahoma where we had a horrific race riot in the early 1920’s. Our city was so full of shame over it that they “buried” all evidence until the late 1970’s when the real story was finally printed for everyone to read. Today we have the Greenwodd Cultural Center to remind us of just how vile racism is. We not only have bigs wars, such as the mess we are in in Iraq, but we wage war with one another all the time with bullets of hatred that continue to fire in the minds of people who cannot tolerate differences whether it’s skin color, lifestyle, enthicity, religious views or lack thereof. Bless all those who work for justice and truth and may the rest of us wake up to any injustice we see in our own towns and cities throughout America.

  38. I want to ask all of you how you would be reacting if this situation were reversed? If 6 white teens beat a black teen would you want them to remain locked up? Of course it’s easy to say NO right now but honestly how would you feel? Just because some white students made a stupid decision didn’t give the Jena 6 the right to beat Barker the way they did. The charges initially filed maybe harsh but that problem will be resolved. I guess what I need to be asking is are you letting teens know violence isn’t the answer? Before you all start thinking I am a friend of any whites in Jena, I don’t even know where it is located in Louisiana, as I am from Georgia.

  39. I havent followed this well enough to know but I understand that the boy that was beaten had nothing to do with the nooses or any of that, so why did he get beaten? I could understand if people were upset about all of that and went after the ones responsible for such a stupid act. I am white and from a small south Georgia town where all races live together and rely on each other everyday. I won’t say that there aren’t extremists of each race, but there aren’t hate crimes and what not around here. I do wonder though, if a group of white teens were jailed under similar circumstances, would everyone still be protesting the charges and jailing of them? I can’t even imagine living in such a divided community and I guess I am blessed in that way. I am sorry for everyone involved and everyone who sees skin color as a problem. Peace find you and be with you all.

  40. Are you people serious, turn the page the other way and you’d want the death penalty for the white kids! YOU will never have equality, until you GIVE equality! God help us ALL!!!!

  41. Kids learn from their parents, so while all of you supposed adults and parents are preparing to run down to Jena, think before you speak, do you teach your kids not to hate other races?????? Ok, I understand that there should have never been a tree called a white tree, but why not put up a shelter for all to use, plus why did it take six to beat up on one?? What happened to a fair fight, it seems to me that some people should look at what they are doing and think before jumping. I am not sure what all caused this issue, as I have just heard about this stuff this week. I realize it’s a year old. Punishment should be handed down to ALL invovled at this school, parents, (both the black and white ones), teachers and the principle. The parents (white and black) for not teaching ALL the kids right from wrong, and again why six to beat up one????? I am so sick of everything having to revolve around race, it’s sicking to hear today we still have these issues, if you people that have kids were held responsible for what you teach your kids at home, then we would have put mostly all this racist stuff behind us. Remember your kids are carbon copies of you!!!!!! Think about it people. Racism starts or stops at home…..

  42. The fact that it is 2007 and we are still having to deal with Lynchings is bu*****t!! Why does the color of someone’s skin make any difference? For those of you who might feel that the nooses being hung was just “kids playing a prank”, I am quite confident you would not feel that way if you or your own, or even a neighbor had one of those nooses around their neck prior to their funeral. And if a school fight can end in someone facing such severe punishment, than all school fights need to be as aggressively prosecuted in the future. This D.A. better follow through on all kids who fight, and charge then in similar fashion.

    Injustice isn’t fair, but hopefully it is well documented and these Crackers can be shown for who and what they really are; Racist Cowards!!!!

    sean

  43. I am sick of hearing about this- If tables were turned and it was white boys that did this the black community would be trying to throw the book at them-
    The do deserve to go to jail just like a white person would-
    Thats the problem now with everyone you think because your black we should overlook what you do and throw the book at the whites instead beacuse of the slavery issue- Wrong!!- And for the record of that I know for a fact my family did not partake in that because we were immigrants from Hungary and didnt get here until 1901 so not all whites were part of that and we owe you nothing not to mention just becasue your black doesnt mean your ancestors were slaves!! Get over it- you werent there and neither was any of us- No it wasnt right but it also wasnt right for your own people that were high up in society to sell slaves to the white man either- Now as for Jena 6 and punishment:
    It should be equal- They knew they were wrong so they need to be punished I would say the same if they were white- Nobody should be able to get away with this behavior and for the record I live in Indiana and am married to a black man for 14 years now.

  44. Juan Rayford Jr a 19 year old black youth in CA was given 221 years in prison and 11 life sentences for allegedly shooting in a house. NO one was hurt, and No gun was found. How is this justice?

    Just ask his father Juan Rayford Sr. 757-679-3353

  45. 50 years ago the color of somebodys skin was a logical complaint. But after YEARS of government handouts, giving respect to someone who has not EARNED IT and GIVING money, housing, medical care and anything else ,someone feels so deprived of because the INDIVIDUAL has done NOTHING but complain about the color of their skin holding them back is sickening. I will NEVER blame anybody for the color of my skin or MY shortfalls for MY responsibility. WAKE THE *&^( UP !!! On a lighter note, since the color of peoples skin is such an issue, Asians and Hispanics are the fastest growing people of color iin the country. I can just see it now and it is coming and you are too blind to see. Stay in your tunnel and keep worrying about the evil white race. Sometimes you can’t see the forest because of the trees !!!! See ya in the trenches !!!

  46. Well I must say I had only stumbled upon this story and am shocked. Although I am Canadian and fotunately always grew up in areas where people were people for who they were not what color their skin was. My family still lives in an area where I can raise my children in such an environment. Don’t get me wrong I am fully aware that racism is present all over the world. It makes me sad to think that our family can be so fortunate and these kids are not just because of where they live and the warped mentality of racist people in their area. I will pray for these kids that justice will see this incident for what it really is and not because of racism. I am still shocked these
    kids were so provoking and hung these nooses.What a disgrace to them, their families,their town and their country.What a disgrace it will be to the US justice system
    if they allow this racism to prevail and destroy the lives of these young children!

  47. I am a 17 year old hispanic and white female and I can not beleive that all of this prejudice and racism still happens! I know that racism happens but I never knew that it was like this. Granted, I grew up in Texas where we have everybody, black, white, latino and everyone, and I’ve seen racism before but never like this. During this time I am ashamed to say that I am even HALF white. If i wasn’t 17 years old and scared to drive to Louisiana by myself I would be out there in a heart beat. Some people say ignorance is bliss, but ignorance will get your ass kicked and now that white boy knows that.

    Marissa Chavez

  48. The only solution is ( BOYCOTT) Thanksgiving, Christmas, all holidays etc until we have justice. Boycott worked in the 60s and we should use it now, we should send a message to the (HATE) community that we will not spend with them until they give us full respect and justice.

  49. I’m perplexed??? Why are people black, white and others defending these 6 attackers??? Don’t get me wrong, under no circumstance is it ok to do what that group of idiots did to start this mess but no one was physically harmed and we don’t tolerate vigilante justice, do we?. What the six should have done was opened up communications with parents of the ignorrant few and tried to change the bad attitudes, then the media if that didn’t work. In that case they would have the support of an entire nation instead of 60,000 people just looking to stir up a s#*t storm. In the last sentence of the most recent MSN article Rev. Al Sharpton’s comment is that “He has spoken to the boy who remains in detention and that the boy doesn’t want any thing done to dispearage his name” WHAT? are you kidding me hasn’t he done enough to his own name? I want equal rights just as much as anyone in this country, but come on people can we find a better reason to stand up together. Let’s try harder to ALL come together. These 6 kids dont deserve praise they deserve punishment. UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL. Right now we’re falling.

  50. A few days before the schoolyard attack, a group of white men attacked Robert Bailey, one of the Jena 6, with fists and beer bottles. One of the men was charged with simple misdemeanor battery. The others were not charged. If the DA had charged the black students whom he thought were responsible for the schoolyard attack with battery and the school had given them all 30 days Alternative Placement, as is the common punishment for violence on school property, none of us would have gotten involved. Unless you look at the entire flow of events from the hanging of the nooses to the charges of attempted murder, you cannot see the story. Check out the well-researched chronology that Dr. Bean has posted on this website. For justice and mercy, Nancy Bean, co-founder of Friends of Justice

  51. if the rolls were reversed, you people would not have any problems sending a white kid to jail. would you?

  52. i am so sick of black people wanting the world to feel sorry for them. if they want to be treated fairly, they should be punished fairly. a white student would have been thrown under the jail for beating a black student. i am a black man, and think all six should be taken off our streets.

  53. those kids deserve to go to jail for a long time. the nooses didn’t beat anybody. the noose never threw a punch. the nooses have never commited a crime at the school. these black boys did. they should be punished like a white kid. a white kid would have been killed for such a crime. please shut up about black, black, black, blah, blah, blah.

  54. i dont like black people. after today, i want to be white.

  55. this website will be reported for only showing comments they approve of. you speek of free speech, well, you will soon hear the free speech of my attorney.

  56. I was always a minority at every school I ever attended. I was called Honkey, Cracker, Peckerwood and an assortment of other names. I can assure you that if a black person refers to you as “White Boy” it is not as a gesture of respect. I had to fight to sit on the bus. I was ganged up on several times. I never considered myself a racist during that time. But, I have learned the importance of being one. If you look the word racist up, you will see it refers to someone who is concerned with the well being of their own people. What are the N.A.A.C.P. and the United Negro College fund if not racist organizations? I grew up hearing all of the terrible stories of oppression that the Negro endured. I learned later of the horrific fate of the elderly caucasian women who were left behind in my neighborhood after most other whites had moved away. They were beaten, stabbed, robbed, raped, sodomized and one woman had her genitals spray painted and a stick shoved down her throat. These women hadn’t assaulted or insulted anyone. They were targeted because they were old and White.
    I have all of the old newspaper articles on file at the house. But, anyone wishing to look into these incidents for themselves can read: Left Behind In Rosedale, By Scott Cummings, Louisville University Press.