Standing For Justice in the face of "Jim Crow Justice" in 2007

A movement is growing in support of the Jena Six -- the black Louisana high school students charged with attempted 2nd degree murder for a school fight in which a white student was beaten up, sent to the hospital where he was treated and released and went to a school function that night. The fight broke out after white students hung three nooses from a "whites only" tree where the black students had sat. School board officials cut down the tree. In series of racial incidents Black youth were repeatedly accused and arrested while White students seem to receive lighter punishments. Hundreds of people from all over the country gathered Tuesday for a march through Jena’s streets. Independent reporter Jordan Flaherty reported. Click here for the Democracy Now story.

The day after I received the above, a friend forwarded this story from Alternet. It includes a video report of the story.

Now here is the sobering part. I feel led to go to Jena, LA on September 20th when the first young man to be convicted is to be sentenced, to serve as a witness and to stand (or sit -I plan to take my own stool) for justice. Please hold me in the light or pray for me regarding this leading. I don't know now how I will go there or with whom.

I invite any of you who feel led to join me to sign up. Or, perhaps you will sign up for the other dates on which the other young people are to be tried or sentenced. All I know to do to prevent such injustice from thriving in our once great country is to be present in support of Truth, equal Justice and Love.

Update 9/13: I am now planning to go with a sister-by-love and her daughter, our niece. Our Friends Meeting has given us their blessings, a letter of introduction, a support committee, and an offer to reimburse us for our expenses.

We are struggling as to how not to get lost in a crowd of people “demanding” release for the Jena Six, but to be seen as individuals there to call for “liberty and justice for all”. That was part of the focus of a meeting with our support committee last evening. We also discussed our fears for each other. I (Caucasian) worry about Norma’s daughter who is Black, going to a place where people of color are not receiving equal justice. She, in her wisdom realizing that most of the people going there will be people of color, is concerned for the two beloved “white folks” who will be accompanying her in a crowd that may not see us as friendly. So many logistical issues to be ironed out. But we are working finding and staying at center so that we may be able to go, be present, offer compassion, and listen.

Update 9/14: See today's news. Justice isn't waiting for us to get there - thank spirit! An appeals court judge has overthrown the convictions of the first of the six to have been tried and convicted. At 16 he was tried as an adult!

Post from Friends of Justice followas.I think that this is a very good group to keep up with:
Breaking News! Mychel Bell’s conviction vacated!
Posted: 14 Sep 2007 04:32 PM CDT
We just learned that the Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeals has granted a writ filed by Mychel Bell’s legal team which vacates his conviction. The details are still sketchy, but it seems likely that Mychal will be able to bond out and return to the free world. I assure you that events like this only happen when the court of public opinion trumps the court of law. Friends of Justice is overjoyed for Mychal, his family, the other Jena 6 defendants and all the people who have worked so hard over the past nine months. We will have updates on this story as they become available.
Alan Bean
Friends of Justice
3415 Ainsworth CourtArlington, TX 76016
cell: 817-688-6765 office: 817-457-0025 http://friendsofjustice.wordpress.com

In a blog called "while seated" there is a well written summary (with some photos from Jena) of the major events of the incident that led up to the arrests of the Jena 6. Have a look at this and check out some of the links at the end.

Update 9/17: We three finally agreed on a message for our Tee Shirts. Since we won't have a lot of time to talk with many folks and carrying a sign is awkward for several hours, it seems that the message has to be on the tee. Our fronts are the same. I wanted to add something else - preferably a graphic. I finally added a picture I had downloaded from email a year or more ago - a bare deciduous tree with golden light falling on it in the center of a (probably digital) rainbow.