Jena Six's Mychal Bell Back to Prison

The next Rosa Parks :-D

Are you kidding, the juvenile system is even worse than the criminal detention centers. It seems it's way easier to control and abuse a child than it is an adult. And as far as this whole Jena, La debacle, it's obviously about race, because that white mofo who got beat went to a dance after nearly being "beaten to death"? Last time I checked if I was almost killed I wouldn't be thinking about dancing. I think it's hilarious how the mayor of this town thinks America is being unfair and portraying them in a biased light, when they have yet to charge them appropriately. And the fact the federal government isn't involved shows, yet again (remember Katrina), poor black kids aren't on the top of their agenda (kickbacks and lobbyists are).

Oh please. This has absolutely NOTHING to do with "poor black kids" and how they are treated by the government. You're leaving out a whole lot of detail in your discussion of this case. I hope that's because you really don't know that much about it and not because you're being disingenuous.

I think people have gotten really caught up in everything that has happened down in Jena. It definitely is newsworthy and eye-opening but at the same time more went on than many seem to be aware of. The fact that Bell was on parole shows he committed some crime earlier on (which is not a judgment of him as an individual, but just a fact).

In the end, these kids did something wrong: they beat the crap out of someone. Were they charged properly? NO. Was it right to attempt to try Micah Bell as an adult? NO. Are they perfect kids, innocent of any wrongdoing? NO. It seems like people forget they did beat the crap out of someone and that such behavior does deserve an appropriate form of punishment.

It's one thing to say they should be punished, it is quite another to tolerate the actions that lead up to this event, this so called, severe beating... I don't know where you live, but where I am from, that was no severe beating... that was an asswhooping, and if some punk ass bitch white kid was calling me a nigger and saying that I deserved to be treated a certain way, I would beat the shit out of him too. Fact is most of you who would defend inaction when someone's civil rights is involved (previous criminal or not), because you have not lived in an area that is more subject to mistreat and wrongfully imprison someone (whether in juvenile detention or detention centers), for the color of their skin, rather than the merit of the claims... I wish I had such an idealistic approach and viewpoint as, "None of these racially motivated cases (poor black kids and the way the government treats them, Katrina, Jena) are related, but I live in the real world, the real USA, where that shit happens more than once or twice a day... So, do I feel I am being over zealous, not even one bit. Even if Michyl Bell were a drug dealing thug, because it has nothing to do with his character, it has everything to do with his civil rights, and ours (maybe not for pretty rich or middle class white boys and girls out there in their own reality), but us colored folk, who actually have to fight to live like you do.

Why we gotta bring in the racial slurs?

"to tolerate the actions that lead up to this event"...what does that mean exactly? Who exactly tolerated it? Were you down in Jena causing any of the events that led up to his release to come about or were you sitting at your computer doing exactly what you're doing right now (making assumptions about people and at the same time making race even more of an issue by discriminating against people who you stereotype as falling into the same category as those who committed a wrong in bringing trumped up charges)?

and don't you see that by beating the isht out of someone for being a jerk and throwing around derogatory terms you're not advancing any cause but holding back the exact cause you (over)zealously champion? you get so angry at the idea of someone basing any judgment on you based on your skin color and/or where you come from on the socioeconomic ladder yet at the same time you turn around and do the same thing.

i'm yet to see anyone on this post defend inaction. i haven't seen a comment here saying he should have been charged as an adult. that was the only civil rights violation that occurred and it's been dealt with. it was wrong, we all seem to agree. you speak of the merits of claims, but he violated his parole. when that happens you end up back in prison.

The attitude that just because you don't live there it isn't your business or it doesn't affect the entire nation and the people in it is exactly what helps motivate distracting from the actual issue. It is pockets of racism around this entire country that continue to undermine any types of advancements we have made as a society in the United States or the world, we are in 2007 and people are still hanging nooses? I mean, seriously, you can't treat that as a joke and then get serious when things get so tense someone acts out by kicking someone else's ass. Even if he (Mychal Bell) had violated his parole, you would know that you first have a hearing for that infraction, and if there were any circumstances which were in conflict with him violating his parole, you then set a hearing for that. There is a process that occurrs, you don't show up in court for a hearing about your current case and then get told you are going to jail for violating a previous parole condition. It's funny you seem to think I am being callous for stating facts and saying what is happening on a daily basis across this country, and being biased for stating that someone being jumped by 6 African American teens probably had egged on that reaction by calling them racial slurs. I didn't say every white guy that gets beat is a racist. Any intelligent person can put two and two together, even when one is missing from said facts. No, I was not at Jena picketing, no I didn't cause any of those particular events to occur. I am however fighting those same issues here where I live, and am "causing" events such as those in Jena to occur here simply by stating an opinion based on what I see everyday and know to be true. It's not biased when it happens everyday, maybe not to you, but certainly to plenty other people.

"The decision came at the end of a two-day juvenile court hearing that was closed to the media and public." Isn’t that the necessary hearing? As far as I can tell the process was followed regarding his parole. Trust me, I comprehend the legal process.

I agree no matter where you live events like this are important. Obviously, hanging nooses is wrong. But don't your comments about white people smack of racism? That is the only bias I referred to earlier.

Why do you harp on where I or anyone else comes from, can I not understand that we all have rights & that some things are not fair based on what you presume my background to be?

No matter what anyone says you don't have a right to beat him down. I don't even know what lead to the beat down, insults or not. It's never as simple as putting "two and two together, even when one is missing." It's the truly intelligent who pause & don't overlook what's missing before blindly rushing to judgment.

What happened is very unfortunate. But letting Mycah Bell go completely free is not the solution. He committed a crime. Ensuring that he is tried in the proper manner and charged with the proper crimes is necessary. Ensuring that for everyone is what is important.

I'm not denying racism or that we as a society have a long ways to go. But we can only get where we need to be by taking the right steps. It's too easy to jump on a bandwagon & attempt to make a cause out of something. I honestly believe the Jena 6 are the wrong vehicle for championing civil rights because they in fact did do something wrong. That does not mean I am OK with how things played out in terms of the charging. Even having committed a crime they are entitled to the same rights as anyone else, white, black, asian, purple, or smelly. But it's like everyone wants to see them go free. That wouldn't be justice. Justice would be preventing discriminatory practices & also taking steps to punish individuals who go around hanging nooses.

Obviously, you didn't read correctly... Mychal Bell showed up Thursday for what was thought to be a routine hearing about the December 2006 case; During that one hearing the judge instead ruled on four unrelated charges other than the alleged "severe beating". And he then sentenced him to go back to juvenile detention based on those charges (which he doesn't have to disclose since the hearing is not public) As for my calling someone a "white punk ass bitch", it isn't even racist or biased... if the guy beaten were black, then I would have said an African American punk ass bitch or to be totally unbiased (in your opinion), black punk ass bitch. Sorry, I don't feel like words mean anything unless you're implying that it goes for all people in that race or are blanketing an entire society with a term. I'm not... but here in the South, there are lots more colorful terms used for anyone who doesn't have pretty white skin. And as for punishing people who hang nooses, what happened there? Is it not fair to assume that a justice system (the local Jena, La system) that was not even involved in the punishment for those who hung those nooses and didn't see that as a crime (even though it is considered a hate crime under federal law) would be biased in punishing people who in turn acted out of frustration over race relations in that town. It's not about your opinion or mine, it is plain to see race is being involved in the manner of determining punishment and classification of that crime. Any intelligent person can see that (biased or not).

P.S.
And if he were being tried properly and without bias, this case would not have needed to be in the public eye. The fact that there needed to be intervention by angry protesters for the federal justice system to get involved to drop the charges first made proves this is about race, because none of the white folk thought attempted murder was an innapropriate charge. So don't talk about it not being about race. The Duke Lacrosse players who were supposedly mistreated and wrongfully accused based on the race of the victim(when in fact they did hire a stripper of another race and did have sex with her, it just wasn't proven that it wasn't consensual based on her past and supposed physical evidence) are now free and suing the state and D.A. for millions of dollars. No one said a crime wasn't committed, just not the one they were charged with, yet they are being treated soooo innocently. You're right, there is no bias in this country when it comes to race or color of skin. I'm sooo sorry I was wrong about that... Haha.

Huh? You say I didn't read correctly but the article linked makes no mention of confusion about the hearing. Now, maybe what u say is true, it's just not in this article.

But what's more ironic is u say I didn't read correctly then mock me, sarcastically saying there's "no bias in this country," when I specifically state I'm not denying any racism. On top of that, everything u say indicates a bias on your part based on the skin color of an individual. I never said what happened in Jena wasn't about race. But here's the thing: race or not, what happened was wrong. If the trumped up charges were brought against a white, asian, or melon colored person, we should be just as upset.

Speaking of when words mean something, based on your logic if I threw a racial slur at u and only referred to u with it u wouldn't be upset or find it racist, but I highly doubt that to be the case. In the end u want your descriptions of ppl based on race to be ok but when someone describes u or anyone else of color based on race it's offensive. Why do u need to qualify a "punk a** b!#$%" as white or black, why does it matter? Beyond that, do u really think u will convince anyone by using descriptions such as those? Do u see the people who actually bring about social change throwing around terms like that?

I wonder why u can't admit the fact that violence is not the answer when it comes to dealing with frustrations over race-relations in a place like Jena. Is it OK for 6 kids to jump 1 kid (no matter what the race) just because they're frustrated about something? Don't u see that if they jumped that kid because they were frustrated with white ppl then that might qualify as a hate crime itself? Things go both ways, hate is hate and racism is racism. Neither is ever justified, especially not by the hate or racism of the other party. How immature is it to say: it's OK for me to be racist because you are? Two wrongs don't make a right, that's basic elementary school wisdom.

To me the saddest part about this is I'm sitting here agreeing with much of what u're saying but u feel compelled to mock me and be so sarcastic, and also put words in my mouth. Racism is a serious problem in this society and occurs in many areas and on many levels (see the Halle Berry article on this very website and take a look at my comments there if u like). Why waste so many words attacking someone who in the end is on your side? Like I've said before, I just feel more can be accomplished by taking steps in a different manner.

Hummmmm, they was gonna get someone, they always do.. well at least try to.