Louisiana school fight gets out of hand...

[SeruraRenge]

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/06/28/america/NA-GEN-US-Racial-School-Fight.php

JENA, Louisiana: An all-white Louisiana jury on Thursday convicted a black teenager of beating a white schoolmate following months of simmering racial tensions that started with white students hanging nooses in a schoolyard tree.

Mychal Bell, 17, was among five black youths charged with attempted murder and conspiracy charges, but prosecutors this week downgraded the charges against Bell following local cries of racism.

The amended charges against Bell — aggravated second-degree battery and a conspiracy to commit aggravated second-degree battery — carry a prison sentence of more than 20 years.

Bell's father rushed from the courtroom, slammed a door and was briefly detained in the courthouse lobby after the court recessed. He was released amid pleas from his family.

"The best thing if you're black in this town is to stay out of the system, because once they get you, you're done for. You're not getting out," Edna Thompson, a longtime friend of the Bells, said later.

Prosecutors have not said whether they will reduce the same charges against the four other teens accused in the Dec. 4 beating of Justin Barker. Charges against a sixth black youth have not been made public because of his age.

Racial tensions in Jena — a town of 2,900 with about 350 black residents — escalated in September when high school students found three nooses hanging from a tree on campus. The nooses appeared after a black student sat under the tree, traditionally used by white students as a gathering spot.

Three white students were suspended for the noose incident, but no criminal charges were filed.

At Bell's trial, Barker testified that he did not see who struck him as he was knocked unconscious from behind, and other students gave conflicting testimony about what happened.

Although several accused Bell, who was 16 at the time, of hitting Barker and knocking him down, others testified that it was an unidentified person in a green, hooded coat. One witness even said it was someone in a red shirt, and testified he saw Bell there, but did not see him attack Barker.

Bell's attorney, Blane Williams, rested his case Wednesday without calling any witnesses.

"The appellate court now gets a chance to set this right," Williams said.

[docterjoy]

That's pretty sad, considering this is over 40 years after the Civil RIghts movement

[LittleBlondePunk]

Hmmm. I kinda think that many people cry the word "Racist" a little too freely. I feel bad for the guy though, but what about the guy he beat up, huh?

[King Speed]

What a backwards ass town, it's like their living in the 60's, just a bunch of white trash.

[Sky]

LoL....

damn racists....

[Zhongda]

I say split up America and give blacks thier own country.

[Link]

I say split up America and give blacks thier own country.
That's the dumbest idea I've ever heard come from you, and that's saying something.
Isolated communities like this, where blacks are such a small minority, haven't really changed. There isn't really much the government can do though, except fairly uphold the law.

[♠Mr.Nibbles♠]

Ok, so down south if i whoop a guys ass for displaying a noose and laughing about it I go to jail.

Good thing I plan to stay up north.

[Vom Osten]

Hell everyone's racist, but you shouldn't act on it. I feel bad for the kid they beat up, but i dont think they should go to jail just give him a good thrashing and be done with it.

[The Internet]

I say split up America and give blacks thier own country.

*facepalm*

[Zhongda]

What's facepalm Spectre?

[Vom Osten]

I say split up America and give blacks thier own country.

They have a whole freaking continent, and they've turned that into a hellhole.

[Robotkiller]

That's the dumbest idea I've ever heard come from you, and that's saying something.
Isolated communities like this, where blacks are such a small minority, haven't really changed. There isn't really much the government can do though, except fairly uphold the law.

http://home.student.uu.se/hape2405/aabf18_sarcasm_detector.jpg

[Hitokiri RA]

Thank you for posting this article. Im from Louisiana and I didn't even know about this story, but race relations between blacks and whites there have been terrible for a long time. I appreciate the fact that people arournd the world take notice to the terrible racism in this country. It helps me to keep going everyday hoping that I can change things a little.

[Harlita]

Oh Please.

This is obviously made up.

That doesn't happen anymore. I call the OP's bluff.

I mean .. oh wait.. Louisiana?

Oh, then that's completely possible- nevermind :oh

[notcomawhite]

wow that's almost insane. i guess racist societies will always exsist, the farther you get from urban society the more common they normally are too :/.

[mystictrunks]

SMH @The Racism in this thread.


Africa would be fine if it wasn't for the white devils. So would North America.


SMH @ These hicks. If it was me I would have lynched the dudes and hung them from a white church.

[King Speed]

SMH @The Racism in this thread.


Africa would be fine if it wasn't for the white devils. So would North America.


SMH @ These hicks. If it was me I would have lynched the dudes and hung them from a white church.

Ah yes... the white devil...

SMH@ you

anyway, i do think those guys Deserved to have their asses beat.

[SeruraRenge]

What's facepalm Spectre?

this (made it just today)
http://s10.photobucket.com/albums/a135/SeruraRenge/?action=view&current=motivator5440707.jpg

[Zhongda]

lol yeah i figured it was that but just wanted to make sure. And yes, splitting America up is a great idea because
A. It'll make the Black people happy, and if you don't want to make black people happy you're a racist.
B. America is a firm believer in spliting countries up as a solution and so will want to be a role model.

[Orochimaru]

I'm sure someone someday would make a movie out of this.

[Rated R Superstar]

They have a whole freaking continent, and they've turned that into a hellhole.

Oh really? Do you care to explain?

[Pilaf]

lol yeah i figured it was that but just wanted to make sure. And yes, splitting America up is a great idea because
A. It'll make the Black people happy, and if you don't want to make black people happy you're a racist.

Not being a racist isn't about making black people happy. Not being a racist is about accepting that there's really no such thing as race at all, and that we're all people. What you propose is xenophobic segregation which undermines not only the philisophical ideals of social progression but the ideals of democracy.

B. America is a firm believer in spliting countries up as a solution and so will want to be a role model.

America doesn't have beliefs. America is a nation. It doesn't think. Certain stupid individuals who come to power in America may have these beliefs, but those beliefs run counter to the laws and ideals set to paper by the founders of the United States.

[Aldrick]

Meng De is racist.

[Zhongda]

Not being a racist isn't about making black people happy. Not being a racist is about accepting that there's really no such thing as race at all, and that we're all people. What you propose is xenophobic segregation which undermines not only the philisophical ideals of social progression but the ideals of democracy.
Anthropologically speaking races don't exist, only ethnicities do; but saying "ethnocentric" will loose more people in an audience than such common words.

If you think societies progress by being multi-ethnic i suggest you look at, i don't know, every empire in history - there are all multi ethnic. It's nothing new, no "progression" will happen because what you're talking about is and always has been the status quo.

What ideals of democracy are you talking about? America does not follow the ideals of democracy nor does it respect it.

America doesn't have beliefs. America is a nation. It doesn't think. Certain stupid individuals who come to power in America may have these beliefs, but those beliefs run counter to the laws and ideals set to paper by the founders of the United States.
Stop thinking that the world revolves around America, why on earth is it ok to say "Lebanon/Israel/China decided" and not America? You're deluding yourself, as matter of fact your leadership being "democratically" elected does mean i can say "America believes".

[That NOS Guy]

What ideals of democracy are you talking about? America does not follow the ideals of democracy nor does it respect it.

What the hell are you talking about? We're democratic to a fault. We wouldn't have half the hub-bub about non-scientific "theories" (read: intelligent design) entering schools if our school boards weren't democratically elected. Very often positions that should be held by career officals are elected, much to some peoples dismay.

If anything we wank out democracy too much.


Stop thinking that the world revolves around America, why on earth is it ok to say "Lebanon/Israel/China decided" and not America? You're deluding yourself, as matter of fact your leadership being "democratically" elected does mean i can say "America believes".

FYI, the world pretty much does revolve around America, weither you or I like it or not. Just as it revolved around the British Empire in the 19th century.

Indeed, what my fine compatriot above doesn't realize that America by electing it's leaders effectively decided. After all, that's the precise point of Republican democracy. In effect, America leans towards a Burkean system of government (while at the same time incorporating many direct democracy elements, typically at the state level) and our leaders do speak for us.

I voted for the other guy, but unfortunately Bush is my leader. Oh yes, very unfortunate for me.

[Zhongda]

*facepalm* I am suggesting we split up America here and give blacks thier own country because of an individual problem, if that's not hintng i am purposley trying to push buttons i don't know what would Nos.

[Marufuji Ryo]

An all-white Louisiana jury on Thursday convicted a black teenager of beating a white schoolmate

=/

Was this part needed at all.

[Saito]

Racist bastards in Louisiana :angry

[mystictrunks]

LOL @ all the net politicians in here.

[Cell]

They asked for it.

[Pilaf]

Meng De, your methods of debate are below my reproach or further efforts to counter. Since you choose to completely misread and twist the point I am trying to get across, I no longer wish to continue debating in this topic.

[Zhongda]

Chicken!..

[FrostXian]

Lolmerica.
Lolwhites.
Lolblacks.
Lol overall.

[Aldrick]

Assuming that black people get their own country simply because they're black "to make them happy" is a stupid, horrible idiotic idea and is racist.

Stop thinking that the world revolves around America

Not the whole world revolves around America but a shitload does.

Meng De, do you understand how a country works and the magnitude of what you're saying?

[Zhongda]

What about the magnitude of what i am saying?

[Aldrick]

America is the largest world power.

Splitting it up to supposedly "appease" black people is a stupid idea of the highest degree.

[Zhongda]

If you don't agree with spliting states up to appease people, why is America suggesting spliting up Iraq? i smell hypocrisy.

[That NOS Guy]

If you don't agree with spliting states up to appease people, why is America suggesting spliting up Iraq? i smell hypocrisy.

A lot of Americans suggest confederating or federalizing Iraq, not dividing it into 3 countries. Furthermore, seemingly in spite of the sometimes simmering racial divides Whites/Blacks/Hispanics/Asians, etc. aren't engaging in open civil war with each other.

Your comparision is so ludricious I don't know where to start.

[Zhongda]

I am doing this on purpose incase you didn't get that from my previouse responce... at first i thought i'de just say something crazy like split up America, then i wondered how far i can push this with civilians - you're ruining it for me.

[King Speed]

you should be proud meng de, your basically being a troll.

[tinhamodic]

All this because some young black man sat under a tree. It could've been worse, but then it's not entirely over yet.

[Fenix]

What's facepalm Spectre?

you don't know what a facepalm is? get off my internet....


on a slightly more serious note

while i think the actions of the white students were ridiculous, the fact that people cried over an all white jury is equally stupid

[Byakuya]

sad. ...................

[Purple haze]

I liked how some people tried to twist this around and make it seem like the black kid deserves all of this.

Not enough info in the article to really make a judgment.

Racial tensions in Jena — a town of 2,900 with about 350 black residents

Theres your problem! Just put around a thousand more black people so the whiteys will be to afraid to try and intimidate them. Cause in terms of strength 1 black guy is like 5 white guys.:nod

[Hitomi_No_Ryu]

The one problem I really have with this is the all-white jury.

A jury of peers should represent the town's population.

If 350 out of the 2,900 living in that town is black (basically 12% of the town's population), they should have at least 1-2 black people within that jury...

[Altron]

They have a whole freaking continent, and they've turned that into a hellhole.,

I concur actually the reason Africa is in such a shitty state lies in the roots of the poor state of africa is due to European imperialism in the 17th and 18th century. Look for one of my older threads titled the state of africa if you want more proof. I don't feel like typing the whole damn thing again.

Though on topic that white kid deserved it. Racism still rampant in the south, i do not blame the black kids for fighting if the whites deliberately put a noose on a tree. Hell the whites invited the beating.


Edit. Found it



Yeah so i realized many in the world and here complain about the state of Africa. Though we should ask ourselves why is africa in the crappy shape it is today. I have nothing against europe i love europe though many missionaries and people today see only current events and do not see the real roots behind the crappy shape of africa.

My answer is simple 17-18th colonialism and imperialism.

Thats right. the imperial powers of England, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, The Netherlands.

The imperial empires of these nations are a key reason why africa is in such poor shape. All the empires invaded to gain more wealth, power, land, influence. They had an advantage in firearms and horses and cannons, thus africa could not stand against the european imperial powers with spear, and bows. Thus europe had a part of destroying africa. All these imperial powers sapped africa's resources and shipped back to their empires. Thus they took advantage and used mostly indirect rule. The diseases that europe brought wiped out africans such as the spanish conquest of mexico. Thus since africa was colonized so many times by foreign nations, africans had no sense of indepence which made the new regimes vulnerable to take overs by dictators and plague africa into the civil war. Thus when african countries began gaining independence they had no sense of governing themselves since they had been used to hundreds of years of foreign imperial rule, thus they could not comprehend and hold their countries together thus aiding to the instability of the african continent.

[Purgatory]

Lol. nigger guys

[King Speed]

^hah, Corrupt vergil is back

[Purgatory]

Ha HA! Yes, I am.

[neko-sennin]

Hmmm. I kinda think that many people cry the word "Racist" a little too freely. I feel bad for the guy though, but what about the guy he beat up, huh?

The guy who beat up? If you read the story, you'd know that even the eye-witnesses couldn't keep their suspect description or account of the attack straight.

Maybe he's guilty, and maybe he isn't, but as someone who's been railroaded before (in my case by college administration), I can't regard what happened in that courtroom as any kind of justice, but at most appeasement.

HISTORY 101:
In many other periods of history, hanging up nooses was a thinly veiled death-threat, and still can be if adults and authorities don't take it seriously or pay attention to early warning signs.

[King Speed]

I liked how some people tried to twist this around and make it seem like the black kid deserves all of this.

Not enough info in the article to really make a judgment.

Theres your problem! Just put around a thousand more black people so the whiteys will be to afraid to try and intimidate them. Cause in terms of strength 1 black guy is like 5 white guys.:nod

That might help out if there was a larger black population. The rampant racism in the south probably won't ever end, considering some of the parents drill all the nonsense into their heads.

[Red]

Hmmm. I kinda think that many people cry the word "Racist" a little too freely. I feel bad for the guy though, but what about the guy he beat up, huh?
In this situation and many others it is alway appropriate.
They have a whole freaking continent, and they've turned that into a hellhole.Please kindly shut the fuck up if you don't want to show your stupidity.

[fghj]

Africa would be fine if it wasn't for the white devils. So would North America.

If not for white devils someone else would finally discover and colonise America and Africa and bye bye to hanging from trees and hunting buffalos :amuse

Thus since africa was colonized so many times by foreign nations, africans had no sense of indepence which made the new regimes vulnerable to take overs by dictators and plague africa into the civil war
Africans don't have a sense of European style nationality because they're centuries behind West (North?). The idea of one country - one nationality was developed only in some XIXth century (unification of Germany for example). Thus the best thing European powers could do after WW2 was not to leave Africa to govern themselves since they apparently can't but govern them, giving them some autonomy at the same time. But that would be probably highly un-PC and impossible (worked for Hongkong though)

[Jetstorm]

I say split up America and give blacks thier own country.


lol.

They have a whole freaking continent, and they've turned that into a hellhole.


Ever heard of the Berlin conference?

[Circe]

I say split up America and give blacks thier own country.
That isn't a good idea....at all.
They have a whole freaking continent, and they've turned that into a hellhole.
I think you should shut up. Now. Especially one as clearly ignorant as yourself. Before you even say anything, go do some research.

[drache]

lol yeah i figured it was that but just wanted to make sure. And yes, splitting America up is a great idea because
A. It'll make the Black people happy, and if you don't want to make black people happy you're a racist.
B. America is a firm believer in spliting countries up as a solution and so will want to be a role model.


Yes let's just avoid the probelm and try what the Palestines tried, oh wait that's not really working out is it?

America on the whole is fine, this incident if anything is out of control and blown out of proportion.

It was a fight, started by some rather bigoted white students and then helped along by the black students.

This could have and should have been prevented, that it wasn't is a travesty. I would hope that the judge would take into account the chaotic nature of the fight (it seems there really were no reliable witnesses which isn't a surprise) and the fact that this was started by the white students.

Then I think we should move past this.


@Rangnork

You are an idiot, Africa has been exploited time and time again and in large part the condition of Africa is a result of colonialism. And to my knowledge things in Africa aren't completely bad either.

[Toby]

First draft post:

It is a well known fact that niggers poor people suck. Louisiana is just an extreme of this, in which history cannot have enough of a say.

That said, I thought Meng De was being funny at first, and I still do. But you really should make "/sarcasmintended" comments or the like next to such statements, because since the whole world does revolve around America, you do not want to piss of its denizens.

Albeit, this is the internet. I want to be an American Idiot.

[drache]

It's not that the whole world revolves around America (at least I don't think that)

It's simply there is no tone, no inflection, no body lanuage to read in a post. All you have is words and yes if you know someone well enough you can read sarcasm; however most of the time unless you make it clear somehow it will go unnoticed and possibly even taken seriously.

[Toby]

^ With the exception of smileys, of course.

I can read tones just fine, but it can only be a tone which I am certain of if it is written by somebody who is extremely proficient in the language.

Ibsen, Austen and Hume for instance, let their language flow with a tone of bitter arrogant upper lip.

[drache]

^ With the exception of smileys, of course.

I can read tones just fine, but it can only be a tone which I am certain of if it is written by somebody who is extremely proficient in the language.

Ibsen, Austen and Hume for instance, let their language flow with a tone of bitter arrogant upper lip.

Of course except for smileys, or doing something balant like /sarcasm

Eh like I said I think I can read tones in a bit of writting if I know the person really well or they are trying to write proficiently but I don't let myself relay on that though even if someone is proficient or seems proficient there's always the chance I'm reading too much into it if I don't know them.

[Venomous_Fang]

Wow thats really effed up,
time to call the NAACP:amuse

[Toby]

You see, Drache, that is why I give people a very good benefit of the doubt. I consider them idiots until I get to know them better, and because most people are capable of raising their level of recognition above idiot, they have nothing to lose. In fact, I am the one who loses most of the times, at their benefit.

Jesus, I should write about social relations.

[drache]

You see, Drache, that is why I give people a very good benefit of the doubt. I consider them idiots until I get to know them better, and because most people are capable of raising their level of recognition above idiot, they have nothing to lose. In fact, I am the one who loses most of the times, at their benefit.

Jesus, I should write about social relations.

Lol, that's an interesting way of looking at it, though I have to agree to an extent.

It's easy to be surprised when you have low expectations, when you have high expectations then it's easy to be disappointed.

[AshCrestedHeart]

it's horrible that they convicted someone with so little evidence. I believe that both parties were in the wrong, the guy who put the noose in the tree and whoever hit him from behind. They both should have been charged fairly because placing a noose in a tree is not only a safety issue but clearly a hate crime that would get someone expelled up here.

[Red]

If not for white devils someone else would finally discover and colonise America and Africa and bye bye to hanging from trees and hunting buffalos :amuse


Africans don't have a sense of European style nationality because they're centuries behind West (North?). The idea of one country - one nationality was developed only in some XIXth century (unification of Germany for example). Thus the best thing European powers could do after WW2 was not to leave Africa to govern themselves since they apparently can't but govern them, giving them some autonomy at the same time. But that would be probably highly un-PC and impossible (worked for Hongkong though)
Lol wut?
African were not "centuries behind" anyone.

Before white settlers Africans did have a sense of nationality I don't know where you got the idea that they didn't. They had they're own laws and governed themselves pretty sufficiently. A couple tribes (The igbo's) even had a democratic system WAY before America was even founded or democratic. They had metal works and awesome brass works, without interference from the Europeans they would have advanced pretty well. Apart from the Egyptians they were other well known empires, the Oyo and Benin just to name a few.

The idea that "they were just hunting buffaloes and eating grass stew" is bull shit.

and also the "they [Europeans] didn't want to pull out because africans don't know how to govern them selves is bull." They had a completely good system then the Europeans came and fucked it up by either dishonoring the leaders of different tribes (by grabbing their testicles and dragging them in line in front of the town square during market day, or by simply shooting them) then the mess wont have started.

Where the fuck did people get the idea that Africa was fucked from the beginning? seriously.

[Yakushi Kabuto]

Wait, they convicted him even after all the contrasting appearent eyewitness accounts?

[fghj]

Lol wut?
African were not "centuries behind" anyone.

Before white settlers Africans did have a sense of nationality I don't know where you got the idea that they didn't. They had they're own laws and governed themselves pretty sufficiently. A couple tribes (The igbo's) even had a democratic system WAY before America was even founded or democratic. They had metal works and awesome brass works, without interference from the Europeans they would have advanced pretty well. Apart from the Egyptians they were other well known empires, the Oyo and Benin just to name a few.

The idea that "they were just hunting buffaloes and eating grass stew" is bull shit.

and also the "they [Europeans] didn't want to pull out because africans don't know how to govern them selves is bull." They had a completely good system then the Europeans came and fucked it up by either dishonoring the leaders of different tribes (by grabbing their testicles and dragging them in line in front of the town square during market day, or by simply shooting them) then the mess wont have started.
Maybe but they can't govern themselves nowadays.

Where the fuck did people get the idea that Africa was fucked from the beginning? seriously.
1. They got themselves colonised.
2. Look at India and China.

[drache]

Africa got colonised because the Europeans by and large decided that they were going to 'save' the rest of the world and in so doing so also make alot of money.

And when it comes down to it guns>>spears.

[Freiza]

this is some fucking shit. It's okay for the white kids to put up nooses, then when they have successfully gotten their asses whup, black kids get in trouble for attempted murder...=_= who was hanging the nooses again. :mad

[Red]

Maybe but they can't govern themselves nowadays. Lol for generalizations, south Africa and a host of other north African countries can.

1. They got themselves colonised. so did the romans who are arguably the most advanced of their time that doesn't prove shiz.
2. Look at India and China.And that proves what?

Africa was not fucked from the beginning thats KKK talk right there.

[Bro Tai Jr.]

Finally, my tax dollars are getting put to good use.

Edit: this is some fucking shit. It's okay for the white kids to put up nooses, then when they have successfully gotten their asses whup, black kids get in trouble for attempted murder...=_= who was hanging the nooses again. :mad

Hanging Nooses or Attempted Murder?
I wonder which is worse.

[Aldrick]

Attempted murder or provocated assault based on evidence that contradicted itself multiple times?

[drache]

Finally, my tax dollars are getting put to good use.

Edit:

Hanging Nooses or Attempted Murder?
I wonder which is worse.

Did you ever get into a fight when you were a kid?

Nothing in that article seems to justify the charge of attempted murder.

Sides what would you do if someone hung nooses under a tree just because you sat under it? They're all childern, the adults should have stepped in and stop this all but they didn't.

[Bro Tai Jr.]

Did you ever get into a fight when you were a kid?

Nothing in that article seems to justify the charge of attempted murder.

Sides what would you do if someone hung nooses under a tree just because you sat under it? They're all childern, the adults should have stepped in and stop this all but they didn't.

I was being sarcastic.
I was saying that trying to kill the person for hanging a noose in a tree is not justified.

[Freiza]

Hanging Nooses or Attempted Murder?
I wonder which is worse.
you said you were being sarcastic, but that's stupid. i say hanging nooses is closer to attempting murder than beating someone up.
I was saying that trying to kill the person for hanging a noose in a tree is not justified.oh really, you say that because you are not black, and obviously you did not read the article...or you do not understand the racism of a noose be hung from a tree in reference to a black man.

[drache]

I was being sarcastic.
I was saying that trying to kill the person for hanging a noose in a tree is not justified.

It was a childish fight, unless someone brought a weapon I don't see it as attempted murder.

And rather it's over hanging nooses, calling your mother fat, or something else it's fairly inevitable that childern will get into fights. I see nothing unusual about this, it's part of growing up.

[sikvod00]

I was being sarcastic.
I was saying that trying to kill the person for hanging a noose in a tree is not justified.
A gross exaggeration at best. The charges were unjustifiable.