Well, of course "Actions by black students were treated more harshly than actions by white students." It's Louisiana for God's sake, and "Bubba" rules. Integration may have been mandated years ago but the prejudice still stands in lots of places in the South. So it cuts both ways, sometimes,like the charges against the LaCross players (white boys) accused of raping a black girl. Race should NOT be an issue but I don't see that happening anytime soon. Until people get over the "color" thing (both ways) injustice will prevail.

"The attack on Barker was the latest incident in a series of conflicts between white and black students sparked when black students found three hangman's nooses dangling from a tree on school property."

That, by definition, is a hate crime (and the definition can be found on the FBI website). The FBI is charged with investigating hate crimes. Why are they not investigating this one? Why have the perpetrators not been brought to justice?

There are so many details missing from this story.

So called civil rights leaders excusing criminal behaviors by individuals just because those individuals are black? Umm, how shocking. If these "leaders" really wanted to help the black community (and all society in general), they would condemn criminal actions perpetrated by anyone, regardless of skin color. Those six criminal thugs should be imprisoned for a long time for gang assaulting an innocent person. Notice I didn't say "black thugs" and "innocent white person." I'm color blind when it comes to crime and punishment, unlike the pathetic "leaders" in your article.

Some white guys beat up Mexicans for no reason in San Diego. They go prison time. 6 blacks against 1 white. Sounds about right. They should do some time.

if it was reversed they would face life sentences get real make justice fair give them all six life

Any action such as this one is a hate crime.Just because the bad actors were black does not make this kind of action any thing less. so yes LetsKeepItReal you are not correct.

Okay, but should these kids be getting charged with aggravated battery, landing them in serious prison time even though this was a school-yard jumping, basically.

We all know what high school was like. There were fights, kids got beat up. That's what happened here.

GET SOME JUSTICE! WHAT IN THE SAM HENRY "HADES" IS THE DOJ DOING? THIS IS UNCONSCIONABLE.

No one is condoning what happened. A crime was committed. What IS being questioned, though, is the disparity of punishment. Aggravated Assault? When the victim was basically uninjured beyond the usual bumps and bruises. That is a problem. Justice has to be equal if it is to be respected. Prior to the assault by the black kids, some white kids assualted a black kid at a party. The white kids were tried, convicted and given probation. Now that is a disparity of justice. So now it's out there for all the world to see. Truth, justive and the America Way? not if you're black and living in Jena, Louisanna...

These kids are all still young enough that they must be living at home. Therefore they have not ventured out into the real work-a-day world where responsible/civil behaviour is very important. If this is the case, maybe some time with a "scared stiff" program, and community service working as assistants to adult leaders with a youth counseling program might be a better idea. If behaviour like this happens again, then give them some jail time if the crime is serious enough.

A noose hanging from a tree. Retaliation. If they stop provoking it, the violence will stop.

You have a way with words, Dougster58.

The fact is that no one should be allowed to committ a crime and get away with it.
But, when a disparity of justice occurs respect for real justice diminishes because of what is percieved as an inability to obtain justice in the system.
Justice must be meted out without the issue of color being a determinig factor.
The DA office of LaSalle county made race an issue when the office choose to prosecutute the white perpetrators of a white on black assault with a lesser charge then the one choosen to be used against the black perpetrators of a black on white assualt.

Race has been and will always remain an issue for some in this country because they only see the superficial and not the beautiful heart and soul that dwells beneath.

I feel that the school should get in trouble for keeping campus security on sit and if they did have security where they close by to see this issue heat up slowy before it truned into this a violent act this could have been provent had the check the campess for thing that dont belong on campus could have been removed so that this young men would have got hurt.

I know I'm ignorant about this, but what does a noose hanging from a tree signify? It evidently means some racial slur? I agree with Mitch about the punishment, high schoolers are sometimes immature and don't always make the right decision, but to send him to prison for 22 years when the victim was not severely injured does not make sense.

It must be nice to be white in AMERICA. Because in America as a white person you are given mulligans, do overs and the benefit of the doubt. But as any person of color you are treated with disrespect , coldness and no sympathy or empathy. I see a double standard of justice as a Police officer, it is aggravated assault when a weapon of any type is used during a fight. I feel that if one party was treated as children, with the benefit of the doubt, then so should the other. I guess that only happens if you are white in AMERICA. Also if things pan out as they should , just like the Duke Prosecuter, This joker should be disbarred as well. Its only fair. oops I forgot, these "KIDS" are not white in AMERICA.

I love the people that are diminishing this crime. So Finch, 3 nooses hanging in a tree is, by definition, a hate crime huh? I took your suggestion and went to the FBI website. Absolutely nowhere did I find any definition whatsoever that even remotely said anything like that. If I ever saw 3 nooses in a tree, I certainly wouldn't automatically assume that it must be some sort of a heinous conspiracy to threaten or intimate an African American or deprive him of his rights. What high school did you go to Uncle Same where it was OK to beat people up? Because in the town I grew up in, that kind of thing was sort of looked down upon and any perpetrator was punished. If I were you, I'd move. And Mitch, I guess we should go easy on someone if he gang assaults an innocent victim once, but hey, if he does it twice we'll just be a little more strict then huh? Because the first victim for some reason is somehow less a human being then the second victim. In high school I still lived at home, but I still had the morals to know it wasn't OK to violently assault someone because of their race. And RNKay, if the white students were charged with a lesser crime, maybe the FACTS of that case bore out the decision to charge them with a lesser crime. That's how a crime gets charged: by whatever facts support that particular charge. To say that in every instance where two people get different charges brought against them, and they happen to be different races, is due to racism, is shear stupidity. And how do you know how hurt the victim was Deb? Because the "critics" say he only received minor injuries? Gee, I'm sure they wouldn't try at all to trivialize the injuries caused by the people they're defending. Let's have you be viciously attacked by 6 thugs for no reason and let's see how physically and psychologically hurt you are. Then let's see what sentence you think is appropriate.

Gee Kommisar, you are definitely right. It is absolutely not possible that more black people are in jail because they are guilty of more crimes. The explanation can not possibly be that simple. Instead the reason MUST be that there is a vast conspiracy in which tens of millions of racist people, including police officers, investigators, technicians, witnesses, lawyers, paralegals, prosecutors, court personnel, judges, and jurors, are all working closely together to persecute people based on their race. Of course, why didn't I see that before?

Do pay attention, informedone (sic).

Perhaps studying some history would help you understand why three nooses dangling from a tree on school property might intimidate black students. What *would* you assume about the purpose of those nooses?

My post was about the FBI not doing its job. Nowhere did I say it's all right to beat people up. It is not. That statement applies equally to people of different races, which means it was not all right for white students to beat black students with bottles and fists. Why are you trying to diminish *that* crime?

New articles aren't always accurate, duh! Drive on down to Jena LA, attend the court hearing, get the real facts folks.
Othewise, wouldn't this be pure speculation?

Informedone, Your right on the money.

There were 100 murders in LA last year, I think that shows that the punishment of crimes is not strict enough there. Finally there is a judge willing to try and put a stop to the violence. There is no way I would visit that state as long as the crime rate is so incredibly high. Come on people, take some pride in our justice system and applaud those willing to put an end to this madness. Nobody should be afraid to visit any state in OUR great nation and people who live there should not do so in FEAR!

Informedone, I see where you are coming from. My thoughts are about justice being blind and not having an agenda. The DA threatened these kids prior to the incident. also one of the "witnesses was involved with an incident by brandishing a weapon. Also one of the black kids , during a fracas, was struck in the head with a bottle and his attackers only received probation...So I guess the bottle was not considered a weapon and the kids fractured skull was an accident ... I know, I know , the kids head struck the bottle, thus making it his fault...What was I thinking. I guess your right , Its all paranoia because racism does not exist...

I beleive the Wall street stock is going down due to lack of good hiring on many jobs in MI and Oh no background checks done and the people there hiring are robbling are the real shop lifter, I guess they deserve this since they do not want hispanic her and hire all blacks now to take over the jobs in managemnt to and now I can not find a job, and I have seen this more and more noticeable then ever, now ask oyu self who will save your Wall street stock?

I think the democrats have taken this way way out of proportion into a battle of there stupidity. Alberto is odne a good job.
Example here just learned this one since black american get jobs in HR and in managemnt they will not hire no one else but black now so I hope well find out who will take over the democatic parties here soon will come to what is needed now.

You could be next no job no stock do background check on the criminals who can be shoplifters on the job as well.
as it's is happening now good luck Wall street and MI and OH.
unemployment lines soon.

You could be next

The student attacked by the 6 had nothing to do with the noose or any other transgressions... He just happened to be white. In the attack on him the 6 used racial epitaths. Sounds like a hate crime, smells like a hate crime, looks like a hate crime. If the rolls were reversed I'm sure Jesse Jackson would be making a beeline for the nearest camera.

The Judge, jury, and prosecutors who tried the black kid should be on trial for making a mockery of this country's juducial system. This case should be referred to U.S. Supreme Court.

Some of you people say your blind to color.Well you aren't some of the commencts you make are those of a person who is prejudice and doesn't even know it . Yes the 6 boys should be charged with simple battery just like those who assaulted robert bailey(african american).There were 2 crimes in this article remember? Assault on a caucasian boy in the school yard by 6 african american boys AND an assault on a african amercian boy by caucasian boys (unspecified number) using not only there fist but beer bottles as well.Keep in mind that the attack on the caucasian child was in a school yard where adults are near by they were able to stop th efight and get the child medical help the enable him to return to school the same day! When the african american child was assault it was at a party probably with no adults around not to mention they were using BEER BOTTLES!!!!could you imagine what might have happened if no one had intervened? The point is BOTH sides did wrong BOTH side committed assault, and if you ask me the assualt against the african american was more serious since it could have been labelled assault witha deadly weapon.no major injuries were incured so tell me why and adolescent who has his whole life ahead of him would have to spen 22 year of his life in jail.If the justice system wants to play it like that then all the boys black and white should go to jail for that long that way they both pay for there actions and families on both sides feel the pain.I guess americians are so ani-terror the forgot how to run an equal and just society!

Excuse me....there is a zero tolerance on school grounds now for any form of violence!!! Just the fact that the second attack took place on school grounds give cause for different actions by the law. This is the direct result of all the school shootings. I will tell you that there is very little that can be done about attacks or fights off school grounds. My son was attached by a group of kids 'same skin color btw' but different nationalities. The injuries were very serious. The police were called, a report filed, nothing done. The other parents were not even spoken to by the police. The school would not get involved, I beleive because my son is blonde with blue eyes. Very sad, a kid is a kid. The threats carried over to the school, he was chased through the school being called a Nazi, be cause over 200 years ago his ancestors came from Germany.
Pay attention people...Hate is everywhere, and no one is really trying to stop it. And only is it a hate crime if a person of color is hurt in the eyes of the public and the law.

Surprised we haven't heard from Al Sharpton yet, or did i miss that. It always becomes a racism issue when the blacks think they are getting the shortend of the stick.

Do the crime, serve the time...

Letskeepitreal says "Race should NOT be an issue..." right! unless its six white kids beating up a black kid! then the ACLU and the majority of the ppl on this blog would be hollering for life sentances and screaming for "justice".

Face it ppl! Until we get past this white vs black vs yellow vs brown vs red vs etc etc, we as a ppl will never make any real progress. We are lucky to have gotten this far given the nature of the ACLU and its pentient for unrealistic goals, screwing up religion, and generally trying to control our lives worse then the Dems!

I don't see color either but if a crime committed then he/she should be punished equally. Race is an issue because of the sentence the white kids were given. 22 yrs is along time to be given to a kid, especially since this is an on going problem. Right is Right. If one gets probation then so should everyone else! Honestly I feel they should all do time because this should not be accepted in a community period.

I just want to say that if they are wrong punish them. That took all of five seconds. Do the word Lemmings ring a bell?

There is so much info missing from this article its ridiculous. The kid who was "beaten" actually attended a social function later on that same day... not to mention that it was provoked in part by racial slurs from the white student involved.

In other words, there are mitigating circumstances that any rational person would take into consideration before thinking 22 years for a schoolyard fight that did not result any serious or lasting injuries is a fair judgment. This would be true even if race were not a factor.

I think that racism can go both ways. Maybe in this case they are being treated unfairly...but we don't have all the facts...the media only tells readers what they want them to think. There is racism everywhere in this country.

The article said this victim was able to attend a school function the same day, so I assumed the injuries would not have been life threatening. In high school the guys always had a saying "don't start nothing and there won't be nothing". Maybe everyone should follow golden rule .... Do unto others as you would have them do to you. Yes I know I live a dream world and it ain't gonna happen.

Well I left Alexandria,LA. in 1966,April 30th..I see nothing has changed...as a matter of fact,Negro kids & Caucasion kids got along better then than now.
I use to play with Atty: Gravel kids in Alex,.LA. We had no problems..Read Proverbs 30th Chap and 11th verse -15th..you'll know why this is happening today in this Generation.
It's because of the Parent's that dislike the Negro Race that these kids get this from.not all Caucasions are like that,tho.but the HATE is there..
It's even worst here in the North.
Dora

coming from a 19 yr. old young black man....this case scares me. Although i have no criminal record whatsoever to think that if i ever got into a fight i might get 22 YEARS IN PRISON plus whatever the U.S NAVY gives me!It's unreal.I'm from texas i've seen racism in many ways directed from one ethnicity to another and as far as i'm concerned this case is just another case of what i call "American Teenage Stupidity", but of course it's going to be blown out of proportion. You know what the problem is? Mommy's and Daddy's! A good spanking goes a LONG way!

Now in days you can't go one day with out hearing a racist slur. As parents we should teach or kids what is wrong and that is right , 6 kid betting up 1 kid is wrong,betting him up because he is of another color , even worse. We should all take a good look around and see what is it that we are teching our children, and maybe we should not belive avething that the media says, because they always make evrthing sound worse than it is.

I sadness me that we are still living in Slavery....Yes, the white man treat their dog better than blacks...yes, i said it.. If this kid was so hurt then how in the HELL did he went to a social function. This is bull... I hope and pray they God set the record straight for these CHILDREN and the parent of the white kid get some heart and make their child tell the truth.

I don't know about racial motivation and that white and black are treated different other than what I see on the news. I think they are taking all forms of punishment for normal childish school behavior to the extreme. Here in the Pacific NW we have to middle school boys that are facing prison time and a lifetime of registering as sex offenders for slapping someone on the behind. I think it is time we say enough is enough and start punishing real crimes. Let the punishment match the crime. Why should a parent who murders a child get less time in prison than some boys that jumped a fellow student.

Why is it every time a black is charged with assaulting a white person, they pull the race card. If the situation were reversed, Al Sharpton, Jessie Jackson et al will be screaming bloody murder, but when it is a white person who is assaulted by blacks, it's swept under the carpet. I hope these black racists get the harshest penalty under the law.

I have been very upset about how these high school age black students have been treated. They are facing the outrageous charge of attempted murder. The district attorney reduced the charge for the one who was tried,and since the young man was 16 at the time it should have been handled in juvenile court. Racial hate is evil and does not reflect well on christian values in Jena, La.

I live in Louisiana and I know first hand how racism affects all of us. Yes there are more black people that commit crimes than whites, but has anyone ever examined why? Poverty, unequal education and I can definitely prove that here in Louisiana, and unequal opportunities. Down here if you are white, you are always right. I have white female counterparts that don't have to know nearly as much as I do. I have to prove myself on a daily basis and that is only because I am black.

This case of the Jena Six is ridiculous! Nooses hung from any tree is a direct threat to a life (remember the KKK?).The only thing missing was the burning cross and someone probably did that but instead burned the school down. That was a hate crime. I have never known anyone to get into a school yard fight, even gang members, and get charged with attempted murder (the charges now dropped to assault). 25 years to life? For a student that has scholarships to LSU and other prestigious universities and that has never been in any trouble before?

And about the crime in Louisiana,(I'm in New Orleans) what some people fail to realize is that decent African Americans are just as scared of the criminal element as they are. The difference is we have to live next door to the thugs and they are from our neighborhoods. You think we like hearing of gang shootings and murders? And don't dare tell because you'll be next. Who can trust a police force that will tell the criminals who you are for the right price. White people move away, ever heard of white flight? Well it's prevalent here - Northshore Louisiana. But those of us that have to stick around have to deal with it the best way we know how. We were only awarded civil right less than 70 years ago- that is not enough time for all the wounds to heal but this case of the Jena Six is like putting salt on the cut!

Ok....I've been out of high school for a long time and I am not condoning what the young black men did, but give me a break sentencing high school kids for poor judgment for fighting on school grounds to 22 years. Come on, it just shows how ignorant and racist Jena, LA is. As for the Infoderme, you need to get real. Hanging nooses from a tree is definitely threatening and hateful to African Americans and as far as I am concerned it is a HATE CRIME. The KKK made sure to intimidate blacks in the south and they did there fair share of hanging blacks from trees (men and women). If you don't know this you don't know anything about slavery and blacks in America. I'm sure you are to young to remember how they hung Emmet Till (a young black man from Chicago visiting family in the south because he looked and whistled at a white woman). Every black person in America knows how some whites (notice I'm not saying all) look and treat us. Sure we may be a little sensitive but until you have walked in our shoes you really don't know how we feel. As far as justice in this country...it has been historically harsher sentences for blacks. True, we don't know all the facts but how would you feel if some black called you "out" and you and all your friends jumped him. You really expect me to believe that you would expect and be willing to serve 22 years. If you say yes, I don't believe you. Race is and will always be a problem in this country. I moved to the new South (what a laugh) from California. Nothing has changed. They just sugar coat racism with a southern drawl.

Of course it's not a big deal, but if it was the other way around 6 whites on 1 black every media outlet in the country would be screaming about it. Double standard crap

racecard is right...imagine a black kid being attacked by six white kids. Those morons sharpton and jackson would never shut up about it. Oh, but the victim is white so it's ok.
six on one, that's about what i'd expect.
Why can't hate crime laws be applied to crimes comitted by blacks? or was this a love crime? because we all know that all black people really, really love white people, right? only white people are capable of hate, right?
Throw the little punks in prison.

well maybe 22 years is a bit much? so just cut it back to 21. with out all the details, what is the sense in all of this anyway. if the attack on the white kid is truly a hate crime, then he gets what the law says he gets. certainly there must of been some logical difference between the two cases. there must be some reason for discrepancy, and i don't believe it is race.

Blacks and hispanics cause much more crime according to US Gov't sttistics - not racial propaganda! Actually the Gov't tries to cover up the criminality of blacks and hispanics by counting many non-white hispanics as white.

If this guy is white, I'm an eskimo!

"The attack on Barker was the latest incident in a series of conflicts between white and black students sparked when black students found three hangman's nooses dangling from a tree on school property."

How does one know if blacks didn't place these nooses ?
Do you know ? No...you don't.

"Racecard" and "Surrounded by Idiocy" are NOT right, as other commenters (not enough, apparently) have noted. The "beating" of the white child by the six accused was not an isolated, six-on-one, hate-crime incident: it was the culmination of a series of racially charged incidents initiated and perpetuated by white students.

Incident 1: Black adolescent tries to stand under "white kids'" tree. (Some of you probably think he was "asking for it.")
Incident 2: Nooses, clearly suggesting lynching for those with any sense of history, appear in tree. Perpetrators are located; they're given in-school suspension, and they are not accused of hate speech.
Incident 3: Black students organize silent, civil protest under tree. School calls assemby at which local D.A. makes statements that are read as threatening protestors with legal action. Whether statements really are threatening remains unclear.

We can choose to shut our eyes to the truth. No matter what truth you choose to believe. But the fact of the matter is America's youth is in serious trouble. When are we as adults going to truly step up to the plate. I am surrounded daily by America's troubled youth. Motherless daughters, fatherless sons, motherless sons, fatherless daughters. When was the last time you checked on the single mom up the street. Does her babies have milk to drink, food to eat. Oh! I forgot that not your problem. Your son plays football how about your neighbors son? Can you afford to donate his player fee? If so, why not? You drive your son can he get a ride? What would it really cost you? Ladies, when was the last time you complemented the little girl up the street. You know how much we need that reassurance, self esteem boost. When you passed her did she look like she needed a hug? Why not give it. I could go on which i'm sure you notice. All i'm trying to say is that we have to do more to get more. It is our problem! Show our children that life can be so much more than a music video.
I know I can't carpet the would but I can't find my comfortable slippers either. Please, give a child (boys, girls, teens) a smile and a hug you'll be suprised what it can do.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Martin Luther King Jr., Letter from Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963

No one here has mentioned the fact that a white boy pulled a gun on 3 black kids and received no punishment. The boys wrestled the gun away from the white boy and ran home, the black boys were charged with theft. Does that sound fair? Also what about the black boy that was beat up at the white party, or it doesn't matter because he was black. Why are the black boy's bails set so high? The white boy/boys that was charged with beating up the one black boy, his bail was set at $5000.00. Does that seem fair? Walk in our shoes and see what we see, when we walk in to a store and the owner follows us around, when we walk on the street and are asked by police what we are doing, ride in my car when I am pulled over and asked can I please step out of the car, when I ask the officer why am I being pulled over and get no answer. Some of you all will never encounter this so I don't expect you to feel as I feel when I see a noose, because you have never went though some of the things that I have went through. Some of you don't know of racism like I know of racism. Someone mentioned that there are no white only scholarship's at historically black colleges they do have a minority scholarship's, because at a historically black college guess who is the minority. The reason I know this is because my friend attended a historically black college on one.

First off I must say that it is very disturbing to see many of these comments posted here. Its obvious that many of these people posting comments on here are nothing but racists and whats even more disturbing about it is your fully aware that your a racist and your proud thats why you leave these hateful comments. But its okay we all have to meet our maker one day and well some of you I feel sorry for. But as far as the young boy looking at 22 years in prison downright outrage. I wonder what justification the courts have for this case, lol. Believe me theyll probably come up with a good one. Im gonna keep these boys in my prayers, hopefully, just maybe these racists will allow God into their hearts.

The only problem I have with the prison sentence is that he goes to an institution, for 22 years, that feeds on racial discrimination. That would mean, he would get out at, approximately, at the age of 40. This is a life sentence. Who would hire a man in his 40's with no college education and a hate crime felony? I wouldn't, white or black. If the lesson to teach is that racism is wrong, prison should be the last place to consider. That to me is the problem. The courts job is to judge and punish, the prison's job to carry out the sentence and try to rehabilitate the inmate. How do we fix the problem and punish accordingly? Remember folks, there is only one way to fight hate, and its called love. Peace be to all.

Again I see a situation has brought back many hard feelings of a bad history. I feel there is injustice on all sides of the law. The laws governing each states varies as we all know. I live in St. Louis & almost lost my life to a violent crime committed against me. I am an African American & I was beat, spat on, my hair was pulled, he poured gas all over me in an attempt to set me on fire, put a gun to my head & raped me. This guy served 6 months in jail & released because the judge said statistically speaking most women go back to their abusers. I wasn't this guys 1st victim either. To this very day he still stalks me & I live in constant fear. On ther other hand my brother who lives in In. met a girl who was white. She lied about her age & said she was 19. They dated for awhile before they were intimate. After those special times began her father found out she was dating a black man & they are charging him with sexual misconduct of a minor. On the stand the girl admitted that she lied about her age. Other white guys who dated her has testified that she told them she was 19. They are trying to give him a 20 yr sentence. I said this to say that injustice is everywhere & there should be laws that have the same penalty no matter who commit them. Each state should actually be in agreement with standards set for crimes. I believe in fairness but it takes effort on our part as Americans to get our states in order. But hey, we are to busy trying to rum other peole countries that we can't see our own falling apart. This is what makes a vunerable as a nation. It's called division. A house divided against itself cannot stand. We need to come into agreement as a people & let the past go before history repeats itself yet again. We are all so caught up in self righteousness & vanity that we can't see our own flaws. Let's agree to disagree & come to a compromise so that we can re establish a solid foundation for our future. For we know we all have some other race mixed in our blood so there is no color. It's a moral issue.

I am a 38yr old black male serving in the US NAVY. 1st, I often believe Jackson and Sharpton often speak to further their own respective agendas vs the black cause..just wanted to put that out there. Second, I agree with all of you who focus on the facts of the crimes committed. For any crime to have been perpetrated, the elements of that crime must be met. In the military, striking someone with a beer bottle would constitute aggravated battery(AV). Six individuals on 1 would also constitute AV. Three hangman's nooses would definately constitute a hate crime. Don't know La's statute language, so can't say. But if ANY of you believe that equal and fair treatment has been applied here, you are a fool..and the only person you're fooling is yourself. It is completely unreasonable to believe that if you go upside someone's head with a beer bottle that it should be considered simple battery and punished with probation. A SINGLE person committing this act is guilty of AV upon conviction. Conversely, 6 people attacking 1 person COULD also be adjudicated as AV, especially dependent upon the sustained injuries. 22yrs? Too long in my opinion, but both of these groups of people committed these crimes. Both should be sent somewhere to contemplate their actions for a while. How long, I don't know, but long enough for it to hurt, definitely.

There is so much wrong here everybody can have a big piece. Where to begin...
The draconian 22 year sentence- that is just outrageous... murderers get off with lighter sentences all the time. Yes, I do believe racism and class warfare are factors in its severity. Having the resources to hire top of the line lawyers is probably even of greater significance than race. Racism by both sides- would surprise me if it is not true. Some people are always stirring the pot, usually the innocent are the ones getting burned. Rather than send these young people to prison, society would be better served by some sort of program that would put them together to sort out their differences in a more constructive manner, help them to recognize just how amazing and valuable all people are, especially in our differences. Nooses? I dont see much difference between them and burning crosses, its a code most people would understand. But blacks can be very racist too. I've seen 20 blacks attack 1 white simultaneously for no better reason than he was the captain of an almost all black football team. No, it wasnt racism that put him in that top position either, he just had incredible talent. Believe, it or not he even won that fight. Saw a giant black kid (male) repeatedly ram a white girl's head into a desk it didnt fit into. Never knew why. My husband has had 4 blacks beat the crap out of him with rubber hoses before he was able to get away. Did I raise my son to be a racist? Hell no. Racism dosnt just hurt the hated, it also hurts the hater just as much. False constructs of the mind/heart imperil one's ability to think clearly, to see truly, to love easily...I would never want to handicap my son with racism, made a point of introducing him to other races/cultures in social situations when opportunities occured.

To those who say that more blacks commit crimes than whites, that depends on the crime.

For instance, what is one of the most shocking crime rash to stun the nation in the 1990s and 2000s? Answer: school shooting sprees by students.

Since the rash started on February 2, 1996, in Moses Lake, WA, ALL BUT TWO of the perpetrators of such incidents have been young WHITE males. The ONLY two exceptions were two of the most recent: Jeff Weise, the American Indian on the reservation; and Seung-Hui_Cho of the Virginia Tech massacre. NEITHER of them, and NONE of the others, were black. NOT ONE BLACK KID has EVER preditatively shot up a school! There have been one-on-one murders by blacks that took place at a school, and at least one NON-premeditated shooting spree by a black kid, but talking here about the Columbine / Virginia Tech style PREMEDITATED shooting SPREES, no, no black kid has EVER done that.

Also, with the SOLE exception of Jeff Weiss on the reservation, these have ALWAYS taken place in “NICE, PEACEFUL” MIDDLE-CLASS and UPPER-MIDDLE-CLASS SMALL TOWNS and SUBURBS. PEARL, MS., NOT JACKSON, for instance. LITTLETON, CO., NOT DENVER. And so on, and so on, and so on. NOT ONE has taken place in an inner-city slum, nor indeed in any poor predominantly black neighborhood, or “da ’Hood.”

You’d never know that from the media coverage, though. Don’t depend on them. Check it out for yourself. Look at the lists of premeditated school shooting sprees available online. Now look up where they happened, the demographics of the area, and what race and economic class the perpetrators are. Don’t take my word for it.

I agree the punishment is to harsh. He should be punished the way the law states. You do a crime, you do the time. Not 22 years! That is a little rediculous. I am a white male and I have been jumped by three black males for being white. Police filed a report and nothing was done. Hate crime? I am sure. I could have retailiated, but chose not to because that would only continue the trend of racism. Someone, anyone should take that same approach. I don't think that whites are the only racist. That is a bold face lie. There is equal racism in every ethnicity. I also have been harrased by cops of all ethnicities. Thats just cops. Not that your white or black. The 6 should be punished for the crime, but not 22 years.

On August 2nd, George had the temerity to ask:

How does one know if blacks didn't place these nooses ?
Do you know ? No...you don't.

Uh, yes, yes we do. You see, the ones who set the nooses were caught and punished with a slap on the wrist (in-school detention). They were, of course, white. This is a known fact.

Ask another stupid question. Come on. Ask.

Oh, by the way, not that it matters, but Im a middle-aged Southern white man, born in Texas and raised in the Deep South.

What I don't understand is WHY no-one is expressing HOW this all started. The school had a large tree with an unwriten rule that ONLY WHITES could sit under. Finally a group of BLACKS decided to sit under the tree. So, a group of WHITES decided to place the hangmen nooses on the tree limbs. Then the Black youth was viciously attacked at a party. Things escalated from there to the White youth being attacked later. The question comes in when the White youths are punished in a menial manner, and the Blacks in a harsher manner. It's really funny how people cannot see anything wrong with how each group's punishment is given. As long as we justify different treatment, racism will continue to prosper. The school was very much aware of the tree being used as a symbol of status and class. It should have dealt with this stupidity long ago. I now hear that the tree has been cut down.

The media hasn't mentioned the total situation at the convenient store. The white guy was walking in the store when 3 black guys started running towards him and he ran back to his truck and grabbed his gun.
Also, according to witnesses the 6 did things like slam Justin Barker's head into the concrete and kicked and stomped him. Without teacher and student intervention he probably would have died.

All of you who say this is not a hate crime on the basis of race, you are out of your mind! The simple fact is that we live in a racist society and until we open our eyes and realize that, these type of crimes and injustices will continue to occur. Why is it that it is 2007 and we haven't as a people (black, white, yellow, brown etc. ) havent figured this out? Ponder on that?
Lets be apart of the solution and not the problem!

I just hear about this on the Michael B.radio show here in ohio 93.1fm This is crazy, it took almost a month for me to hear about this story. I am outrage about this I don't agree with fighting I do agree that the court system should be more mature in sentencing these young boys. I can't believe that you would report info that important as 6 young men life that would basicly it over for them because of a school yard fight. I send all my love and support to the family...

I have been listening to the news information on the six kids and the Jena 6 case. I am a grandmother and mother and quite frankly confused as to why this has not received the coverage in the same media frenzy as te Michael Vick story and follow-up conviction story. What deems a good or great story on your network--is Hurricane Dean more important than the fate of six young men whose only crime is to be born Black. I have always felt ABC had more integrity than this and doubt I will continue to watch this network as the poles of balance are definitely color blind. NBC News certainly has the right idea to bring this serious issue of justice to the forefront of the American people.

Thank you basically for nothing.

Mary Peoples

I've also just heard about this story from the Michael Basin show on 92.3. I think this is very a horrible and racists situation. What we should think about are these boys future that could dramatically change over a yard fight. We clearly see that racism is still well and alive. This is clearly a hate crime motivated by deep rooted racism and unequal treatment. What I can't understand is why weren't the white kids involved in this situation sentenced the same. I do hope this will not stand, I send my prayer's and love to those 6 boys family's. I have a son myself I know how hard this must be for them. I wish there was more I could do.

I heard about this on my way home. I could not beleive what I was hearing. They are trying to send these young to prison for a school yard fight..... If the justice system allows thos to happen, I can truley say they have failed everyone. Being a black person truley has its downfalls, but this is crazy. That means if, if there is another school fight on the grounds at this particular school or anywhere. The same laws should be applied, but we all know that is not going to happen. It makes me sick that LA law allows these racist people to act like this. It's like they have permission to to treat the blacks in such a manner and provoke them to get this kind of reaction out of us. I'm not saying all white people like this but you know who you are. I will beat the brakes off anybody who tries to harm me or threaten me in any kind of whatever race you are. This is so ridiculous.

I just heard about this whole issue today, August 21, 2007. Honestly, but for the Michael Baisden Show, I wouldn't have known anything about it. I live in the Washington, DC metro area where this story has not been covered in the print media or on the television news. After hearing it on the show today, I decided to look it up on the internet and see now that it has reached the masses via the web. On the one hand, because I am an African American female, I find it sad that the media has spent weeks, if not months, focusing on the Michael Vick story and no time whatsoever discussing the issues being faced by these young people. On the other hand, reading all of the prior comments, I can see to some extent why the television media has focused so little on the story. It is devisive. Whites seem to believe that it wasn't a big deal that the nooses were placed under the tree. Blacks are outraged by that act. I would suggest that we be honest with ourselves. We live in a country with a long history of racial injustice starting from the fact that this nation for several hundred years legally enslaved an entire race of people and to this day, refuses to apologize for that transgression. Once slavery legally ended, our government found a way to allow the stigma of slavery to remain with the Jim Crow laws and nearly one hundred years of failing to enforce the right to vote to African Americans. I was raised in the deep south (Mississippi) and saw first hand the effects of slavery. Our country has come a long way since the passage of the Civil Rights Act, but still has so much more to do. The effects of slavery will remain as long as our children are taught to hate. Nooses are a symbol of the Ku Klux Klan. People were ACTUALLY hung with nooses for many years after the Civil War. The children who placed the nooses in the school yard KNEW exactly what message they were sending when they placed that symbol of division and hatred. The events that happened subsequent to the noose placement were BOUND to happen. The war started with the nooses. As adults, we seem to dismiss much of what has happened as kids being kids. But these kids are simply acting and reacting based on what they have been taught by their parents and the lessons of history. The kid (to me, it doesn't matter his race) that was beat up and