Myths About the “Jena 6”

J.J. Jackson* | October 27, 2007

I just thought this was an interesting read to help set the record straight:

Jena, La. - By now, almost everyone in America has heard of Jena, La., because they’ve all heard the story of the “Jena 6.” White students hanging nooses barely punished, a schoolyard fight, excessive punishment for the six black attackers, racist local officials, public outrage and protests – the outside media made sure everyone knew the basics.There’s just one problem: The media got most of the basics wrong. In fact, I have never before witnessed such a disgrace in professional journalism. Myths replaced facts, and journalists abdicated their solemn duty to investigate every claim because they were seduced by a powerfully appealing but false narrative of racial injustice.

I should know. I live in Jena. My wife has taught at Jena High School for many years. And most important, I am probably the only reporter who has covered these events from the very beginning.

The reason the Jena cases have been propelled into the world spotlight is two-fold: First, because local officials did not speak publicly early on about the true events of the past year, the media simply formed their stories based on one-side’s statements – the Jena 6. Second, the media were downright lazy in their efforts to find the truth. Often, they simply reported what they’d read on blogs, which expressed only one side of the issue.

The real story of Jena and the Jena 6 is quite different from what the national media presented. It’s time to set the record straight.

Myth 1: The Whites-Only Tree. There has never been a “whites-only” tree at Jena High School. Students of all races sat underneath this tree. When a student asked during an assembly at the start of school last year if anyone could sit under the tree, it evoked laughter from everyone present – blacks and whites. As reported by students in the assembly, the question was asked to make a joke and to drag out the assembly and avoid class.

Jessie Jackson and all you other race baiters please call your offices! Guess after the Duke rape prosecutions fell apart all your shysters needed another event ginned up to make yourselves more important than you really are huh?

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One Response to “Myths About the “Jena 6””

Peter on December 8th, 2007 5:20 pm

This is a very enlightening article. Much of its content I was unaware of. It’s my opinion that this incident was blown far out of proportion.

It’s distressing to see the blind followers of racists like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson rally around incidents like these with either little or no knowledge of the facts or simply not caring what those facts are.

Those who would shame us for recognizing the color of one’s skin are the first to brandish their skin color in a cry for attention. It has become a crutch and a shield for a self-ostracized group of people whose majority of perceived problems stem from their own community.

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