I've been following it, and I'm of a couple of minds on it.
On the one hand, the kids who are the "6" should be punished for what they did, but it sounds like they are being charged with aggravated assault with the "weapons" of their sneakers is bullshit. And they are being charged when white students doing similar things not being charged. There is a fairly obvious racial bias in the judicial system.
On the other hand, would any of this have happened if the school had treated the initial threat of the nooses in the tree as a threat instead of an "innocent prank"? The assault shouldn't be separated from the original action. If the officials in the town had any sensitivity to the issue of race, and blind to the threats made by the white student to the black students, would the black students have taken the actions they did?
It sounds like the white students are never punished significantly and the black students are always punished out of proportion to what they did. And it sounds like that is not an unusual situation in many small towns. That is the issue that I think the protest today was meant to address.
i do think both parties went too far and i agree that school officials should have intervened long before the nooses on the "white tree" because the fact that there would even be something referred to as a "white tree" is atrocious.
i think its sickening what the white kids got away with as well. i'm not saying in any way that a violent retort was just, but i can see how it could escalate to that being that no "authority" figures were jumping to the black kids defense.
the initial blatant racist actions of the law were horribly uncalled for, though i do think the kids should be punished for what they did.
i guess there's really not enough facts in yet to formulate a solid opinion on the situation, but for some reason it's really been bugging me today...
The initial taunts/noose hangings done by the white kids was of course horrible and absolutely reprehensible and those involved should have been appropriately punished.
The attack by the black kids was equally reprehensible. SIX on one? Beaten unconscious? I don't care if they used pillows, they'd deserve to be punished. As would anyone of any color who attacked another human for any reason, using any weapon.
My only exception is those who "get" rapists and pedophiles. I secretly think that's a dirty job that just needs doing, but I guess the victim always feels that way, which is why I understand the feeling of the protestors.
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On the one hand, the kids who are the "6" should be punished for what they did, but it sounds like they are being charged with aggravated assault with the "weapons" of their sneakers is bullshit. And they are being charged when white students doing similar things not being charged. There is a fairly obvious racial bias in the judicial system.
On the other hand, would any of this have happened if the school had treated the initial threat of the nooses in the tree as a threat instead of an "innocent prank"? The assault shouldn't be separated from the original action. If the officials in the town had any sensitivity to the issue of race, and blind to the threats made by the white student to the black students, would the black students have taken the actions they did?
It sounds like the white students are never punished significantly and the black students are always punished out of proportion to what they did. And it sounds like that is not an unusual situation in many small towns. That is the issue that I think the protest today was meant to address.
From:
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i do think both parties went too far and i agree that school officials should have intervened long before the nooses on the "white tree" because the fact that there would even be something referred to as a "white tree" is atrocious.
i think its sickening what the white kids got away with as well. i'm not saying in any way that a violent retort was just, but i can see how it could escalate to that being that no "authority" figures were jumping to the black kids defense.
the initial blatant racist actions of the law were horribly uncalled for, though i do think the kids should be punished for what they did.
i guess there's really not enough facts in yet to formulate a solid opinion on the situation, but for some reason it's really been bugging me today...
From:
no subject
The initial taunts/noose hangings done by the white kids was of course horrible and absolutely reprehensible and those involved should have been appropriately punished.
The attack by the black kids was equally reprehensible. SIX on one? Beaten unconscious? I don't care if they used pillows, they'd deserve to be punished. As would anyone of any color who attacked another human for any reason, using any weapon.
My only exception is those who "get" rapists and pedophiles. I secretly think that's a dirty job that just needs doing, but I guess the victim always feels that way, which is why I understand the feeling of the protestors.
BTW, HI! I saw you on Joybeans journal.
Morgan
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i agree that the whole mess, everything escalating up to it - is appalling.
and another thing - where were the parents? racism doesn't just "happen" to kids, they have to learn it from somewhere...