Gospel news
A Message From the Editor
During the 50’s and 60’s brave citizens dared to take a stand against racial discrimination. Through their many marches and protests, noise was made and voices were heard and with that said, changes were made. Although this statement rings true, change is still needed. Racial tension still rears its ugly head in today’s society.
The most current example occurred in the case of the Jena 6 in Jena, Louisiana, a small town of about 2,900 residents with 350 African Americans. For those of you who have not heard the news, six young high school students have been used as guinea pigs to send a message to the entire African American community that segregation is alive and well in Louisiana ( as if Katrina was not proof enough.)
Last fall in Jena, two black high school students sat under the "white tree" on their campus and soon after nooses were hung from the tree by white students. This incident fired more black students to sit under the “white only tree.” A series of white-on-black violence followed thereafter, and the DA did nothing to stop them. But when a white student was beaten up in a school fight, the DA responded by charging the six black students with attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
Racial tension escalated over the next couple of months, and on November 30, 2006 the main academic building of Jena High School was burned down in an unsolved fire. Later the same weekend, a black student was beaten up by white students at a party. The next day a white man pulled a shotgun on a few black students at a store. The black students took the gun from the man and they were arrested and charged with theft.
The following week the leader who hung the nooses taunted the black students so they finally agreed that enough was enough and they punched and kicked the white student. All six have been charged.
The six include: Robert Bailey (17), Theo Shaw (17), Carwin Jones (18), Bryant Purvis (17), Mychal Bell (16) and an unidentified minor, were expelled from school, arrested and charged with second-degree attempted murder. The first trial ended last month, and Mychal Bell, who has been in prison since December, was convicted of aggravated battery and conspiracy to commit aggravated battery (both felonies) by an all-white jury in a trial where his public defender called no witnesses. During his trial, Mychal's parents were ordered not to speak to the media and the court prohibited protests from taking place near the courtroom or where the judge could see them.
Sentencing for Bell will occur September 20, 2007 where he faces the possibility of up to 22 years in prison. So I ask you today are you mad yet? Well, if you are not, you should be. Join thousands in Jena and do not forget to wear all black. It is time to make some noise. We cannot sit in silence any longer and expect our heavyweight leaders to do all the work. Michael Basiden along with comedian George Wilborn, many activists, political leaders and loyal listeners will meet on September 20 to march to the Jena Courthouse to demand that justice is served for Mychal Bell. Michael Basiden’s show is a national syndicated radio show that is sometimes broadcast here in Dallas. Michael will need all the support he can get to show the prosecutors, the Judge, and the entire nation that we will not stand by while they steal the lives of our children. For more information log on to www.minglecity.com.
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