BERGEN 4-H TEEN COUNCIL’S TRIBUTE TO THE JENA 6

This text originally appeared in a flier handed out by the Bergen 4-H Teen Council's Jena 6 Committee at the 2007 Food Festival. It was created as part of a community service project TC kids chose to work on to direct our community's attention to the fact that racial injustice plays a bigger part in our society than many of us are aware.

Hi, I’m Ivan Wei, the Bergen 4-H Teen Council President. The first community service project Teen Council picked to work on this year is to bring awareness to the Jena 6 incident which happened in Jena, Louisiana in September of 2006. In honor of the Jena 6, their families and all people pursuing justice, the Teen Council’s Jena 6 Awareness Committee has prepared a flier with the story for you to read at your leisure. We have also prepared some delicious Louisiana dishes, which we hope you enjoy. And four of our members have brief thoughts to share with you tonight about easy steps each of you can take to learn to better appre- ciate the differences that make each culture, each age, and each religion, special. We’ll begin with Janice.

JANICE R I'd like to ask you all to once a month, go a day without making a remark that shines a negative light on any group of people. (Janice's statement was read by Andrea D)

SHARON FI would like to ask you all to once a month, take the time to reflect on the way you treat someone else - especially a young person - and make sure that you're being fair and kind.

ARI WI would like to ask all of you to 3 times a year, visit a museum, see a play or attend an art show that is significant in a cultural context.

IVAN WI'd like to ask each of you to once a month, take a little time to find out two simple things about a culture, or a religion, other than your own.

JENA 6 PETITION

SIGN IT HERE

We respectfully request that the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice review events surrounding the prosecution of six Black students in Jena, Louisiana, to determine whether the civil rights of Jena residents have been violated. In a May 20, 2007 Chicago Tribune article titled "Racial Demons Rear Heads," Howard Witt reported that the six students faced prosecution for charges including second degree attempted murder -- and possible prison sentences of up to 100 years -- for allegedly participating in an unarmed school brawl that resulted in no serious injuries. The alleged brawl followed months of racial tension after hangman's nooses were hung from a tree at the students' school.

From the same Chicago Tribune article

"There’s been obvious racial discrimination in this case,” said Joe Cook, executive director of the Louisia- na chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, who described Jena as a "racial powder keg” primed to ignite. "It appears the black students were singled out and targeted in this case for some unusually harsh treatment.”

The prosecution of these young men represents a gross miscarriage of justice, punishing Black students for opposing segregation of their schools while ignoring the threatening and provocative acts of those engaging in segregation.

We respectfully request that the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice launch a full investigation into events in Jena, Louisiana, beginning with the noose incident of August 31, 2006, and culminating in the alleged fight of December 4, 2006 to determine whether the civil rights of Jena residents have been violated.

WHAT’S HAPPENING TO THE ‘JENA 6’ CURRENTLY

MSNBC / Lawyer states ‘Jena 6’ Teen Near Plea Deal 12/03/07

CBS News / Victim In ‘Jena Six’ Beating Files Suit 12/04/07

REPORTING FOR THIS PROJECT BY

ANDREA D, IVAN W and LAURA D

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