The Bridge: Jena Six: A Diverse Demonstration
By Darryl James
African Americans
nationwide galvanized behind the six Black teens in Jena,
Louisiana perhaps more than any other event in recent history
since the Million Man March. More than 20,000 Blacks from as far
away as New York and Los Angeles descended upon the small town
in Louisiana to protest the uneven administration of justice.
And Blacks nationwide wore black clothing that day as a show of
solidarity.
A divergent group of African Americans were at the helm of the
protest. Intrinsic leaders ranging from radio show host Michael
Baisden and Los Angeles Sentinel Publisher Danny Bakewell used
their media influence to inform and inspire.
Alan Bean, executive director of the Texas-based Friends of
Justice, was among the first activists to investigate the case
and the actual petition to the Civil Rights Division of the U.S.
Department of Justice was created by Thomas McNamara—neither
activist is a national name.
Moving forward, perhaps divergent leaders will continue to take
the national media stage to demonstrate to America that African
Americans are looking to more than Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson
for leadership and galvanization. Perhaps such divergent
leadership can give sharper focus to the needs of the Black
community at large without being muddied by the presence of current media “Black Leader”
favorites.
Even as many African Americans change their view of the Jena Six
case, particularly of Mykal Bell, who already had a litany of
battery charges, there is a great deal of good that has come
from the case.
One good thing is what the case has demonstrated to America. It has
demonstrated that more of us are active and concerned than the
usual Black Reverends who rush to the spotlight when anything
goes awry.
That demonstration came in the form of the tens of thousands of
Blacks who descended upon Jena, Louisiana, who were inspired to
do so without the opportunistic prodding, yelling and rhyming of
Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson.
It is crucial to
highlight divergent leaders so that the eventual media stunting
of Sharpton and Jackson will not taint any protest by African
Americas, as though the two preachers are the only
representatives of the Black community and/or that on their
unique command, African Americans will blindly march like rats
to the Pied Pipers’ tune.
Mainstream America, through the mainstream media, must be given a
more thorough perception of racially charged issues, so that
they clearly understand how America is harming itself from the
inside out.
America is harming itself when racially charged issues are swept
under the rug.
In a quick survey of twenty white citizens and twenty African
American citizens, I found that fifteen percent of the Black
citizens and five per cent of the white citizens understood the
particulars of the Jena Six case. Only one of the white
citizens knew that there were nooses hung from a tree, that one
of the white students pulled a gun on one of the Black students,
or that the police charged the Black students with gun theft
after they took the gun away from the white student.
The majority of whites surveyed viewed the case simply as a racial
issue, yet, the case is about the unequal administration of
justice in America.
A clash of white and Black students occurred and while the white
students were portrayed as victims, the six Black students were
charged with attempted second-degree murder and conspiracy and
face as many as one hundred years in prison in a case without
serious injuries.
That is an issue affecting all Americans and should not be a Black
issue.
In that same short survey, I also found that twelve per cent of the
Black citizens and two per cent of the white citizens understood
the particulars of the case in West Virginia, involving a
twenty-year-old Black woman who was tortured, raped and forced
to consume animal waste, as she was being held hostage by six
whites who yelled racial epithets while holding her hostage.
Eight of the African Americans and only one of the white citizens
recognized the name Amadou Diallo, who was shot forty-one times
by New York police after reaching for his wallet in 1999.
All of these incidents have been reported in national Black media
outlets, yet virtually ignored by mainstream media.
When I informed the white citizens I surveyed of the details of
each case, I was met with amazement.
My point? Few details of racially charged issues are disseminated
by the national media, yet, America is bombarded with the
details of O.J. Simpson’s foolish antics or the details of
Michael Vicks’ dog fighting and abuse, unless the two Soul Curl
Preaching Brothers are on the scene.
African Americans paid attention to the injustices they saw in
Jena, Louisiana.
Mainstream media in America paid attention to Al Sharpton and Jesse
Jackson.
Baisden, Bakewell, Bean and McNamara—all Black activists—should
have been given the national spotlight for representing Black
interests, while truly inspiring and galvanizing.
A great number of
African Americans believe that mainstream America simply doesn’t
care.
I’d like to believe that most of them just don’t know.
Hopefully the Jena Six Case will help to make some changes.
Darryl James is an award-winning author who is now a filmmaker.
His first mini-movie, "Crack," was released in March of 2006. He
is currently filming a full length documentary. James’ latest
book, "Bridging The Black Gender Gap," is the basis of his
lectures and seminars. Previous installments of this column can
now be viewed at
www.bridgecolumn.com. James can be reached at djames@theblackgendergap.com.
