Hey folks,
I saw this article while signing off on Friday night. I had to catch it so I could comment on it today. This is NOT helping race relations in this country. THIS is one of the reasons, some in this country that are not inherently racist, start having some problems. Some see things like this, and ask, why? Why is this. Just because of the color of their skin? THIS type of thing can actually lead to more racism. More on this in a second.According to the AP-Teen's conviction tossed in La. beating By JANET McCONNAUGHEY, Associated Press Writer
A state appeals court on Friday threw out the only remaining conviction against one of the black teenagers accused in the beating of a white schoolmate in the racially tense north Louisiana town of Jena.Mychal Bell, 17, should not have been tried as an adult, the state 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal said in tossing his conviction on aggravated battery, for which he was to have been sentenced Thursday. His conspiracy conviction in the December beating of student Justin Barker was already thrown out by another court.
Bell, who was 16 at the time of the beating, and four others were originally charged with attempted second-degree murder. Those charges brought widespread criticism that blacks were being treated more harshly than whites following racial altercations involving Jena High.
STOP!!! What do you think would have happened ANYWHERE USA, if five WHITE kids jumped and beat one Black kid?
The Rev.s Sharpton, Jackson, would have packed up and headed out. The school would be blamed for promoting racism, for their failure to prevent this. The five WHITE kids would have all been arrested, some high profile Prosecutor would be calling for hate crimes. These kids would have been charged and tried as adults. The Mass Media would move into the town for 24-7 coverage of the “tragedy in Louisiana.” The experts would come out of the wood work to analyze “What went wrong.” Who is to blame?But because it was 5 BLACK kids, jumping a white kid? They, THE ATTACKERS, are being treated too harshly? This is enough to make one sick.
Civil rights leaders, including the Revs. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, had been planning a rally in support of the teens for the day Bell was to have been sentenced.
So instead of coming to the aid of the VICTIM, they came to the aid of the ATTACKERS This just proves that they nothing more than a joke, and part of the continuing problem. They are NOT helping race relations. They are PROMOTING racism for their own gain.
Teenagers can be tried as adults in Louisiana for some violent crimes, including attempted murder, but aggravated battery is not one of those crimes, the court said.
What about HATE CRIMES?
Defense lawyers had argued that the aggravated battery case should not have been tried in adult court once the attempted murder charge was reduced.
The case "remains exclusively in juvenile court," the Third Circuit ruled.
Juvenile court is nothing more than a joke also. They will get nothing for this violent HATE CRIME. But I guess it’s ok, because they are Black. Now I really do not believe in hate crimes. I think if you beat someone up or kill someone, you should be charge as such. When you get into trying to judge what someone was thinking, you start to make a mess of things. But since we DO have hate crime legislation, and this WOULD be a hate crime had it been five White kids beating up a Black kid, then this IS a hate crime.
So let me ask you this. What if five White kids decide that what’s fair is fair, and they go find one of these Black kids that did this. They beat him up. Should THEY then be charged with a hate crime? Should they be called racists? Should they be charged as adults?
If this stands. These five Black kids 16 and 17 years of age, will at most, be spending the next year or so in juvy, and then their records will be sealed or expunged when they turn 18. So where is the payment for their crimes? What are they capable of doing as adults? Are they racists? Will they kill someone in the future? We do not know. But what we do know, is that right now, they know they can do whatever they want, with minimal consequences.
This is what I mean. Some that are not inherently Racist, could very well look at this situation and say, “Screw it, if it’s good for one group, it’s good for another.” Racism BREEDS Racism. Hate BREEDS hate. This type of situation produces worst.
These five “kids” SHOULD be charged and tried as adults. They SHOULD be charged with hate crimes. They SHOULD pay the price. But that doesn’t seem likely to happen. Reason? Just because they are Black. Is this right? Is this just? Will this help race relations? I think not.
Peter
Source:
AP-Teen's conviction tossed in La. beating
Commonsense
