Justice in Jena:
Something beyond petitions and phone calls to corrupt, poli-tricksters is necessary to prevent the racists in Lu’siana from doing what they are in fact, DOING, to our people right now in Jena. Maybe its time for the AfroSpear to be raised in defense of our people and levelled at our enemy. We need and want justice. Justice for Jena! Justice for New Orleans! Justice for Black People!!!
There is one caveat: They don’t they don’t give it away. The only way to get justice, is to take it. Are we willing to take the justice that is ours?
We need to go to Jena, Louisiana, by the carload, by the busload – AND NOT LEAVE – until our people are free. We need to let these people know that they can’t do this to us. Not anymore. And we need to organize ourselves to go wherever, BE wherever we need to be in order to ensure that we get our rights – until we’re disconnected from this damnable system.
Yes, we need to pay attention to Darfur, Iraq, maintain that good global perspective. Additionally, having an online presence, “connectivity” and alladat is righteously good shit…However, if they can railroad Mychal Bell and the other members of the Jena 6 right here in the US of A, what are we are we doing on the real?! We need to flex some homegrown power at home, damnit!
To me, we have to find a way to establish a strong, huge presence, organize a nouveau ‘Freedom Rides for the 21st Century.’ We need to show up with our bodies. Can we do it is the question. Can we?
I know for many of us this is difficult, if not impossible. We have jobs, children, bills, responsibilities. I know I do. Still, its important, perhaps even critical, that in this moment and through this unconscionable event, a spark be lit for us that elevates our nascent activity to a plane beyond mere words. To movement and collective action.
Who wants to go to Jena?
I’m down! Who wants to caravan from Detroit?????
Bygbaby
JOIN THE MASS PROTEST IN SUPPORT OF
MYCHAL BELL & THE JENA 6
WHERE: JENA COURTHOUSE in Louisiana
WHEN: TUESDAY, JULY 31ST
TIME: 9:00AM
THE HOUSTON MMM MINISTRY OF JUSTICE IS ORGANIZING A CARAVAN FROM HOUSTON TO JOIN FORCES WITH THE JENA 6 FAMILIES, THE COLOR OF CHANGE GROUP, LOCs, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS ON THE STEPS OF THE COURTHOUSE THAT DAY TO DEMAND JUSTICE!
ALL INTERESTED IN GOING CALL BRO. GARNET AT: 832.258.2480
ministryofjustice@mmmhouston.net
http://www.mmmhouston.net
For those of us that cannot physically go we need to keep up the pressure and make sure this is seen by the world. Yet, I believe the rest of the world is aware of this kind of injustice that goes on here as they experience it daily in different forms in their perspective nations. Its our people here in the U.S. that have on blinders or should I say allow themselves to be blinded by the colored blind frap that the mainstream media oozes!
Help me out here. What exactly would be done? Would we just stand infront of the courthouse with signs? I hate to be corporate here, but what would be the clear deliverable?
I tend to think that such methods are outdated, but maybe I don’t understand the strategy, here.
Why not raise money and buy up some of the businesses in the town. Owning some of the means of employment and commerce would raise the leverage of the blacks more than a traditional protest would.
It’s time for us to once again be united for the cause. We are a strong black race and where there is UNITY there is STRENGTH.
Count me in!
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
NYC for the Jena 6
Posted: 25 Jul 2007 04:13 PM CDT
Greetings,
Attention all folks in the Big Apple! NYC-area people are looking to organize a protest in your city related to the Jena 6! (I, Lydia Bean from FOJ, will be in the area on August 15th and 16th, so if you have it then, I’d love to join y’all!)
If you’re NYC and want to take action for the Jena 6, please contact Shannon Reid, whose message is posted below:
grace and peace, Lydia Bean
I just found out about this today, and feel compelled to take some action. I’m in Brooklyn, NY and would love to connect with anybody in the area that’s interested in organizing some action here in NYC.
Please e-mail me at sreid03@gmail.com if this applies to you.
Thanks, and to everybody – keep fighting the good fight!
Shannon Reid
sreid03@gmail.com
Caged Lion says protesting is outdated. I also consider marching in the hot sun somewhat dated as an effective strategy, even when Dr. King was leading the marches. Personally, I hate spending too much physical energy on solving one problem.
But does public protest work? Yes, and sometimes quiet effectively. The MMM led protest in Paris, TX helped free Shaquanda Cotton, the 15 year old student sentenced to an indeterminant 7 years for pushing a school monitor.
But the protest worked in conjunction with other things, such as our working with the Texas legislature at the same time. Therefore, I say protests are means of drawing attention to a critical situation. On the other hand, it was never meant to be the complete solution.
One of the problems we have with people who have capitalist interests is in their pursuit of money-making, they often sell-out or compromised. You cannot serve too masters. Minority business development has to be a product of mutual respect between parties, not exploitation or white supremacy.
Agreed, Eddie G. And it’s a lot more immediate than buying out businesses. Those kids don’t have that kinda time.
This is a great idea, but a lot of people can’t afford that trip or can’t physically make it out there so how about adding this on to the plan we stage a series of protest all over the world on one specific day. thousand of protest all over the world in different cities, right at the city hall. Call local papers and Local New station and get their story heard my even more people. We did this on Oct 5 w/ Worldcantwait.org to drive bush out of office and this could be a terrific vehicle of protest for this situation as well. I’m down to hold on here.
you want to hit me up you can
webmaster@blogxilla.com
or
Baddmouth@yahoo.com
We do have personal responsibilities Freeslave; but as you implied, we also universal responsibilities.
More of our time must be invested in individual, communal (neighborhoods), local, and sociological development. Currently, all of our time is being wasted on jobs that don’t provide anything but financial means and generally do a poor job at that.
We must be willing to sacrifice. Jobs are one of our biggest problems. We need to free ourselves from structured oppression.
#4 and #7 don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
It seems to me that if the short-term political strategy is effective, a long-term economic solution is worth consideration. I don’t know anything about the economics of Jena or Louisiana – and the best option may not be to buy a business in Jena. It may be equally effective to buy a position in two or three of the large publicly traded employers in the county. The concept of approaching legislators should be accompanied by a direct appeal to the respective corporate Boards of Directors.
The question of levers must always entertain the short and long term; the political and the economic. The strategy should be based on an organic (read “local”) understanding of the levers in that community and the levers of decision-making by those who govern above the local level. Keep the baby, throw out the bath water.
Bygbaby, I am from Detroit, let’s roll!!!!
I think for folks that can’t make it, we should demonstrate in solidarity. And I love talk about strategy but we need to start opening up our mouth and speak truth to power. The collective courage of Black folks has been muffled and we can’t wait for everybody to get on board before we move.
Stay up fam,
[...] bloggers have been on top of this from Jack and Jill, Too Sense, Afrospear, and many others. Nevertheless, if you don’t know about the Jena 6 here is the basic run [...]
I’d like to say I’m surprised at the Jena 6 issue, but I’m not. However, I’m astounded that the librarian actually thought people would believe that she didn’t know what a noose was for.
I speak out on http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/338132/jena_6_six_black_men_face_up_to_100.html.
Unbelieveable story, just heard about this today. Its hard to imagine this type of stuff still happening in this nation today although it doesn’t suprise me much. I would like to take part in helping these brothers out in any way. “The more things change, the more they remain the same”.
CRC.
When I watched a youtube.com video about this, I was in total shock, when at the end they showed a present day photo of a boy in a football uniform. It hadn’t crossed my mind that this wasn’t 55+ years ago! I have read several comments and blogs about blacks coming together and being a strong race and not tolerating it, etc. But, what I expect to see is lots of whites going down there to show the Jena whites how to act! I feel like I’m saying we need to teach them 1+1=2, but I guess we do. I expect to see you there! Just for the record, I am white. =)
I’m in Greensboro, NC. If anyone knows of a shuttle or caravan to Jena, please let me know at stillquira@yahoo.com
I NEED to be there, we all do. Let’s get together and support our people like our grandparents did during the Civil Rights Era. This is our era, lets get it together!