The Jena six

I consider myself, usually, rather well informed. I try to keep up with the news, especially when it is of a political nature, or when it has a political dimension. But this issue of the "Jena six" blew in last week from, it appeared to me, nowhere.

It is clear that it didn't come from nowhere --- but it is equally clear that the mainstream media has been more interested in covering, say, the tribulations of Paris than the trials of Jena.

As near as I can follow, the events went roughly as follows: a young african american student at the school in Jena asked some caucasian students about sitting under a tree, a tree which the white students typically reserved for themselves. A little while later, days, not weeks, nooses appeared hanging from the tree. This sparked conflicts: for those not aware of the symbolism in the US, especially the deep South, of nooses hanging from trees, please, go read up on it.
A little while later there was a schoolyard brawl, which left a white boy unconscious, although he was up and about later in the day, and out partying that evening.

Six african american students were charged, five of them as adults: the five charged as adults were charged with attempted murder. One of them went to trial and was convicted. By an all white jury. Subsequently, an appeals court overturned the conviction, stating that he should not have been charged as an adult.

It feels like we are living back in the middle of the last century here. The biggest difference I see between this case and something in the 1950's is that in the 50's they would have had to rely on the Supreme Court to right the wrong: now this level of justice has filtered down to the appellate courts.

But where has the national media been on this issue? Covering Simpson, Hilton, Spears?

Update: see this article.

Yours, disgusted,
N.