As I watched the Congressional Hearing over the controversial Jena 6 case last night on C-SPAN a few things didn't sit well with me. Being an African American male watching this kind of treatment being implemented towards black teens wasn't my major beef. Having family from southern states made me aware of how some of these racist states (S. Carolina , Florida, Georgia, etc.)operate ,so this isn't nothing new. What had me fuming is that how our so-called United States Government dropped the ball in protecting these 6 black teens from this kind of behavior and nipping this whole racism thing in the bud. And how we elect and have these people in office to do their job not only don't care about the welfare of the constituents, but just coming to work to collect a check just like the rest!

It opens my eyes wide to the fact that RACISIM is alive and kicking ! Also that they're plenty of Jena's all across this nation that won't go away. How could we not protect these children from the torment a racist town and the laws that give a town like Jena the power to live with a slave mentality? Its like watching the movie MISSISSIPPI BURNING how some of these backward towns are still alive preaching hate towards all nationalities and races. How do we let this fly under the radar, and is this going on in our city of Philadelphia right now? Are we missing something or just not speaking about it in our city? It's funny to watch a panel from the Justice Dept of La. explain how they condone this kind of behavior to a Congressional committee. Also how its fair to prosecute black teens with federal charges but give white teens who hang nooses a slap on the wrist? A Rep for Fla. stated how we still have places exist in this nation where only white people can go blows his mind. How can we live in 2007 and still have segregation is a question no one can answers to. Old habits die hard I guess when it comes to Jena, Louisiana.

I'm not saying that Mychal Bell and the rest are saints in this case. I don't think they should be given a slap on the wrist, but something has to give. There are no such thing as second chances anymore? And how U.S. Attorney Donald Washington (a black man) wanted to prosecute these black kids to the highest extent of the law for a school fight doesn't make sense? He caught the full assault of the panel yesterday justifying and lying before the panel. First he said that hanging nooses isn't a hate crime, then under the pressure of Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (a black women) he thought that hanging nooses should be a hate crime.

Rep. Anthony Weiner of NY gave the best speech asking Washington how could he drop the ball when it came to this case and why didn't these children didn't get a fair deal when it comes to racism? He also asked did the Justice Dept. have enough arrows to fight off racism and do the right thing to avoid all this in the first place. Al Sharpton didn't express that the Jena 6 should be off the hook but the white kids that hung the nooses that started this in the first place should be reprimanded just like the 6. More Congressional hearings will come from this case but one big question came up when it came to children. What's going on with our children and how are they being raised with this new found racism towards one another? Children are suppose to up innocent and pure, where is all this racism coming from ? These children didn't grow up in slavery or the Civil Rights Era, so who's teaching hate? And why would towns and cities condone this kind of behavior with their children? Why would a school district okay a section of the school that's only for white kids? Why are children riding to school with shotguns on the back of their pickup trucks?

It's amazing how we just came up with a so-called HATE CRIMES BILL not to long ago protecting homosexuals from assault and abuse but did we forget about all this racism still growing in this country. Is it okay to hang a noose as long as we don't assault a gay man? Is it okay to burn crosses and show prejudice towards different races as long as we don't abuse lesbian couples. The law can be a little tricky sometimes, we need better clarifications when it comes to interpreting the law. Or is this just business as usual when it comes to the great UNITED STATES, how united are we anyway? What's good for the goose should be good for Jena. Lets not be naive about racism any longer. Embrace it ,contain it , and finally destroy it for all the be created equal.

YES, HANGING A NOOSE IS A TERRORISTIC ACT AND A FORM OF IMTIMIDATION TOWARD A CERTAIN RACE, AND MUST BE PROCECUTED TO THE HIGHEST EXTENT OF THE LAW!!!!!!!!!!