The Facts that outweigh the Sharptonesque hysteria behind the Jena 6:
In either case, there are other scrapes that members of the Jena 6 got into that haven’t been widely discussed, likely because they paint a very different, very unflattering picture of the people involved. Once again, here’s local pastor Eddie Thompson,
The “Jena 6” have repeatedly been held up as heroes by much of the race-based community and called “innocent students” by the national media. Some of these students have reputations in Jena for intimidating and sometimes beating other students. They have vandalized and destroyed both school property and community property. Some of the Jena 6 have been involved in crimes not only in LaSalle Parish but also in surrounding parishes. For the most part, coaches and other adults have prevented them from being held accountable for the reign of terror they have presided over in Jena. Despite intervention by adults wanting to give them chances due to their athletic potential, most of the Jena 6 have extensive juvenile records. Yet their parents keep insisting that their children have never been in trouble before. These boys did not receive prejudicial treatment but received preferential treatment until things got out of hand.
This brings us to the savage beating of Justin Barker which has been falsely described as a mere “schoolyard scuffle.”
In reality, the brutal assault began when one of the Jena 6 struck Barker from behind, knocking him unconscious. As Barker lay on the ground, the 6 of them kicked and stomped him until they were pulled off of his prone body. One of the eyewitnesses even said that they “slammed (Barker’s) head on the concrete beam.”
It’s also worth noting that according to Eddie Thompson, “Justin Barker, the white student attacked, was not the first white student targeted by these black students. Others had been informed they were going to be beaten, but stayed away from school and out of sight until they felt safe.”
So, we’re not talking about victims of circumstance here, we’re talking about thugs who would be a danger to other students in the school if they had not been arrested.
Moreover, although Barker’s injuries have been portrayed as slight because he left the hospital the same night of the beating, he had $14,000 in medical bills, blood clots in his eye, and left the hospital even though he was “advised to remain hospitalized.”
Apologists for the Jena6 are making much hay over the fact the victim was “treated and released” by the hospital.