Where did all the Jena 6 money go?
Booyah!
The Chicago Tribune’s Howard Witt penned an investigative piece published yesterday on the controversy surrounding the charitable funds raised for the Jena 6. I’m sure you’ll be shocked to learn that much of the money can’t be traced, while some of the defendants are literally rolling in race-hustling dough:
Just weeks after some 20,000 demonstrators protested what they decried as unequal justice aimed at six black teenagers in the Louisiana town of Jena, controversy is growing over the accounting and disbursing of at least $500,000 donated to pay for the teenagers’ legal defense.
Parents of the “Jena 6″ teens have refused to publicly account for how they are spending a large portion of the cash, estimated at up to $250,000, that resides in a bank account they control.
Michael Baisden, a nationally syndicated black radio host who is leading a major fundraising drive on behalf of the Jena 6, has declined to reveal how much he has collected. Attorneys for the first defendant to go to trial, Mychal Bell, say they have yet to receive any money from him.
Meanwhile, photos and videos are circulating across the Internet that raise questions about how the donated money is being spent. One photo shows Robert Bailey, one of the Jena 6 defendants, smiling and posing with $100 bills stuffed in his mouth. Another shows defendants Carwin Jones and Bryant Purvis modeling like rap stars at the Black Entertainment Television Hip-Hop music awards last month in Atlanta.
The teenagers’ parents have strongly denied that they have misused any of the donated money. Bailey’s mother, for example, insisted that the $100 bills shown in the photograph were cash her son had earned as a park maintenance worker.
But civil rights leaders who helped organize support for the youths say they are concerned about the perceptions that are spreading.
“There are definitely questions out there about the money,” said Alan Bean, director of a Texas-based group, Friends of Justice, who was the first civil rights activist to investigate the Jena 6 case. “I hate to even address this issue because it inevitably will raise questions as to all of the money that has been raised, and that is going to hurt the defendants.”
Watch this video montage of Bailey’s bling-bling photos from his MySpace page. Like I said, he’s literally rolling in dough on his bed:
This clip and others like it have been circulating on the Internet for more than a month.
Another group called “Color of Change” has disclosed on its website how it spent $212,000 raised for the Jena 6 defendants. But as Witt noted:
Exactly how much money has been collected for the Jena 6 defendants is impossible to know, because many donors did not go through Color of Change, the NAACP or other mainstream groups and instead contributed directly to the defendants’ families. Many Internet operators raised money by selling T-shirts or otherwise invoking the Jena 6 cause, but much of that money disappeared without a trace.
As I reported last week, shakedown leader Al Sharpton will be leading a Jena 6-inspired march around the Justice Department in Washington on Nov. 16.
The hustling continues…
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Maybe crime does pay after all…
bizaro world
Something about fools and their money does come to mind. Maybe next time they jump a white person, they should just kill him. Think how much money that would bring in! I’m unapologetically disgusted.
While I’m glad people are making sure that the money is being distributed properly, I think it’s only fair you include the last part of the article Ms. Malkin.
I am totally shocked I tell ya! shocked.
Oh by the way good news item for everyone who visit’s this site CBS News writer’s 500 of them will join their brethern on strike…….happy days are here again!!!
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/11/12/national/a151648S99.DTL
And the IRS is where?
I don’t see anything in your post that contributes any additional information that Michelle has not already stated. The funds are undisclosed as the post header says “Where did all the Jena 6 money go?” Inquiring minds want to know. Personally I don’t care what the parents of these hoodlums say, it needs to be controlled with transparency.
Louisiana….any other guesses
So the lawyers are doing OK. To say this a windfall for them is an understatement. A retainer of $2,500 is normal for charges such as these.
isn’t DarkKnight a Kos diarist, or that Darksyde?
They’ll all be bagging groceries in 3 or 4 years.
Come on, don’t hate the playa, hate the game Michelle. We ballaz, we just tryna represent, ya heard?
none dare say “hate crime”…
Anyone check William Jefferson’s freezer?
It should also be noted that David Bowie gave 10grand the party peeps.
gotta love it
Four years ago, I was held up at gunpoint by six black teenage men on bicycles in NJ. There were moments in the altercation when I was given the chance to take the main perp’s gun and break his windpipe, but I didn’t, and I walked away $33 lighter. The next day or so, shock set in and I couldn’t stop thinking: had I dropped that black teenager then and there, NJ would have made sure that my free life would be over.
Twentieth anniversary of Tawana Brawley,
Welcome to Al Sharpton’s America. That Pig in a Sweatsuit has come a long way, baby.
Oh, you didn’t know? It all went into a college fund for the poor kids who were victimized by the justice system.
What school are they going to? I’m guessin’ the same one Tookie went to.
David Bowie’s a flapdoodle. He deserves to lose his money.
As for Sharpton and Jackson, I hope that DC gets an ice storm on the 16th and the whole bunch of them slide all the way around DOJ. Heck, as slick as they are, they wouldn’t even need the ice storm.
Hey Brian…
Can you get a concealed weapon permit? I never go out without my 9mm Sig and I live in South Carolina.
I don’t know if any caught a news report on some students expelled for some rap cd they put together adorned with images that depicted them with guns (B B guns, but) and the gangsta image.
Anyways, the parents are all suing the school district for a million bucks each family.
I somewhat agreed that the district response was knee jerk and harsh - there is always a better way, like Saturday school and trash pick up or something like that - but suing for a million? Come on.
However, one, I’ll say, african american parent of one of the students NOT suing went on the record as praising the school as she was not aware of the CD and was grateful the school pursued it.
That is one brave and evidently exceptional parent I thought. Kids do stupid things, but man, what a parental role model this woman is.
First Katrina money now this. What a bunch of hustlers.
Who cares, are these guys public officials? Its their money, and they can do what they want with it. End of story. They don’t have to account to anyone, especially those who were beating the drum to keep them locked up.
BrianNY:
If you were somehow able to become Bruce Leeroy and whip all six of the teenagers by yourself, it would be an open and shut case of self defense. You would have been treated like a hero, and likely would have recieved some movie offers as an action hero. Your cynicism seems a tad forced.
If the Jena $ is being misappropriated, prosecute the responsible parties. If these photos were actually taken after the juvies were released from jail, and pretty disgusted by the lack of humility.
Hmmmm, I’m still trying to figure out where the Katrina money went, were talkin large coin, and the only thing I have noticed is the Mayor wearing 5-10 thousand dollar suits.
edit: sorry hungover.
received
I’m pretty disgusted by the lack of humility.
You asked a question, I will give an answer. I think that it is of VITAL importance that in the same breath that Michelle Malkin mention that $250K is unaccounted for, that she also mention THAT SAME ARTICLE which states that the money is under private control of a one of the parents (which she does state) AND (according to the article) those funds are currently being transferred out to an outside fund to be overseen by an outside trustee.
If all of that money is accounted for, than this becomes a non-issue… just a young man with some personal MySpace photos, I guess.
Now, if some of that money is not accounted for, this becomes a far bigger and more important story.
Anyone else having trouble getting into HOT AIR?
Tattle tale, tattle tale! AP and Bryan broke Hot Air HeHe LOL
LOL
They wanted to go out and party tonight?
Used to be we would call in and claim the flu. Now you just kill the electronics???
I tattled too
Who do you people think you are? Not a single one of you contributed money to this campaign, and yet you’re here being critical as if you did. This was money raised privately for a private purpose. It will be used privately. They don’t have to tell you anything. How hard is that to understand. Michelle didn’t contribute a dime, and God bless her, but her only motive on this story is to poke holes through it at every opportunity.
Isn’t this a job “no American worker wants?” It sounds like a great paying job. Where do I apply? For that kind of cash reward, and as an American, I’m willing to relocate out of California!
#19 rinitytim said:
Absolutely not. I live in an area of NJ where only drug dealers and federal agents are allowed to conceal. I do have relatives who live by Ft. Jackson in Columbia, and I do envy you Carolinians.
#23 Buck said:
I don’t get your point. I will say that there were too many variables to the event to type out here. Basically, I was given multiple chances to do harm to the lead kid with the gun. I stress that I live in an area where race hustlers play a major role in the outcome of black and white altercations. I know that if I had followed through in defending myself, my life would have been void of the fantasy and guarantees which you imagine in your reply. There’s a higher chance that my life would have been put on major hold.
Thanks for your concern
?
I’m not sure if the racist BS is coming from the KOS kids to make this site look bad, but the racist crap needs to stop.
The race hustlers can be held to account without the racist overtones.
Michelle, did I say somthing wrong? sorry if I did but I didn’t think it was to bad of a question, and I didn’t spell the bad word out completely
I think the site has a blocker on to catch obscene words
As doe hot air we lost Michelles site earlier today. Has something to do with the server
I just e-mailed you. I can tolerate a “damned” or an “asshat” here or there, but I have terms of use that I ask all registered commenters to comply with as closely as possible. Substituting an exclamation point for a letter is not going to work for me.
Any word on Hotair Michelle ?
I had problems posting the word F.A.R.C.
Which is the acronmyn for the Columbian Communist guerillas so go figure heh
Thank you, I got your e-mail and sorry for my comment.
BrianNY:
I don’t mean to make light of a terrible situation, but I feel the need to challenge your thoughts.
I guess I’m confused about the whole “life put on hold” “free life would be over” stuff. I’d like to just see some e.g. of an unarmed white person taking down an armed black criminal and receiving some type of negative response legal or otherwise. It just seems unjustly cynical on your part, to assume that “race hustlers” would have made you the “villain” in your scenario.
I didn’t see any race hustlers coming to the defense of the DC snipers, or the dude in Atlanta who shot his way out of a courtroom, and those are just 2 examples.
I’m sure your loved ones are glad you made it out of the situation okay, and your instincts proved to be correct, since you are alive. Hopefully the piece of trash thug got hit by a car on the way home.
It’s legitimate to follow the money, as the donations were solicited specifically for legal defense use. The moment the punks offered the appearance that givers had been scammed, the money trail became newsworthy.
We’ll see how it shakes out… meanwhile, the sharks are tearing the flesh off the bones.
Re: puhiawa #9
Puhiawa, I’d like the name of the attorney who would be willing to defend an attempted murder charge, or any other felony, for $2500.
Travis at 10:27 PM
Just some guy one the internet.
No, I paid nothing but attention. I’m being critical as if something stinks. Didn’t realize that free speech was pay-to-play. Thanks for the civics lesson, James Madison.
Yeah, private.
Are you thinking about what you write?
Oh. You didn’t realize. Then now you know, and its a good thing you enjoy being schooled, since clearly you have so much more to go. Now off to bed with you, young’n.
What I’m really thinking about is how a gorilla has access to a computer from inside a cage. I’ll be speaking with your keeper in the morning, koko.
I’ll give Travis this: he is right, about me not having contributed to these morons casuse. Let them BATHE in Jena$$ for all I care. As far as Im concerned, this was money given to them by clowns too stupid to realize they were being suckered. That $250K should hold them over until, like someone above said, they are bagging groceries in a couple years…
travis @12:15 AM
Welcome to America, sport. People here get to express themselves on all range of issues, whether they paid for the privelege or not. I was pretty sure that the James Madison allusion would go sailing over your pointy, little head.
Are you the publicist for the Jena 6?
I agree, fluffy. Me out here in the open, and you in your cage.
So travis, where did all the money go?
I have no idea. But why are you worried? What, are you concerned for the young mans future?
It appears that yet another group of scammers from Louisiana is hitting up gullible Americans by playing on their sympathies, then laughing all the way to the bank. The MSM is all too willing to play along.
The shameless gall irks me.
gah I completely forgot to post about this when I first heard it.
Firedoghate — tried to do some interference on behalf of ColorOfChange showing canceled checks.
As usual, Firedoglake only did the damage control.
Firehate is smart in crafting lies, but their lies always seem to blow up in their faces. Definition of insanity?
Anyone who gave a dime to these ripoff artists should have known better. If it’s something that Al Sharpton is involved with, then you know someone (not neccesarily the right one) is going to get taken.
“Where did all the Jena 6 money go?”
Hillary got it.
I think Travis has a good point on this one. This seems like a little bit of a reach.
Are we seriously criticizing what a bunch of teenagers(remember, they are teenagers) are doing with a bunch of money they probably don’t deserve?
People gave them the money. They simply gave it to them as people will tend to do. Personally, I think that most people don’t deserve the money given to them. But once it’s theirs, it’s theirs. They can do whatever the hell they want to do with it. If you gave them money and are upset with what they did with it, or expected them to do differently than what they did, than you might have a gripe. But if you gave them nothing and criticized them for the past couple of months, I really don’t see how you have a leg to stand on.
It’s a crazy world we live in when kids are getting criticized for their spending habits and televangelists are milking the congregation clean while driving around in Rolls Royce’s and private jets. You can find their videos on YouTube too.
They will not be “bagging groceries” in 3 or 4 years. Having already shown they do not feel they should be held responsible for anything, they may actually be in jail for something else by then. And the supporters will have already moved on to the next cause.
mpchops,
Uh, the point is that they got handed all this money for… what? For assaulting some white kid. That’s it. That’s their entire contribution to the world.
I’m really not sure what you mean by most people not deserving the money they get - are you saying most people are overpaid? What a great country if so. But whatever you mean by it - do most people get given money -as a direct result- of assaulting some kid in a 6-1 beatdown? You don’t think that merits any kind of criticism? Do you not think this might serve as a bad incentive, and that that incentive should be nipped in the bud as soon as possible, and this kind of protest is precisely what is needed to do that?
Qwinn
“Where has all the money gone,long time passing?
Where has all the money gone,long time ago?
Where has all the money gone?
Gone to crack pipes everyone
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?”
More proud graduates of the MC Hammer School of Economics.
Travis, my point was saying that the remianing $250K that was not handed out by Color of Change, should be the hands of the Jena 6 families (which was the donor’s intent I would tend to believe). As I said in my post, once that money is accounted for, then it becomes their business. But if that money is NOT accounted for, it becomes a bigger story because that means that someone has money that shouldn’t have it. I am reminded of major incidents in which fake charities have been set up, only to see the creators of that charities take the money and run.
As I said, kudos to Color of Change for being open about what they did with the money.
‘Too much’ money in the hands of someone who has never dreamed of that much, is often lethal within a year or two.
‘Lottery’ winners often regret the changes that money brings to their lives.
I’d like to know which park pays that kind of cash to a student worker! These thugs can’t help but continue to be what they were before the publicity, and what they still are - thugs.
Louisiana … The Other LA
Typical. No shame.
Just like the billions of dollars sent to rebuild New Orleans it appears systematic of some of the citizens of Louisiana to lie, cheat, and steal from the good hearted people of this nation. This is why we only give to Military related charities anymore.
These little sociopaths have shown themselves for what they are and the race baiters standing behind them continue to do what they can to divide the citizens of this country. After all there are millions to be made off the back of the working class by those who like to stir the pot.
I’m sick to my stomach.
What about the white kid that was beaten up????
#59 and #67: Nail - Head.
From the hubster (different variation on “husband”)
“Amazing how anybody can try to defend this behavior…either the giving of the money to 6 pieces of human scum or their spending the loot on living a gangsta lifestyle rather than paying for their defense for which it was intended. Although, expressing surprise that they’re probably wasting the money is kind of like donating to John Edwards and being honestly shocked that the money was blown on his hairdresser.”
I hope the donators see that their funds were distributed in the wrong manor.
I hope these
kidsdopes squander their cash and comprimise their legal strength.I hope Al & Jessie realize what chumps they are.
For this latest light shed upon Louisiana corruption and race baiting, Keith Olbermann names Michelle Malkin his world’s worst person yet again in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…
In the meantime, the kid makes and saves that many Franklins from working in park maintenance? Do they really believe that the public is dumber than they themselves are?
IRS
Now I know NEVER to give any of these groups money.
Minority apologetics, anyone?
Not all minorities think and act like this…
Hey everybody, I’m being discriminated against here just because I’m a young, hetrosexual, white, Southern Baptist Christian, gun-owning, male.
You can send your donations to me at….
Their new name…..
Jena six figures.
I have no problem with this. If people are stupid enough to “donate” money to their “legal defense”, then they deserve to see it go the the “victim”. Would you rather see it go to a 300 dollar a minute attorney?
These teenagers, as well as their parents are vile human beings.
O-tay Buckwheats(no offense),I dont recall much money going to the Duke boys defense fund.I believe it was paid by the parents.I dont remember a civil rights march for them either.
What? A gang of thugs go to all the trouble of kicking some kid unconscious and they’re only getting paid half a mill for doing it? How are they supposed to make ends meet?
That’s a keeper, AJ, heh.
Nope docflash you didn’t. That’s because in the eye of some people, black people can do no wrong. They are just a product of their environment. We need to understand them. We need to show them a better life. It’s the liberal way; throwing money at a problem. And that goes for both black and white liberals.
Apparently, jumping a white kid is a pretty lucrative business these days. Whodathunkit.
Thug culture perception becomes reality?
You know, MM, simply raising this question will brand you with the ‘R’ word.
Thug culture becomes reality.
30 pcs,
Reginal Denny was unavailable for comment.
What happened to those guys?
Who cares its not my money?
docflash said:
O-tay Buckwheats(no offense),I dont recall much money going to the Duke boys defense fund.I believe it was paid by the parents.I dont remember a civil rights march for them either.
No one stopped anyone from donating money to the Duke guys r for marching for them. How much did you donate? Did you try to get a march together? I do not recall hearing about one…
That’s a good question as I have no idea. Annals of obscurity these things tend to fall…
Wow: The rewards for crime sure have changed since I was in high school!
Qwinn,
They didn’t get the money for assaulting a white kid. I wish everyone would stop saying this. It’s completely untrue and it confuses why they did get the money. They got the money because they were a very public face of the inequality of the justice system. They got the money because not only were they a very public face of the inequality of the justice system, but because there were those out there crying for their blood. The (verbal) attacks on them were so vicious, it made them out to be sympathetic. Obviously their actions toward the kid should not be glossed over, but the unequal results of those actions were overwhelming.
And Qwinn, do you really REALLY think that black youths are going to think to themselves: “Hey, if I beat up a white kid and get charged with attempted murder(with the murder “weapon” being my tennis shoes), I’ll be rich!” That is completely ridiculous. If that’s really the reason why you’re criticizing them, than I think you’re job is accomplished. It’s not going to happen.
Personally, I think you’re criticizing them because you don’t think they deserve it and you’d be angry with anything they did, since they did not get the punishment you most desired.
I said I feel that most people don’t deserve the money they get. I wasn’t talking about what some people get paid(although that’s probably true too). I was talking about the money people have donated to them because maybe they got trapped in a well(”baby Jessica” has over a million dollars). Basically, if you get on TV with a sob story, people will probably donate money. The problem is that it’s usually always money, and people won’t always use the money for productive means. Again, that’s their prerogative. It’s their money and they can do what they want with it. But I still don’t think they deserve it. I know this may sound cruel and heartless and people keep wanting to bring up New Orleans, but what about the WTC fund. Why exactly did those people deserve the money donated to them more than the hundreds of families that lose a father or mother each year in Philadelphia?
Ignorant is a better description.
Re-publishing #
1-800-GET-A-CLUE
mpChops, I know that your response to addressed to Qwinn but I couldn’t sit idly by while you spin this case into something it is not.
Would they have received the money if they hadn’t been sent to jail for assaulting a white kid?
Black people receiving payment for inequality of the justice system? That’s a new one.
mpChops said: “I know this may sound cruel and heartless and people keep wanting to bring up New Orleans, but what about the WTC fund.”
I don’t recall if MM covered it (she probably did), but Ann Coulter sure caught a rasher of shinola for calling attention to misuse of WTC funds I think…
Sorry I haven’t commented on this thread yet. I’ve been busy working at my park maintenance job. It may not seem like much, going on job title alone–but I make $5,349 per hour cleaning out the porta-potty and re-raking the baseball diamond. I also get overtime after working 16 hours each week.
30pcs,
Still not as profitable as shooting brown-skins, and Blackwater is striving to keep it that way.
But seriously, only in America can a group play the victim card and look so ridiculous. Yeah, we should watch out for the rash of gang beatings to come because of this. Everyone gets paid when a white person’s the victim! Just ask those guys sitting in prison. The ones that are 4 times more likely to be convicted when the victim is white than when the victim is black. Those guys.
Max,
I wasn’t necessarily talking about the use of such funds. Again, if you’re going to give it to them, the people should be able to use it for whatever they want. I’m not quite sure why it was given to them in the first place though. It’s almost like “Here’s some money to heal your pain”.
Yea. And a pretty embarrassing one when that white guy gets jumped while holding a shotgun. What a puss.
30pcs,
Where exactly did you “unspin” my spin?
You are being a little dishonest. If they were charged with assault rather than attempted murder, do you believe this case would have been as big as it was, or big at all?
You cannot honestly say that it would have been. It wasn’t the fact that they went to jail. It was the fact that they were charged with attempted murder on a kid that spent 2 hours at the hospital. They were charged with attempted murder for using their shoes rather than taking them off.
So people gave them money, just like they gave money to the little girl that fell in the well.
This tread isn’t about ALL black people just the Jena 6.
But since you’ve mentioned them, I’ll bite. Are they innocent of their crimes or are you saying that the punishment far outweighs the crime. Well, if only they could just stop breaking the law. Wouldn’t all their problems go away. Or are you of the mind that “the white man” is somehow holding them down?
I tell you what, I grew up, “in the hood” I have seen firsthand the mentality. So before you go making victims of them all I would suggest you offer up them this advice - “Stop breaking the law, a–hole!”
From a favorite movie of mine: Liar, Liar.
Ajmontana,
Please feel free to enlighten me, or are you comfortable simply calling me names?
travis, what?? What’s your point?
30pcs,
This thread isn’t about all black people? Could have fooled me.
You’re logic is interesting. We need not worry about any problem with the justice system because if people would simply stop committing crimes, they would never have to encounter it. That’s very true. So basically you’re saying that we can fix the problem by avoiding it. “Allllrighty then!”
Who said anything about white men holding anyone down? You may be projecting here.
I’m not sure what you’re trying to say here.
I’ve taken this thread a little off topic and for that, I apologize.
Back to the original issue, I’m not sure who exactly would even be able to investigate where they spent their money. Is there a criminal offense occurring? I’m asking.
mpchops, are you serious? Al and Jesse were all over this case just as they were all over the Don Imus gaffe and the Duke rape case, just to name a few. Wherever they are you can rest assured that any “case would have been as big as it was, or big at all?”
No one here is disputing the charge of attempted murder against one of them as reasonable.
Just as people are free to give them money for their defense, aren’t we free to discuss when said money hasn’t been used for their defense?
“No one here is disputing the charge of attempted murder against one of them as reasonable. ”
I don’t know 30, if some group of six people was kicking me in the head i might reasonably assume they wanted to make me dead…
just sayin’
mschop,
Comparing the jena six figures funds to World Trade Center families is ignorant.
(end)
30pcs,
You are incorrect. The attack happened in December of 2006. Jesse Jackson et al didn’t get involved until around September of this year. It was a small local event until around that time.
Obviously you’re free to discuss the use of the money. But do we really need to throw around the term “race-hustling” in this discussion? What does that have to do with how they spent the money(that they didn’t even ask for, for all that).
I think we’re also losing perspective. Why these kids may have been giving a whole bunch of cash is questionable, but are we really going to criticize them about how teenage boys are spending it? They’re teenagers who didn’t have any money who suddenly do. What exactly is everyone expecting? Hell, we have adults buying ice statues that piss vodka!
ajmontana,
Ah, so basically you just substituted ignorant into my point. Thanks for the explanation.
Well at least they keeping it in the hood.
mpChops–
Your way off target with all of your points. Its hard to even read them. The bottom line is that these
teenagerscommitted a brutal crime and then received money for it that was supposed to be used for their defense because their families have no money to pay lawyers. Now, besides the fact that i think its DISGUSTING that anybody donated a dime to these creeps (yes, because they are criminals) I think its even more disgusting that now these “kids” are squandering this money on who knows what. THATS THE POINT HERE. These INDIVIDUALS are LIARS AND MANIPULATORS. If you cant see that, then you arent much better than those sorry creeps.Not to mention, their families and parents should be keeping an eye on the money and not just handing it over to those boys. Ah, yes, but those parents are also not really what i would call upstanding citizens.
Smurf,
No, you are incorrect. They did not receive money for committing a crime. That’s simply untrue. Even you admit to it. In the very next sentence, you say that they received the money to be used for their defense. So already you have to conflicting points. Either they A) received money because they committed a crime or B) received money for the defense of the charges against them.
So before I even attempt the read the rest of your post, which one is it? A or B?
HELLO…I said that this money was used for the DEFENSE!!!! And thats all i said.
“The bottom line is that these teenagers committed a brutal crime and then received money for it that was supposed to be used for their defense because their families have no money to pay lawyers.”
The part that is disgusting, is that they are using it for their own fun and so on. How am i contradicting myself?? Read what i wrote again.
Smurf,
My bad. I completely misread your post. You did say it was for the defense.
Well, mpChops, let’s have a look at your logic.
You accept the premise given.
Then you leap to conjecture that 30pcs is saying “we can fix the problem by avoiding it.”
I won’t dispute the conviction rates and the abysmal conditions from which black criminality arises. There is much work to be done.
But here, in this forum, the onus is on you to stick to the knitting and lay out some kind of coherent analysis of the problem(s) that you are identifying.
Coaching young black men in neighborhoods across America to not commit crimes- petty and otherwise- is a consistent purpose among organizers and youth advocates.
It is a foundational message that is supported by alternatives shown by advocates to the kids, so it becomes clear that crime isn’t worth the fast buck and jail time.
30pcs is not so far off the mark in that respect. Sometimes we use a political shorthand here. If you want to take exception to it, then you have to remain clear about what you “think” other people are saying here.
Aren’t you curious about what 30pcs meant? The least bit curious?
I get what he is saying because my own father, who grew up poor and in some of the worst barrios in 1940s and 50s California, gave me his two words of advice that I still remember to this day
“Avoid Jail”.
That vaguely resembles 30 pcs comment, doesn’t it. Worked for me and it is working today for the millions of young Americans growing up in war zones in cities across the country.
Simple. Effective. But one has to have the ears to hear it.
Remember what Neely Fuller Jr. said (even if you don’t agree with most of what else he says)” The less you know about racism- what it is and how it works- everything else you think you kow will only confuse you.”
I’d be the last person on the planet to say that Americans who are racialized as black do not deserve equal protection under the law. But in advocating on their behalf, I know full well going in that I must not tell other people what they are saying about things related in order to build my argument.
Simply wrong.
I’m curious if you are willing to do the heavy lifting here and maintain the necessary discipline to make the argument you are attempting to make.
Going to a meeting now. Will catch up when I get back.
mpchops, #102. I had a long drawn out response for your post. But then I realized that we aren’t even operating from the same premise. You think these boys are something to be pitied, I do not. That’s it.
max, fair enough. Just sayin’ that the charge has been reduced. I too would feel the same way. But it is true that, we weren’t disputing the charge. We were discussing the money.
Bear1909, shines once again. Thank you for understanding what I meant. If only I could explain my own position so well.
30pcs,
I have never said or implied that these kids should be pitied. I did say that they didn’t deserve the money.
Bear1909,
You wrote a great response that completely ignores my point.
Avoiding a problem is not fixing the problem.
The problem I brought up was the inequality in the justice system. The solutions you are discussing are ones that may reduce the crime rate among blacks, but it does nothing to fix the inequality of the justice system, which was demonstrated with this case.
Again, you create a great argument for improving the black community and one that I agree with. However, that doesn’t address my points on the justice system.
You say that 30pcs isn’t saying that we should avoid it, but then you go on to say “Avoid Jail”. How does that address the problem with the justice system at all?
It doesn’t. Your father was rightly instructing you to “avoid” the problem. If you avoid jail, there is no way that you can be effected by the issues that plague it. Fine. I agree with that. But again, that says nothing to the issues that plague it.
Youre point was well written, but in context is reduced to little more than a red herring.
When they decided to take themselves public, appear on BET as presentors with an all-expense paid trip to the show, play the race and victim card, they became fair game. All this caterwauling about how we, as private citizens, are not allowed to question any fraudulent use of the monies people, probably in many cases people who could ill afford it, donated to their “cause” of being allowed to beat a single person near to death in a gang-style attack which had NOTHING to do with these supposed nooses, is by far some of the worst things I have seen on here. While you Liberals go on and on about how people tell you to shut up all the time, it isn’t hard to notice how you jump on every chance you can to stifle any and all criticism of your actions. Well, swallow it.
These criminals are on-line, on TV, in the press touting their “Thug Lyf” while rubbing people’s noses in it. The producers of BET are on record as saying that they gave these criminal thugs’ families all expense paid trips in luxury because these poor souls “deserved” to get away and relax.
Well where is your self-righteous outrage over the fact that these thugs are, essentially, being REWARDED for committing a most heinous act? Where are all your marches, speeches, protests over this glamorization of perceived “Vigilante Justice”, where some poor, solo individual can be picked out due to his vulnerability, beaten andkicked half-to-death, not even having been involved in anything and then the creeps who commit this heinous act are then making videos of themselves flashing gang sign, showing all their new bling etc., while the REAL victims get nothing and sit now in fear for the rest of their lives, dealing with PTSD?
Shame on you. Shame on all of you that are “supporting” these creatures, sub-human animals who only know how to deal in violence and blame.
Great, so there is 250,000 bucks from ONE organization. What about the rest? What about the solo donors, the trips, the gifts etc.?
Rewarding crime and violence is just sick. Defending the practice is even worse, and your lack of morality and knowledge of right and wrong is a sure sign that you would rather encourage the wrong, the violence etc., than actually seek the good, the right and the justice.
Shame on you, and your own very blatant racism.
But seriously, only in America can a group play the victim card and look so ridiculous. Yeah, we should watch out for the rash of gang beatings to come because of this. Everyone gets paid when a white person’s the victim! Just ask those guys sitting in prison. The ones that are 4 times more likely to be convicted when the victim is white than when the victim is black. Those guys.
that should read ethos
Black on black crime is rampant “in the hood” and the fact that black men are more likely to be convicted after assaulting a white person has more to do with street code of ethics (no snitching)than it does the judicial system.
This is how the above post should have read.
RetFireman,
Your post was seriously amazing. Thank you for totally bringing the point home in such an eloquent manner.
Yeah, mpChops was pretty much just pulling his “facts” outta the backside there, 30Silver.
mpChops other out-of-touch with reality items would be funny if they weren’t so tragic: e.g.
Some of us were already aware of it.
Boy Beaten
It’s a sad commentary on the Democrats & liberals that they cannot bring themselves to denounce such attacks, but instead offer excuses for the criminals.
We have to always remember that Democrats/liberals do not reason, they can only offer emotional explosions. This is obvious from mpChops deranged attack on our troops as “shooting brown-skins” and the usual psychotic BDS “Blackwater” lunatic rantings. Pure emotionalism. He is unable to follow a thoughtline of crime and punishment (or in this case “crime and half a mill reward”) without becoming totally mentally derailed and flying uncontrollably of the cliff. This is typical for almost every Dem/Lib.
Had these thugs been put in prison for any one of their previous assaults or other crimes they would not have been out in the street to stage this latest one, much less be so richly rewarded for commiting the assault.
Thanks purple! Nice summation.
I’m amazed at the fools who think the Jena 6 acted appropriately. This has gone from 6 people who were getting too harsh of a sentence for doing something wrong to all of a sudden they’re heroes who didn’t do anything wrong. They attacked someone people! Sorry, but their retaliation was not the proper way to handle this problem and that has nothing to do with race.
retfireman-
Thank you for pointing out what so many non-blacks in the south have been saying for awhile regarding the rewarding of thuggery.
BTW-Have you considered posting a blog? I would definately consider reading it.
GSP
RetFireman,
I’m not sure if you understand what Racism is. Apparently you do not, as you through it around as liberally as the “race-hustlers” you criticize.
Please show me where I defended these kids. Please show me where I have supported their going on to BET and the likes. If you want to right a response to something that I have said, go for it. If you want to right a response to “Liberal #1″, fine, but leave me out of it.
Again, I understand that you’re emotional about this. But you are letting your emotions get well in the way of clear judgment and, to be honest, the truth(”being allowed to beat a single person near to death”).
Feel free to quote something I have said and respond to that, but please don’t include me in your all-purpose rant.
Nice try. In the lives of people who are most impacted by the system it addresses them just fine. This is lost on you. There are many success stories where those of us who stayed out of jail and/or prison have had a positive impact on the system.
But you have reduced our experience to mere words that don’t fit into your polemic about the “problems that plague the system.”
And, what is worse, you demonstrate little curiosity as to why we are taking issue with your approach, your method of argumentation, etc.
We know something you don’t know. If you did, then you’d be coming down off your hill that you are defending to find out what some of us know.
What’s up with that?
Again, stick to the argument that you attack first. Don’t attack and then switch the argument about “the problems that plague the system.”
That’s Barbara Streisand.
“Avoid jail” and other *strategies* (because these are not just words) deprive profiteers who run prisons and jails of *inventory*, namely prisoners.
THAT is the single best strategy for reducing crime and addressing the *impact* of the criminal justice and law enforcement systems on the lives of human beings who represent the majority of the incarcerated.
“Avoid Jail” does not imply a denial in any form. But you twist it to suit your purposes and then call it a red herring.
You cannot attack an argument by substituting your interpretations for the argument you attack, and then switch the argument.
30 pcs and I do not say “Avoid” in the context you assign to it, and then use that assignment to try and prove your point.
You lack context about what we said, are saying, have lived, and what I continue to do in advocacy work I do on reservations.
Keeping people out of the “justice system” as you call it, is not “avoiding” the problems inherent to it.
No sir. Flat wrong on your part.
First and foremost, in this social triage effort to reduce youth incarceration and recidivism, is to work with young minds to unlearn an old response and to learn a different response to the criminality that is being rewarded on different levels of society.
Now, can you stick to the argument specifically presented and demonstrate that you grasp it?
The little girl that fell in the well wasn’t committing a crime at the time. If the money for the Jena Six Figures (thanks aj) was for their legal bills, their lawyers should get it. Otherwise, it’s payment for a crime.
msChops: you have been defending the behavior of the boys using relative arguments about money being used for vodka leaking ice sculptures, etc. etc.
You got nailed. Deal with it. You are arguing from a very liberal vantage point.
BTW, you show little working acumen re racism, what it is, how it works, and how to define it in a way that gives people a way to discuss it gainfully.
Please stop saying “in the hood”. I have no idea who you’re quoting, since you were the first person to say it. And you can’t quote yourself.
However, you point doesn’t hold. The arrest rate for blacks and whites, as perps, is roughly the same. It’s the conviction rate where one sees the most difference, particularly when looked at in conjunction with the race of the victim. If the stop-snitching mindset held, the conviction rate would be lower with blacks but that is not the case.
Or to put it another way using your premise, blacks aren’t snitching and they’re still getting convicted much more.
Purplepeep,
I have already denounced the attack. I will not do it every time someone new comes into the discussion.
Your post is empty of thought and full of vitriol. Good job representing your side.
Perhaps it isn’t so much defending, msChops as much as it is deflecting criticisms about the misuse of funds.
First, you offer an unproven assertion. Where’s the beef?
Then, a flip retort couched in false positive language. Purpose? A zinger? What does this indicate? Are you losing ground?
Argue your points, Man. You’re here trying to do something. Can’t you at least include that in your agenda?
If peeps had written something like that about something I’d written or the way I was arguing, then it would be best for me to refute him.
Do it. Or step down.
You are being associated, by virtue of your dancesteps, with liberal BDS’ers.
The Blackwater comment and “brown skins” (whomever they are) need some shoring up.
Do it or step off. Fair enough?
Bear1909,
In one concise paragraph, please explain to me how this statement is true:
I am assuming with “system”, you are referring to the justice system.
Bear, I get what you’re saying but it’s simply misguided. You’re still not addressing my point. You keep attempting to expand the scope.