Being Black and Male In The American South

In my post on legislation pending in Congress, a reader asked about reparations to American blacks. I explained that the subject was off-topic for the thread, but the question reminded me of two current cases: Genarlow Wilson in Georgia and the Jena Six in Louisiana.

In both cases, a white District Attorney -- an elected politician -- literally threw the book at a black high school student. In both cases, the local politicians declared that the case was about "justice" not race. In both cases, others disagree.

Background
In Georgia, Wilson has been in prison since February 2005 for having consensual oral sex with another teen; he was sentenced to 10 years for child molestation. Although this was a literal reading of Georgia law at the time, the DA has discretion in how and when he presses charges. In Wilson's case, there was no "victim" as the girl and her mother agreed that she was the initiator.

In Louisiana, the DA charged six black students with attempted second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit second-degree murder -- charges with prison terms of up to 100 years -- for getting into a fight at school. A white student "was taken to the hospital, but was released shortly thereafter and attended another school function that night." The ordinary penalty for a fight at Jena High School is a three day suspension. Subsequently, the DA changed the charges to battery for all but one student who was accused of using his tennis shoe as a lethal weapon.

Current Status
In Georgia, Wilson languishes in prison even though in June the Monroe County (GA) Superior Court Judge called his punishment "a grave miscarriage of justice." He changed the sentence to a 12-month misdemeanor with credit for time served (2+ years). But Generlow's July bail hearing canceled; the Georgia Supreme Court heard his case in July. No decision yet.

In Louisiana, foreign press are reporting that yesterday "[t]housands of demonstrators have filled the streets of a small Louisiana town for a protest that has been likened to the marches of the US civil rights movement decades ago."

There were well-coordinated companion protests scattered across the United States -- California, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Ohio.

Even presidential candidates are getting into the act (better late than never?).

These are high-profile cases -- but are they isolated ones? What do you think?

Suggested Reading:

• Injustice In Georgia: The Case of Genarlow Wilson, Part 2
• Profile of the Jena Six Trials
• Thoughts On Justice and Punishment
• US Civil Rights Act
• Uninsured Children - Race, Age, Poverty Rate - 2006
• Forum Discussion

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