The Jena 6

Today Dr. Phil's topic was the Jena, Louisiana situation. He is continuing the subject on Monday, and I encourage you to watch.

Jena has a real problem. It starts with the DA and it should end with his termination.

For those of you who may not have heard of this situation here are the facts. Last December, several black students at Jena High School asked if they could sit under a tree that only white students sat under. They were told they could sit anywhere they wanted. So they sat underneath the tree. The next day, three nooses were hanging from the tree. This caused a very tense situation at the school as you might guess. Several altercations happened. Then six black students beat up Justin Barker, to the point that he was knocked unconscious. One more kick would have surely killed him.

I would never, repeat NEVER, condone what these boys did. But they were charged as adults. None of them were older than 16 and should have been charged in juvenile court. The white students were not charged with a hate crime, which this clearly was. The DA even went to the school, separated the students in the gym by race, the proceeded to tell the black students that they needed to stop the behavior or he could end their lives with the stroke of a pen. He is proceeding to do just that.

What is going on in Jena is more complicated than a fight. It's about responsibility. Dr. Phil broached the subject of parental responsibility. Where are the parents in all of this? Not one of the parents of the Jena 6 are speaking to the posibility that they need to police what their children are doing. Dr. Phil will go in to this more on Monday. The parents will be interviewed on Monday, so watch.

I am not sure I have said what I wanted to about this situation. What happened to Justin Barker is a tragedy. But, what is happening to the Jena 6 is an equal tragedy.