Jena Louisiana: A New Chapter In the Civil Rights Movement
We have a theory at YTW . “If it happened before I was born it has no significance in my life.” This statement is in reference to historic events and how each new generation relates to those events.
Many young people today have previously expressed this opinion when it comes to matters of civil rights for all people.
They know that injustice and unequal treatment is wrong. They have a vague idea about the marches and seminal events of the past 40 or 50 years. Landmark legal cases such as Brown versus the Board of Education, the march on Selma, Alabama or the march on Washington, D.C. when the late Rev. Martin Luther King gave his historic oration on the check America had at that time, and to this day, failed to honor; these events are just something that happened before they were born.
As their parents we have tried to describe without much success the importance of the past. We have tried to explain how they would not be able to go to the mall or movie theater to enjoy public accommodation, have public education such as it is, or even vote if it had not been for those who were activists in the not so distant past. To us today’s youth aredismissive of those occasions; saying that happened a long, very long time ago and mean very little today.
Fortunately the decisions of a few dummies in Jena Louisiana, District Attorney J. Reed Walters and the LaSalle Parish Sachool Board among them, have inspired a new generation of activists. WE are grateful for thier stupidity.
MAny young people have been shocked out of their lethargy to become the new 21st Century activists, They have today taken a stand for what is right.
We commend you young men and women of all races. We say “Thank God!” We realize our young people are the most precious resource our nation has. We are thankful you have finally awakened to make your position known.
It is a well known saying “If you stand for nothing you will fall for anything”. We are glad and happy to know many of today’s young people, the demographic 18 to 35, men and women of all ethnic backgrounds, have taken the time to show support for the Jena Six.
Despite the efforts of the Bush administration– democracy and the right to speak in favor of what is right is alive and well in these United States of America. You have seized the opportunity to demonstrate to the government we will not accept abusive treatment of our own by a justice system operated by a government for and by the people.
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