Map dot madness

Well, Jena is now on the map, essentially for nothing. How a high school turf war ever escalated into a national media circus should be beyond human comprehension, but this is America:

Sharpton told the Associated Press that he and Reps. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, and William Jefferson, D-La., will press the House Judiciary Committee next week to summon the district attorney to explain his actions before Congress.

The thought of Cold Cash Jefferson "pressing" the Judiciary Committee for anything--short of mercy--is perhaps the only redeeming value of this whole charade.

The six black teens were charged a few months after three white teens were accused of hanging nooses in a tree on their high school grounds. The white teens were suspended from school but weren't prosecuted..

One group used an ugly symbolism (recently used around there, which resulted in no criminal charges, either) and they got suspended. Yes, many blacks also consider the Rebel flag hateful symbolism yet nobody suggests those flying it be plucked off the streets and tossed in jail. Not yet, at least. This is America, after all.

It looks like the other group, surely mad as fire about the ropes (and rightfully so), went a step further and committed assault and battery, and were charged (and rightfully so). The fact they were clearly over-charged is the crux of the anger but that's apparently being corrected with the exception of the main instigator. Surely they cannot drop the charges at this point due to the perceived message it would send but it might help matters if the prosecutors' office made it clear to the public the initial charges were overly emotional.

As to any ministers or preachers on the scene, they should be trying to foster that public reconciliation first and foremost, not marching around with bullhorns. Reverend Sharpton is not helping anything by making incendiary remarks about southern racism, for example. The south is no longer the land of Jim Crow any more than Portland Oregon. These things are not geographically restricted and haven't been for a long time, as Al should well know. And has Jesse apologized yet for his hyperbole on the Duke rape case?

We need some effective leaders, not those goofs. So far Bush's comments have been about as effective as a statue but nobody cares anyway. This is time for somebody to step up, bridge the divide and help everybody "move on" peacefully.

INTERVENTION? 9/21/07

The newest tropical system, Ten, is moving on a direct line to Jena at present. If it strengthens it will be named Ingrid. Looks like a convergence of sorts might be approaching.