This convoluted article appeared today in the American Journalism Review. Prepare to be confused. From Raquel Christie’s perspective there is only one thing you need to know about Alan Bean–he is not a journalist; therefore he should be ignored by objective reporters. It is also suggested that reporters shouldn’t interview the parents of criminal defendants because, unlike prosecutors, local newspaper editors and school superintendents, family members of the accused are hopelessly biased.
Ms. Christie can’t decide if Jena was a non-story that didn’t deserve the attention it received, or a shocking “race beat” story that was too long ignored. Since I figure prominently in this slash-and-burn critique of journalists run amok, I must respond.
If I hadn’t alerted the media to this story, would anyone in America know about the Jena 6, Justin Barker, and the now-infamous nooses? Would that have been a good thing or a bad thing?
Christie raises all of the old bugaboos: why did early reports mention three nooses instead of two? Why was it suggested that the tree was a “white tree” when black students occasionally sat under it? Why did reporters insist that the noose boys received a three days of in-school suspension when they were actually suspended for a longer period and sent to counseling? Why did journalists report that Mychal Bell was convicted by an all-white jury without mentioning that a few black residents failed to show up for jury duty? Why did the media fail to report that Mychal Bell had a criminal record?
Christie then allows Howard Witt of the Chicago Tribune and Darryl Fears of the Washington Post to present the convincing answers they have been repeating for months now.
They mentioned three nooses because their sources mentioned three nooses (and why does it matter anyway?).
They mentioned that the noose tree was located on the white side of the school courtyard because that’s what every black person they interviewed reported. Black residents admit that black students were free to wander across the sidewalk that separated white students from black students–so long as they didn’t linger too long. No one doubts that a black student asked for permission to sit under the tree or that white students responded by hanging nooses–neither action nor reaction makes sense if the school yard was fully integrated.
Witt and Fears reported the three-day suspension story because that’s what Superintendent Roy Breithaupt told them (why would the super lie?).
They mentioned the all-white jury because . . . the jury was all white. It should be noted that Blaine Williams, Mychal Bell’s pro-prosecution attorney (yes, that’s the guy who didn’t call a single witness) is the source of the story that all kinds of black people didn’t show up for jury duty. This didn’t raise suspicions in Ms. Christie’s mind because she didn’t attend the trial and doesn’t realize that Williams is a walking embarrassment.
Reporters failed to mention Mychal Bell’s criminal record because public officials never brought it to their attention. Mychal’s file in the courthouse didn’t reference his juvenile history because adult files (as public documents) never reflect juvenile records.
Raquel Christie has dutifully printed these explanations but she appears unconvinced–why, I’m not sure. Instead, she ends the piece by quoting a white guy who thinks Jena was a non-story and that the 20,000 people who road the buses in September were suffering from mass-paranoia.
Christie didn’t call me (or anyone else) and ask me for a different take? Does she think Barack Obama is part of the mass-delusion?
Ms. Christie is obviously confused. She wanted to write a story about the media dropping the ball in Jena but the facts kept getting in her way. So we are left with a mish-mash of unadjudicated disagreement ending with a racist allegation about black America which Ms. Christie appears to endorse.
According to many black bloggers, white reporting on Jena shows how little most white Americans know about the dynamics of modern racism or the criminal justice system. Raquel Christie’s confused expose stands as Exhibit A.
How would Howard Witt respond to Christie’s confused meanderings? This interview with the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education addresses many of the issues raised in the AJR piece. Witt doesn’t suffer fools gladly.
Friends of Justice 
white reporting on Jena shows how little most white Americans know about the dynamics of modern racism or the criminal justice system.
That’s because most Whites understand that most hate and interracial crimes are committed AGAINST White people NOT the reverse. Non-Whites move into white neighborhoods because they are clean, safe, and conducive for learning. Whites don’t pour into non-White hoods for obvious reason(s). By this action it indicates that White people are superior in that aspect of modern living.
I am so tired of the word racism.
Unless you’re part of something other than the human race, which neither dark skinned people are, not black, then racism is an impossible word in this context.
There is prejudice based upon skin color, there is discrimination based upon the same. But there is no racism. We are of the human race.
IMO the entire Jena 6 issue, is an overblown excuse to try and excuse 6 dark skinned youths for nearly beating a light skinned person almost to the point of death. THAT is the issue IMHO. There is no excuse for that.
Greetings, enlightened white brothers and sisters. Thanks so much for the mild rebuke. I didn’t realize that racism didn’t exist. So sorry. My bad.
It’s perfectly natural to adhere to people of your own kind. I agree with Stranger, racism is an oxy. The sad part is that for such a long time now, for whites there has been no freedom of speech, a prime example…Jimmy the Greek. What he said about the black athlete was not an untrue so what was the issue–I don’t understand what was offensive about it? The man lost his job, his credibilty, basically his whole career just because he spoke. Freedom of Speech??? This happened a long time ago and there have been dozens of incidents since. Sadly enough this is a single-edged sword because you can see black comedians such as Chris Rock state that if in fact OJ did kill Ron and Nicole, “he understands.” These are just 2 examples.
Also, is it just me or why are there so many TV ads with a white or whites and usually only one black… and the white guy is ALWAYS the idiot??? Food for thought…
Have a nice weekend !!
My folks are from the Appalachian Mtns and I’m very proud to be such a descendant. However, I don’t get bent out of frame when I hear or see folks taking a poke at hillbillies or mountain people. I like to think that we’re above the repercussions of such fodder. Usually there’s something more pressing to ‘tend to.
Sticks and stones,….. Grow UP !!
Unfortunately this country has a history of laws based on race and even if the law didn’t exist, a “defacto” law existed that excused unfair treatment of black Americans as well as other minorities such as chinese, latinos, etc. Because white folks were not affected by these laws or defacto segregation, because, in fact white folks were enforcers of these laws, they tend to act like racism – making standards different for Americans based on the color of their skin – did not exist. Well, legal racism as well as defacto racism has existed in this country, and of course, why would white folks know this – they weren’t affected, and most didn’t care before the civil rights movement. In case you disagree – try to figure out why Rosa Parks was arrested for riding on a bus…because she broke a law based on the color of her skin…hello!!! There were thousands of race based laws in this country – and since we are a country that follows “law” standards, then of course these standards filtered down into our culture. The whole question of Jena is not that a law was broken, but how the law was applied based on race. Black kids get long unjust sentences, white kids get sent home to their parents. Yes, this is a simplification, but it seems that some folks need to get this concept in a very simple way. Or maybe they never will.
As for some of these comments – like the person from the appalachian mtns – I have never heard of white hillbillies getting lynched for being white hillbillies. So, if there is some growing up to do, it’s folks that need to get educated, not living in their own little world and not seeing that someone else might have a different life experience in the United States.
So educate me? Why do we still have defacto factor?
Please, I really do want to understand.
Of course there is still defacto segregation. The myth of the United States is that we have a proud history of freedom and democracy, and on one hand that may be true for a segment of the population – mainly white males, but of course that’s not the case for the rest of us. For example, most educated folks in the United States don’t know that up to 30 million Native Americans were killed by white Americans before 1900. That’s an awful lot of people dead in 150 years. Some would call it genocide. In addition, the United States made 365 treaties with Native American nations. And guess what, we broke every single one of them. Did you learn about this in your history classes? I really doubt it. The underlying problem is the lack of education about what our true history is. Maybe if you studied about what has really happened to black people, native americans, mexicans, chinese, you would have alittle more empathy for the struggle for civil rights in this country. I would recommend you find the book by Howard Zinn- A People’s History of the United States. That would be a good start. And much more elegant and fact filled than what I can give to you in this comment section. This would probably be a good foundation. But unless you really have a good grasp on history, then it makes sense that you would not understand defacto segregation. Particularly since you or your parents did not have to ride on the back of a bus, were allowed into bathrooms, were allowed to live in neighborhoods that had written covenents – usually no blacks or mexicans after sunset, were allowed to participate in educational or financial institutions that black folks were not allowed into, or did not have the fear of being lynched, and that this is not taught to you – of course you would say – get over it. So would I. But since I have lived all of these….you don’t get a free pass. Read and learn is my best advice to you. And maybe if you can imagine walking in someone else’s shoes…….
Everything that you mentioned is past tense. Not sure of your age, I wasn’t there but we are both here now. There has to be a new model. I regret what has happened up ’til now, but it wasn’t only not my doing but also beyond my control. I can only imagine how efficient this place was when the native american reigned over it. And yes, we messed it up. Not proud…. and not policies that I would’ve agreed to…..
We can’t change what has already happened. It may true that no one has ever hung a hillbilly just for being a hillbilly. I don’t know. Maybe over a bad jug of liquor……:-(
No one ever gave a hillbilly 40 acres and a mule either.
Even as slaves, blacks had it better than probably as much as 90% of whites as they were cared for by their owners while poor white sharecroppers didn’t have any such benefits and had to feed and care for their families themselves and/or watch them go hungry or die of some illness. Again, I don’t know–I wasnt’ there. I’m not going to try and validate any mistreatment of one human being by another. I can only be responsible for my own actions.
Your thoughts.