In Pursuit of Perfection

The New Jim Crow and the New Groupthink

Hat tip:  FOJ
Remarkably insightful post from the folks over at Friends of Justice.

clipped from friendsofjustice.wordpress.com

The New Jim Crow and the New Groupthink

May 28th, 2007 at 9:03 pm (Uncategorized)

Some of the most insightful commentary on the significance of the Jena story appears in a blog I came across this moring:  http://blogher.org/node/19962.  A few months ago, a local Jena pastor described his home town as a racist backwater.  Recent events have forced the Rev. eddie Thompson to eat those words.  Now he is defending his home town against Yankee “Carpetbaggers” (from Texas and New Orleans) who are distorting the story.  The Rev. Eddie has fallen victim to the sort of groupthink that emerges when small towns circle the wagons.  Fortunately, a contributor to Blogher knows the Rev. Eddie personally.  Her response to his about-face show a tremendous depth of insight.  I encourage you to scroll through the entire string of posts–you will learn something.  At least, I did.

**Afrosphere Action Alert** -- Louisiana Nooses

I've been monitoring conversation about a trial beginning in Jena, Louisiana today.  I think the reason why this has been bothering me so much is due to the question that is raised when I see these kinds of situations.  (Take a look here,  here, here, and also here to name just a few.)  Thank you.

The original article written by Howard Witt of the Chicago Tribune is clipped below. 

 

clipped from english.people.com.cn

Racism on trial again in America's Deep South

In the cool courtroom in Jena, Louisiana, three black schoolboys - Robert Bailey, Theodore Shaw and Mychal Bell - are about to go on trial for a playground fight that could see them jailed for between 30 and 50 years. Jena, about 220 miles north of New Orleans, is a small town of 3,000 people, 85 percent of whom are white. Tomorrow it will be the focus for a race trial which could put it on the map alongside the bad old names of the Mississippi Burning Sixties such as Selma or Montgomery, Alabama. Jena is gaining national notoriety as an example of the new 'stealth' racism, showing how lightly sleep the demons of racial prejudice in America's Deep South, even in the year that a black man, Barack Obama, is a serious candidate for the White House.

The eyes of the future are looking back at us and they are praying for us to see beyond our own time.
-Terry Tempest Williams

Petteway Brothers Developments

Linked from Francis L. Holland.  Thank you!

clipped from francislholland.blogspot.com May 17, 2007     Army Sergeant Roy Pettaway Joins Afrosphere, Seeks Justice in the Police Execution of His Son Ron.        “I’m willing to stand up and make change,” says Army Sergeant First Class Roy Pettaway, the deceased's father. Cross-posted at the Ron Pettaway Justice Blog.

Feedback on Petteway Shootings

On April 21st I learned of the Fulton County police shooting of Ron and Roy III Petteway from Exodus Mentality.  I did some research and posted an article along with plans to follow-up with the Board of Commisioners and Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue.

At long last, I received my first feedback.  Posted below.

Will continue to update as I receive more.  Let's all keep this one on the front burner.