Comments on: Where is the White Progressive Blogosphere on Jena Six? Oh yeah, M-I-A

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 16:34:00 +0000

There is another, I suspect, highly likely explanation for the lack of coverage from progressive blogs. Most of them are Beltway blogs, which is to say that they are predominantly concerned with the political kabuki theater involving the President or Congress. The Jena Six wasn’t an “inside the Beltway” issue until prominent black activists and leaders along with political candidates started to take note. It can be argued that this can be seen as a privileged “white” perspective, and to some extent that may be true, but I think that when you consider the world we live in and the administration we suffer under, it isn’t surprising that local politics, racial or otherwise, will often slip through until someone “gets it” and begins to push things into the national spotlight. It is also probably true, sadly, that the story of the Jena Six is seen by many as typical of the South, and difficult to engage thanks to an atmosphere that tends to color contrary opinions as inherently racist. This is much the same dynamic as with any discussion of Israel where opponents of Israeli policies are attacked as anti-semites.

By: lambert strether

lambert strether — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 15:47:00 +0000

This resonates with me:

Because there are very few Black folk with a Six Degrees of Separation between them and a bad story with law enforcement. If you can go two degrees, you're fortunate.

Since with the stuff the DHS and the NSA and every other TLA agency in the Beltway is doing -- internal passports, show ID to get work -- white folks are going to experience their own degrees of separation from LE beginning to decrease.

It's interesting to think of degrees of separation as a metric for privilege. More narrative than one-dimensional metrics like, oh, money. Thanks for the push.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 01:29:00 +0000

I am also white, however, I understand that a noose is a form of free speech in the same way that pointing a gun at someone is a form of free speech. That is to say, it isn't.

There is an implied threat behind nooses because of their history that is very real and much the same as threats with firearms.

You have the freedom to say that you don't like someone, but you don't have the freedom to threaten their lives.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 00:46:00 +0000

Yeah -I am white and I have always thought nooses were just rude and mean-spirited, like when a man makes certain sexual gestures at a woman and it makes her feel like throwing up. It’s stupid. But is it a crime? Isn’t a noose a form of free speech? Aren’t our soldiers dying daily so that the most foolish and basest people in the world can stick to their opinions? There is a lot of prejudice in the world… but the noose might be a good starting point.

By: Sadie Baker

Sadie Baker — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 02:28:00 +0000

We were there:

http://guerillawomentn.blogspot.com/2007/09/jena-six-rally-in-nashville-jena-6.html

By: Julia

Julia — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 01:03:00 +0000

I haven't written about Jena, really (although I haven't written about much of anything lately) but I actually have written about disproportionate sentencing.

What's interesting is that I had to go to AlltheWeb to find the post, because Google couldn't find it with five search terms.

By: E J Doshi

E J Doshi — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 17:29:00 +0000

I am an unknown blogger of Czech American heritage who has been blogging about Jena 6, Genarlow Wilson, Dunbar Village and the insidious materialism that I see behind the issues.

Please don't assume we aren't out here because you don't know about us.

I read your blog regularly and find it extremely useful. Thanks for your consideration,

Elyssia

By: firsty

firsty — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 16:24:00 +0000

we’re covering it heavily at newsvine.com, and i’ve been doing my best at my blog, which is admittedly underread, but we are out there, and we are trying to keep this story spreading.

in fact, right before i read this post, i seeded your other jena-6 post about fundraising at newsvine. i invite the writers at this blog to come join the discussions there…the more voices the better.

By: dwhite10701

dwhite10701 — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 16:19:00 +0000

In general, it seems that progressive white bloggers don’t get too worked up about racism (they disapprove of it, of course, but don’t get worked up about it) unless it can be used to paint Republicans as racists.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 15:14:00 +0000

Excellent take on this story here.
http://averagebro.blogspot.com/2007/09/averagebro-blogs-live-from-jena-la.html

By: Dale

Dale — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 14:18:00 +0000

there is nothing racist about this post.

or anything else you guys do for that matter!

seriously, you guys perpetuate racist hate.

By: Matt Stoller

Matt Stoller — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 12:43:00 +0000

Here are 146 blog posts on dailykos on the Jena Six. I just did a google blog search and found 25000 blog posts on the issue. I've written about it several times. I wrote about it yesterday in fact, mentioning the fact that I was otherwise occupied because the Senate condemned Moveon and we also lost 6 votes on Iraq, habeas, etc.

But thanks for the 'white progressive blogosphere' insult, it's appreciated.

By: Phil Davis

Phil Davis — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 10:58:00 +0000

Tupac explains this rather eloquently

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5tZxWl4T40