No civil rights movement
As a resident of Louisiana, I have followed and been largely disgusted by the events of the past year in Jena (“Outrage and Action,” Sept. 21 cover story). Most everyone involved — the students, the school administrators and the local law enforcement — has handled this situation about as poorly as possible.
Why should Al Sharpton be any different? Calling the protest held on Thursday the beginning of a “new civil rights movement” is a slap in the face to the true black leaders of the past.
The Civil Rights Movement was about honorable men and women fighting for the right to attend the same schools, ride the same buses and drink from the same water fountains as everyone else. They fought against injustices that were imposed upon innocent people for no reason other than the color of their skin.
While there were certainly mistakes in the handling of the ‘Jena Six,’ the fact is that these boys committed a criminal act, and should be held accountable. Had they not committed this act, they would not be subject to the purported inequalities in the justice system.
Paul Mathews, 25, Baton Rouge, La.
Fighting words
There is definitely such a thing as fighting words. When I was a kid it was “yo mamma” and small things like that. But to make light of lynchings that took place in a very real time and a very real place is beyond fighting words.
The charges brought against these young men [The Jena Six] are horrific to say the least. Why is it all fun and games when young white boys do outlandish things to themselves and others and often hurt others? The nooses were not a non-physical act, but a threat to their very existence.
The violence that threatens black men is phenomenal, and I am not dismissing the self-inflicted executions as well. However, it is only fair that when someone comes to harm your family, you fight for that very existence, and that is what the Jena Six movement is: Looking out for family.
By the minor convictions received by the other party in the case, it appears that the Jena, La., court system is clearly taking care of theirs.
Kenya Franklin, 34, Bronzeville
Beating is a crime
While it seems obvious that the school [ in Jena, La. ] has some work to do in better integrating blacks and whites, and that the justice system was indeed unduly harsh in the sentencing of these black youths, it seems equally disingenuous that the black community demands the complete release and exoneration of youths who assaulted another young white man, regardless of what that white man may have done.
This seems to send a clear message that it is OK to use violence as a way of settling scores, and that when the “right” people beat the “wrong” unconscious, that it’s OK. Does anyone actually believe that?
I am worried that this incident, which had the potential to be an excellent rallying point for black Americans to demand equal treatment before the law, is devolving into a self-serving movement trying only to get these boys off the hook for an assault that they wantonly committed.
Jon Rubin, 29, Evanston
Carbon offsets: Unwise
I have done research into the carbon offset industry and I am convinced that some of the companies involved have as much validity as the company that says you can name a star after someone (“Guilt-free global warming?” Sept. 26 cover story).
A lot of what they say in return for taking your carbon money is vague, and there is no way to verify if they are actually doing what they say they are doing, or if what they do actually offsets the amount of carbon they claim.
Some of the things that are claimed to offset carbon, such as planting trees, do no such thing.
A tree planted may store some carbon for 20 years, but that carbon comes right back when the tree dies. Also, as you point out in your article, the prices are all over the place, so it is not a true marketplace if prices are completely arbitrary.
I think this idea needs some verifiable standards to become mature, otherwise we are allowing individuals to throw money up in the air and corporations to claim they are doing something about carbon pollution when maybe they are actually doing nothing of the sort.
Matthew Shelley, 47, Humboldt Park
