Jena Mayor Calls Song Inflammatory
JENA, La. (AP) — A video in which rapper-actor Mos Def asked students around the country to walk out Oct. 1 to support the “Jena Six” escaped comment by this town’s mayor. But when John Mellencamp sang, “Jena, take your nooses down,” he took issue.
“The town of Jena has for months been mischaracterized in the media and portrayed as the epicenter of hatred, racism and a place where justice is denied,” Jena Mayor Murphy R. McMillin wrote in a statement on town letterhead faxed on Friday to The Associated Press.
He said he had previously stayed quiet, hoping that the town’s courtesy to people who have visited over the past year would speak for itself. “However, the Mellencamp video is so inflammatory, so defamatory, that a line has been crossed and enough is enough.”
Mellencamp could not comment immediately because he was on a plane from California to Indiana and had not heard about McMillin’s comments, publicist Bob Merlis said late Friday.
A brief note from Mellencamp posted Thursday on his Web site says he is telling a story, not reporting. “The song is not written as an indictment of the people of Jena but, rather, as a condemnation of racism,” it says.
It’s a stretch to say that Jena has been portrayed “as the epicenter of hatred, racism and a place where justice is denied,” although obviously there are elements of all three taking place in this situation. What the official faces of Jena fail to realize is that Jena is The United States of America for many people of color. This goes beyond Jena. Jena is indicative of the firmly entrenched systems of institutionalized racism that still rears its ugly head not only in the criminal justice system, but in most aspects of People of Color’s lives. It’s fair to say that most People of Color in America, that most of the folks that are protesting the treatment of the Jena Six the loudest, understand that what happened in Jena can happen anywhere in the United States.
Damn – have you seen some of the comments @ YouTube, Kevin? Disgusting.
I think Mellencamp is a jerk trying to make some cash off the situation. Did anybody forget that maybe the blacks involved in this are racist? Why do people love to single out whites only – as if only whites can be racist? I know for a fact that blacks can be very racist – and they get away with it. It’s a double standard that only polarizes the issues.
Also, check some of the responses. Talk about ramping up the pushback.
As if on cue…
Take Your Nooses Down And Call The Waambulance…
by matttbastard
Via The Thin Black Duke: you go, John Mellencamp.
AP reports that poor ol’ Mayor Murphy McMillin is in a breathless tizzy over the video, claiming the media has “portrayed [Jena] as the epicenter of hatred, racism and a pla…
Take Your Nooses Down And Call The Waambulance…
by matttbastard
Via The Thin Black Duke: you go, John Mellencamp.
AP reports that poor ol’ Mayor Murphy McMillin is in a breathless tizzy over the video, claiming the media has “portrayed [Jena] as the epicenter of hatred, racism and a pla…
[...] The Thin Black Duke: you go, John [...]
Bell is not a good choice for poster child !!
He has been in a lot of trouble through the years….but I guess that’s someone elses fault?
Regarding this so called song, has it ever occured to anyone that Mellencamps career is floundering? Because of Jena he “looks” like a good guy but laughing all the way to the bank.
While your out marching, how about register them to VOTE? Just incase you didn’t know District Attorney is a ELECTED office.
From a proud citizen of the state of Louisiana
Hi Tim,
It’s really not a double standard. You see, white folks in this country have done a lot of awful things to people of color. Some of what has happened has actually made it into the history books that we read in our social studies classes in junior high. White folks have this thing called privilege and institutional power that means that they (we) can be racist. Racism is all about power and privilege. Black folks can definitely discriminate and be prejudicial, but it is white folks who are the perpetrators of racism.
In the case of the Jena 6, the treatment of white kids vs. black kids has been anything but equal. Black kids get felonies and years of prison whilst white kids get a slap on the wrist.
As a white man, I can empathize that it is tough for a white person to hear/read/see people talking about white folks in such a negative light. It is challenging to be (usually for the first time) made aware that white folks keep the flames of racism lit.
Cheers.
Thank you, Eric.
Although in all honesty, I wouldn’t bother if I were you. With a few exceptions, these are drive-by comments–people that have googled “Jena” or gone to Technorati and then leave comments everywhere they can without bothering to read anything else on the site about the issue at hand. They rarely return to see how others respond. They are not interested in conversation or meaningful debate.
No worries, Kev
As long as there are drive-by-comments by folks with views like Tim, there will (and should) be drive-by-comments from the white, anti-racist crowd too
Besides, I had a great day of blogging and commenting today
Thanks for posting the video. I’m going to do the same on my blog. The more the issue of racism is addressed, the more it can’t be ignored.
I saw Mellancamp on an episode of Politically Incorrect, he’s seems to be a really cool dude. Let’s continue to get the message out.
“You can’t fix what you can’t face.”
Peace…
Cool except he excuses the middle America for their naiveté in voting for Bush because “they are honest good people who believe what they are told”.
I just managed to get to some places speaking of this vid today, and if anyone ever doubted racism was still rampant one only has to read all that shit. It is frightening to me, and I’m white.