The "Jena 6"

I really don't get the deal with the so-called Jena 6. From what a I can see, some white kids did something that was offensive, particularly to blacks, but not in violation of any law and so consequently were not charged with anything. Then some black kids severely beat a white kid, apparently as part of the escalating tension caused by the first act. This is a criminal act, and so the black kids were arrested and charged. Now, people like Al Sharpton and groups like the Nation of Islam are upset and demanding that the black kids not be charged with anything, because the white kids who didn't commit a crime weren't.

Huh? Apparently, if you don't arrest white kids for not committing crimes, you can't arrest black kids who do. And, I guess this makes sense to some people, that this represents disparity in the justice system.

Instapundit has more background on the case. Calling the beating victim "innocent" as the prosecutor did (this "is about finding justice for an innocent victim") seems a bit of an exaggeration, as he was beaten in response to his taunting of his eventual attackers. That doesn't justify the attack, but it's not like the kid was just innocently walking down the street when he was attacked.

I have to love Sharpton. Speaking of the one member of the Jena 6 who has been tried and convicted so far, Mychal Bell, Al said, "He doesn't want anything done that would disparage his name — no violence, not even a negative word." So, having severely beaten a kid, he doesn't want violence or anything that would besmirch his good name. Hey, he only beat someone, so don't do anything that would bring some shame on him.