JENA 6

Jena 6 as an interesting example or question of how the digital technolgy is advancing or empowering democratic activity.

I propose this case be part of the doc, because it opens up the discussion to how blogs played a significant role in getting people mobilized to action while mainstream news sources stood aside, save for wire services, Howard Witt in a less

IN THE CASE OF THE JENA 6("gee-nah): It's estimated that nearly 20,000 people attended a rally in Alexandria, La, the largest town near Jena, and approx 4 hours northwest of New Orleans on September 20,2007 to protest the seemingly uneven treatment received by black high school youths compared to their white counterparts stemming from an act of intimidation on the grounds of the local Jena public high school.

Rev, Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson were featured speakers in Alexandria. Sharpton is widely quoted for saying that he learned about the Jena story via blogs.
The following is excerpted from Howard Witt's Chicago Trib article, "What of the Jena 6 funds?"
The update spells out extent to which attention was paid as well as money to defense attorneys working on the cases of six black students. So, there are clear limits to what this case illustrates in terms of mobilization and the nature of drive groups or crowds to do something and then organizers and agendas lose momentum.

From Witt article, Nov 12, 2007:
"The case, now a national civil rights touchstone, grew out of a September 2006 incident at the high school in Jena when three white students hung nooses from a tree in the school's courtyard in a warning directed at black students not to try to sit in its shade. School officials dismissed the nooses as a prank, angering black students and their families who regarded the incident as a hate crime.

A series of fights between black and white youths ensued, culminating in a Dec. 4 attack in which the six black students are alleged to have beaten a white student, knocking him briefly unconscious. Although the white student was not hospitalized, the prosecutor initially charged the six teenagers with attempted murder, while declining to charge white youths who had earlier attacked blacks with similarly serious crimes."(end quote)

I suggest as guests to discuss


Student activist :TBD: THE voice and perspective on lessons learned through getting news and activist literature through a non-trad news medium, how when and what was done with the information by a student. By contrast, what was this activist/ student doing before the rally, i.e. did they participate in demonstration s, etc and did traditional news media play any role in previous activity?


EXPERT/ANALYST:Jim Romensko, Poynter Institute:
Has written extensively abut how national media was stand-offish about the story and blog world ventured more quickly. Can potentially comment on the goods bads and lessons from this case syudy in citizen-like activity.

ACTIVIST/ROCKSTAR:Rev. Al Sharpton, on how he first learned about the case of the so-called "Jena 6" His views on:

1. How the Blogosphere deseminated information, some accurate, other parts distorted to get the message of a demonstration and rally in a remote part of Louisiana in a small amount of time.

2. His previous experience of blogs, social networking with regard to African Americans , especially students and everyday people.

3. Whta he sees as the potential for such activity based on ther Jena 6 experience.

REPORTER: National Correspondent Howard Witt, Chgo Tribune
This traditional mainstream journalist covered the story months and months other news outlets paid any attention, save for local news media in and around Jena.
As late as yesterday he's still writing about aspects of the mobilization:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/services/newspaper/printedition/sunday/chi-jena_bdnov11,0,6545985.story?coll=chi_tab01_layout


That's what I have. I'm reluctant to post cell numbers on this blog, but look forward to meeting up and doling out assignments/plts for video coverage andpictures and interviews before