CNN has just reported that locals in Alexandria, LA drove through town in a red pick-up truck that had two nooses, at least one made from an extension cord, tied to the back. Shame that after a peaceful demonstration for justice in Jena, less than one hour from Alexandria, this display of hate took place. The mayor of Alexandria, Jacques Roy, said he was going to figure out if this blatant expression of racist violence constitutes a hate crime. The 18 year old driver was charged with inciting to riot, as he drove past a group of Jena Six protesters who were waiting at a bus stop. He was also charged with driving while intoxicated and may be charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor, his 16-year-old passenger. About 200 people, mostly African American, watched the driver get arrested by Alexandria authorities, according to CNN.

The driver told police that he and his family are members of the KKK. An unloaded shotgun was found in the back of the pick-up, and a pair of brass knuckles were in the dashboard cup holder.

Alexandria was a staging area for yesterday’s protest in Jena, which drew, according to Louisiana state police, about 15,000 people from all over the country.

Comment(s)

§ kendra lee said on : 09/21/07 @ 13:42

the more things change, the more they stay the same. sad. and infuriating. i’d say i’m ashamed i’m from the south, but this kinda madness happens nationwide–just maybe not as blatant.

Comment(s)

§ Chris Chambers said on : 09/21/07 @ 16:55

Organized effort in College Park-likely not. Same in Alexandria, La. It’s usually this formula: liquor plus ignorance multiplied by youth factored by groupthink derivative of older white giving negative role models.

Comment(s)

§ eisa said on : 09/21/07 @ 17:41

Chris –

I dunno, brother. A self-described member of the KKK driving in front of Jena 6 protesters with two nooses hanging from his truck? Sounds like a real attempt on his part to turn a peaceful protest ugly. Kudos to the Jena 6 supporters who did the right thing by calling the police and watching this perpetrator of a hate crime (in my opinion – not a legal one) as he was taken away in handcuffs. I mean, the superintendent in Jena called the nooses that started all this a “prank” – and you see where that got us.

And College Park students have been harassed because of race in years past. Time for the culture that dismisses this type of behavior as simple or non-threatening to end, I think.

And your blog is so strident and progressive. Your comment surprises me…

Comment(s)

§ Amanda Insall said on : 09/25/07 @ 12:35

A noose in the hermeneutics of the American South? It’s not a high school “prank”. It is a threat. These noose yahoos bring up the bloody past as a threat whenever they feel like it. And when people are threatened, they should call the police! I want continued media converage onto this Jena business. We can’t allow the local judiciary to imprison boys who were just trying to stand up for themselves when a threat was made on their lives! No one should ever have to attend school under a constant threat of violence.