Students protest for Jena

African American Ohio State students converged on the Oval Thursday to protest the inequalities of the justice system in Louisiana.

Students who were asked to dress in black as a symbol of power and unity came together in a silent protest Thursday on the Oval.

In support of the Jena Six, a nationally-known case centered around racial tensions in Jena, LA, the students protested and distributed information about six black males who they said were excessively sentenced for their role in the beating of a fellow white classmate.

Organizer Stacy-Ann Russell said the purpose of the protest was to inform students about the facts of the case as well as the impact that it has had on the nation and the entire Ohio State and Columbus community.

"This is an unjust situation and ... It doesn't matter what community or group of people were affected, we as Americans, need to stand up and show that this type of injustice will not be tolerated."

Despite ongoing coverage of the case throughout the past year, many students - both black and white - were oblivious to the Jena Six case, while others were only mildly informed. However, students said it is more because of the media's downplaying the situation in terms of providing the public with accurate and consistent information.

"The entire country should be outraged right now," said Robert Bennett, member of the Afrikan Student Union and Black Caucus. "There is so much going on and with this case, with the nation and the media is giving more coverage to O.J. Simpson and Michael Vick than they are to the Jena Six."

Russell said she believes the Jena Six information has taken so long to reach a national audience because of the level of intensity that is sparked when dealing with race issues.

"These are the types of things that people want to keep under wraps because they're afraid of this type of reaction," she said. "But we as young adults need to show that we are paying attention to what's going on. We have to take a stand."

Many students do not understand how important it is be informed about the events surrounding the case and the issues that are constantly arising on the OSU campus, said Jason M. Perkins, a doctoral student in the Department of History.

"All of these things expose, including the Jena Six, expose the myths that we are living in a color-blind society," he said. "We live in America, so the possibilities of dealing with these types of issues, are always around. There are issues on this campus dealing with race that we still need to address."

Throughout the past two years, protests and discussions related to discrimination in the residence halls have taken place the Frank W. Hale Black Cultural Center. In an effort to reach a larger and more diverse audience, the event was held at the center of the Oval, which is one of the main focal points and most trafficked areas on campus.

"Most people would expect it to be held at the Hale Center, but I think it's a great idea to have it in the Oval, because we here we can make more of an impact by making our presence known," said Stefan Thomas, a junior in political science.

Although more than 100 students attended the protest, some students believe the situation warranted a larger turnout.

"It's disappointing and almost heartwrenching that more people aren't here," Thomas said. "We need to be more of a unit on an issue like this."

Russell said other events will be held throughout the year following that address the issues that have been brought to light by the Jena Six frenzy.

"It is my hope that even after all this is over, people won't forget the issues that have risen from this case." she said. "This is just a scratch on the surface of such a deeply-rooted issue."

Lisa Scott can be reached for comment at scott.917@osu.edu.