The story of the Jena 6 disturbs me on several levels. First of all, why in the hell is that kind of racism still around in the 21st century? The Civil Rights Act was signed into law in 1964, 43 years ago, almost half a century. Haven't we moved beyond this kind of thing? Having been born and raised in Texas, I realize that the south can be backwards and painfully idiotic at times, but really, the way they tried to charge them as adults, the way the judge allowed for a shoe to be entered into evidence as a "deadly weapon!" Ludicrous. The only thing dangerous about a shoe is when a foot has been marinating in it all day, without socks, and someone decides to take it off in an enclosed area.

The entire jury was white! What the hell? Doesn't the Bill of Rights call for a "trial by peers?"
I'm glad we had a protest here at UNT. I just wish I had been around in time to sign to petition and to talk to the administrator who told the students that they couldn't hang the nooses from the university's trees. Why wasn't there a larger scale protest in Denton? I talked with Charlye Heggins, the city councilwoman, after the council meeting last week, about the protest we held on campus, and she was wondering the same thing. The only thing the Denton Record-Chronicle had to say about the matter was that Dr. King's son would not be coming for his little tour of Denton because he had to go to the protest.

On a lighter note, the fact that the media are calling it the "Jena 6" makes me laugh, if slightly in an ironic way, because the title definitely refers back to the late 50s, early 60s. "The Butterfield 8" anyone?

I realize I am doing this a little late, Dr. Lambiase. Anywho, My news habits are obsessive, broad and slightly viral. I literally shout at the television when news comes on that I think is ridiculous or when I think they are covering it wrong (i.e. the "live" broadcasts on the evening news where they have the reporter standing on the steps of the courthouse. Never mind the fact that the trial took place earlier, and the reporter could have just done his story from the newsdesk, but no, polls show audiences want their news live, so the reporter has to go stand in the middle of nowhere for no good reason).

Like I said, my news habits are obsessive. Sometime in between finishing
my homework and studying for my next class, I make time to read Salon.com, Dallasnews.com, www.dentonrc.com, seattlepi.com, sfgate.com, news.google.com, and all of my favorite comics (I really don't think I could take the news without Candorville or Non Sequiter, and I miss Boondocks.) I also pick up the NT Daily, partially because I work for them and want to see what the copy editors did to my story, and partially because I want to read what my friends have written. These habits have, in the past, caused trouble with me actually finishing my homework, leading me to wonder if I have ADD. I also pick up the Daily because it's just nice to read a newspaper. They're fairly cheap, lightweight (certainly lighter than carrying around a laptop), and I actually enjoy getting ink on my fingers.
In case you haven't noticed, my favorite punctuation is the parenthesis. Blame Terry Pratchett and the guy who wrote the Princess Bride. Asides are fun.