Earlier this week on Capitol Hill, veteran Michigan Congressman John Conyers (D) held a Judiary Committee hearing to find out why they federal goverment has not intervened.  Conyers and others believe the famed noose incident was a hate crime and should have brought in the U.S. Justice Department to investigate – and proscecute the Jena youths under federal laws. 

Donald Washington, the US Attorney for Louisiana’s western district, admitted during the hearing that, in fact, a hate crime had been committed, but after he conferred with local officials, the federal government opted not to take any action, leaving it up to local authorities.  He did the best he could with the information he had, Washington told lawmakers, all Democrats.  The Republicans boycotted the hearing.

Defendant Mychal Bell remains in jail; Rev. Al Sharpton and others vow to fight for his release; and ‘just – us’ in American lives on.   What has turned off the national media is the reality that by the letter of the law, Bell had violated the law – even before this noose incident or the fight injuring the white student – Justin Barker.  The ‘holier than thou’ (wink wink) national media is even less enthused that some of the same old voices – Sharpton, the Rev. Jesse Jackson – are once again a big part of the outcry, calling for justice.  Other newer voices have gotten some attention, but none to relight the Civil Rights outrage of years past.  The fact that the Justice Department or any other federal authority has taken no action is yet another reason national media is considering this a blip in time.  

So the Tom Joyners of the world are using their national media platform to keep America informed and a handful of journalists are doing the same.  That’s very reminsicent of the 1960s when Ed Bradley, Bill Moyers and a handful of ventured into the Deep South writing and producing stories that they hoped their New York or LA editors/producers would run.   How ironic it is that the legendary civil rights photographer – Ernest Withers – died earlier this week.  Let’s hope the rebroadcast of his powerful images strikes a cord reminding the nation’s media – and its residents – that America has come far, but still has not come to gripes with its on-going discomfort with the racial disharmony in this country.

 Here are some related links:

The Alexandria Town Talk ‘Jena 6′ Timeline and FAQ

John Mellencamp’s Jena 6 song and music video

Ernest Withers – a biography published by the Chrysler Foundation.