The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“INJUSTICE IN JENA” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H10599-H10600 on Sept. 19, 2007.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
INJUSTICE IN JENA
(Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow in Jena, Louisiana will be the culmination of the frustration and the outrage felt by so many across America as relates to the Jena 6.
The Jena 6 is not about a few boys misbehaving, because we understand that when young people need correcting, we do so, but it is about the systemic discrimination, if you will, of African American males and Hispanic males as relates to the juvenile justice system. This young man should have been tried in the juvenile justice system, but he was tried in a system that gave him a sentence that was clearly, clearly without merit.
Tomorrow we go to ask for justice not just for this young man and the other five that are there, but for young men across America who have been discriminated against, not given a second chance, and using the justice system to punish on the basis of race or ethnic background.
Enough is enough. Where is the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division? Obviously, the lights are out. They need to turn their lights on.
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