Public space is defined as an area or place that is open and accessible to all citizens, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, age or socio-economic level. This definition clearly states that public space is open to all: it does not limit its “services” or “availability” to one group of people, but to all. However, it baffles me to know that a number of significant events have occurred over time that have caused conflict over public space.
Let’s take the example of the Jena Six issue. It all started in a little city called Jena (Louisiana) with a population of about 3,000. The student body of Jena High School comprised of approximately 10% Blacks and over 80% white. Reports say that race had hardly been an issue in the school although white kids sat under a large tree in the center of the school courtyard and the black kids sat near the auditorium on bleachers.
On 31 August, 2006, a school assembly was held and a black male student asked the principal if they could sit under the “white tree”, and the principal said that they could sit wherever they wanted. This student and his friends went and sat under the tree and the very next day, nooses were found hanging from the branches of the tree.
When the principal discovered that three white students were responsible for this act, he recommended the expulsion of these three students. However, his proposal was dismissed by the Board of Education and Superintendent on the grounds that the children were just playing a prank. Six black High School students were eventually charged with attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder for their role in the squabbles that ensued. Although some of the charges were later reduced, one student still faces an attempted murder charge and up to 50 years in prison without suspension, probation or parole.
All this began because of the topic at hand: public space. If public space belongs to no one individual and everyone, why do such serious issues arise? Do you feel that in some, or most, cases the issue (or conflict) does not have to go as far as it does? Are there similar conflicts that resonate in your mind with regards to this? They could personal, communal or global.
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29 comments:
Wow, that is quite a story. Well the kids who put up the nooses obviously violated a societal ethics code, but not really a law. However, schools do not have the same freedom of speech laws as do other public spaces like parks. I think the act of hanging nooses under a tree could be compared to lighting a cross on fire, which is illegal, unlike burning a flag, because it obviously will likely incite violence. So even if the incident were to take place in a public park, it would still be just as bad.
Attempted Murder? The "squabbling" must have been rather heated then. Did they send someone to the hospital?
Yes, hanging the nooses violates societal conduct codes, but is not illegal unless it is construed as a threat (in this instance, I could make a good case that this is a threat). Free Speech often violates social codes (think of protesters and such).
Reacting to speech with violence is pretty much always wrong (and transcends this issue).
hmm... that's quite the issue. do i think that those nooses were a good (or even legal) thing to do, no way. i think those kids are seriously the lamest thing on the block. Though I have been on the receiving end of a racial slur or two in my day, i have never understood racism at all...
but i don't think the debate is over whether or not the tree was public space. it obviously is. But this issue is just people being stupid...
I believe it was Thomas Jefferson who said that our freedom stops when it is interfering with another person's ability to be free or safe. This story seemed like the boys were posing a threat, and that would harm someone's ability to feel safe. So that tree was not free or public if they are posing a threat.
I do think that sometimes issues are taken too far. There is a point where the issue that is debated gets lost within a series of arguments.
This noose story seems extreme, but I think that when someones actions harm another no matter where that action took place public or private space there needs to be intervention.
While areas are defined as public space, this doesn't influence individuals actions, certain people will behave in certain ways whether in public or not.
The hard thing for me, is that public law doesn't always equate with social law. There are many things that aren't "illegal" that are completely looked down upon in society and sometimes not even accepted or tolerated. When social law is broken, social reactions occur.
I think that it's ridiculous what those kids did (hanging the nooses), and I don't agree at all with their actions, but I would venture to say that even if it had been another group of kids, they would have done something in retaliation. It's just unfortunate that racial references and taboos came into play.
The area may be public space, but that is just a definition created my the state/city. People claim public space to be their own and in their mind it is no longer public. The skaters in the video say the overpass as their own area, they built stuff there and it was theirs. The Police saw it as being city space and thus unusable for a skate park.
On a very extreme level, the Israelis and the Palesinians are in a state of constant warfare because they both claim rights to a small strip of land. Our nation was founded on the idea of owning property of your own with no strings attached. Public space is essantially another thing we all subconsciously want. And we sometimes act irrationally for it.
public space is interesting to me, because i feel like because i look 12, i am always getting in more trouble than, say, my dad would if he was just hangin around or playing a guitar or whatever else i do that somehow seems to violate every law in provo. i feel like rules are necessary to an extent, but come on to have signs everywhere saying don't do this this this etc gets a bit outrageous.
I have never heard about this story. I am a little curious about the details of the squabling...
exactly what happened that led to all the attempted murder charges? I definitely think this is an issue of public space, but I think more importantly it shows just how much racial tension still continues today. This happened in 2006, right? If I hadn't read the date I would have guessed it happened during all the civil rights movements.
I remember hearing about the Jena 6, but I never really knew what went on. I think that public space is obviously for everyone. That's how things are these days, everything is taken too far. I think people need to have thicker skin and not get so hyped up on everything. Political correctness is killing our society. I can't really think of any other events that are like the Jena 6, but i bet you there are some.
this issue can be brought down to our level--think about a classroom. how often in our classes do people begin to "assign" seats themselves without actual assigned seating. when someone sits in the spot you usually sit in, do you get a little annoyed? i know i do. i would hope that something like the Jena 6 doesn't happen in a situation like this though.
i HAVE seen a few instances in police beat (snicker) of people who get in fights at football games regarding seats and tickets and all that. actual punching and hitting occurs. i think we as a culture are just very possessive of our space and when we have it, we like to keep it and don't like to share (as sad as that sounds)
All sides of this story stink. The racist kids who put up the noose, the school officials for the way they handled it and the racist kids who targeted whites (who had nothing to do with it) to beat up after the incident.
In the words of Rodney King: "can't we all just get along?"
I remember that event...it's awful to think that people can still act like that.
Today in class we learned about a broadcast student that got in trouble for filming a police officer giving a ticket to another student. No laws were broken because he was on public property, but the police officer made him back up and eventually had him in cuffs and put in the campus jail.
I think that while some respect public spaces, it just takes one person that feels a power trip or whatever, to ruin it for everybody.
I remember the Jena Six and I just remember feeling sick to my stomach about it all. There's no reason for racial problems to continue like this. I don't really think this is a matter of public space, but rather the socially constructed barriers keeping races apart. Someone needs to let the South know they lost. Take down the confederate flags already...geez.
I think this story was more of an issue or race than it was public space. But as I read this, it reminded me of the public space during the 1950s, like when Rosa Parks protected her public space by not giving it up to someone else, or when blacks had their public space violated by not being allowed to drink out of "white only" fountains or eat at white restaurants. Public space, and racism has come a long way, but it is still a problem.
It seems like the laws today are so unclear and undefined, that basically most issues can be avoided by just claiming ignorance. If skaters are in a park and the cop tells them that's not allowed, all they have to do is say they didn't know and they're off the hook.
Because laws are so unclear, having a uniform measure of enforcement is essentially impossible. What might be a violation of space here in Utah, might be completely different in the Eastern states. The lines will always be ambiguous and will continue to be so until the law of private/public space is redefined.
Prank or not, this example was taken way too far. I have never heard of this before, and found it very interesting that such racial acts are still taking place, even after all that has been done to prevent it. This was obviously done to be offensive, not humorous. It is interesting how some places really are not public, even thought they claim to be.
People get feisty about their personal space, even if it is public. When I was a senior in high school we had our special spot under the "cabana" where we'd sit during lunch. Anyone who wasn't a senior, or a reeeally cool junior, who was caught under there suffered some harsh harassment. We also had the front rows of parking "reserved" for seniors only. As a society we go way too far claiming public space, when in reality it is everyone's to share.
Wow. That is very extreme. As far as personal stories go, I don't have anything very extreme, but I do see the side of enforcing certain things even though it may be a so-called "public space." I don't think that it is all on principle that skateboarders aren't allowed so many places, the truth is, skateboarding does a lot of damage to places and things that take a lot of money to maintain. The whole "they were just playing a prank" thing is where the real problem lies in that story... whoever said that was clearly ignorant.
This is a tough thing for me to think about because I haven't had too much experience with racial discrimination in this way.
I think it is true though that people are discriminated against in public space. I've really seen this happen in certian public parks with homeless people. There is such a strong community involvement in some areas to try to keep "rif raf" out of the neighborhood, which is understandable. But it is still a form of discrimination.
There are many other issues to consider then looking at this story, but it is most certainly inappropriate and wrong of the kids to put the nooses up. Public space is public, but it should never infringe on the rights of other individuals that use the space. In this case a hate crime should not be a legal use of public space.
I agree that this is more about racism than about public space. Public space in this story is just an excuse for the act of racism. The excuses, not the problem...
As has been said, just because a space is public, does not mean that it has to be accessible to everyone all the time. And it certainly cannot be used for whatever purposes the user wants.
The Jena 6 case is about freedom of expression, hate crimes, and violence. "Public space" is not really the issue here.
I know where I come from much less than hanging nooses around a tree would get you automatically expelled from school for the year. Furthermore, seeing as it happened at a school I think it is ridiculous that the act went completely unpunished. It doesn't matter where it happens anything as obviously threatening as hanging a noose around a tree as a form of intimidation and segregation is wrong.
I run into this issue all the time, while going to surf. In california its not super bad but there are syill those surf spots that are heavliy localized and you have to be a local to surf there or you can get beat up. Even though its a public beach surfers think that they own it becasue they live 2 minutes away instead of 15. HAwaii this is a huge problem, Pipeline or other big breaks are way intense, if you dont live on the north shore and have surfed there for years, theres no way your cathching a good wave on a big day.
what a story. that is something else. i think there were many viable points made, but think disagree with most of it.
Wow, that's a really sad story, especially because I truly believe public space should be open the the PUBLIC which means everyone. I think there are many instances where certain groups of people are discriminated against and this is obviously wrong. I think we can have a positive role in making sure public space is available to everyone regardless of age, race, or gender. If any of us someday become part of the city council or local government, there is definately the chance and opportunity there to make sure public space is provided to all
Interesting story! Public space- open to the public- True! But if a certain group(like the white kids) inhabit the area for a long time they begin to see it as their own. Makes me think back to my school days where they was a Senior tree - No other grade ever even dreamt if trying to sit under 'our' tree during recess and if they did...well.. I don't think nooses would be my first line of attack! (LOL) But I think the conflict between public space and habit of the group who most often occupies it is at the root of this and many other "public space" conflicts.
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