In her letter concerning the Jena Six (“Commentary: Jena Six deserve justice,” Sept. 24), Rachel Zarrel makes an unfortunate mistake in assuming racism is a phenomenon that exists exclusively south of the Mason-Dixon Line.

Apparently she is unaware of the race riots that occurred through Boston beginning in 1974 when federally-mandated busing attempted to bring integration to Boston Public Schools. I doubt anyone who was pelted with bottles and rocks by white parents on their way to middle school would agree that Boston is a tolerant city.

I would encourage Zarrel to read “Common Ground” by J. Anthony Lukas, a journalist who was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1986 for his eye-opening account of race relations in Boston.

As for the Jena Six of Louisiana, it is one thing to chastise others “who sit in ignorant bliss of the events taking place around us,” as Zarrell put it. It is quite another to step away from the laptop, venture out beyond the south side of Columbus Avenue and become involved in the lives of fellow Bostonians.

One may find that daily misfortunes are in fact happening in our immediate surroundings, and that working to alleviate the problems proves more beneficial than simply following the latest Al Sharpton media circus.

– Sean Dwyer is a junior history major.