It seems that it took John Mellencamp to make the mayor of Jena, Louisiana to voice an opinion about the Jena 6 predicament. John Mellencamp sang, “Jena, take your nooses down,” in a song at one of his concerts.

Mayor McMillin shot off a fax to the AP stating that Mellencamp’s song puts a bad light on Jena. Duh! I would say that the town does a good job of that on it’s own.

“The town of Jena has for months been mis-characterized in the media and portrayed as the epicenter of hatred, racism and a place where justice is denied,” Jena Mayor Murphy R. McMillin wrote in a statement on town letterhead faxed on Friday to The Associated Press.

When changes are made and justice is served, maybe other songs will be written. For now, Mellencamp says his song is a condemnation of racism.