Did the title of my post get your attention?  Nothing like some journalistic sensationalism to grab your attention. 
Here’s the scoop from an article I read on BlackVoices.com…

‘Jena Six’ Teen Pulls A Plaxico, Shoots Himself

Posted Dec 30th 2008 12:00PM by Jeff Douglas

This one is comes from the straight foolishness file.

A week after getting busted for shoplifting, Jena Six teen Mychal Bell was rushed to a hospital Monday with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest, according to the AP.

Cops think Bell was upset over media coverage for getting arrested for stealing from a Dillard’s on Christmas Eve. His lawyer says it was an accident. Thousands thew their support behind this young man and others in 2007 with massive civil rights demonstration. …

Bell’s record was just cleaned for charges stemming from a racially-charged fight involving him and five other black teenagers at Jena High School in 2006. The case got national attention when prosecutors wanted to charge the teens with attempted murder.

Bell was cleaning a gun when it accidentally discharged, his attorney told CNN. He’s been staying with a foster family in Monroe, La.

I hope Mychal finds a way to turn his life around.  It’s kind of like Rodney King whom all our hearts bled for in the racially charged beating.  Behind all of that was already a man in trouble (caught him recently on Season 2 of Dr. Drew’s Celebrity Rehab show).

I’m slowly catching up on writing after 5 days with no power.  Sit tight, responses and new posts to come over the next few days.

Yesterday, I landed on the planet Durham, NC where I’ll hang my hat for the next few days.  While running around town yesterday (Friday), I was listening to the Michael Baisden show on the radio (107.1) talk about the Jena 6 “anniversary” (sounds like the wrong word in this context) and his role in organizing the demonstrations a year ago, what it did for his show, etc.  I also saw a small group gather in downtown Durham, NC last night to remember the events from the year before.

In my adult years, I have not participated, kind of surprising to even myself, in such major historical protests so it was interesting to hear the lasting affect it had on people.  That’s good news.  My mom is very much an activist type and I remember her excusing me for school one day to participate in the rally at The Mall in DC to get Martin Luther King’s birthday recognized as a national holiday.  That’s the day that Stevie Wonder sang his infamous “Happy Birthday” song.  Thanks, Mom, for allowing me to participate in history.

Did any of you participate in the Jena 6 protests last year?  What’s your feelings a year later?  Do you think we have moved on to the next shiny thing, especially with the current elections underway?

Here are some links to read more about Jena 6 a year later…

BLACK SPIN- JENA SIX ANNIVERSARY:  HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED

BLOG: EVERYONE NEEDS THERAPY- THE JENA 6 OVER A YEAR LATER

some older articles of interest…

COLOR OF CHANGE- FALSE ALLEGATIONS ON MICHAEL BAISDEN SHOW

WASHINGTON POST- DRIVE TIME FOR ‘JENA 6′

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