Police: Black student marked with 'KKK' at deaf school

Ok, what the HELL is going on with all these racial incidents taking over the news - can we get back to Britney and OJ? Ok, ok at some point we are going to have to address the issue of racism HEAD-ON in this country. We need to throw political correctness out the door [or is it the window? whatever...] and start getting real.

But come on, I'm shocked this happened in Chocolate City of all places AND at the school for the deaf...are you serious? What in the world....

Click HERE for more information.

Update on Teen Shot in Head by DC Police

Apparently the autopsy of 14 year old DeOnté Rawlings shows more unexplained injuries as a result of the confrontation with police that took place last month. Not only was he shot point blank in the back of his head, he also suffered "injuries including abrasions, contusions and lacerations and a single perforating gunshot wound," wrote A. Wayne Williams, a pathologist with the D.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

The FBI is now investigating this case. Read more HERE.

Jena 6 Update - Mychal Bell Released!!!

I know I'm a little late but - Mychal Bell, seen to the right with his parents leaving the courtroom, was finally released after a 10-month stint in jail on September 27th. The release on $45,000 bail came shortly after the district attorney in Jena, Reed Walters, announced that he would not seek to maintain adult charges against the teenager for participating in the beating of another white teen. [After ten's of thousands of people protested in Jena, LA it seems like the DA finally got a little sense.]

However, the DA's comments regarding the protesters in Jena, LA have made racial matters worse. [Yep, I spoke too soon.] Attorney Reed Walters stated that Jesus saved the town from protestors. "Had it not been for the direct intervention of the Lord Jesus Christ last Thursday [September 20th], a disaster would have happened," District Attorney Reed Walters said. "You can quote me on that." [Craziness]

A black pastor, the Rev. Donald Sibley of Jena's New Evergreen Baptist Church, suggested it was a "shame" not to give some credit to the tens of thousands of people who pulled off a peaceful mass demonstration, but Walters just shrugged. "What I'm saying is that the Lord Jesus Christ put his influence on those people [ok ok, am I trippin? but who are THOSE PEOPLE?] and they responded accordingly," he told Sibley.

The pastor later said Walters had deepened Jena's divisions. "He's separating Christ once again: his Christ and our Christ," Sibley told CNN. "For him [to say] that because his Christ, his Jesus, because he prayed, because of his police, that everything was peaceful and was decent and in order - that's not the truth."

But moving on, to recap, Mychal was originally convicted of aggravated second-degree battery as an adult, but that conviction was thrown out by a state appeals court, which said he should have been tried as a juvenile. [um...duh] Although he still faces the same charges in juvenile court, instead of a possible sentence of 15 years in prison as an adult, he can now be held only until he is 21 by the juvenile courts.

Others involved in the December schoolyard beef of Justin Barker [the white kid] also still face charges. Apparently the kid, knocked unconscious in the beating, has $14,000 in medical bills, [my question is how do you accumulate 14k in medical bills but still get well enough to go partying that night? - but that's just me].

But ultimately, I'd just like to congratulate all who were active members in ensuring Mychal Bell was tried fairly by our justice system. Those who wrote letters, forwarded emails, shared the story with a friend, and followed the case - thank you!! I'm very optimistic that this small victory has enlightened several people of the injustices that are faced by a large number of young black men [and women] in this country. Lets keep up the fight. Now, onto this Reed Walters guy...

Parting Quote: “It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope.”

Hit Me Baby One More Time???

POOR BRITNEY!!! Can the chick get a break already? First she gets played by K-Fed, battles depression, becomes addicted to alcohol and unnamed drugs, shows her va-jay-jay, shaves her head, wears horrible wigs, flops at the VMA's, and now she loses custody of her kids - all while still wearing horrible weaves!! The chick needs some help and the media is not helping at all. But um....why is this whole thing HILarious?!!! Ok ok, that was wrong. What I mean is it's just one thing after another! The media cannot get enough, and she keeps them Fed. Murphy's Law in full effect. Honestly, I really do hope she gets it together. Most importantly, I hope she's able to rebuild her relationship with her family. It must be hard to maintain any sanity in Hollywood without your family to keep you grounded. I'm all for the underdog, so I'm rooting for her to come back at full-speed and prove all the haters wrong. I miss that world-class lip syncing and those Janet-jacking dance routines... More on the custody story here....

Paris Hilton to go to Rwanda

I'm Baaaaaaack [and of course we won for the 6th straight time]. But anyway, I'm heading back yesterday and heard this story on the news and thought this it was a joke, but it's TRUE.

Paris Hilton plans to visit Rwanda in November, as part of her "commitment-to-use-her-fame-to-bring-attention-to-social-causes" ish. [Not sure if she's doing it to bring attention to the causes, or to bring positive attention to herself, but lets move on.]

Paris Hilton says, "There's so much need in that area, and I feel like if I go, it will bring more attention to what people can do to help."

The 26 yr. old socialite has vowed to use her fame to bring attention to social causes after serving a 23-day jail sentence earlier this year for violating probation in an alcohol-related reckless driving case.

"I want to visit more countries where poverty and children's issues are a big concern," she says. "I know there's a lot of good I can do just by getting involved and bringing attention to these issues." [Very admirable.]

As many of you remember, Rwanda experienced a mass genocide in 1994 which accounted for hundreds of thousands of deaths across the country. This genocide was mostly carried out by two extremist Hutu militia groups, the Interahamwe and the Impuzamugambi, during about 100 days from April 6 through mid-July, 1994. At least 500,000 Tutsis and thousands of moderate Hutus died in the genocide. Wikipedia has estimated that the death toll is somewhere between 800,000 and 1,000,000. Although the movie "Hotel Rwanda" has brought a lot more attention to the area, they still need additional support to rebuid - and we all need to do what we can.

In the wake of the Rwandan Genocide, the international community, and the United Nations in particular, drew severe criticism for its inaction [sounds very similar to what's going on in Darfur NOW]. Despite international news coverage of the violence as it unfolded, most countries, including France, Belgium, and the United States, declined to prevent OR stop the massacres. Canada continued to lead the UN peacekeeping force in Rwanda, United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR). Despite specific warnings and requests from UNAMIR's commanding officers in Rwanda, before and during the genocide, the UN Security Council refused to send additional support, declined UNAMIR's request for authorization to intervene, and even scaled back UNAMIR's forces and authority.

So, I cannot see any negative in Paris Hilton going to bring attention to such an important cause despite her motives. What do you all think?

Parting Quote: “Every good act is charity. A man's true wealth hereafter is the good that he does in this world to his fellows.”

ATL Classic 2007 - PEACE!

Have a great weekend. Headed to ATL for the Livest Black Event of the year [in my humble opinion]. The 2007 Atlanta Football Classic - where FAMU and TSU go head-to-head for a high profile football game every year. The two worlds reunite to stunt, show off the LIVEST band [clearly FAM-GOT-DAYUM-U], and have some good ole' HBCU fun. You saw the band at the Grammy's with Kanye in 2006, at the Super Bowl in 2007 with Prince, on the Obama campaign, so if you're in ATL come to see them live - how "we" do it.

In the game's tradition of competition and community service, proceeds raised by the Atlanta Football Classic benefit 100 Black Men of Atlanta's Project Success, an educational, mentoring and enrichment program providing financial and academic support and cultural enrichment to local high school and elementary school students.

The largest of The 100’s fundraising activities, The Classic is held in the Georgia Dome and has been dubbed the “Super Bowl of Black College Football – a reference to its notoriety and attendance.

Additional events, that are held classic weekend, include a town hall meeting on African-American health issues; a college debate; health, job & college fairs, a corporate corner; pre-game receptions and a scholars’ parade right down Peachtree Street.

The ATL Football Classic is the second largest recurring college sporting event in the state of Georgia, the Classic generates more than $30 million in Georgia’s economy each year and now has a permanent exhibit in the Dome commemorating its success.

So to all, have a "feel good" weekend - and just to make sure, here's one of my latest "feel good" songs by Kanye to get you through your day:

Favorite part ---> Lets go on a living spree, shiiiit - they say the best things in life are free. <---my new motto.

PEACE OUT REX!!!!

THANK YOU JESUS!!!

The NFL Network's Adam Schefter has confirmed that Brian Griese will start at quarterback Sunday for the Chicago Bears.

Griese will replace Rex Grossman, who threw three interceptions as the Chicago Bears fell to the Dallas Cowboys 34-10 on Sunday night. Muaahahahahahaaaaa, Rex is definitely NOT in effect.

Finally Lovie!!! Good lookin' out!

Alright, I DO feel a little bad. He's not that bad - ugh, can't agree with Bears haters. So here's another one:

Justified or not?

I'm rushing through this one. They have me swamped over here at work [I need to win the lotto], so I will provide more information on this article later, but here's the synopsis:

A report has been released stating that black kids at Winston Churchill High School [located in the wealthy DC area community of Potomac, MD] feel unwelcome. "This feeling of racial unease came in response to a January incident that divided much of the Churchill community along lines of race, class and perceived allegiance to the school. A simmering feud led to a fight Jan. 3 among 10 Churchill students, all of them black. The next day, Principal Joan Benz [yes the chick's last name is Benz] sent a letter home that stated that "every incident revolving around this two-month ordeal has been Black-on-Black violence."

#1 - Why did the principal have to emphasize black-on-black violence?

#2 - Why did she send that letter to ALL parents?

#3 - How are children suppossed to feel now (as black students) knowing that their every action will not be labeled as a "black" vs. "student" like everyone else. What should be read as "Susie Jenkins win's a national merit scholarship" in the school newspaper, may actually read "Black girl win's national merit scholarship" in the school newspaper.

#4 - Would the letter read "white-on-white" violence if it were 10 white kids who got into a fight? The news does this same thing all the time and it's quite frustrating.

But anyway, her comments have angered black parents [and students] at Churchill both inside and outside the Scotland community, which is home to many of the students involved in the fight. I don't know what should happen next. First, in my opinion, the principal should definitely offer an apology citing her ignorance as the primary culprit. But then what? Share your opinions.

Read on here ---> again I LOVE the Washington Post.

50th Anniversary for the Little Rock 9

This month marks the 50th anniversary of the Little Rock 9. As a result of the historic ruling from the Brown vs. Board of Education Case in 1954, declaring the segregation of schools to be illegal, the NAACP attempted to register black students into previously all-white schools. The Little Rock 9 consisted of several courageous youths, who attempted to integrate Little Rock Central High School under extreme racial conditions in September 1957.

It should be noted, that these students were selected due to their excellent academic and attendance records, and justifiably deserved entrance into Little Rock Central. They were clearly students who deserved a chance to excel under equal conditions. Although the students were subjected to verbal, mental, and physical abuse, they perservered. And that is to be commended.

What's so ironic, is that 50 years later, these cases are still apparent today. I applaud all students still undergoing these extreme prejudicial conditions in our country. To all of those students in cities/towns like Jena, LA...keep your head up and shoot for the stars.

Someone once said, “The biggest problem throughout the history of man is the fact that racism is anything but an anomoly.” So, once we realize that racism exists and may always exist, it is up to us to find a solution.

We all know that segregation still exists in our school systems. That inner city schools are not preparing our children for academic/corporate success. So how do we make a difference? This has been a large issue for me for a long time. What are some solutions? How can we make a difference without relying on our state/government officials to "save the day?"

Parting quote: “It demands great spiritual resilience not to hate the hater whose foot is on your neck, and an even greater miracle of perception and charity not to teach your child to hate."

Chicago Woman Missing - Nailah Franklin

Have you seen her? If you've seen her, or know anything of her disappearance, please contact the police immediately. I respect the news affliates all over the country for putting this information in the forefront. Maybe things ARE a-changing? Let's band together and find a happy ending to this seemingly tragic story. Read more here.

*UPDATE* - Last Thursday (9/27), an unclothed body that was discovered in the Calumet Woods (in northwest Indiana) was identified as the 28-year-old Franklin. Franklin was reported missing Sept. 19. You can find more information here. My prayers go out to her friends and familiy.