Over at Newsbusters, Noel Sheppard gives you the basics and the video clip:

In an era of shocking things, this has to be one of the most shocking: at the Hip Hop Awards aired on Black Entertainment Television Thursday, two members of the ‘Jena Six’ were actually introduced to help present the Video of the Year honors to Kanye West.

The two were feted, applauded, etc. And, unfortunately, it’s not shocking.

It’s nothing more than the kind of thing that Bill Cosby is out there railing against and taking flak for speaking out: Apologia for criminals, glorification of gangsta culture, and the rest. Celebrating the Jena 6 is part and parcel of that. Before this is over, the Jena 6 will probably join Mumia as cause celebres who don’t deserve the adulation that many misguided people will heap on them.

There is some good news to be found in this story, though. One, is that we have Bill Cosby speaking out. Two, he’s not alone.

But the criticism has been extensive, including comments from those who said they made the trek to Jena for the rally.

“They can find somebody else to march for them (be)cause I will not be there the next time, and whoever invited them to this should be slapped,” one person wrote on the BET blog. “(You’re) not setting a good example for the justice that everyone is fighting for. You look like the thugs they said the Jena 6 are. Thanks for making us look stupid!”

Of all the many things that the Jena 6 don’t deserve, hero status is certainly one of them.