From the salacious scandal involving one of America’s most beloved entertainers, to voter apathy of epic proportions, 2014 had no shortage of bad news.
Here’s the lowdown on some of the year’s low points.
Record low voter turnout
This year’s general election saw the nation’s lowest voting numbers since World War II. According to the United States Election Project, only 36.4 percent of eligible voters turned out at the polls. Although official numbers have not yet been released, early calculations show Indiana had the lowest voter turnout in the nation with just 28.8 percent.
Bill Cosby: allegations & accusations
The man many television viewers revered and loved as Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable came under intense scrutiny this year as decades old sordid tales of sexual assault, and drugging resurfaced. To date, more than two dozen women, including African-American actress and former supermodel Beverly Johnson, have come forward publicly with accusations against Cosby. The famed comedian and his team have denied the claims.
Local police co-opt ‘I Can’t Breathe’ protest
In 2014, people of different economic and racial backgrounds spoke out against police brutality via protests both on the ground and online this past year using phrases such as “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” and “I Can’t Breathe.” These phrases were crafted in remembrance of the shooting death of Ferguson, Mo. teenager Michael Brown Jr. and the strangulation of Long Island, NY resident Eric Garner, both of whom died at the hands of law enforcement. In what was originally intended as an exercise in both civil disobedience and solidarity against the unjust murders of unarmed Black men, protesters posted the phrases on signs and t-shirts nationwide.
The movement even gained enough momentum to make it on to the Barclay Center’s court in New York City during a basketball game attended by both British monarchs and hip-hop royalty. In a move that resulted in public backlash, two Indiana police departments found themselves in the hot seat after deciding to co-opt the movement for their own purposes. Jason Barthel, a 13-year veteran of the Mishawaka Police Department, enlisted the help of the South Bend Uniform Co. to design a line of t-shirts featuring the tagline “Breathe Easy, Don’t Break the Law.” In an interview with the Daily Signal, Barthel said he created the shirt as a “retort” to the I Can’t Breathe movement. “Don’t do the wrong thing and you won’t have a bad run in-with the police,” said Barthel. “My intention was not to cause divisiveness or cause any type of divide, but it was to bring people together by knowing that the police are there for you.” IMPD Officer Kendale Adams came under scrutiny as well, for his use of the hashtag #WeCantBreathe in a tweet sent from the department’s official Twitter account. The tweet, which was deleted soon after its posting, came in response to the arrest of two local protesters during a march held in downtown Indianapolis prior to a forum on racial profiling.
NFL embroiled in controversy
In 2014, the NFL had more than a few controversial moments. Most notably, the yearlong suspensions of Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings, for child abuse, and free agent Ray Rice (formerly) of the Baltimore Ravens for domestic violence, caused a public uproar as many activist groups, and fans called for harsher punishments and more action – even including the removal of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
In a separate incident, local and national Native American groups conducted a peaceful protest of the use of the term Redskins on the steps of Lucas Oil Stadium this year. However, Redskin fans spat and hurled insults at the protestors prior to the game between the Washington team and the Indianapolis Colts. Indianapolis Recorder contributor Amy Foxworthy, who was among the crowd that afternoon, detailed her experience in a blog titled “Washington loss not just to Colts, but history.”
IPS proposed changes to Shortridge met with ridicule
In November the Indianapolis Public School Board voted to move about 300 Shortridge students to Arsenal Technical High School to make room for 164 International Baccalaureate students from Gambold Prep High School. The plan passed with a 4 to 1 vote. Board member Samantha Adair-White was the only member to oppose. Several Indianapolis residents, including Dennell Howard who planned a protest following the decision, were outraged. “The school board should be ashamed,” Howard said in a previous interview. “We can’t just sit around and allow them to just take kids and move them because other kids, parents or those with money want the facility.” As reported by Chalkbeat Indiana, newly elected board member Mary Ann Sullivan said that communication between the board and the public should have been handled better. “I don’t think you’ll find anyone who thinks that was handled well,” Sullivan said. “Because nobody should be blindsided by something so significant.”
