Tuesday’ special election is the first this year in Indiana. And the first since voters across America, including African-Americans, are turning out in record numbers in this superheated political year.
For African-Americans in Indianapolis, the stakes in Tuesday’s special election are simple. Who will complete Julia Carson’s term in Congress?
While I state again that because of conflicts of interests I won’t be publicly expressing my vote in May’s Democratic congressional primary, I’m not reticent about my vote in Tuesday’s special election.
For me, for our community, the choice is clear — Andre Carson.
The year 2008 is turning out to be an election where issues matter. And on issues important to African-Americans, Andre Carson is in tune with our community and our district.
Like African-Americans, Carson wants us out of Iraq; Carson wants to preserve the current Social Security system; Carson would redirect Federal resources to education, making No Child Left Behind a funded mandate; Carson would provide employment opportunities for those left behind, including former felons; Carson wants a Federal government that cares about those in our community and the district who have the least, not just those with the most.
Jon Elrod, the Republican candidate, is a pleasant young man, but unlike Carson, Elrod doesn’t understand that he would be representing a racially, religious and culturally diverse 7th District.
Elrod has missed numerous opportunities to present diversity in his campaign. His campaign began at a rally with a lily-white crowd. His web site contains photos only of whites; in a district where 35 percent of the population are racial minorities. In a year when racial and gender barriers are being broken in politics, the seemingly well-meaning Elrod seems to represent old fashioned Indianapolis politics.
Now the legions of persons in Indianapolis who hate all things “Carson” have complained that Andre Carson is “too young,” is “inexperienced” and just “succeeding a relative.”
The Constitution only requires House of Representatives members to be at least twenty-five, live in the state and be a citizen (natural born or naturalized) for seven years. In its nearly 220 years, non-politicians, those barely over twenty-five, the politically inexperienced and yes even relatives of deceased Congressmen and women have been elected by the people of their districts to the House.
Whoever wins next week’s special election, they’ll face some stiff competition as well-qualified candidates with far more experience than both Elrod and Carson will be on the May ballad. Indeed, May’s election will be a very different story.
Since last November’s election, our Black community has been disrespected. A resurgent Republican Party went after and disrespected our respected Sheriff. They slammed a revered community institution (WTLC) by trumping up false charges to get at me.
But something else is happening. Across the country, Blacks are awakening from a deep slumber. Brought alive by the energy and enthusiasm and hope of Sen. Barack Obama.
Think of this Tuesday’s election as practice, a pre-season tune-up, for when our community comes out to vote Obama in May.
What I’m Hearing in the Streets
Mayor Greg Ballard’s brood still doesn’t understand the importance of quickly communicating matters regarding the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) to a deeply suspicious and hurt African-American community. The Mayor’s media mavens failed to timely inform Black media of the number of minorities in the IMPD’s new command structure.
Mayor Ballard and Public Safety Director Scott Newman reduced the number of top police commanders. Before, there were three African-American (including two Black female) commanders. Three African-Americans continue in the new Ballard/Newman structure — Majors Darryl Pierce, William Benjamin and Brian Mahone. Pierce and Mahone will command IMPD districts while Benjamin gets the critical assignment of Deputy Chief of Investigations.
Benjamin’s appointment as IMPD’s top investigator could assuage concerns in our community about whether IMPD will be a community-friendly or community-hostile department.
Ballads brood sent a wrong signal with no Black women in any top command roles. In an era when women hold the top police jobs in Washington, DC; Detroit and San Francisco (including sistah’s in DC and Detroit). The lack of Black female top IMPD commanders causes our Black community to question Mayor Ballard’s commitment to equality and inclusion.
But the biggest boo boo was Mayor Ballard and Director Newman choosing City-County Council Majority Leader Lincoln Plowman, to be Assistant Commander of Investigations.
I’m sure Major Plowman is a fine, dedicated policeman. But I seem to remember candidate Ballard and Republicans screaming foul over former Council President Monroe Gray’s top command job in the Indianapolis Fire Department.
Ballard and Republicans complained bitterly about Gray, but now that they have the power, they place the man in charge of moving the Republican Council’s legislation (a legislative branch function) into a top IMPD job (an executive branch function).
Talk about lack of ethics, conflict of interest and disregard for constitutional separation of powers. Even the Indianapolis Star thinks this smells!
Having the Council Majority Leader in a top police command position is like having House Speaker Nancy Pelosi running the FBI, or Speaker Pat Bauer running the State Police. It’s wrong! It’s hypocritical!
Daniels Diversity Watch. It’s been a while since this appeared.
Governor Mitch Daniels last week chose former City-County Councilman Issac Randolph to succeed Paula Parker Sawyers as head of the Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives. Sawyers is leaving Indy to go to Washington to be Director of Outreach and Partnership for the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy.
Randolph, who many thought would hold a top spot on Mayor Ballard’s team, instead joins the Governor’s.
And Black businessman John Thompson, a former Indianapolis Museum of Art Board Chair, replaces Bill Mays on the Indiana Economic Development Commission (IEDC) board which is the Governor’s point group for economic development.
See ‘ya next week!
Amos Brown’s opinions are not necessarily those of the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. You can contact him at (317) 221-0915 or by e-mail at ACBROWN@AOL.COM.
