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Thursday, July 3, 2025

Mayor doesn’t deserve racial criticism

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Although I was a modern rock/alternative kind of guy in college back in 1992, I still had this thing for the music group En Vogue; especially the song “Free Your Mind.” You might recall the lyrics, “Free your mind and the rest will follow. Be color blind, don’t be so shallow.”

While the song focuses mainly on issues of race and prejudice, I think it has a more universal message, of open your mind and get all the facts for yourself before making a judgment.

I am constantly shocked and amazed at how many people, particularly African-Americans, will make snap judgments without getting all the facts. And what’s even more disturbing is what allegedly tries to pass for Black leadership in this community knows that and fully takes advantage of masses.

I bring this up because there are a group of Black leaders in this town whose sole mission in life is to make the Ballard administration look like the KKK when it comes to African-Americans. They tried it during the mayor’s race by calling Greg Ballard a racist. They tried during Indiana Black Expo by accusing the city of setting up a police state. And they try to do it over the current fight over Tax Increment Financing or TIF Districts saying the mayor is robbing money from schools and necessary government services.

If anything, this administration has done more for minority communities than just about any other. When there was a backlog of complaints before the city’s civil rights board, the Ballard folks went and cleared that up. Minority-owned businesses are now getting record business with the city, despite the budget shortfalls. I moderated several panels during Indiana Black Expo on growing and developing minority businesses.

The Ballard administration has also poured millions of dollars into streets and sidewalks into neighborhoods that have been neglected for years. They’ve expanded charter schools to give not just minority parents, but all parents, more opportunities for choice and to get their kids out of failing schools. And most importantly, this city has a Triple A bond credit rating, which signals to businesses and industry that Indianapolis is a good place to come and do business.

And by the way, you do not have to take my word for any of this. Go out and do the research for yourself. Everything I told you is not only true, but also part of the public record. Don’t let a bunch of people with hidden agendas and an overinflated sense of self-importance in the universe keep you in a state of mental slavery by putting shackles around your brain. Check into these facts for yourself. As I said in the beginning, free your mind and the rest will follow.

Abdul-Hakim Shabazz is an attorney, political commentator and publisher of IndyPolitics.org. You can email comments to him at abdul@indypolitics.org.

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