OUT TO PASTOR
Every once in a while I get up early on Saturday and visit with the Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis. They are a group of predominately African-American pastors who meet and try to solve issues in the Black community. What made this week interesting was a conversation about jobs. The pastors are preparing a plan to create summer jobs for youth and will go to the candidates in this year’s local municipal elections and ask them for support.
As the conversations were occurring I couldn’t help but think how over the past year local incumbents have dropped the ball on so many opportunities crucial to their base. The pastors were very upset over what the city has failed to do help ex-offenders get jobs and not return to a life of crime. Although former U.S. Attorney Alberto Gonzales was in Indianapolis earlier this year with grant money which could be used in part for an ex-offender program, when outgoing Councilor Ike Randolph had an ordinance which would have incentivized hiring ex-offenders the incumbent party shot the measure down. In addition, when the Black pastors went to the Mayor’s office last year seeking help in raising money for summer programs for youth, there were all but asked to leave.
To most of the pastors they find it reprehensible that a city that can come together and raise $25 million in private money for a Super Bowl bid can’t do the same thing to create a foundation for youth. They are also offended at a city that gives out millions in tax abatements and incentives for businesses and developers will not tie any of those dollars to helping youth or ex-offenders.
As upset as the pastors are, I really wonder how much of this anger will carry forward to election day or will they simply turn the other cheek?
September 16th, 2007 at 8:03 pm
I do hope the respectable Concerned Clergy and their following will cast their vote for Greg Ballard for mayor. He is an honest caring individual and has remarkable ethics and will do what is right for this city and also the citizens of this city i love.
xxx
September 16th, 2007 at 10:35 pm
If you keep voting for the same thing again and again WHY would you expect something different?
September 16th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
The way the Concerned Clergy pops up here and there, they’re not building cred.
A few months ago a black man trying to save a dog from a pit bull attack was shot and wounded by another black man. The “Stop Snitchin” rule kicked in and nobody wuld tell the cops who the shooter was – even though the victim is black.
The Concerned Clergy said nothing about this. They said nothing when the city was pushing for a new Colts stadium. In the future they will say nothing as money that should be going toward bus service for poor people is diverted to heavily subsidized the nimrod idea of light rail for white suburbanites.
This city needs people to step up and act as a collecctive conscience, to shepherd it thru right and wrong. Instead we get zip.
September 17th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
The Concerned Clergy, a group of ministers many with churches, covertly run by Aaron Haith and Representative Crawford are simply the religious wing of the Ghetto Mafia’s “shake down the white man” operation. They, just like the worthless incumbents in office, have been here all along and have done nothing preventive or proactive, only reactive until they get another grant and then they Shut-up.
They won’t support Ballard unless he agrees to give them money. PERIOD. If they pretend to “think about it” it’s only to stimulate their shake down of Peterson.
These are not real ministers…If you notice the real ministers are not even involved with them.
September 17th, 2007 at 3:57 pm
Abdul,
Wonder aloud at the next Concerned Clergy meeting and please report back.
September 17th, 2007 at 8:29 pm
United Way, YMCA, Indiana Workforce Development, Indianapolis Parks and Library systems are just a few large resources that these fund raisers appear to be ignoring.
They would rather recreate the wheel and put money in their pockets.
September 17th, 2007 at 8:33 pm
I forgot to mention the free public education system.
October 22nd, 2008 at 8:03 pm
PLEASE SOMEONE CALL THE CLERGY OUT! WHY DON’T THEY HAVE A WEBSITE SO AS TO INFORM AS THEY SO STATE IN THEIR OWN CREED. tHIS GROUP IS A 501C AND i CAN’T SEE THE BLACK COMMUNITY BENIFITTING!
March 18th, 2010 at 4:17 am
this topic is so broad making it hard to discuss it…