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CIVIL WAR!!!

You guys have no idea about how long I have been waiting to write that headline with exclamation points. With respect to last week’s local election results that swept Republicans in Indianapolis into the Mayor’s office and control of the City-County Council, I figured if one party lost either slot there would be infighting and soul searching taking place. But with the GOP in, and Democrats out, a war is about to break out that will make the War of the Roses seem more like the Rose Bowl parade.

Here’s why, many white Democrats are mad at elected officials like Monroe Gray because he became the face of the party through advertising and voter angst and his own actions which motivated a lot of Republicans and independent voters to come out; on top of the taxes. Secondly, there is talk Black Democrats on the Council will try to nominate Monroe Gray as minority leader over current Vice-President Joanne Sanders. Arguing Gray was unfairly attacked in the media and their loss was not his fault.

Now to add insult to injury, with Democrats losing the Mayor’s office, it is very unlikely Congresswoman Julia Carson will run again because of health reasons so there is no leader for Democrats to rally around. And to add another intricacy to this puzzle, although some Blacks are publicly complaining that Mayor-elect Greg Ballard is trying to take control of IMPD from Sheriff Frank Anderson, they are privately upset that Anderson has handpicked Kerry Forestal, his top deputy who is also white, to take his place when he steps down in 2010. They are mad that they are going out on a limb to keep IMPD under the control of a Black Sheriff so he can just turn it around and give it to a white guy.

Look for these Democrats to rally around another Black candidate to take on Forestall in the primary; that Democrat will likely be Center Township Trustee Carl Drummer. Drummer has strong ties in Center Township which is crucial for any Democratic victory in Marion County, and being Julia’s favorite doesn’t hurt either. Of course no one will admit any of this publicly. It would be the equivalent of fighting over granny’s silverware and she’s not even in the grave yet.

But trust me, these discussions are taking place and a battle is brewing. I hope you love the smell of napalm in the morning, because there’s a lot of it coming.

Posted: 11|11|07 at 9:00 am by Abdul Hakim-Shabazz
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  • Bumpy Johnson

    Civil war? They earned it. Let ‘em have at it. However, it WILL be interesting to see what the effect of Monroe before a Grand Jury has on these “leaders”. Just because something’s dead doesn’t mean your supposed cook it and feed it to your family and friends.

  • Bill Brown

    If Monroe had any pride about himself he would resign from the council. He is an embaressment to the Democrat party.

  • SOS

    Apparently, the Democrats have learned next to nothing from this election. But why am I surprised.

  • Anonymous

    It is pretty simple. You are either with Gray, or you are against him. Unfortunately, in his particular case, there is truly no middle ground.
    Race has nothing to do with it, but will have everything to do with it. Because he is black, white people will perceive that he is supported by all blacks. Given his demonstrated lack of ethics, and because of what appears to be support by blacks because he is black, it now becomes a race war. Blacks supporting their poor trod upon Gray, and whites who feel that it is all about being black, trumping his lack of ethics.
    There is just too much smoke in the house on this one to ignore it. If only 10% of what is said about him is true, then he should be gone. Same for any other council member, white/back; dem/rep. Get a grip people. This is our county. We deserve ethics and integrity from our elected leaders. UUUUUUGgggly.

  • Gary Welsh

    Are you going to report on any of the dissenion within the Republican Party, Abdul. There’s plenty of it as well.

  • Abdul

    GW,

    I’m following up on that as well. If there’s something real there, I’ll let you guys know.

  • D

    Sheriff Carl Drummer? Pretty unlikely, but God help us if it comes true.

  • anonymous

    Don’t Kent Smith and Barbara Malone count for anything in the black community? And Ike Randolph being on Ballard’s transition team? Plenty of black voters re fed up with their votes being taken for granted – they proved it Tuesday.

  • Wilson46201

    Unhappiness with some in the Democratic Party by some African-Americans doesnt necessarily tranlate into any newly-found appreciation of the Republicans. It seems a significant numbers of Black voters simply stayed home Election Day. About 10% of Blacks tend to vote GOP usually anyway…

    Let the African-American community choose its own leaders: putting some dark-skinned Republicans into office by white folk doesnt make them leaders in the Black community.

  • Anonymous

    The Black leaders are more likely to pick the next black leaders, not the black community – “how’s that working for ya?” asked Dr. Phil.

  • http://valuesalliance.org Lalita

    “Dark-skinned Republicans?” I’m sure, Wilson, that you meant something useful with that comment, but it certainly didn’t come out that way. Want to take another run at it? What you left us with was the impression that any Black who wasn’t a Democrat was “passing” (though for what, I’m not sure).

  • E.L.

    My wife and I have an ongoing discussion over Monroe Gray – is he even black? My wife is black, and says Monroe is obviously a white man. I thought so too, except I keep hearing people referring to him as being black? Am I missing something?