Missing In Action
As I observed yesterday’s prayer vigil for IMPD Officer Jason Fishburn, I noticed the elected officials. I saw the Mayor, City-County Council members Paul Bateman, Susie Day and Ben Hunter. I even saw State Representative David Orentlichter.
I will admit that in the crowd of hundreds I might have missed a few. But I didn’t see a lot of other people, particularly the ones who spend a lot of time talking.
It would have been nice if some of the people who purport to be leaders of this community would have showed up.
Maybe they had other commitments or were out of town or just couldn’t be bothered.
Oh well, I’m sure they have some reason.
July 13th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
Isn’t Sheriff Anderson an elected official? Isn’t Kerry Forestall an announced democrat candidate for Sheriff?
Did I miss them? I don’t think so.
It would have been nice to see Andre Carson there. Isn’t he an elected official?
Maybe he is too busy to be bothered with trivial matter such as a vigil for a police officer facing death from a gunshot.
Isn’t Vernon Brown an elected official and a public safety professional? Battalion Chief isn’t he?
Where was the retired fire fighter and former CC President Monroe Gray? He was a public safety professional wasn’t he? A former IFD Chief?
Saturdays are great golfing days. Maybe it would have been more convenient for BFFL’s Brown and Gray if the vigil had been held at Coffin Golf Course. We all know how important it is for Brown and Gray to be hitting those little white balls instead of attending a prayer vigil for a police officer facing death or dealing with a public safety issue on their days off.
I did see Hunter, Day, Bateman and David O. I also saw Chris Swatts GOP candidate for the house of representatives. I also saw several folks representing the Marion County GOP.
Sadly the Democrats were mostly MIA.
July 13th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
Our U.S. Representative André Carson was in Washington, D.C. on Saturday. I texted him about the 4pm vigil but transportation back wasn’t worked out in time… as a former LEO himself, Congressman Carson definitely wanted to be there!
July 13th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
Wilson, Andre Carson was not a REAL police officer by any means. Nice try tho.
July 13th, 2008 at 11:17 pm
The State of Indiana certainly considered André Carson a Law Enforcement Officer, even if some shadowy anonymous nobodies have doubts.
July 13th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
Wilson is correct… the State of Indiana DOES consider Andre a LEO. Wilson seems to forget, however, that AC was merely a political appointment to a state agency (Excise Police) that requires only the “right name” to be hired. Wilson also seems to conveniently forget that Carson finished dead LAST in his ILEA (Indiana Law Enforcement Academy) class.
Interviews with his classmates at the Academy revealed that the “Do you know who I am?” attitude was prevalent, and apparently got him through.
Back to the point of today’s post… Can anyone answer this — Naturally, the majority of the dems were absent. But hey… where was DORIS??? Probably drunk at home on Medford Ave., while her dem cohorts rallied around HER, rather than the officer shot in the head.
July 14th, 2008 at 12:31 am
Doris Minton-McNeill wasn’t there? I thought with her strong affinity for IMPD and their fine officers, she would surely have been one of the first to show.
Hate to play this card, well not really, perhaps some of the no shows just figured that this is what a white officer deserves. According to at least one council member IMPD is nothing but a collection of racist. I wonder what the response would have been had it been a black officer.
July 14th, 2008 at 12:32 am
Congressman Carson went to the police academy and graduated.
July 14th, 2008 at 1:20 am
Ms. Minton missed a good photo opportunity. The former YMCA and Wishard Hospital are located in the heart of the 15th Council District. She was probably too drunk to show up anyway.
July 14th, 2008 at 1:51 am
I’m sure Mayor Ballard was able to make it. You know, the guy in charge of the police department. He was there, right?
July 14th, 2008 at 1:52 am
Oops… Forgot to ask if he passed out some yard signs.
July 14th, 2008 at 6:48 am
Oh good Lord. Andre Carson asn an LEO. Can’t we focus on something else?
July 14th, 2008 at 7:02 am
As much as I detest having to say it, Andre Carson is the Congressman, can’t we get beyond that and think about the greater issues. Until the voters decide (when we get free thinking voters that is) that he is not going to be Congreeman, he is the Congressman. We need to get beyond our distaste for him and stop bring Andre into every issue and crisis the city has. Just like Bart, he lost, move on.
July 14th, 2008 at 8:05 am
Not sure I get the last line, MoDem, but you’re correct, of course.
He is the Congressman. We’ve survived good and bad members of Congress before, and we will again. I happen to think he’ll vote correctly on most issues, and I’m hopping he sorta beldns into the woodwork, and doesn’t talk a lot.
But he never was an LEO, by any reasonable and commonly-accepted definition. That ruse worked for the election cycle, can we at least put it to bed now?
July 14th, 2008 at 9:05 am
I also saw Abdul standing there with his recorder. Sorry Abdul that I did not have time to say hi.
July 14th, 2008 at 9:58 am
Agreed. One last catharthic moment: Burton and Carson are both unqualified, abysmal, jackasses; living testimonies to our local electoral system at it’s worst. Ok- I feel better now & will try to refrain until campaign season.
July 14th, 2008 at 10:05 am
Wilson you stated that you called Andre and told him about the vigil. If Andre wasn’t able to attend he could have sent a someone to represent him. Where was Sarge? Erin? or you?
Andre Carson is a typical democrat, who doesn’t care about anyone but themselves. They may say publicly that they are the voice of the people but what they are really stating is, I’ll support what’s best for me.
Sooner or later the 7th will wake up and send a true leader to Washington DC. Until then we will have to settle for the third class representative that we have.
July 14th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Pardon me, but what the heck does standing at a prayer vigil have to do with anything?
Maybe those not there were, ummm, working on solving the problems that put Fishburn in the hospital?
Public appearances are “show biz”, not substantive work!