The energy expended to kick this dead horse wasn't worth it. Remember, the group they purport to lead is a group one standard deviation down. If they are a burden to us we have no one to blame for it but ourselves(and England) in our long ago past. One must recognize the problems of dealing with the group in particular with the ability to recognize reality. Liberal nostrums have not worked, probably made things worse. Escape is possible for the 16%% but these ministers remain, doing what they can with the cards they have been dealt. I am pretty sure things would be worse without them.

Pascal I agree with your last statement.

I haven't been in a church to date that the preacher doesn't preach against violence. What do you want them to do. Take responsiblity for people's individual actions just because they are black.

Addressing the problems of the black community vs Police misconduct are two totally different things.

Police are employees of the city ie people. We are suppose to police their actions.

I don't have the ability to prevent my neighborhood who happens to have the same skin color as I from making the decisions they make. Regardless if they are good decisions or bad decisions.

To some how lift these murders up as a reason why the Ministers can't call out the Police for their misconduct is laughable to me.

Most of the white people on this board have never been and don't plan on attending a black church. They don't have a clue of what they are doing for the community. Just because the church's good deeds aren't plastered on the news somehow you think it doesn't exist.

Churches since the beginning of time have helped to fight against violence and poverty in our community.

While yes those murders do need to be address, I bet if you look at the income level of all of them they would be similiar.

So why are you calling for the poor community to come together and address this issue.

Abdul to be as smart as you are you really waste a good opportunity to have a good discussion about real topics.

Do better

Communities are geographic; regional not racial. There aren't many references to “white” community whatever that is or might be, and “black” community is a sectarian reference of the “race industry.”

Abdul's done fine coverage of this story, following it where / as it goes.

I have not been in a “black” church. I go to a church that has black families as part of a large diverse group of other people.

The minister would never have a grandstanding news conference and issue a press release signed “No Justice, No Peace!!!”.

They would never make demands based solely based upon race if at all.

The message in my church appears to be much different than this random self appointed group of old school leadership.

We are living the dream of judging someone based upon the content of their mind and strength of their character instead of the color of their skin.

Not so much with this group.

Now let me share a story. My wife and I decided to take in a comedy show at the last minute at a place on 96th street. While we are purchasing our tickets, the lady cautions us that the headliner is a star on BET and that the audience is almost all black.(she is black also)

We find these comments odd and expect some good natured humor that may have some content aimed at ourselves and go into the show.

I can take a joke, but I can tell you that it was a non stop bitch fest about whites with several periods of audience members stopping the show with nasty racial comments in support followed by insults from the headliner at these people in the crowd for trying to upstage him.

It was very uncomfortable with employees clearly worried about us as the show ended and we filed out.

I am very opened minded and can take a joke,but even I was shocked at the message and crowd reception and behavior.

Appears the old school leadership has created a support group for this “community” culture. Guess they didn't get the get the message the rest of us bought into over the past 50 years.

Oh yeah, the funniest joke was the ticket women feeling compelled to explain that “BET” stood for “Black Entertainment Television” assuming we were from outer space.

Almost as funny as the looks we get at visiting the Expo in July.

Now if I were to tell you those folks at Expo weren't looking at you funny and you were making it up because people like you look for things like that. So that you can complain. And to stop playing the poor victim. That is the practice of victimhood. Blah Blah Blah. How would that make you feel.

What demands did the ministers make solely on race??

I think this group is judging the policeman based on his actions.
What do you think???

When you are the majority which white people are white it is infered. When someone says Giest, Caramel or Fishers. You bet they aren't talking about the Black community.

Abdul's coverage is slanted and incomplete like most media outlets.

Where are the clergy or do they just appear when they think there is money to be made?

Your point is well taken about the Expo and please note no one was rude to us, just surprised we were there.

Somehow, I suspect you were not surprised by our comedy club experience. Clearly the same switched roles exercise is completely unacceptable even with the lowest of standards and a healthy sense of humor.

Perhaps it was the opening statement declaring they were the only “official” voice of the African American community or the comment in regards to IMPD having “open season” on African Americans and other minorities, or the closing threat of no justice no peace. Or maybe the coded demands of reintroducing IMPD hiring quotas based upon race (consent decree) and a introducing a new Federal monitor.

I've been attending Black Expo since 1972 and I've never experienced any surprise or astonishment that a “white-boy” like me would be there. What with all the visitors, vendors and exhibitors I'd estimate about 1/4 of the attendees are Caucasian — that's been the proportion for years now…

do you know of any religious institution that operates without money or donations?

There are many folks who claim they are the “only” voice of the African-American communtiy. One radio host in particular.

In fact, they're the loudest. That doesn't make them the “only.”

Of course not, Wilson. That's an odd observation to make considering the ministers' and Wondering's posts.

Nope, Wilson….not even close. More like 5-10%, tops. Not tha tit matters.

“One standard deviation down” ? What the hell does that mean?

R: Yep, it depends on where you live; the counting of “majorities” from that select epicenter. Communities have geographic boundaries, which are other than inference.

Unfortunately I wasn't surprised. I don't agree with it. I think alot of black comedians are lazy and lack good material and resort to race jokes to often.

I have seen white comedians make fun of black people on shows like Def Comedy Jam before. But this comedian has been doing comedy in black venues for a while.

I didn't read anything stating they were the 'only official' voice of the AA community. At least from what Abdul posted. ?? Please point me to it.

Your second point he states poor people also. Not necessarily race specific.

Coded demands to reintroduce hiring quotas ??? – Where is this located in the letter?? Please point me to where you read this or understood this to be the point of the comment.
No justice no peace or Federal monitor – Not race specific.

Check the quote from the Indy Star. It's in black and white.

I don't remember the church I grew up attending or the Christian college I attended ever shaking down the mayor for grant money. We supported and financed our own Missions.

Melyssa,

Are you suggesting that is what is happening here? Please explain if that is what you are suggesting

Interesting choice of words “shake down”

Okay, I read it. I don't agree with it, but what can you do about it.

It basically is one man/group's opinion. Just because they think they are representative of the AA community. Doesn't make it so.

I think that was a stupid comment. But doesn't really change the content of the letter which I thought had alot of good content. Not all which I agreed with but some I did

WIBC and the Amos Brown radio show

Abdul,

Maybe the best blog that I have seen in a year.Less is always more.Very nice

Know what happens when the ministers and other race pimps try to lump all the cops together to skewer simultaneously? That's right, the cops say “screw it, have at each other, we'll sit here and watch.” Ask Cincinnati.

You might not like it, but that's the way it goes.

Wilson, I think your numbers are more accurate…..most events are about 1/4…some more……a few less…….

No, Hoss, it's not. The LEOs in this community are way too professional for that. Frustrated? Yeah, they are probably frustrate.d But your answer is, well, just wrong. 99.55 of them will still do their jobs properly. They always have.

Black Female Attorney (in response to the one who cannot either read or remember what he/she has read). One standard deviation explained for the unlearned in math and statistics.
I think her comments should be deleted. She says the same thing as the guy being complained of. She just sugar coats her language by appeal to the prejudices of expression preferred by the mostly ignorant readers of this blog (ignorant of the subject being discussed).
Most folks want to blame racism for outcomes but they wish also to not be bothered with facts. And, when facts are thrust under their nose their comfort is disturbed. Limited in their catagories of thought they then seek to “explain away” inconvenient facts, or dismiss them with contempt for them and the bringer of them, or they shout them down (as occurs in higher education quite often).
It may surprise folks of a liberal persuasion that there are ethnic differences in Cognitive Ability. “…as measured in dozens of reputable studies has converged on approximately a one standard deviation difference for several decades. Translated into centiles, this means that the average white person tests higher than about 84% of the population of blacks and that the average black person tests higher than about 16 per cent of the population of whites.”
“Jews–specifically, Ashkenazi Jews of European origins-test higher than anyother ethnic group”. Knowing facts can help you avoid problems-for instance, accepting these facts can shed new light on the problems of IPS. Forget the slogans-deal with the educator's problem of the raw material provided them and what is realistically possible to obtain with such given that IQ is the main predictor of academic achievement.
There is not IQ equality-not even close to it so why do we use a yardstick that does not work for say, 84% of a population? It can work for the 16% of which we might fairly suspect that

Black Female Attorney
forms a part of. There is no equality in qualities. That period is a period-as in final statement-not to be disputed-to be learnt. And, who wouldn't want to associate with Black Female Attorney?