There will be a lot a questions asked about the Virginia Tech Shooting. What caused a 23-year old college student to kill more than 30 of his classmates? Why did the University wait two hours from the initial shooting to notify the students? Why did no one take more action when accused killer Cho Seung-Hui wrote disturbing pieces that had some of his teachers recommend he seek counseling? Was he on medication? Did he stalk some of the college women as some of his ex-roomates allege? All questions that will be answered over time.

But two questions I can give you an answer to now is “no.” Were guns to blame or was the media to blame? Once again, no. Liberal will blame guns. Conservatives will blame the media. Neither is responsible. It was Seung-Hui who purchased the weapon. It was Seung-Hui who was disturbed. It was Seung-Hui who pulled the trigger and killed 31 people and wounded more than a dozen others.

Don’t blame the guns. Don’t blame the media. Blame the person who commmitted the act. Blame Seung-Hui.

Having been in government and politics since 1992 as either a reporter, policy guy, spokesman or operative, I learned this rule. Every elected official gets one bonehead remark per term. Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita used his Thursday in Washington, IN.

During a Lincoln-Reagan Day speech, Rokita opined that 90 percent of blacks vote Democrat which he said wasn’t good. He asked, “Who’s the master and who’s the slave?” Which was really only a couple lines in a speech. Rokita has been criticized, which is fair enough (although some people really just have a Voter ID axe to grind) and he’s apologized for his “insensitive metaphor.”

Before anybody goes nuts, it’s obvious Rokita used a poor choice of words. Especially on the heals of the Don Imus fiasco. However, he does have a point. When a group of people put all their political eggs in one basket, it’s never a good thing. Because one day your basket won’t be in power. I’ve always believed in hedging one’s bets.

As the news broke, Rokita called me to apologize for his statements, saying he in no way meant any offense. I told him, no harm no foul. But until he starts spelling his name with three “Ks”, I’ll give Rokita a break, I suggest everyone do it too.

I don’t like starting my day with bad news, but I did. A man was shot this morning outside of Kroger on Kentucky Avenue on the city’s southwest side. Over the weekend a woman was stabbed to death. And I was told this morning, a suspect who was arrested for home invasion and shooting at a police officer was let out on $10,000 bond.

I don’t think anyone could argue against the statement that crime is out of control in this city. And I think the only way to get it back is for Indianapolis to get the reputation to be the place where criminals and bad behavior are not welcome. And I think the only way to do that is to for the cops to start knocking some people outside the head.

Once criminals realize they cant come to Indy and do their dirty needs the imports will drop off and home-grown criminals will go underground and stay there.

I know, it may seem wrong to advocate police brutality, but I would rather have a reputation as a city for being too tough on criminals than one that allows them walk scott free.

If you have a better idea, I’m willing to listen. But remember, things are out of control and I’m in no mood to give someone a hug, but smack them with a nightstick.

In Indianapolis, there are an estimated 8,000 – 15,000 abandoned homes and other properties. In my own downtown neighborhood I can walk north and find empty properties or walk downtown and see vacant buildings.

It doesn’t take much of a rocket scientist to figure out that abandoned homes are magnets for crime. A 14-year old girl was raped near John Marshall School in an abandoned home.

What’s even more of a shame is the fact some activists citizens have placed a sign in front of an abandoned property at 97 N. Dearborn. And the city’s reaction is that the sign doesn’t meet zoning requirements and will have to come down. What about the abandoned property that facilitated the creation of the sign in the first place?

The sad part in all this is that the abandoned homes are symptomatic of a much bigger problem. The problem that too many people are getting homes who shouldn’t have them. There are too many people issuing out home loans who shouldn’t. The sub-prime mortgage scandal that is hitting this nation has far reaching repercussions and we are feeling the effects.

Unfortunately, it’s only going to get worse before it gets better.

A city ethics panel found City-County Council President Monroe Gray guilty of violating the city’s ethics code by failing disclose his relationship with a local contractor on government ethics forms. The panel said Gray should have disclosed his financial interests with Trotter Construction, a local construction company that does business with the city. Gray said he didn’t think he needed to disclose the information because he worked as a subcontractor for Trotter on a project involving Indianapolis Public Schools. However, the panel said the rules were clear and that Gray was required to fill out the form. Since Gray argued he made a mistake the panel recommended he submit an amended statement of economic interest. Gray’s offense was officially labeled as a “technical violation.”

What’s really disturbing about all this folks were some of Gray’s statements during the hearing. He told the panel the form was confusing and complicated and that many city employees don’t even read the form, they just fill it out. I find it hard to believe that Gray, who says he helps train new firefighters who frequently have other jobs about conflicts, that he did not understand the forms.

He also blamed the Indianapolis Star for his troubles, accusing them of driving the story and forming their own legal interpretation of the facts.

I just picked up these two items this afternoon. I think you’ll find them interesting.

Brizzi Bar

The Indiana Attorney General has issued an opinion regarding Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi’s former involvement in Harry and Izzi’s, a new downtown bar and restaurant. Under Indiana law a law enforcement official can’t own a direct interest in a bar. However Brizzi was a shareholder in a corporation that owned an interest in Harry Izzi’s. Attorney General Steve Carter’s office says Brizzi’s type of ownership was too remote to fall under the statute. Brizzi sold his interest last month to avoid a potential conflict with the law.

Gun Ordinance

Democratic City-County Council member Angela Mansfield may be amending her ordinance that would prohibit the unauthorized firing of guns in Marion County. Under Mansfield’s preliminary change it would be lawful for guns to be fired on land greater than five acres and also makes it clear shooting is allowed gun ranges. Mansfield says the changes are necessary to clear up confusion about the proposal. A committee will hear the measure on Tuesday.

I’m taking the weekend off. I’m not going anywhere, I’m just taking it off. I’m not going to worry about crime being out of control in Indianapolis. I’m not going to worry about the basket case that is Iraq. I’m not going to worry about the silliness that is Don Imus. I’m not going to worry about the sausage mill that is the Indiana General Assembly. I’m going to relax, work on the novel and maybe clean the house. Crime, the Legislature and Iraq will all still be here Monday.

I’m in a bit of a mood this morning. I’m upset over another story about the rape of a teenage girl in this town. I’m upset this happened in broad daylight at 21st and Carrolton. I’m upset this is the third time a female has been attacked during daylight hours in this town. And I’m upset the powers that be have been slow to respond and hold a news conference because they now want to look like they’re doing something.

There was no news conference when a woman was attacked in a parking garage across the street from city hall and later robbed and raped. The attack happened the day before the Mayor’s State of City Address. And there was no mention of it in the speech.

There was no news conference when a 14-year old was attacked while waiting for her school bus near John Marshall School, taken to a vacant house and raped. It took the outrage of a local pastor to shame the community into action.

Why did no one get upset when 4-year old Elijah Simpson was reportedly killed by his mother’s boyfriend because he was tired of Elijah sucking his thumb?

Why did no one get upset when two people died following a shootout on the northwest side?

Why did no one get upset when a State Senator got mugged in Monroe Gray’s district earlier this year?

Who got upset when this city had it’s 10th homicide in February. It’s 20th and 30th homicides that occurred last month?

Why is no one upset that we’re averaging a homicide every three days and at his rate we’ve already passed last year’s number of homicides?

Did anyone get upset when a police report was altered to keep a state senator’s name out of a report involving a raid at a pea shake house?

Why did no one get upset when the Sheriff was basically MIA when most of these crimes were taking place, but had no problem getting publicity when he endorsed his chief deputy for sheriff in an election that’s almost four years away?

Why is no one getting upset when our only recourse to solve our public safety crisis is to go to the legislature and ask for taxing authority as opposed to making tough choices and not giving every developer and his mother money to build low-income housing?

A lot of people have had ample time to get upset in this county and the way crime trends are going, they’ll have a lot more to get upset about.

And for people who would criticize me for this post, maybe you should spend more time getting upset at this community falling apart rather than me.

Indiana Lawmakers are continuing to chug along in the last days of the legislature. Everyone has decided that all the big issues will be worked out in conference committee. It kind of makes me wonder what was the point of the last 3 and half months?

The State may soon get involved in the Marion County shooting ordinance. Democrat Angela Mansfield is proposing an ordinance to restrict when guns can be fired in Indianapolis. A state agency may soon offer a formal opinion on the ordinance.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Indianapolis fire fighters are teaming up with Republican State Senator Mike Young on some projects of particular concern in Wayne Township. Apparently, Democratic Trustee David Baird is as off his rocker as I’ve always thought he was, and enough of a nuisance to bring the pro and anti-consolidation forces together. By the way, Baird also decided that he could use a new car to drive around in, although the actual fire staff could have better used the car.

Someone in the Marion County’s Sheriff’s department has decided they’ve had enough of Indy Undercover, a local blog that comments on law enforcement matters. The blog is bombastic, irreverent and down right awnry, but more right than wrong. My sources in the Sheriff’s department tell me they’ve had enough of Indyu Undercover and launching a formal investigation to track down the identity of the blogger. Checking some of the postings today, a lot of the officers think the Department could better spend its time going after real criminals.

And speaking of police departments, while lawmakers passed a measure amending the latest version of Indy Works there is talk an amendment may be introduced in conference committee that would put IMPD back under the Mayor in 2010. The 2010 date is important because Frank Anderson will have completed his term as Sheriff and County Black Democrats can’t scream racism saying power is being taken away from the first Black-elected Sheriff of Marion County. Which is ironic, since Anderson is backing his Chief Deputy Kerry Forestall as his sucessor, who is white. Somehow, I don’t think they would care as much if the Sheriff was white.

Radio talk show host Don Imus is being suspended for using the term “nappy-headed ho” to describe the Rutgers women”s basketball team. Professional agitators Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are upset with more fake outrage than you can shake an afro-comb at. I find it so disingenuous that the same people who will get mad at Don Imus (who should have left radio a long time ago) won’t get mad at Snoop Doggy Dog and his “pimps up, ho’s down” CD. These guys need to give it break. Or at the least Al’s been using too much activator over the years and it finally affected his brain. What do you think?