The Marion County Election Board is expected to take up satellite voting at 10 a.m. today. I spoke to Republican Board member P.J. Dietrick this weekend and have a post about it up over at our sister blog Indy Politics. I’ll also be live tweeting the meeting. You can follow me either @AttyAbdul or @IndyPoliticsOrg.
We all remember what we doing on 9-11 ten years ago. I was on I-55 driving from Springfield, IL to Bloomington, IL to buy a new car when I heard a plane had hit one of the twin towers. Like a lot of people I thought it was just a small plane and the pilot had made a mistake. However, as I continued to listen to the news that morning, I knew it was something else. And like a lot of other people, I was in shock when I got to the dealer and saw the images on CNN.
We all know what’s happened since then; Osama bin Laden, Afghanistan, Iraq, domestic surveillance, Pakistan, dirty bombs, the list goes on and on. When I try to think how my life has changed since 9-11 there are some things that are pretty obvious, tighter security at airports and other public buildings, a heightened sense of awareness at some events but I also wonder at times about the things I didn’t see.
When you have a name like Abdul-Hakim Shabazz you occasionally wonder what people you don’t know will think when they see your name on a guest list. I truly believe that shortly after 9-11 when people met me they breathed a giant sigh of relief that I was Black and not Arab. However, for someone who was in the talk radio business pretty regularly from 2003-2011, I know it had to make some folks uncomfortable and it probably cost me a potential job or two in a bigger place. To deal with that, I made a decision shortly after 9-11, to keep things as much business as usual as possible. In other words, approach life the way I always have, with facts and a sense of humor.
I still recall the first time I hit the airwaves at WXNT-AM I had someone e-mail me telling me they couldn’t believe that a person named “Abdul” would be allowed on the radio. He went on to say “we’re at war with you people and I don’t want to listen to no terrorist talk radio!” I told him that was a double negative which meant he did want to listen to terrorist talk radio. I never heard back from him.
When someone went on about Iran, I’d remind them that we helped overthrow their government back in the mid 1950s and install the Shah. When someone talked about Muslims taking loyalty oaths or being rounded up for security risks, I’d ask how they planned to identify them? All a Muslim would have to do is change their name to Sam or Samantha, order pepperoni pizza and trade the burka for GAP khakis. And when someone would quote something out of the Koran to back up some inane point, I’d ask them if they ever read the rest of the book? I could usually answer that question for them, no.
I never defended bad behavior. In fact, I think the Islamic World is badly in need of the equivalent of the Protestant Reformation. I take comfort in some of the uprisings in the Arab World, especially when people have finally decided they have had enough of autocratic dictators who use the United States as a foil to mask their own shortcomings. But it would be nice if someone would nail a protest doctrine to mosque door.
I have always been an optimistic. Luckily my optimism is rooted in practicality and patience and sprinkled with a good sense of humor. That has served me well since the days of 9-11. My plan is that it will do so more in the future.
I have to give Marion County Clerk Beth White credit in her quest to get satellite voting for the upcoming November election. Citing Republican party concerns over costs, White got the UAW to pony up $50,000 to cover the costs of satellite voting. They even have an agreement already to go for the Mayor to sign. Very nice political move and something I can respect. However, it’s not quite checkmate.
The problem, for me isn’t the money per se, it’s the source; the UAW. The UAW has given millions of dollars to Democrats over the years. If my memory serves me correctly, I even believe they gave money to Melina Kennedy when she ran for County Prosecutor in 2006. No offense, but if the roles were reversed and there was a Republican County Clerk who went to get money from Aiming Higher, the Club for Growth, Indiana Right to Life, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Indiana Manufacturers Association, or any other group that tends to favor Republicans over Democrats, you would hear nothing but moaning and gnashing of teeth. The histrionics would get so bad you would think that Casey Anthony and Michael Jackson had opened up several day care centers in downtown Indianapolis.
I know a pretext when I smell one. If supporters were serious, the same people who are demanding satellite voting now would have done so back in the May primary. However, since it didn’t help their anointed candidate for Mayor back then, there was no need to ask for it. And by the way, if construction around the city-county building is going to scare you off from voting and exercising your constitutional rights, then maybe the Republic is better off without you participating in the process. If people were really serious about expanding voting options we would switch from precincts to vote centers where voters could vote anywhere in the county on Election Day.
So pardon me if I am just a tad bit cynical about this one. Brilliant move finding a donor, just not brilliant enough in finding the right donor. Next time, try the League of Women Voters, Urban League, Red Cross, Salvation Army, Beautiful Black Men who Blog Regularly (I’m the President of that Association). You might have better luck, especially when trying to score political points.
Apparently it is for some folks. Click here to find out why.
There has been a lot of talk about “vision” in the current race for Mayor of Indianapolis. I have always said that “vision” is a lot like beauty, it’s in the eye of the beholder. However, I took some time yesterday to really think about that concept of “vision”. Now that I am in business for myself, I spend a lot more time in the car making trips to potential clients and the last few days have had me spending quite a bit of time in the doughnut counties. I set up meetings in the afternoons and then come back to Indianapolis. As I head back, I notice all the traffic heading in the other direction as folks return home to their bedroom communities. And that’s when it hit me. I believe the vision for Indianapolis should be that these folks don’t make that trip because they are staying in the city.
They are staying the city because they have an ample supply of good schools to choose from whether public, private, or charter. They are staying in the city because there is a solid infrastructure of roads and sewer in place. They don’t leave because crime is at a bare minimum. They stay because the taxes are not out of control. They stay because there are ample amenities for them to partake. They stay because a prudent mass transit system is in place. And most importantly, they stay because of the great quality of life the city of Indianapolis offers.
Believe it or not, I think Indianapolis is on the road to achieving that vision and had it not been for the national economy, it would be well on its way there. Already more than 15,000 jobs have regained since January 2011 taking the number of jobs lost from the great recession from 35,000 to 20,000. There is more school choice in some of the most impoverished neighborhoods in the city and streets and sidewalks are being repaved and resurfaced in neighborhoods that haven’t seen a steamroller in years. And even when we look at the recent spate in crime, unless you’re fighting with a friend at 2 a.m. over a woman or an Xbox and don’t already have a mugshot you’re not likely to die of lead poisoning in the form of a bullet.
Now is Indianapolis perfect? No, of course not. And good leadership is always striving to make improvements, but it is also making sure the basic “blocking and tacking” is getting done. I had a good friend tell me that he wanted city leadership that did more than “fill potholes”. I told him to get in his car and drive 250 miles to Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis, Cincinnati or Louisville and he will find people who would love to have their potholes filled. And ponder this, while those other Midwestern cities are trying to figure how to pay for basic services, one of the big debates in this mayoral race is what to do with an additional $150 million from the Citzens Gas deal. Spend it on infrastructure or social programs? Despite what you think about either plan, that’s not a bad position to be in during the worst economy since the Great Depression.
So here is my vision for Indianapolis, a city where people don’t have to drive an hour to get home because they already live here.
Don’t call it a comeback. I’m hearing that the Rev. Al Sharpton is reportedly coming back to town on September 17th. Sources say Sharpton will make an appearance at Garfield Park.
The Baptist Ministers Alliance is allegedly bringing Sharpton to town. Sharpton was paid to come to Indianapolis last year to protest the Brandon Johnson police beating. An investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice revealed there was not enough evidence to show that IMPD violated Johnson’s civil rights. A lawsuit against the department is still pending.
Draw your own conclusions.
Although it’s been a few days since 7th District Congressman Andre Carson’s comments regarding some members of the Tea Party hit the national scene, the debate still continues. Carson himself has started to backtrack somewhat from his rhetoric that there are some members of Congress who would like to see blacks “hanging from a tree”, what is bothersome are the comments of those who are blowing off the remarks as Carson merely “reflecting the sentiments” of his constituents.
Here is the problem with that line of thinking. Let’s say there is a debate on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives over entitlements and welfare spending. And let’s say a Congressman whose initials are Y.T. gets up and gives a speech about how the government needs to cut spending on these programs. And while Y.T. is on the House floor he says “It’s time for those inner city porch monkeys and picaninnies to get off their big black behinds and the government dole.” Y.T.’s comments may be offensive and inappropriate, but they are also now perfectly acceptable. By excusing Carson’s remarks as merely “reflecting the thoughts of his constituents” his supporters have now given carte blanche for the previous hypothetical to occur.
I have always found it odd and bizarre that when Blacks behave badly, there is a segment of the Black population excuse bad behavior that they would find unacceptable if it were done by other ethnic groups. When I came back to this country in the early 1990s, I was shocked at the attitudes that excused the predatory behavior of young black men in urban neighborhoods as simply being products of their environment. I told them I’ll remember that the next time I’m a cross burning and remind people that your friendly neighborhood Klansman and white supremist is merely a product of his environment and his “seig heil” is just his way of saying “hello” or flagging a cab.
When we excuse the outrageous remarks of elected officials as simply “reflecting their constituents” we open up a political Pandora’s box and we lose the right to call them on the carpet and the political discourse only gets worse and no good can come of that.
You may find this hard to believe but today marks seven years since coming to Indianapolis to do radio at WXNT-AM. And although my tenure there fell just a couple weeks short of meeting that date, I think it’s only fitting my next great adventure begin on the same day as my first official broadcast.
I’ve created a new blog, Indy Politics. It’s primary focus is on Indianapolis-area politics, with some added perspectives from the doughnut counties. Indy Politics is not replacing Indiana Barrister by any stretch. If anything, it’s a supplement. Indy Politics will have several stories featured daily, whereas Indiana Barrister is more of a one topic per day blog. Hopefully it will be more like “Fraiser” was to “Cheers” rather than “Enos” was to “Dukes of Hazzard”.
Indy Politics will not only feature primarily political news, but also include audio from news makers, a calender of political events, and that cheat sheet that so many of you loved to read. Hey, the gossip has got to go someplace, right?
Today’s edition features the following stories:
Check it out and let me know what you think. You can also reach me at abdul@indypolitics.org. Thanks for reading Indiana Barrister and wish me luck.
Today marks two years with the Lovely Mrs. Shabazz. For the second anniversary the traditional gift is cotton and straw. However buying her a broom and some q-tips didn’t seem like a bright idea. I got her some massages instead.
I originally wrote this back in February while the General Assembly was in the middle of the right-to-work debate. However, since Monday is Labor Day, I thought it was still pretty timely so I decided to re-post it. And I did get my wife’s permission to take a few moments from this weekend and post this.
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Sometime this week you will turn on your television and see thousands of people taking to the streets making demands on their governments. If you’re watching Al-Jazeera the demonstrators will be demanding change. If you’re watching an Indiana news channel, the protesters are demanding the status quo.
Starting today hundreds of union activists and their supporters are expected to show up at the Statehouse in Indianapolis to protest what they call “anti-worker” legislation. There are a number of bills in the Indiana General Assembly that unions claim would hurt workers by limiting collective bargaining rights.
The two big items are a right to work bill that would eliminate joining a union or paying union dues as a condition of employment. The second bill would limit teacher contracts to wages and benefits. Apparently, unions and their supporters find these things as offensive as I do watching a Vanilla Ice special on Black Entertainment Television. However, where I get lost in the translation is why unions are afraid of this legislation that to me comes across as common sense? Maybe I see things differently than they do because I’m not a member of a union. And looking at recent figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, neither are a lot of other people.
From a global perspective, if you are union leader, right to work legislation should not bother you. The premise is very simple, if you are providing good service to your members they won’t mind paying for it. If you are responding to your members’ needs they should glad to give you a portion of their paychecks and to pay for quality service you provide them. You’re numbers are already shrinking so I doubt if right to work will make it worse.
And as far as public employee unions go, I don’t know if you’ve been keeping up on current events, but there isn’t a whole lot of money running around these days. If the rest of us have to tighten our belts, you should too. And while you’re getting mad at different Governors from across the state, you may want to save some of that anger for the Obama administration and the stimulus package passed a couple years ago. As some of us tried to tell you, spending money on people instead of infrastructure was a bad idea because when the money runs out, you are back in the same boat. When I spend money on a road, I’ve got an asset that’s going to be around for a while; people, not so much.
