Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 7 October 1995 — Page 3

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7,1995

THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

PAGE A3

By STEPHEN GOLDSMITH

Opinions We're going to make public transportation even better

Dear Mayor Goldsmith, I am writing you because I am very concerned about the city bus service being discontinued on the weekends and many routes done away with altogether. I cannot afford the luxury of owning a car. 1 rely heavily on city transportation. I also work at a hospital that has changing shifts. If a shift dictates that I work weekends, evenings or nights, I have no choice but to work them. With no bus service, how am I to get to and from work? Not to mention the thousands of Indianapolis citizens in the same

position as me.

With the recent completion of the multimillion dollar downtown mall, how is anyone not blessed with owning a car supposed to go there? If you discontinue weekend bus service, you might as well board the mall up now because there won’t be enough customers to keep it open for very long. The same is true regarding the attendance for the Pacers, Colts, concerts, state fair, Indiana Black Expo... the list is endless. We hear that Indiana has billions of dollars of excess tax money. Why can’t some of this be used to improve the city bus service that has been so lacking now and in the past? If Indiana wants to bring in visitors and new citizens, and continue to grow, cutting the bus service is not the way to go about it. I implore you to do what’s right — keep all the city busses running.

Linda Boothman

I’d like to thank Linda for her letter, because it provides an opportunity to get the record straight on a very important issue. Contrary to rumors, the City and Metro are in the process of improving bus service, not cutting it. The City is working with Metro to give you what the bus system is not capable of in its current

position.

If Metro were able to open all its services to competition, it could stimulate the creation of a market with the right mix of buses, small vans, jitney services and car pools going to the places you need them

logo.

For example, when Metro was able to compete out its service for the medically transit-dependent in late 1992, it was able to increase the number of rides it provided by more than double and riders enthusiastically reported that service was better. Competition could produce similar benefits for all riders. Metro could reduce the cost of providing service, do a better job connecting people with job opportunities and create business opportunities for minority business enterprises. So why doesn’t Metro do these things? Because the federal government essentially forbids it to use the marketplace. Meeting the increasingly diverse transit needs of our citizens is attainable through new and innovative services, but Metro is unable to take advantage of these services because of federal regulations. At the same time that it hinders Metro from competing out services, the federal government is reducing Metro’s operating subsidy by nearly one-half. To make up for cuts in Metro’s federal operating subsidy, we asked the Indiana General Assembly to move $5.6 million from Metro’s budget to the city’s budget. The city does not operate under the same federal constraints and will be able to purchase better service for less cost in the competitive marketplace. The city intends to use the $5.6 million in ways Metro cannot. In addition to accommodating routes that might be reduced by Metro, the City plans to use its dollars to purchase a flexible transit network that does a better job connecting the physically and economically transit-dependent to jobs. This plan is not privatization. It is competition. Metro drivers and private companies will be invited to compete to provide the new services. In three years of competitions for the provision of city services, both customers and union workers have benefited. No City union worker has lost a job as a result of competition. Our union workers have had increased opportunities for advancement, profitsharing, and performance bonuses. Metro drivers could similarly benefit from competition. The bottom line is that many Metro riders are upset about something that is simply not going to happen. Despite the disappointing and inflammatory rhetoric of some groups who are threatened by competition, no one is talking about cutting service. By Jan. 1, a new network of competitively provided public transportation will be up and running. The City and Metro are working to improve our city’s public transportation system, especially for people who rely on public transportation to get to work. Please submit your letters of concern to: “Defining the Vision, ” do The Indianapolis Recorder, 2901N. Tacoma Ave. Indianapolis

46218.

WRITING TO THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

The Indianapolis Recorder encourages short, concise letters to the edHor and opinion articles from the public. Letters and opinion articles will be used at the editor's discretion and are subject to edHIng. We will not guarantee publication of material received. We cannot guarantee dates of publication. Letters containing libelous or untrue statements will not be published. All letters and opinion articles must Include a verifiable full name, address and telephone number. This Information will not be published at the request of the writer. Letters and articles should be typed but will be accepted If handwriting Is legible.

:':<l

The Indianapolis Recorder P.0. Box 18499 Indianapolis, IN 46218-0499

Wake up, nothing's changed It’s been twenty-five years since I sat in the audience at my high school graduation exercises. Truly, America was on its way to achieving full equality and racial harmony. Twenty-five years later, every poll taken shows a large disparity between the races on O.J. Simpson’s guilt or innocence. The major question is: Do you trust the Los Angeles Police Department or not? In general, white America does and Black America does not. Black America has a general mistrust for the police, the media, the government, and white America. White America seems to feel that this is an unjustified paranoia. Maybe (just maybe) they are that naive to believe this. How can we trust the police under the cloth of darkness when we can’t even trust the prosecution under the scrutiny of the television lights? How truthful were they when they allowed Nicole’s sister and Steve Garvey’s wife to paint a grim picture of O.J. on the afternoon of the day of the murders? How can we trust them? Mike Tyson was released from jail on the same weekend that Michael Jordan returned to the NBA. A columnist for i\\e Indianapolis Star attempted to draw a comparison between the two. This could only be perceived as a bigoted action. Once again, white America was attempting to tell us who our heroes should be. In the article, the author made Jordan a hero and Tyson was not. All a bigot sees is two rich Black men. Basically, the similarities stop there. Yes, the media were in a feeding frenzy like a school of sharks at the sight of blood. There was a chance to destroy another Black icon or,

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

at least, to cast a cloud over him. He (Jordan) is left naked and raw, while the media is covered by the First Amendment and absence of malice. An ugly picture of the African American male has been portrayed in the media for years. It has been so bad and constant that we have begun to debase ourselves. Every young African American male that dies always dies under the cloud of drugs. If he is shot, it is the result of a drug deal gone bad. If he dies of natural causes or a heart attack, then it is considered drug related. Hank Gathers, the ball player and Reggie Lewis, former captain of the Boston Celtics, died under the suspicion of drugs. The Celtics wanted to retire Lewis’ number and there was a movement to stop it, because of unfounded charges of drug abuse. This is a torment that his family was forced to endure. Fortunately, the Celtics went on and retired the number. O.J. Simpson was charged with murder. Yet, the media have seen fit to smear his name with drug usage. This had nothing to do with the case. His image is still destroyed. What is the significance of what I am saying? I’m stating that the media treat whites differently. Where they are quick to destroy Black heroes, they believe in a kinder and gentler way of dealing with white icons. After it was announced that Jerry Garcia, leader of the “Grateful Dead,” died of natural causes ... it was stated that he died of a heart attack. As the different media sources continued to report, it bounced back and forth between natural causes and heart attack. This was a

person who lead a drug culture for thirty years. “Sex, drugs and rock and roll" was his credo. This man died in a drug treatment center and yet, not one member of the media speculated that drugs might have played a part in his death. Let me assure you that if you a|3use heroin andcocaine forthirty years, as he did, naturally, your heart will attack and kill you... The media have already done their job to preserve their icon. Mickey Mantle, the legend, once again, the media are busy preserving their legend. Let’s forget that he showed up drunk to every personal appearance for the past twenty years. Let’s remember the hero and not the role model. I’m sorry. Mickey Mantle was a drunk who could play baseball. Very tragically, three young people lost their lives in Carmel: Over and over again, the media reported on the impending trail.. Over and over again, they failed to label (his as a drug deal gone bad. Those young people were attempting to buy drugs, and did not know who they were dealing with. It was a drug deal gone bad. To say four “druggies” and a drunk have died sounds very harsh and insensitive. Yet, the media seem to have no compassion when they destroy my icons, heroes and role models. Twenty-five years later and my peers are in the media, the government and (he police. Where is that optimism that we shared as we waited in the wings for our turn to run things? Our time has come and what’s different? People are as far apart as they ever were, and the years seem to have taught us nothing. Tony Edwards

Happy 100th Congratulations to The Indianapolis Recorder for 100 years of excellent news coverage in Indianapolis. The citizens of Indianapolis and the African-American community, in particular, should be pleased and proud of your many accomplishments over the past century. Best wishes for your continued success. Judge Gerald S. Zone Superior Court of Marion County Don’t let lawyer tricks fool you The organized bar is increas- \ ingly aware of charlatans who hawk the virtues of living trusts to unsuspecting consumers. Advertisements abound promising that by buying prepackaged legal forms one can reduce or even eliminate estate taxes, and avoid the evils of probate. The facts are quite different. A living trust, prepared by an experienced lawyer and used in the hands of an informed client, is a tool whose principal value is to protect against the client’s subsequent incapacity. However, a living trust does not offer any additional advantages than a properly prepared will. When it comes to probate, seldom can anyone of means avoid that altogether. It should be noted that in 1975 the General Assembly passed a series of reform laws designed to streamline the probate process by expediting the transfer of property at death and minimizing the cost of doing so. Consumers need to remember that estate planning calls for the same level of skill and training they expect from their physicians in diagnosing and treating illness. Quick fixes, often bearing expensive price tags, are as reliable as snake oil would be in curing illness. Yet, we continue to hear unfortunate stories of good, but inexperienced, people who pay exorbitant fees for third rate legal work or worse. And this is a growing problem around the country. As a result, responsible lawyers in Indiana are working with Attorney General Pamela Carter to educate the public about living trusts and to provide assistance to those who have been taken advantage of by others whose promises are too often expensive and simply untrue. Consumers with complaints about false advertising, excessive estate planning fees, and other prob- * lems related to living trusts, should contact Attorney General Carter’s Consumer Protection Division at (317) 232-6330or (800) 382-5516. Gordon Wishard, Indianapolis attorney and Pamela Carter Attorney General

v.- •• *• •• % vc-j- • ... . y. • ’ . • • ••••»*

••

V”«

■ • •••' T'yjBSfyvy • .. .'• V •,* • PRpftSSOfl V/ -V.'.vv” <>/••• ^HARRIS^

SKIN HEM) SELL ING DRUGS _ .• V ">

IN THE BUCK COMMUNITY? ; ;

OX THEN WHO'S DOIHG »T ? 'T?\ •vV,> < vy.V . OF WHITE-r/-y v • • ; ‘ ••• •••■ v.' v' v homicide victims are •• • 'j • \V “ V C-\'"vV MURDERED BY OTHER y /

.whites?-y- *;

“ V *

Po-iiox

■■■ ‘

(/Ofcgc?

• *

THIS IS NOT |, BUT--- ; HOW h I ■ THIS CANNIBAL!':'. IS

LOOKS...

; h.i i

toll Management dieci j. It’s dieckii^ that manages to make you real cash.

Higher interest on higher balances. Unlimited check-writing

CTi

isl T

Why let a good deal of money lay around in low-interest checking, savings or money-market accounts

MANAGEMENT whe " h ^ x i ]A be earning more in PHFr’KINC’ our Cash Management Checking

account? The portion of your balance

over $5,000 earns a higher return tied to the Fed Funds Rate* You can write all the checks yoii want and use your ATM card anywhere. And it’s FD1C insured. So stop by your local First of America office or dial 1-800-222-4FOA to open your account by phone.

s*50,000 4.54 Aw

$25.000 4.17'Aw

$10,000 3.043W

Example APYs as of 9/24/95. Check with us for current rates.

0 FIRST 0 FAMRICA Bank

•The interest rate for the portion of the balance above $5,000 u tied to the wtehly average Federal Funds Rate less not more than one percent, which, as of9/24/95 is 4 81% The portion of the balance $5,000 and below rams an interest rate determined by the bonh. which, as of9/24/95. is 1 15% The APT ranges from 1 lti% to 4.73% on 1100.000 Annual Frrcentagr Yields are subject to change after account opening Fees may reduce earnings Equal Housing Lender 0 Member FDIC © 1995. FOA Rank Corporation If hearing impaired. TDD available from 9-5 FST at <800) 2894614. F