Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 3 January 1998 — Page 3

SATURDAY, JANUARY 3,1996

THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

RAPE AS

Opinions Another election year is here Happy New Year! 1998 is an election year and politics will take center stage in our city, county and state; with titanic battles between Democrats and Republicans. Julia Canon’s re-election. On Nov. 3, Julia Carson attempts to become the first African-American ever re-elected to Congress from Indiana. Republicans badly want Julia’s seat, it's their number two priority (after winning control of the Indiana Legislature). But, since President BUI Gintons fundraising shenanigans have bankrupted the National Democratic Party, Carson can expect little cash from them. To fight an expected challenge from wealthy businessman Gary Hofmeister, or Virginia Blankenbaker, Carson must raise buckets of bucks from groups and the public. Can the GOP beat Carson? Maybe, if she doesn’t get a strong turnout from Black voters; and if this political veteran makes a mistake (which she rarely does). TTie battle of the budget surplus. Indiana has more than $1.6 BUlkm extra in the bank, so expect a vicious battle between Republicans, Gov. Frank O'Bannon and the Democrats on what to do with that surplus. People in our community want the surplus spent on more money for schools, free textbooks, job training, help for the elderly and better highways. Republicans want to put die surplus into Hoosiers pockets in tax cuts. Democrats want to give some tax cuts, but keep some of the surplus intact (because Indiana's good economy could turn sour at anytime). The legislative budget battle will be more vicious and cutthroat. It’s not about a budget surplus or tax cuts, but control of the legislature now and the governor’s office in 2000. The year of Mayor Goldsmith's discontent. The growing Indianapolis Police Department scandals and the city's obscene murder rate, is the most serious political problem Steve Goldsmith has ever faced! Goldsmith is hinting that he might run again in 1999. He’s emboldened because local Democrats don't have a strong candidate to run against him. The Democrats' best candidate was former Attorney General Pam Carter. But, she’s opted for the big bucks as die head lawyer for Cummins Engine Company. Among die lackluster names Democrats are suggesting for mayor include former County Chair Kip Tew. Local Dems have until fall to find a credible mayoral candidate our community can enthusiastically support. Make no mistake. Goldsmith and GOP City-County Council Republicans are vulnerable if IPD’s scandals continue and if the county’s murder rate can’t be stemmed. Any political party in office a longtime is vulemable, ask Britain’s John Major or Russia's Mikhail Gorbachev. The race for prosecutor. The city’s soaring crime rate should make Prosecutor Scott Newman vulnerable. But, Democrats have frittered away an initial advantage in this race. The presumed Democratic candidate, Deputy Attorney General Joe Champion, has wasted valuable time by not getting out and meeting key people and factions in our Black community. (It might be because Champion can't find a non-political job because law firms dont want to antagonize Newman). Meanwhile, Newman has honed his jmage and record as a tough prosecutor, getting death penalty convictions on Black-on-Black killers; tough ontkrugsmid serious crime. Right now. Newman is a heavy favorite fot; re-election, as is Sheriff Jack Cottey. A Black on the state ticket? Since the retirement of Pam Carter, there's been no African-Ammican elected to a statewide ticket. Four years ago, due to Dwayne Brown’s disgrace, Democrats didn’t nominate any Black for statewide office. This year, Democrats will insult African-American Hoosiers if a Black isn’t slated for one of the four statewide offices - Secretary of State, auditor, treasurer and courts clerk. School board elections. Will Blacks w Come Alive May Five” for die school board elections? Not only are seats up for grabs in the Indianapolis Public Schools district, but in all other Marion County school districts. Four IPS Board seats, a majority, will be chosen May Five. Incumbent Mike Rodman is in deep trouble for re-election. Hazel Stewart is a prohibitive favorite for re-election, if she runs. Marianna Zaphirou will have tough sledding from her Eastside district. And Julie Scott, who won four years ago district wide, will have a tough race, depending on die opposition. Expect the business community to run candidates for the IPS Board. But will Mayor Goldsmith endorse diem? A Goldsmith endorsement is a sure-fire way for a candidate to lose for the IPS board. And, based on my reading of IPS voters, candidates backed by downtown business interests will have trouble getting IPS voter support. Other local races. Could 1998 be the year Democrats win legislative seats in Marion County townships? Black population growth in Pike Township has increased chances for a Democratic win in a House seat there. Democrats must quickly identify and unify behind a candidate and get them out in front of Pike’s growing and restive Black community. This could be the quietist race for Center Township Trustee since die days of the late Dr. Benjamin Osborne. Current Trustee Carl Drummer, elected to fill out the last two years of Julia Carson’s term, has done a great job in the This tee’s office. There's no credible primary opposition to him, making for possibly die quietest Iriistee race in years! 1998’s election can impact our community, but only if our Afri-can-American communim Cranes Alive May Five and Lets Its Voice Be Heard November Thud! Heard In the Street It’s UNCF Telethon time again! If your church, business, corporation, labor union, club or organization is planning to give to our UNCF Telethon, and want your contribution acknowledged on the air, be at the Ashantii Room, 16th and Alabama St., Jan. 8, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. lb reserve a spot call me at 466-9032. See ya next week! Amos Brown’s opinions an not necessarily those o/The Indianapolis Recorder. You can contact him at (317) 293-9600 or email [email protected],

LETTERS

WRITING TO THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

short, oonctoe letters to the

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

Columnist should get facts straight

I read with disdain the Behind Closed Doors, “thumbs down” portrayal of me in Sunday’s Star. I feel compelled to set die record straight. I was not or have not been arrested for “pot” In the October incident referred to in that column, the police made no arrest, issued no ticket and wrote no citation. In fact, one officer said they smelled no aroma of marijuana in my car or on my person. He also said that my passenger and I did not appear to be under the influence of anything. We were free to leave after the officers determined we were not who they were looking for. Being charged by the prosecutor is not the same as being arrested. Nor is it the same as being found guilty of the charge. Nor does it equate to a conviction. Incidentally, it was previously reported in the Star that I resigned from one of my council committee assignments. That is also untrue. The Meadows controversy mentioned is a story that has yet to be told. When and if it is told, the Star and its readers will be treated to a fine example of what happens when neighbors truly work together to take control of their

community. The Mozel Sanders Homes Apartments is the largest minority owned, operated and managed apartment complex in this city. It has never beim done before and won’t be duplicated in the near future. I take great pride in what I helped bring about in my old neighborhood. And I owe no one an apology for causing die right thing to happen. It is not my fault Star reporters aren’t interested in covering my accomplishments that are in my opinion, newsworthy. For example. Fair Fees for Small Business Part m simplifies, recodifies and reduces the cost of small minority and women conducting business in our city. Its effects are far-reaching and took three years to complete. The savings to die affected business is more than a half-million dollars per year and still continue. The Children’s Guardian Home 2000 Plan is another example of an invisible light I am involved in to force attention and resources where they need to be magnified. Our vulnerable youth deserve the kind of attention we seem to reserve only for our “public assets and private financiers.” My efforts here go unno-

fgoiiwo^ NEW TRICKS

ticed by Star staff. The homeless in our community get swept under die sidewalk grates. I have taken a keen interest in the Horizon House Daycare Center for Homeless. They are experiencing problems related to financing and locatiob due to the overwhelming homeless population. Everyone says they care about the homeless, but too many only care to keep them out of sight It is difficult to hide die 3,000 clients served by Horizon House day after day, year after year. More than one out of four of their clients are veterans, but many are women and children who have no place to live. Have Star reporters noticed what happened to die Lionel Artis Apartments, die Placheme, the Savoy or the 333 Massachusetts Avenue high-rise? The Salvation Army and other providers are tilled beyond capacity. Meanwhile, (dans to demolish other low income properties that could house the low or moderate income families in our communities are being approved without inclusive and proper debate. My work in low income housing was tainied by “die appearance of a conflict,” according to the Star. Nevermind that two attorneys, unbeknownst to each other, rendered legal opinions in writing saying that there was no conflict. My work in this area, which helped bring Eugene Jones (the new Indianapolis Housing Authority director) to this city was ignored. As a director of the Indianapolis Housing Board and former chairman, we segmented millions of dollars in a housing project called Hope VI. Construction contracts were won by small and fledging businesses in this community. Those businesses deserved to participate in the local economy and the American (beam. But they would have been denied if not for die hard work and consideration of a hantfd of dedicated public servants. It wasn’t easy and it wasn’t perfect and it wasn’t pretty, but it was successful.lt was good enou^i to cause housing management to receive a unique, prestigious award in New York City this year for doing something others nationally had tried but failed to accomplish. In between special projects this year, I managed to examine and vote in county-wide initiatives pertaining to the budget, taxes, public safety, infrastructure, community affairs and economic development in this great city. Every ordinance I sponsored passed. Every constituent who called me received a return call. You may consider 1997 to be a bad news year for me. Please consider the above, which constitutes but a fraction of the good works God allowed me to do.

At-Large City County G

What the Indianapolis Public Schools need

What the Indianapolis Public Schools needs is a coalition builder, not a holy tenor. What IPS needs is an insider who knows our students, who knows our staff, who knows our parents and who knows our community. What IPS needs is someone from our community and who will retire from our community. I am sick and tired of the outsiders who know nothing about our children, our staff, our parents and our community. I am sick and tired of them guessing at what our children need and experimenting on our children. I am tired of would-be outsiders who use the children of this Indianapolis Public Schools

system as stepping stones in their careers. Pat Pritchett is die right person. Charles "Tony” Knight Deeply troubled by anti-Prltdiett questions I recently was contracted by a Star reporter to respond to the appointment of Pat Pritchett as superintendent of Indianapolis Public Schools. I was deeply troubled that every question to me by the reporter was anti-Pritchett Though I acknowledged to die

reporter that, in a presentation I made before the IPS Board of School Commissiooers, I had called for a nation-wide search to take place, I supported die board in its decision. I support the board’s decision primarily because IPS is in need of a superintendent now, not necessarily six months or a year down the line. This was not reported in the published article, therefore I appreciate this oppratunity to share my views. I have high hopes for the new superintendent and believe strongly that he will lift IPS and move the system positively into the new millennium. He has the respect of the majority of die

school board, the parents, staff and teachers and is committed to IPS students. These groups will coalesce and the new superintendent will be successful. Mr. Pritchett listens and speaks quietly. These are merits, not demerits. I do not ascribe to the philosophy that the way to be successful is to be loud, rode, and disrespectful to people, b is my hope that the news media.

community will give this new admmistr succeed.

Dtatrfct34

What a boy needs to become a man

There is no feeling quite like the sensatibn that you get when you are truly in tune with nature. I have to admit, nowadays that feeling is getting harder and harder to recapture. Due to everyone’s sense of entidement regardless of die consequences, it seems that people nowadays are more concerned with their personal agenda than they are with ascertaining the truth. This narrow viewpoint, in and of itself, is a backhanded compliment to the greatness of the principles of a democratic society. The inherent virtues of our society are the same tools being used to denigrate the system by stagnant drinkers and die less principled

during those hot summer days, park at the base of a gigantic, old weeping willow tree and climb up into its shade. While sitting there I’d gaze out at the sky lost in myself. It was during one of these boyhood ventures that the concept of manhood completely overwhelmed me. A sense of power surged through me. I was in awe of the pure power of my masculinity yet I was afraid of what could happen if it was

recognize it was my father Although he wasn’t my biological father he is my dad.

, <* :

And the type of person I might I xomeifk wasn’t for dris man's influence in my lifr. The conclusions dmt I come up

would be if I lived in an age or place where society wouldn’t allow mean be a mmi. I

of this gift must have

mseofyour world. This wss, at least, how it was for n as I was growing up.

I don’t < it h true that I

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