LEOs and CCs, the Indy Undercover team is meeting this weekend to determine the fate of the blog. We are deciding whether to keep it going or call it an experience come January 1st when the new powers take over. We have decided we want to solicit your opinions, regardless. So what should we do? Should we stay or should we go? And if we stay, what do you want Indy Undercover's focus to be? Some of the crew want to go back to full-time law enforcement. Others want to stay and fight and act as a counterbalance to what's coming on the horizon.It is hard to deny the role Indy Undercover and other blogs like Advance Indiana, Indiana Barrister and Digital Farmers, among others, played in Greg Ballard's victory last Tuesday. Frankly, I think I can speak for the pro-Ballard blogs in saying we did more to aid Ballard's election this year than his own party. We all heard party leaders telling us as recently as two weeks ago Ballard didn't have a chance of winning. We hung in there, believed in him and fought to the bloody end on his behalf. Now, where to go.
Indy Undercover has been a mystery everyone has wanted to unravel. On at least two occasions, I have been falsely accused of being the person behind the blog. Once, a leftist blogger said Ike Randolph and I were doing it as a joint project. The Scribe, otherwise known as Jacob Perry, falsely and viciously accused me of being the person behind Indy Undercover after he was outed by the blog. Perry later purged the offensive post. An even more bizarre thing happened last year when someone began anonymously sending me alleged e-mails between Ike Randolph and Abdul Hakim-Shabazz discussing posts for the blog. I couldn't tell whether they were spoofed e-mails so I showed them to the accused, who denied being behind the blog. Both say it's a group of law enforcement officers just like the blog claims. Rather than rush to judgment, I accepted the two men at their word.
I have sometimes debated in my own mind whether I would have been better off from the beginning publishing Advance Indiana anonymously as Indy Undercover and other blogs have done. It was an issue I confronted the moment I created the blog some thirty months ago. Ultimately, I believed I had to identify myself to my readers to be true to myself. I also believed it would provide me the incentive to take extra care with my words, understanding the impact what you write can have on others, intentionally or unintentionally. It hasn't come without its cost though. As more and more people read your blog, the more people start e-mailing you and even contacting you on the telephone. It consumes a lot of time--time which could otherwise be spent earning a living. Contrary to what some people may believe, I don't make money blogging. I have had some faithful readers who occasionally tip me for my work here, which I sincerely appreciate, but it's not been enough to pay for the cost of a high speed Internet connection.
What's more difficult is the people who take what you write to the next level. For more than a year now, Darla Williams of the Indiana Minority Report has repeatedly lifted and posted information contained on this blog on her own blog--using the term loosely. While the posts were attributed to me, not once did she ever ask my permission to re-post what I write here on her blog. I was unaware she was doing it until a well-known journalist in town brought it to my attention. I never complained to her about it. I just accepted it as her way of complimenting my work. When I questioned her qualifications to serve as liaison for the new Ballard administration to the outgoing Peterson administration, she was quick to call me a "green-eyed monster", a "kook" and a racist. Never mind the fact that I had also paid her a compliment as a talented lawyer. As they say, no good deed goes unpunished. Williams also quickly pulled the link from her site to mine. Do you think she will also purge all the posts she lifted from my site over the past year? Hope I helped drive hits to your site, Darla. I hope you practice better diplomacy in the Ballard administration than you've demonstrated towards me.
Life goes on. What the future holds for this and other blogs remains to be seen. It's always a wild ride. You can choose to live your life as a rollercoaster or live your life on a merry-go-round. The life I've chosen is the rollercoaster. The ups are great, but the downs can be really trying on a person.
33 comments:
Darla is a crazy crazy witch. Ballard needs to dump her.
Indy Undercover promotes hate, venom, distrust, racism and is anti Indianapolis.....the sooner it is gone, the better.
Gary, you and the other bloggers you mention are self-absorbed idiots if you think you did more for Greg Ballard than the Republican Party. If you multiplied the number of unique views you have by 100, you wouldn't have a tenth of the impact that the party has with a single press conference. Wake up and get a life.
Reference 8:39
Not sure who you are, but you are smoking something, or at least blowing smoke somewhere else. These blogs were very instrumental. I contributed to Ballard because of them. When asked if I wanted some of it to go the the MCGOP, I said....Hell no. They have done squat to help Ballard. Take your delusional self back under your rock.
no more a self absorbed indiot than you - with a horrible weave to boot.
I'm so confused. . Who's got a horrible weave?
This blog, Gary, has routinely provoked intellegent discussion. I disagree often, but find much to chew on. It make sme think. Wilson and all.
IndyU has never made me think. I try to be broad-minded, and I read it three or four times a week as part of my regular media mix, until about a month ago. It was just too shrill and frankly, often inaccurate, so I gave it up.
They can claim they helped Ballard, but I can count many persons whom they turned off, so, I'd bet it ws a wash. Your blog, on the other hand, opened a lot of eyes, and even when it veered off (you were so anti-Peterson it got shrill, too) I still found much to consider.
IndyU dried up as an effective communications tool, long ago. Your blog has a long shelf life.
Just keep the Wilson delete button handy.
Anon 9:41 As a Peterson supporter, I agree with everything that you say...there was meaningful dialogue here while Indy Undercover was a rumor mongering, name calling hate site.
Gary I think you took this one toooo far. Honestly you’re starting to sound like Jen but without the hateful attitude. This attack on Darla is unjustified. I know that Darla has presented your blog to the African American community, she was promoting your blog before all this backbiting started and she defended you more than once.
I think it's time for a few apologies to happen and we all need to get back on the Ballard bus and stop this in-fighting.
Gary, I remember last year you asked the very same question, "Should I stay or should I go now"?
Personally, I appreciate everything you do. It is read by the people in power, or coming up on the scene, because, for the most part you present a objective view of the players in this town.
Just as we Ignore Wilson, Ignore Darla too. If Greg hasn't seen her crazy rant she will show who she really is soon enough. People don't change. I just hope when she shows the real her someone intervenes to remove her from the process quickly.
I would say "ditto" but that would sound like Limbaugh. Ick.
So, let's say, I second (third) that D-leaning, intelligent-discussion-loving emotion.
Surely you joke, IndyErnie. I owe Darla an apology? She uses anything from this blog which serves her ends and the rest of the time, well I won't even repeat what she says about me behind my back the rest of the time. Let's just say she and Sherron Franklin see eye to eye on a lot of things.
IndyUndercover is Abdul, Ike, and a couple of others. You can tell the posts that Abdul writes by looking at his writing style and choice of words. He's got a very distinct style. And Ike has moved over onto that Indy Flashover site.
Now that they (think they) got Ballard elected, they're done. The blogs will go away shortly, or at the very least Abdul and Ike will no longer contribute. No reason for them to.
Oh, and Polis Politics is Tom John. Notice no posts since the 7th. It's disappearing too.
anon 8:39 said, "If you multiplied the number of unique views you have by 100, you wouldn't have a tenth of the impact that the party has with a single press conference. Wake up and get a life."
Most of the party's press conferences weren't even covered by the MSM. If the blogs hadn't written about them, few would have known what was said at them.
"Oh, and Polis Politics is Tom John. Notice no posts since the 7th. It's disappearing too."
No. It's not Tom John. Polis Politics linked to my blog, after I posted a bit from a Hammond Times article on Mr. Chairman and his association with a Democrat waterway board in East Chicago.
This is the best blog in Indy - you have a lot of fans - and I keep telling people about you. Don't go bitter and please help keep us informed. I read your posts before I read the Star opinions. Thanks! You are providing a real service to Indy.
Good job Gary.
Be safe.................flipper
The best thing to happen to the local Demo party is when Jocelyn and Darla left to become republicans.....good riddance to two whacked out women.
Ah, so these blogs will have nothing to say now that the Republican saviors have taken over our fair city? Thank God we're saved IndyU! Now go get the bad guys and STFU.
I'm surprised someone hasn't blow the lid off Abdul's ethical dilemma in the local news media. The guy is on Tom John's payroll and he pretends to be more fair and balanced than other reporters. He only reports what the people who are slipping money into his pockets, giving him free Colts tickets, inviting him to VIP parties, etc. want him to report.
Who really cares who's behind IU? If the information is credible - which a large part seems to be - why do we need to know which LEO/LEOs are giving it?
Gary - I enjoy this blog. I realize you are partisan, but not so much you are blinded and won't consider an opposing viewpoint. You provide some though provoking discussion on this site, unlike IndyU, which most of the time simply evokes an emotional response.
Let's face it - blogs are gossip, and the intelligent reader has to know and discern. There are no ethical boundaries, as there allegedly are with the mainstream media outlets. If I am going to read something that may or may NOT be true, I would just as soon do it from a source that's not so self righteous and superior.
I don't know which blogs will stay and which will go but I do know one thing, Advance Indiana IS the city's BEST blog.
There has been material on issues which I personally sent to that he never posted or wrote about but it's his blog. No,I don't agree with some of his positions but the point is that he helps keep the local MSM in check. That's one of the unique purposes of blogs, they force accountability upon those that wish to dismiss it.
Indianapolis, in my opinion is very much behind the times so far as good local blogs are concerned but AI is heads above all the other locals playing the game.
AI is what I see as a true independent blog which slices politics both ways generally.
Hopefully, Indianapolis will gain more great blog sites as other "single purpose" ranting blogs drop off the net.
Blogs like Indyundercover will fade becasue their original agenda has been achieved. Jen's TDW blog will fade too after the 2008 election or sooner. Abdul's blog has gone down hill and has not been relevant for some time now but Abdul is MSM which people sometimes fail to realize.
AI needs to stay because it's good for Indianapolis.
Gary,
It's no secret I love your blog. I promote it frequently at the activist blog for Hoosiers For Fair Taxation. In fact, you help me understand the issues better.
However, I think your comments about Darla are unfair. I've spent a good amount of time with Darla this summer and I never once have heard her say a single derogatory word about you. In fact, like me, she faithfully reads and appreciates your blog.
If she re-prints your content then kindly let her know what your rules for reprint and ask her to comply. I'm sure she will.
I honestly have not seen the witch that she is made out to be on this blog...and again I've worked very closely with her on some projects and she's been a godsend to me more than once.
She is a passionate person and perhaps her passion causes her to act in a forthright way that some might deem abrasive.
She is one of the most dedicated activists I've met in the African American community and works tirelessly as an advocate for the advancement of minorities and women.
I do wish you would give her a break. She's qualified to interpret municipal contracts and I believe she's a good fit for the transition team.
And who cares if she is sometimes abrasive with Peterson's people. Personally, I love it! It is not like they've been open and helpful to the average citizen in Indianapolis anyway.
Does anybody know of another 'Bart' needing a comeuppance?
anon 10:29....it would be easy to tell what Ike wrote as it would be filled with incorrectly spelled words and poor grammar.
I have to agree with Melyssa. I've had the good fortune to get to know Darla a little bit over the past couple months, mostly running into her at the tax protests/forums. She has always impressed me with her integrity and straightforwardness.
Having her as the liaison is a good choice, as it shows the other team that Ballard won't accept any funny business. Any attempts to play games with city contracts during this transition will be called out, as Darla has proven her willingness to take tough stands.
You have not seen the real Darla. Period. It isn't Gary 'attacking' her, he is pointing out the truth.
IndyErnie, Gary doesn't owe Darla an apology. If anything, Darla owes a lot of apologies out there.
She has treated people like shit and most of those good people are just too polite to step up an say it.
Ballard, dump this loose cannon.
Tim, thanks for confirming not voting for you was the right choice.
Tim, I appreciate your concern for Darla and respect your opinion. I know she openly supported your candidacy, which actually contributed to the loss of one of the party's at-large candidates, but let's not debate that here. You and Melyssa are forcing me to be more specific. When I have gay friends who live in Darla's neighborhood--people who have invested in helping fix up that troubled neigbhorhood--tell me of the vicious name-calling they have endured from her at neighborhood meetings, I can't sit idly by and say nothing. While you, Melyssa and Ernie seem to have positive interactions with Darla, others have shared completely opposite accounts with me, which are very troubling. This is not me alone speaking. I'm just the one speaking out because people are saying Gary you have to say something, we just can't sit by and let something bad happen to Greg because of this appointment. When your first line of civil discourse is to hurl insulting names at another person, then you have to question whether you are the right person to handle what is by all accounts a diplomatic position.
Melyssa, Tim and IndyErnie should be the ones to let it drop. This is one thing you will never win.
Gary, I could add to your stories and they would have a completely different flavor from yours and all would be true.
With all respect to you, Gary. Why can't your friends speak for themselves.
There are a lot of people who post their harsh words under "anonymous".
I have had very positive interaction with Darla as well.
I can even give Wilson a little bit of respect for posting under his name. At least he does have to the courage to use his name, (most of the time)
People who want to throw stones should have the courage to say who they are.
You, Indyernie, Darla, sir hailstone, and I do have one thing in common! We will fight for what we believe in!
even though Wilson is truely lost, he still stands up for his beliefs, no matter how looney they are!
GaryJ, you have never been attacked by Darla, so there are reasons we are anonymous.
Drop it.
There is absolutely no room for homo hatred in our city.
Gary, you know how I feel about gays, lesbians, and transgendered people. I think there is room on God's earth for all of us to live in tolerance and embrace real diversity.
Gary, I hope you aren't putting too much stock in hearsay and I wouldn't trust an anonymous comment on a blog as trustworthy either.
If you are going to publicly insult someone, have the stones to sign your name.
And Gary...I respect that you DO put your name to your beliefs.
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