Comments on Advance Indiana™: Another Proponent of SJR-7 Insults Our Intelligence

As elected representatives and senators, the Black...

2007-04-17T21:30:00.000-05:00

As elected representatives and senators, the Black Legislative Caucus does have a "certain amount of power" in Indiana government ... just saying!

so Mae finally weighs in on something.Yawn.The bes...

2007-04-17T19:47:00.000-05:00

so Mae finally weighs in on something.

Yawn.

The best thing I can say about her is, her hats are cute.

But in Texas, they have a saying for people who deliver little in the way of gravitas:

"All hat and no cattle."

Mae is absolutely all hat.

If I were Todd, and I can't stand the little bugger, I'd opt for a forum like the Urban League or NAACP. The Black Caucus only knows one note: whine.

btw, I was over at the Statehouse today -- Toddy w...

2007-04-17T16:44:00.000-05:00

btw, I was over at the Statehouse today -- Toddy was going to be an invited guest at a Black Legislative Caucus meeting. Rep. Mae Dickinson repeated to me that she thought
Rokita should resign!

"Wilson... All your mentors were lightweights and ...

2007-04-17T15:09:00.000-05:00

"Wilson... All your mentors were lightweights and laughed at by the real civil rights workers who were in the real trenches spilling blood so you could vote!"

The Rev. Andrew J. Brown was an accomplished leader; his memory shouldn't be trashed by an anonymous hate filled monger. The truth:

HON. ANDREW JACOBS, JR.

in the House of Representatives

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1996

Mr. JACOBS. Mr. Speaker, he was the only minister of the Gospel in history to deliver a second opening prayer at the House of Representatives in the same calendar day. But his claim to the profound respect and affection of all Americans is that he was one of Dr. Martin Luther King's top lieutenants in the peaceful revolution to make real the ideals of the bloody American Revolution.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/F?r104:2:./temp/~r1042dLlB4:e0:

--AI, please stop this anonymous poster from spewing its lies...it's really tiresome.

You can't be serious Wilson! Exactly my point. "Po...

2007-04-17T14:11:00.000-05:00

You can't be serious Wilson! Exactly my point. "Polite Protest" I think they called it when the blacks in Indianapolis cut political deals with the whites to gain what pittance they could from the party in charge. All your mentors were lightweights and laughed at by the real civil rights workers who were in the real trenches spilling blood so you could vote!
So we must assume that you believe Ray Crowe was actually Jim Crow? And Crawford, bought and paid for by Bulen. Carson doesn't even deserve a comment.

ANDREW BROWN WAS NO ANDREW GOODMAN!

I was trained in Indianapolis politics by Black Re...

2007-04-17T13:36:00.000-05:00

I was trained in Indianapolis politics by Black Republican leader Rev. A. J. Brown and his civil rights team. I have proudly associated with them ever since -- I stand with Bill Crawford and Julia Carson, experienced and responsible leaders. The community knows, supports and elects them. So do I...

Wilson, please provide an explanation of blacks ca...

2007-04-17T13:26:00.000-05:00

Wilson, please provide an explanation of blacks carrying white supremacist baggage. Are you referring to individuals from the Indianapolis black community and elsewhere that made Unigov possible. I recall the questions raised by many when former Attucks High School educator and basketball coach (of Oscar Robertson etc) was recruited by Keith Bulen to run on the GOP ticket for State Representative at a time when Crowe's vote was used amoungst others in the General Assembly to pass Unigov. Crowe, in effect, helped the Marion County GOP maintain a hold on the county for about 36 years with Unigov's passage.
Are we to pity Ray Crowe anymore than we should pity any of our current local black leaders that are content to suck from the teat of Indianapolis' white ruling class?
Yes, the party label changed when Democrats took control of the mayor's office but once you brush off the thin veneer of that label you still see the money being handled and deals getting cut with the same white powerbase that have always ran this town.
And what does the black community get for the trade? Corrupt elected black officials, skyrocketing crime, death, despair and hopelessness in the inner city that a thousand pea shake houses will never fix.
When even Beurt SerVaas supports a amn like Peterson then you know that the tee shirt might say Democrat but the man wearing it's an old school Republican.
And who exactly have YOU been carrying the bags for in this county my dear Wilson?

>Of course there are other factors that describe t...

2007-04-17T13:15:00.000-05:00

>Of course there are other factors that describe the success of these states (one factor might be the common thread of mountains and/or coastlines).

If you want to draw correlations, then there is none stronger than the one you just pointed out. The earlier posts note a split among this group of states regarding marriage amendments. There is NO split on the observation above. It is not that a large percentage of these states have mountains or coastlines, it is that EVERY ONE OF THESE STATES has mountains or coastlines. Some, in fact, have both. So here we are again, ignoring the obvious in search of something less certain to prove our beliefs.

>Without natural resources or a robust entreprenurial economy to offer them, we put ourselves at a further disadvantage in recruiting this talent if they view Indiana as an intolerant place.

Despite the worshippers of Richard Florida, there is not any clear "research" that this is true or, if it is, that it has any distinguishable impact in comparison to other, more obvious things, like coasts, mountains and warm climates. (When you see states like Delaware on the list, you can also add in tax policies as a possible factor.)

What is not mentioned by the Richard Florida worshippers is the desire by young professional parents to find safe and wholesome (yes WHOLESOME) environments for their kids to grow up in. How often have we each met someone who was bellyaching because of their recent transfer to Indiana, but after a couple of years and a kid or two, they had decided that this was the best place for them and had decided to stay, even if meant changing jobs from the company that actually brought them here.

>Given the academic research on this point...

The problem is, you haven't "given" it. Where is it? I'm the only one to even mention a source, and that's not a strong one. Where is this supposed "research?"

>and the practical experience of businesses trying to recruit people to come here

Let's talk again about coasts, mountains and climate. I know a lot of the employers who have experienced these recruitment challenges, and those three things are the clear and dominant reasons for those challenges. Not one - not one single one - has ever mentioned the loss of a recruit due to the "intollerance" of our state. Quite to the contrary, in fact, I have heard countless stories of recruiting efforts that have turned to the positive after the recruit learned more about Indiana's nurturing and wholesome environment for raising families. What this blog swo often advocates runs directly counter to that common experience.

>I don't think Gary's position is subject to serious challenge.

It's not up for serious challenge only because it is not a serious proposition in the first place.

For those who are interested, here are the top ten...

2007-04-17T12:33:00.000-05:00

For those who are interested, here are the top ten states in the New Economy Index that I referenced in the article that Gary cites:

1. Massachusetts
2. New Jersey
3. Maryland
4. Washington
5. California
6. Connecticut
7. Delaware
8. Virginia
9. Colorado
10. New York

We are competing with several of these states for talent, particularly in the life sciences sector. Of course there are other factors that describe the success of these states (one factor might be the common thread of mountains and/or coastlines). So we're already at a disadvantage when we go head-to-head with these states for talent -- especially talented young people who increasingly want to live in tolerant and diverse communities, according to the research. Without natural resources or a robust entreprenurial economy to offer them, we put ourselves at a further disadvantage in recruiting this talent if they view Indiana as an intolerant place. Given the academic research on this point, and the practical experience of businesses trying to recruit people to come here, I don't think Gary's position is subject to serious challenge.

There have always been a few African-Americans who...

2007-04-17T11:31:00.000-05:00

There have always been a few African-Americans who carried the political baggage for white-supremacists. They are to be pitied and forgotten.

White folk have a special responsibility not to continue the ancien regime where almost all Black politicians are decried as scamps, scalawags, thieves and carpet-baggers.

You're a better man than me, Gary. If someone cal...

2007-04-17T11:30:00.000-05:00

You're a better man than me, Gary. If someone called me a racist prick, I'd shut him down for two reasons:

1. he's obviously drunk, or mentally impaired, and has not read this blog well or often enough, or has no common reasoning sense; and

2. coming from Wilson, it's just comical.

You nailed it--his definition of racist does not match Webster's. And whoever gave him the mantle of racial monitoring, should seriously consider taking it back. He's not doing a very good job.

Wilson said, "On some other issues, Welsh can be a...

2007-04-17T11:11:00.000-05:00

Wilson said, "On some other issues, Welsh can be a racist prick." Your definition of a racist, Wilson, is anyone who criticizes your fair lady, Rep. Julia Carson, or any other other African-American politician for that matter. It is enjoyable watching you squirm when that criticsm comes from either Abdul or RiShawn, who are able to set aside the issue of race to point out shortcomings of Carson or Monroe Gray, for example. You can't accuse them of being racists so you reserve that label for me. If you haven't noticed, Wilson, you've been figured out by everyone. Hint--nothing you say carries any weight.

An anonymous nobody is threatening to deprive the ...

2007-04-17T10:49:00.000-05:00

An anonymous nobody is threatening to deprive the blogmeister of the honor of being read by it? Quelle horreurs!

AdvanceIndiana owes its very name to the opposition to the bigotry of Eric Miller and his minions. Gary has done great work researching and exposing the workings of this modern-day Hoosier political Klan. We owe him greatly!

On some other issues, Welsh can be a racist prick.

If you want a doctrinaire rightwing ideological website, I suggest you stick with Matt Drudge.

Hey, AI, why don't you try a tiny bit of honesty a...

2007-04-17T10:09:00.000-05:00

Hey, AI, why don't you try a tiny bit of honesty and provide the list of states that Gifford is referencing. When you do that, it will become abunduntly and immediately clear that there are lots of other factors playing into that issue. And marriage amendments are a blip on the radar screen, at best.

Frankly, I love watching your arguments get more extreme and ridiculous. I do miss your thoughtful analysis that used to be given to so many other issues. But if this blog is going to be the single issue rant that it is so quickly becoming, then so be it. You and Wilson can go knock yourselves out.

"A basic quiz on the Constitution ought to be requ...

2007-04-17T08:18:00.000-05:00

"A basic quiz on the Constitution ought to be required, before you take the oath of office for any public office."

I'd add to that requirement a critical thinking skills test along with the necessary remedial course.

This from Dan's brother.This from the man who gave...

2007-04-17T07:33:00.000-05:00

This from Dan's brother.

This from the man who gave us In God We Trust (free) plates.

He obviously flunked civics in high school. A basic quiz on the Constitution ought to be required, before you take the oath of office for any public office.

Half our legislature would fail.

He's an embarrasing spectacle. We can only hope that someday soon, voters in Johnson County will send this ployester-suit goof packing.

But don't count on it.