Published: December 12, 2007 04:36 pm            

LETTERS: Dec. 13, 2007

New group to promote debates in '08 election

Indiana has a new option in its election future in 2008.

A dozen groups representing citizens and media have formed an unprecedented alliance to create the Indiana Debate Commission, a non-partisan coalition organized to promote debate in the upcoming gubernatorial election. We cover the gamut from neighborhood advocates to lawyers.

When we publicly announced from the Statehouse in Indianapolis, we were faced with the inevitable question we’ve also asked ourselves: Will candidates actually agree to debate next year?

The election is still a long way off and we can’t answer for the candidates — who must formally declare by the spring. We’ve also met with officials of the Democrat, Republican and Libertarian parties and asked for their input, but they also can’t make promise for individual candidates.

Even so, those wishing to host debates are already lining up around Indiana — representing both private and public venue sites — and informal queries have been made of the commission’s interim board.

The public, we believe, is anticipating and demanding to see its candidates up close and hear how they propose to govern the state of Indiana.

Indiana’s history, however, has been spotty when it comes to debates. They do not occur regularly and often the challenges to conducting these forums are considerable. Campaign managers can refuse to participate — unless they call the shots. Incumbents often won’t put themselves in a challenger’s arena, regardless of how well he or she is doing in the polls.

Venue standards for the best broadcasting conditions can also be intimidating. We’ve listed them on our Web site at www.indianadebatecommission.com so the public can appreciate the behind-the-scenes coordination required to present a meaningful debate forum.

The Indiana Debate Commission is, and will be, a work in progress in 2008. The election of its formal board occurs in January. Once candidates have filed their formal declarations, it is likely debate venues will be visited and confirmed. After the primary, the commission will be busy and visible — perhaps in your community.

— Terri Jett, Interim Board of the Indiana Debate Commission, E-mail: tjett@butler.edu



Group looking for MLK award nominees



The time has come again to nominate two individuals — youth and adult, from our community for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom and Justice Award. This award is given yearly to a citizen who has made significant contributions in the areas of race relations, justice and/or human rights. These individuals must be a resident of Clark County for at least one year, be between the ages of 12 and 20 for the youth award and at least 21 for the adult award.

Past winners of this award have been: The late Michael Anderson, former Pastor of Wesley United Methodist Church, Joe Easley, former Pastor of Wall Street United Methodist Church, Jim Brown, Pastor Emeritus of the First Presbyterian Church of Jeffersonville, Fire Chief Craig Miles, the Theater Department of Jeffersonville High School in recognition of their original play, “School Colors,” and many community activists. The 2007 winner was Susan Luna, school counselor at Parkview Middle School.

This award will be presented at the 24th Memorial Service of the King Holiday Weekend at St. Augustine Church, 315 E. Chestnut St., Jeffersonville. The starting time will be 1 p.m. on Jan. 21. The service will be preceded by a Memorial March assembling at noon in the New City Hall Building, then marching to the church.

For more information, see the advertisement in The Evening News or contact myself, Mrs. Janice W. Leavell at 812-283-1737. Thank you for your continued support and interest in the King Holiday!

— Janice W. Leavell, Chair, MLK Jr. Holiday Committee, Clark County



Stawar column gets him thinking



Terry Stawar’s recent column titled “Who is your enemy?” was interesting. He seemed to be saying that we create our own imaginary enemies and that the real enemies are “prejudice, ignorance, and hate, not people.”

On Sept. 11, 2001, radical Islamists flew planes into the World Trade Towers and the Pentagon killing about 3,000 Americans. Some brave Americans managed to take down one aircraft over Pennsylvania stopping more killing. The first attempt to take down the towers in 1993 failed because of misplaced explosives. September 11 was the first successful attack on our mainland since the War of 1812 when the British burned the White House. It was bloodier with more deaths than the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Attacks on two embassies in Africa, the Khobar Towers and the USS Cole followed the 1993 bombing.

According to Wikipedia, in “the orthodox tradition of Islam, the world is divided into two components: dar al-Islam, the house of peace and dar al-Harb, the house of war.” The house of peace is lands under Muslim rule. Radical Islam seems to have bought literally into a tradition that defines America and most of the world, “the house of war,” as their enemy. Radical Islamic terror is taking place in the Philippines, Israel, India, Thailand, Sudan, Russia etc. The borders of Islam are bloody.

Mr. Stawar wrote that Abraham Lincoln said the “best way to destroy an enemy is to make him a friend.” The Civil War had to be won before that could happen. Radical Islam’s friends must be good Muslims.

— Jim M. Young, Jeffersonville

        

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