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REGULAR MEETING AUGUST 12, 2013
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<br />EEOC reports are filed each year by the City of South Bend and other cities and municipal
<br />governments. And that is why we have some many other laws that you know ask for fairness
<br />with job sites, inclusiveness with all races, genders and now we are talking about sexual
<br />orientation as well being added to that particular law an so when it looks like a lot of (inaudible)
<br />given to a person for stances that have been taken due to whatever issues that are out there, it
<br />really sends a bad message that you know the freedom of speech is not really free, it seems like
<br />there is a censorship that is out there that shows that we are not mature enough to handle other
<br />folks opinions and it really slaps and gives a black-eye to the City of South Bend when you have
<br />these sorts of issues. Being pulled over at gun point by the South Bend Police Department
<br />clearly scares a lot of residents, and has scared a lot of residents, but the conversation goes a lot
<br />deeper than me because that is an average conversation at the Barber Shop on a Friday afternoon.
<br />That is an average conversation at the supermarket with guys that I have grew up with. So many
<br />of the things that I am currently going through are an everyday lifestyle for folks that I know live
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<br />in the 2 District or even outside the district. So I think that it really now an opportunity to build
<br />upon some of things that have happened in the city to have a edifying conversation about where
<br />we are at, what we really need to do to rid ourselves this dark cloud that is hovering over the city.
<br />It doesn’t allow us to grow, quite frankly it Is hurting us, it’s killing us economically, it stops all
<br />trust, that may happen between law enforcement and the common resident and just sets a bad,
<br />bad precedent for generations to come. We have all seen the videos and marches on Washington
<br />and all those different things and we are still fighting a lot of those same fights. But here in
<br />South Bend, Indiana, we can do a lot better and I am going to obviously progress the
<br />conversation further after today, so that the community can weigh in on conversations that
<br />produce fairness. Fairness that could go onto jobs, fairness could go into city services, looking
<br />like they are higher in one area versus the other area. Fairness could go into one’s opinion being
<br />taking out of context or someone potentially maybe made a spectacle because they feel a certain
<br />way about a certain situation. And, I think that as adults as leaders in the city, stewards of the
<br />city funds, I think that it is obviously time now, to have that conversation and I think that and I
<br />know that if we do have that conversation we are better off later on than where we are at right
<br />now, because it looks really, really bad and again this is a lot larger than Henry Davis, Jr.,
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<br />Councilman Davis 2 District, it’s a lot larger than me. It’s about folks that are in the
<br />community that pay taxes, that live here, raised a family here, that want to be here and remain
<br />here, that’s what it is about, and people that want to grow. We all obviously want the same
<br />thing, we want good schools, we want good communities, and we want neighborhoods that you
<br />know produce good citizens, environments conducive to growth, we all want those things. I
<br />think the hang-up always is, is how we get there, you know and what vehicle we choose to use.
<br />So, as I digress in comments and my conversation again, I want to thank you to the gentleman
<br />from the South Bend Police Department, for their attention, I still have not heard from the
<br />Mayor, himself at all, I have not heard from our New Police Chief Ron Teachman, I don’t know
<br />what the hang-up is, and you know at this point quite frankly, that’s on them. But, again for
<br />those who did call, those who expressed concern, thank you so much. My family is fine, we will
<br />remain fine, we will stay prayerful, we will make it through this, but this community needs that
<br />edifying conversation, it needs it very fast and very soon. Thank you.
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