Posted on 04/25/2008 6:57:24 PM PDT by TornadoAlley3
GARY, Ind. (WLS) -- The presidential primary campaign in northwest Indiana already includes a big controversy involving high school seniors in Gary who have been taken out of school recently and bused to nearby Crowne Point to learn about early voting, and, if they're 18, to cast their own ballots.
It was more of an experience, we got to see how government runs, on a one-on-one basis, more than textbook and learning materials. It was a privilege first and foremost and an honor," said Adam Brown, Gary student.
The nearby Hammond mayor and Sen. Hillary Clinton supporter says the program is a blatant attempt to help Illinois Sen. Barack Obama politically on school time and taxpayer expense because most of the students are African American and likely to vote for Obama.
"The timing is suspect. All of a sudden, they're getting the high school seniors, not just registered to vote, but taking them to vote, when they get done, taking them to lunch afterward," said Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott Jr.
Gary activists reacted to the comments with cries of racism outside Hammond City Hall.
"They'll vote and show up on Election Day, but we won't make a special half day field trip to take them to Crowne Point. It is wrong," said McDermott.
"As an educator, we look at the entire process. It was a learning experience for the children," said Pamela Sanders, Gary teacher.
Even though Obama will get most of the votes in Gary, it is said to be a toss up in Lake County, which is an equally mixed population. In fact, it looks to be a toss up in the entire state of Indiana. All of the polling in recent weeks shows the two candidates within a couple of points. So for the next ten days, they'll be all over the Hoosier State with ads because this is the end of the line, one way or the other.
The Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean said today unless there's a conclusive decision in the next couple of primaries, the super delegates will look at who has the best chance of beating John McCain, regardless of who has the most votes or delegates. This state is key for both campaigns.
Let them take Juniors instead.
“As an educator, we look at the entire process. It was a learning experience for the children,” said Pamela Sanders, Gary teacher.
Rather an odd way to talk about bussing young adults to the polls to vote.
Geez, can’t the Clinton people find something else to cry about? High school students who are over 18 can pretty much come and go as they please anyway, at least they could when I was in high school not so long ago. This whole “issue” is a joke.
Of course they did, it is ALL about racism this time around.
yes, they can....according to this link
Well, I AM biased. I want to see Hillary lose, and lose badly. It only saddens me that after see what has happened this week it's clear that McCain isn't going to attack Obama's weaknesses, so I guess we are all screwed either way....
Hey, we need to educate people about democracy;, and what better way than giving our youth a look at how the rest of the country works. I think most people do not appreciate the amount of isolation these kids experience in a predominately black community. They are getting a skewed education where they live, and are ill-prepared to step out of that environment and into the real America. Little wonder we are suffering the high dropout rates and prisons full of young people. It isn’t just Gary, Indiana. Any large city with concentrations of any ethnic group suffer similarly. The problems have not gone away, and no amount of money thrown in that direction will help. We realize that,and do not do anything about it. A start would be to vote the political hacks out of office. You can paint over the stripe on a skunk, but the smell will not go away.
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