Indiana Black Expo may opt to hold boycott

Indianapolis Star ^ | August 5th, 2002 | By Kevin O'Neal, kevin.oneal@indystar.com

[UncleSam]

Frustration over police treatment of people who attended Indiana Black Expo led to talk at a Sunday afternoon meeting of some sort of economic action against Downtown businesses.

"Hit them where it hurts," said Cynthia Ransom, one of the 40 people at the meeting. "When you start hitting them in their pockets, you get their attention." There was no consensus on what to do, but the word "boycott" was mentioned often.

[UncleSam]

The Indianapolis Community just doesn't appreciate and understand just who they are dealing with here! There will be hell too pay until this city makes proper amends to this special group and it's very special leaders.

"The meeting was called by women unhappy with the number of traffic tickets issued."

Is this the basis for the boycott? Do they really think the downtown merchants give a damn. The Black Expo's participants have been forced on the City for the past thirty years. Groups this unhappy should find another city more compliant to their special needs.

 

[Paul Atreides]

Let's put it this way; if these people were written up for violations, and don't want to take responsibility for their own actions, then I imagine the merchants would be relieved to not have them in their stores.

[Texas_Jarhead]

The gripes and complaints of the race pimps get more ridiculous each day.

[Always Right]

Well those darn no parking signs are discriminating again.

[Miss Marple]

From what I have heard (living in the suburbs of Indy) the merchants would not be upset if this event relocated to another town. The revenue from Black Expo is far less than the LOSS of revenue by folks who don't go downtown while it is going on.

The Expo itself is ok, but it draws a lot of gangs and generally unpleasant types, which means that people like me refuse to go downtown during Black Expo.

My son hated working as a waiter during this time, as the tips were very miniscule.

[nothingnew]

"Hit them where it hurts," said Cynthia Ransom

HA!

FMCDH

[UncleSam]

This situation has become very serious for some and very humorous too others. It seems as though Indy had escaped the usual vilification awarded other city's that hosted black events, until now that is.

 IMHO this action results from outside pressure and the new found boldness of the locals(12%). No doubt in part a long delayed retaliation for the way Indianapolis treated Mike Tyson.

[Paul Atreides]

Your story reminds me of the results every time someone tries to open a "young people's center" in town. They open it up with video games and non-alcoholic refreshments, as a place for teens to gather. It is not long before the place begins to look like a pig sty and it has to be shut down because of all the guttersnipe crowd taking over.

[Paul Atreides]

When I made my statement, I did so in all seriousness. If they are going to create such a stink over a parking ticket, when they are at fault, can you imagine what they would do if they went into someone's business?

[UncleSam]

My family owns several restaurants in Indianapolis and I am quite familiar with the spending habits. Also look at;

Source

City Promises Changes After Black Expo Complaints

IBE: Visitors Complained Of Rudeness, Excessive Ticket-Writing

Posted: 7:28 p.m. EST August 7, 2002
 

INDIANAPOLIS-- City leaders say changes will be made following allegations that police treated unfairly several visitors of Indiana Black Expo's 2002 Summer Celebration.

During a public meeting Wednesday at the Omega Conference Center (pictured, left), Mayor Bart Peterson said he will investigate all complaints -- including allegations that police verbally abused visitors, excessively handed out tickets, and unnecessarily towed several cars.

"I believe that the city of Indianapolis was not well-prepared for the expo this year, and for that I apologize," Peterson told the hundreds who gathered at the meeting.

After the meeting, the mayor's office released a list of changes for future events, including the appointment of a "special event coordinator" who will be responsible for the planning and supervision of public-safety details for all city events.

IBE officials had alerted city leaders of their concerns, saying some visitors wrote to them to say they won't return to Indianapolis.

Before Wednesday's meeting, IBE's president, the Rev. Charles Williams, said police excessively wrote tickets for violations such as parking and jaywalking. He said police were not prepared for the Summer Celebration, which ran July 15-21.

"And because of (disorganization), some police officers ran rampant passing out tickets, mistreating guests," Williams said.

The meeting's host, U.S. Rep. Julia Carson, D-Ind., said she believed many visitors were subjected to an embarrassing display by police.

"We want to have a climate where people feel free to come here and receive a hospitality kind of welcome ... without having to be bombarded by unnecessary police actions," Carson said in an interview Wednesday.

The city's public safety director, Robert Turner, conceded that some officers' "immediate planning" may not have been consistent with the city's overall plan.

In an interview before the meeting, Williams said he would consider filing a civil lawsuit against the city and the Indianapolis Police Department. He was not available for comment after the meeting.

 

[billhilly]

R-E-S-P-E-C-T is E-A-R-N-E-D. It can be demanded until the cows come home, but unless it is earned it will never be given.

[Paul Atreides]

And, one of the ways it is earned is by being an adult and taking responsibility for one's own actions.

[Blue Screen of Death]

Well those darn no parking signs are discriminating again.

Were the signs in Ebonics?

[billhilly]

Exactly. I don't know why that is so hard to understand. I was taught to do that as a small child, and with a little reinforcement from my mother's switch I soon had it perfected. Of course, that was in those unenlightened times during WWII when an entire nation was taking responsibility.

[Ravaged Nation]

Groups this unhappy should find another city more compliant to their special needs.

I'm happy to say that Cincinnati won't be on their list anytime soon. :D

[hoosierham]

Well It MUST be their fault !

Seriously, how can the Black Expos, Black Television, Black Congressional Caucas, Black Police and Firefighter's unions , etc be justified ? OR special Women's Groups when White Heterosexual Men may not form exclusive groups ? And just whyinhell do we put up with it ?

EQUAL RIGHTS NOT SPECIAL RIGHTS !!!!

[UncleSam]

That is the complaint. They expect the City to treat them differently and let them do what they damn please. There has been quite a few news reports over this intended intimidation. Here are a few other recent stories. This one is special.

August 10th, 2002 Indianapolis Star reports; Councilmen's memo sparks uproar. 2 GOP officials label participants in meeting over police actions during Expo as 'thugs.' The controversy over ticketing and alleged police rudeness at this year's Indiana Black Expo took an ugly turn Friday as two elected officials accused the mayor and a congresswoman of pandering to extremists who are "gorillas and thugs."

http://www.indystar.com/article.php?expo10.html

 

Blacks call for boycott of Nordstrom

http://www.indystar.com/article.php?nordstrom07.html

 

[Teacher317]

Fine. Let them go to Michael Jackson's hometown, Gary, IN. Within shooting distance of Chicago, much more likely to bend over backwards for the extra business, and a much more urban atmosphere. It would also raise the class and IQ of both cities.