IndyStar: After Facebook exchange, surgeon accuses state lawmaker of racism
Chicago Tribune: “Huston…pledged to be stricter in enforcing house decorum and speaking rules and asked the members to treat each other with respect and civility. He did not address reprimanding members or training”
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Democratic Party, the organization that advocates for the future of Indiana and its families, today called on Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston to install an implicit bias training for all House Members in the Indiana General Assembly following yet another incident when an Indiana Republican purposely chose to invoke racist rhetoric and stereotypes against Black Americans, an effort to further divide Hoosiers across the state. Speaker Huston has yet to commit to this idea even after Indiana Republicans shouted down Black elected leaders during session last February.
“This Indiana Republican’s out of touch, racist dialogue is another example on why accountability is necessary in the Indiana General Assembly. It’s time for Speaker Todd Huston to step up and put a check on behavior that should be beneath any elected official,” said Lauren Ganapini, executive director for the Indiana Democratic Party. “Indiana Democrats are letting our actions do the talking, and our work says we’re ready to check the partisanship in order to get stuff done for Hoosier families. We’re going to lead through our work, and it appears Republicans want to sever voters’ trust.”
Indiana Democrats are ready to move on from the Republicans’ manufactured “culture wars” and are ready to get to work on behalf of Hoosiers. It’s why the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus (IBLC) and Democrats fought hard for the passage of House Bill 1006, which will mandate de-escalation trainings, define chokeholds tactics, hold officers accountable for misusing body cameras, and increase transparency of law enforcement disciplinary actions. If there’s a problem, Democrats are ready to step up and help find the best solution for Hoosier families.
IndyStar: After Facebook exchange, surgeon accuses state lawmaker of racism
“When James Carson, a Black orthopedic surgeon in Houston, Texas decided to write on Indiana state Rep. Jim Lucas’s Facebook page about the Constitution, he was hoping the Seymour Republican would engage with him.
And that’s exactly what happened. But not in the way the surgeon had hoped or expected.” […]
“‘The first slave owner in America was black,’ Lucas replied. ‘Blacks captured and sold blacks as slaves. Slavery is vile and repugnant, but has, and is tragically a way of humanity.’
“As the two and others continued to debate on the post, Lucas asked Carson a question: ‘You say you’re a surgeon, congratulations on your accomplishment. Did you get any scholarships or financial assistance because of your skin color? Any minority scholarships?’
Carson responded that he did not, but was valedictorian and in the honors college.
‘Any more questions or do you want to discuss the constitution?’ he asked.” […]
“Reached by Indystar, Carson said he found the exchange with Lucas to be racist.
‘Beyond a doubt, not even thinly veiled, it’s pretty obviously racist to me,’ Carson said. ‘The fact that he would even imply that I’ve gotten where I am in life through school, only because of my race, he doesn’t even do a good job of trying to hide it.’”
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