https://progressiveindiana.net

SUMMARY:

Broadcasting through a summer storm, Rev. Tony Alexander and Pastor David W. Greene Sr. open with a brief celebration: last week’s advance warning about the planned Northwestway Park takeover worked, and the park had a safe, family-friendly weekend. That good news is immediately paired with a new alert — a social media-organized takeover is now planned for Skateland on Glen Arm Road on the west side. The bulk of the program pivots to a sustained, data-driven indictment of Indiana’s record under decades of Republican supermajority rule, anchored by a Purdue University quality-of-life study ranking Indiana 46th out of 50 states. Both hosts connect the dots from defunded youth programs (PAL Club, OK Program, IMPD Cares) and charter school expansion to the park takeover problem — arguing that cuts to prevention always produce the very public safety crises politicians then use to demand more police. Caller Imhotep phones in from Atlanta, where he is attending FIFA World Cup events with young people, and draws a direct line from Dr. King’s “beloved community” to the anti-DEI funding cuts ravaging nonprofits. Callers Tony and Guy add personal testimony and political framing. The program closes with a direct message to Indiana Democratic candidates: stop playing footsies with Republicans and make them own Indiana’s dismal rankings on foreclosures, education, and quality of life heading into November.

WHAT’S INSIDE

00:00:00 Station ID and program open

- Pastor Greene offers opening prayer, asking specifically for the safety of those affected by the storm.

00:03:04 Northwestway Park success -- and the next takeover threat

- Rev. Alexander reports that last week’s on-air warning about the planned Northwestway Park takeover had its intended effect: the park had a safe, family-friendly weekend with no incident.

- A new social media-organized “takeover” is now planned for this Saturday at Skateland on Glen Arm Road on the west side of Indianapolis.

- Both hosts repeat the message: young people are welcome to come enjoy themselves, but the community will not allow a repeat of the chaos pattern.

- Pastor Greene notes that parents may assume the skating rink is safe and need to be warned; takeover events attract people from across the city, and it only takes one encounter to escalate.

00:07:02 Gerrelian Ragland and Pain to Progress -- community filling the gap

- Rev. Alexander directly addresses Gerrelian in the Facebook chat, calling on the community to keep the environment safe.

- Pastor Greene highlights Gerrelian’s youth program Pain to Progress, along with Anthony Hampton’s south-side sports programming, as examples of community members filling the void left by defunded city programs.

- Programs that have been cut or defunded: PAL Club, the OK Program (targeting African American males), IMPD Cares. These are now being replaced piecemeal by community volunteers with no stable funding.

- Pastor Greene’s call to city-county councilors: fund programs like Pain to Progress directly. A pizza party costs money. Poverty is real. Prevention is cheaper than reaction.

00:08:42 The PAL Club, the OK Program, and what was lost

- Pastor Greene details the value of programs like the PAL Club: they gave young people non-threatening contact with police officers, building relationships before any arrest or crisis interaction.

- The OK Program specifically targeted African American males and operated alongside IMPD Cares. Both are gone.

- Pastor Greene: people today say “I’m a product of the PAL Club -- it saved my life.” The concept works. It will come back eventually, possibly under a different name like Pain to Progress, but it needs real funding to operate at scale.

- Rev. Alexander adds: cuts aren’t limited to PAL Club -- DEI rollbacks and anti-poverty program eliminations are sweeping away the CYO, charter schools lack extracurricular activities, and the entire ecosystem of youth development is being stripped at the federal, state, and local levels simultaneously.

00:15:10 Prevention vs. incarceration -- the false economy of cuts

- Pastor Greene: cutting youth programs while expecting public safety is a contradiction. What are 13-, 14-, 15-, 16-year-olds doing this summer if not at home twiddling their thumbs?

- You can’t police your way out of it -- IMPD doesn’t have enough officers to cover every corner, every garage, every park, every event.

- Tourism, downtown sporting events, the city’s reputation -- all of it is at risk if you keep cutting prevention and then express surprise when something goes wrong.

- Denise in the Facebook chat: it’s a vicious cycle -- F-grade schools get defunded, which feeds the street pipeline, which produces the public safety crisis that gets blamed on parents.

00:19:34 Break toss and framing the second segment

- Rev. Alexander previews the second segment: connecting the dots between what’s happening at the federal level and what Republicans have done in Indiana specifically.

- Imhotep is first in the call queue when they return.

00:21:23 Caller Imhotep -- FIFA in Atlanta, King’s beloved community, and the $300 billion question

- Imhotep calls from Atlanta, where he has brought young people to attend FIFA World Cup events; notes heavy DEA and ATF security presence has kept things in order, with only a minor crowd incident at State Farm Arena involving local streamer Tysonette.

- Connects the show’s discussion to the Georgia governor’s race: Keisha Lance Bottoms is running on free textbooks, free junior college, free first two years of four-year college, and mandatory job training for released prisoners; the Republican candidate offers none of that.

- Visited the King Center the previous day with the young people he brought; shed a tear reading Dr. King’s vision of the beloved community -- which he argues is exactly antithetical to anti-DEI funding cuts, school defunding, and nonprofit slashing.

- Closes with the $300 billion figure: federal money is going to reparations for Trump’s war on Iran, while that same amount could fund all American college students, all trade schools, and five years of health care.

00:25:34 Post-Imhotep -- Connecting federal cuts to Indiana’s Republican record

- Rev. Alexander: Imhotep’s point is federal, but it’s happening right here in Indiana too -- and with the Republican State Delegate Convention coming up this weekend, this is the moment to make the connection explicit.

- Rev. Alexander names the data: Indiana is #1 in foreclosures (worst in the country), 45th in education, leads in Black unemployment, and ranked 46th in quality of life by a Purdue University study from June 2025.

- This happened under a Republican supermajority -- through Daniels, Holcomb, Braun, and Pence -- and Indiana Democratic candidates need to be saying that clearly, not playing footsies with Republicans.

00:30:52 Pastor Greene -- Make them own it; Behning and the education numbers

- Pastor Greene: you can’t have different facts. Purdue’s numbers are what they are. Representative Bob Behning has chaired the House Education Committee while Indiana’s education ranking has fallen -- make him own it.

- The Republican majority passed the policies that produced these results. No Democratic candidate can credibly be blamed for Indiana’s foreclosure crisis or its education standing -- Democrats haven’t had the votes.

- Indiana Republicans won’t break with Trump because he’ll primary them. There’s no backbone in the current Congress. Democrats must be bold enough to stand on the facts and make Republicans answer for them.

00:36:32 The Republican State Delegate Convention preview

- Rev. Alexander: the Republican delegation meets this week. Sen. Jim Banks has already signaled who he’s backing for Secretary of State -- someone most Hoosiers don’t know -- and Republicans will fall in line regardless.

- That’s the difference: Republicans unify behind whoever their machine picks. Democrats need to learn that discipline for November.

00:37:04 Caller Tony -- Growing up in Gary, the bookmobile, and what’s being lost

- Tony, 62, grew up in Gary in a single-parent household with three sisters. His family relied entirely on publicly funded programs: the bookmobile (a mobile library that parked in his neighborhood), summer programs, and free school lunch.

- Those programs gave him his love of reading and shaped his childhood positively. Hearing that all of it is being cut breaks his heart for his grandchildren’s generation.

- Rev. Alexander: Indiana is 45th in education. IPS has been dismantled over 20 years. Charter schools lack extracurriculars. A new education commission chaired by the Indianapolis mayor is forming while public school funding is being stripped.

00:41:10 Caller Guy -- Follow the money; trickle-down vs. bubble-up

- Guy: it’s simple -- follow the money. Conservatives believe in trickle-down economics (wealth flows down from the top); progressives believe in bubble-up (investment in the masses builds upward).

- The money going to Iran is going to contractors -- and look at who those contractors are connected to. This is the same pattern as the Iraq reconstruction era: war and foreign expenditure enriches the already-connected.

- Investment in people is the best investment. The conservative framework says it believes that too, but the budget doesn’t reflect it.

00:43:19 Closing argument -- Indiana under Republican rule

- Rev. Alexander reframes Guy’s point: every dollar in this federal government flows to Friends of Trump or Family of Trump. Democratic candidates should run on that at every level.

- Indiana is last or near-last in foreclosures, education, quality of life, and Black unemployment. Republicans have been in charge. Connect the dots. Stop being scared. Make them own it.

- Pastor Greene: the Purdue data is not opinion -- it’s fact. Child care, education, health care -- Republicans own the results. Democratic candidates need the guts to say so clearly.

- Rev. Alexander closes: Purdue said Indiana is 46th in quality of life. Republicans have been leading Indiana. The question for November is whether voters want to continue down that road.

- Juneteenth reminder: coming up this weekend. Don’t forget your history.

00:47:57 Station close

https://concernedclergy.org

https://www.facebook.com/ClergyIndyhttps://www.facebook.com/ClergyIndy

https://progressiveindiana.net

https://progressiveindiana.net

SUMMARY:

With summer underway and a Democratic state convention just behind them, Rev. Tony Alexander and Pastor David W. Greene Sr. open this week’s program on two urgent fronts: the state of the Indiana Democratic Party in the aftermath of the Secretary of State convention vote, and a gathering threat to public safety at Northwestway Park on Indianapolis’s northwest side. On the political front, both hosts dissect the convention outcome — Beau Bayh over Blythe Potter — and the immediate backlash from some Potter supporters threatening to sit out November, tracing the dysfunction back to a chronic leadership vacuum within the state and Marion County Democratic Party. Caller Marilyn provides a sharp firsthand account of bureaucratic neglect in the state’s disability services system, which both hosts connect directly to low voter turnout and the failure to hold elected officials accountable. The second half of the program focuses on a social-media-organized “Motion Party” takeover announced for Northwestway Park the coming Saturday — a flash event that follows a weapons-brandishing incident the previous Friday — raising alarms about park safety, IMPD staffing shortfalls, vanishing park ranger funding, and the mayor’s silence. Both hosts close with a call for proactive city leadership before a crisis forces reactive finger-pointing.

WHAT’S INSIDE

00:00:00 Station ID and program open

- Rev. Alexander previews the evening’s two topics: the Indiana Democratic state convention outcome and park safety heading into summer.

- Pastor Greene joins; offers opening prayer.

00:02:48 Indiana Democratic convention recap -- Bayh wins, party fractures

- Rev. Alexander reports on the Democratic state convention: over 2,300 of roughly 2,500 delegates attended; State Treasurer and Comptroller nominations were uncontested formalities; all the heat was in the Secretary of State race between Blythe Potter and Beau Bayh.

- Immediately after Bayh won, the room split — many Potter supporters publicly declaring they won’t support Bayh in November. Rev. Alexander urges Democrats to reconsider given the stakes of the Secretary of State race.

- Pastor Greene: the fracturing traces back to how the process was run -- Marion County, as the largest delegation, needed to model transparency and fairness from the start to earn trust on the back end.

00:05:51 Leadership vacuum in the Indiana Democratic Party

- Pastor Greene: without transparency and accountability going in, there can be no trust coming out. The party cannot unite for a blue wave if people feel the process was tilted.

- Rev. Alexander: Indiana Democrats have no single public-facing leader -- only a collection of silos. Township leaders, city-county councilors, reps, senators -- each running their own kingdom, none galvanizing the whole.

- Pastor Greene agrees: fresh leadership is required. The current leaders have not delivered on the two fundamentals -- raising money and turning out voters -- and should step aside.

- Both hosts: this didn’t get broken in one election and won’t be fixed in one. Transparency and accountability must come first; trust follows.

00:13:23 Indiana needs Democratic mayors supported, not picked off

- Rev. Alexander: the urgency isn’t just November -- Democrat mayors in Terre Haute, Evansville, Muncie, and other Indiana cities need coordinated party support now, or they’ll be picked off one by one.

- Instead of spending party money on travel, send resources directly to those local organizations to empower them with the same playbook.

- Pastor Greene: the current leadership cannot bring about the unity needed. The party has been intentionally kept divided by those who benefit from the chaos. Who can unify? That question has to be answered honestly -- and asked: when did Indiana Democrats last win a statewide election?

00:17:21 Convention aftermath -- room splits, SOS stakes

- Rev. Alexander: the room split almost literally the moment the SOS vote was called, echoing the division visible on Facebook in real time. Despite the disappointment, he urges Democrats not to give up -- the Secretary of State position is too critical.

- Pastor Greene: Morales has been egregious with taxpayer money; his own party may not even nominate him. The Concerned Clergy raised the unifying-message question during delegate training -- now they’ve seen the answer play out.

- Republicans, by contrast, will close ranks the moment their convention produces a nominee. Democrats must do the same.

00:21:41 Caller Marilyn -- Disability services crisis and congressional accountability

- Marilyn, legal guardian of a severely disabled 43-year-old nephew with the cognitive level of a 6-year-old, calls to describe the state’s attempt to eliminate his 24-hour care -- not because he doesn’t need it, but because the state won’t pay for it.

- She contacted Rep. André Carson’s office for help; his office redirected her directly back to the very agency that had already denied her nephew’s claim.

- Her broader point: elected officials give auto-generated responses to constituent calls, cannot be reached, and face no accountability. Both parties have proven indifferent to people’s actual needs.

00:24:24 Post-Marilyn discussion -- Funding cuts and the voting imperative

- Rev. Alexander: Marilyn’s experience is not isolated -- organizations like Noble of Indiana are losing funding that serves people in exactly her nephew’s situation, as are programs for disabled children statewide.

- Pastor Greene: CICOA (Central Indiana Council on Aging) is on the cut list for seniors; FSSA announced a six-month freeze on autism support applications just the prior week. These cuts happen because the party in power can -- low voter turnout lets them.

- Rev. Alexander: elected officials in the minority should be shouting these cuts from every bullhorn and billboard. The public doesn’t know what’s being cut. Silence is a failure of transparency.

00:29:31 Northwestway Park -- Background and the takeover threat

- Rev. Alexander introduces the park safety topic: spoke earlier that day with the IMPD Northwest District commander and the Northwestway Park manager.

- Northwestway Park -- trails, soccer fields, splash park, picnic areas -- has seen an uptick of incidents; the previous Friday saw two people brandishing weapons before officers dispersed a crowd.

- A “Motion Party” has been announced on social media for Saturday, June 13th at 2 p.m. at Northwestway Park -- $5 cover, promoted on Instagram, drawing expected crowds from across the city.

- Pastor Greene: his daughter lives near the park; he’s been getting calls. Cuts to park programming, predicted years ago to cause exactly this, have now arrived.

00:36:00 The Motion Party -- What’s coming and why it’s dangerous

- Rev. Alexander details the social media flyer: the date is barely visible, the event is branded as a “Motion Party,” it mirrors the spinning and flash-mob patterns seen across the city.

- Pastor Greene: youth coming from all sides of town with unresolved school conflicts, in a permitless carry state, in summer heat -- this is not a question of if something goes wrong, but when.

- Community presence alone won’t stop it; the problem recurs the next Saturday at a different park. A city-wide solution is needed, not a one-off response.

- Rev. Alexander: IMPD Northwest District commander is already stretched -- the city is budgeting for 2,000 officers but only has about 1,200. Park ranger funding is also being cut.

00:42:07 Mayor’s accountability and the summer youth employment pipeline

- Rev. Alexander: the responsibility falls on the mayor. City parks are city property. But there’s no public plan, no designated point person, and budget season is likely to bring cuts, not investment.

- When something goes wrong, Chief Terry or the current chief explains it after the fact -- the mayor is absent from the proactive conversation.

- Rev. Alexander raises a secondary issue: parks have historically been entry-level employers for teens (lifeguards, maintenance). Staffing shortages have already forced some parks to close for seasons. Community-driven events like Mike Epps’s park initiatives are filling the gap where sustained city investment should be.

- Pastor Greene: the mayor or his designee needs to own this, name a solution, and get ahead of it -- not wait for a shooting to assign blame.

00:45:22 Imhotep in the chat -- Closing the loop on Northwestway

- Rev. Alexander responds to Imhotep’s question in the Facebook chat: yes, the Motion Party is this Saturday, June 13th; Riverside Park’s regular events continue separately on Sundays.

- Indy Parks and the IMPD Northwest District are now aware of Saturday’s planned takeover; both hosts hope the advance notice sends a signal to would-be disruptors.

- Rev. Alexander: the community values Northwestway Park as a resource -- families, walkers, soccer players -- and will not allow it to be taken over and abandoned.

- Pastor Greene closes: the city must be at the table. Leadership has to step up before the crisis, not just show up to assign blame after it.

00:49:54 Program close

https://concernedclergy.org

https://www.facebook.com/ClergyIndyhttps://www.facebook.com/ClergyIndy

https://progressiveindiana.net

https://progressiveindiana.net

SUMMARY:

In a dense, two-topic hour, Rev. Tony Alexander and Pastor David W. Greene Sr. open with a sharp response to Indiana Lt. Governor Micah Beckwith's public call to normalize hate speech and his characterization of Islam as a "demonic death cult." Pastor Greene details a press release issued jointly with the Baptist Ministries Alliance and the General Missionary Baptist Convention demanding Governor Mike Braun formally retract Beckwith's remarks, and announces a multi-faith Religious Freedom Summit at the Statehouse the following Thursday. Callers Imhotep and Tim engage on the theme of media bias and Black community self-determination before Rev. Alexander pivots to a rant on Trump administration anti-DEI policy and the unqualified nomination of Bill Pulte to lead the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. The second half of the program focuses on the upcoming Indiana Democratic state convention, where delegates will nominate candidates for Secretary of State, State Treasurer, and State Comptroller. Rev. Alexander and Pastor Greene parse Senator J.D. Ford's last-minute endorsement of Beau Bayh over Blythe Potter, express concern about the chaos it is sowing among progressives, and detail a candidate forum convened by the Concerned Clergy coalition to probe both SOS candidates on voter access, Black community engagement, and accountability -- framing the Secretary of State race as one of the most consequential on the November ballot.

WHAT’S INSIDE

00:00:00 Station ID and program open

- Rev. Alexander previews the evening’s two topics: fireworks in the Democratic Secretary of State race, and Lt. Governor Beckwith’s call to promote hate.

- Pastor Greene joins; offers opening prayer.

00:03:17 Lt. Governor Beckwith’s hate speech and the Concerned Clergy response

- Rev. Alexander describes Lt. Governor Micah Beckwith’s public statement calling for Americans to be given “permission to hate” and his characterization of Islam as a demonic death cult -- framed as inconsistent with his professed Christian faith.

- Pastor Greene details a press release crafted jointly with the Baptist Ministries Alliance (Dr. Wayne Moore), Dr. Clyde Posey, and the General Missionary Baptist Convention, demanding Governor Braun publicly retract Beckwith’s remarks.

- Both hosts note this is not Beckwith’s first offense -- he previously referred to African Americans as “three-fifths of a person” -- and that the governor has responded with silence in both instances.

- Pastor Greene: the call to hate is a moral issue, not a partisan one; the response is coming from Democrats and Republicans alike.

00:07:12 Religious Freedom Summit announcement and governor’s non-response

- Pastor Greene announces a multi-faith Religious Freedom Summit at the Indiana Statehouse Thursday at noon, organized with Sen. Fady Qaddoura, bringing together participants across faiths and races.

- The three formal asks from the Concerned Clergy coalition: a public retraction of Beckwith’s statements, a reaffirmation of commitment to religious liberty and dignity for all Hoosiers, and a clear statement that hate-filled rhetoric has no place in state leadership.

- Governor Braun has not responded as of airtime; both hosts tie his silence to his own plans to put Turning Point USA clubs in Indiana schools and his political interest in not alienating Beckwith as a future competitor.

00:10:13 Beckwith’s pattern of behavior and political motivation

- Rev. Alexander: Beckwith’s demeanor at public events -- smug, taunting, dismissive of concerns -- mirrors the behavior of Indianapolis City-County Councilor Gibson at the data center meeting; it’s a calculated performance, not incidental.

- Both hosts speculate Beckwith is positioning himself for a higher profile ahead of the Republican convention and potentially a future run against Braun.

- Pastor Greene: regardless of the motive, you can’t let someone holler fire in a movie theater. It must be called out, especially by the governor.

00:14:23 Caller Imhotep -- Universal moral code, media silence on dissent, and Palestine

- Imhotep argues every faith tradition shares a common core -- do unto others -- making Beckwith’s worldview antithetical to all faith, not just Christianity.

- Notes that white ministers are actively speaking out against Beckwith-style rhetoric on social media but are invisible to mainstream media.

- Closes with a pointed observation about Arab American voters in Michigan who boycotted Kamala Harris over Palestine: given what has since happened there and the rise of figures like Beckwith, he argues that abstention had real consequences.

00:17:00 Post-Imhotep discussion -- Beckwith as political performance

- Rev. Alexander affirms Imhotep’s thesis on media conditioning and draws a direct comparison between Beckwith’s conduct and the Councilor Gibson data center incident -- same playbook, different venue.

- Pastor Greene: Beckwith’s escalating rhetoric will continue unless addressed; notes Braun’s self-interest in not denouncing his lieutenant governor.

- Denise posts in the chat asking whether there was a call for Beckwith to step down; Pastor Greene clarifies the formal ask stopped at retraction, though he notes public pressure may eventually push further.

00:20:15 Rev. Alexander’s rant -- DEI dismantling and the DNI nomination

- Rev. Alexander pivots to a rant on the Trump administration’s anti-DEI campaign -- cutting any program that an AI search flagged for the phrase “diversity, equity, inclusion” -- while simultaneously appointing unqualified loyalists.

- Highlights the nomination of Bill Pulte to head the Office of the Director of National Intelligence: no security experience, no intelligence agency background, no law enforcement history.

- Raises the implicit contradiction: a president who claims to have been shot at and survived multiple close calls is putting someone with zero security credentials in charge of national intelligence.

- Closes the loop on the staged-assassination-attempt conspiracy theory circulating online and why Trump’s failure to tighten security makes it harder to dismiss.

00:26:30 Caller Tim -- Stop complaining, pool resources, vote

- Tim urges the Black community to stop focusing energy on racist rhetoric and instead adopt the model of Asian Americans: pool resources, invest in each other, put the right people in office.

- Recommends Black churches purchase land around their buildings and generate revenue by renting facilities six days a week to sustain their missions.

- Rev. Alexander and Pastor Greene affirm the voting imperative while pushing back gently: sharing information isn’t complaining, it’s how you help people vote wisely -- politicians win by deceiving voters, so you have to arm people with facts.

00:30:39 Accountability for elected officials -- both parties

- Rev. Alexander: voting isn’t enough if you then excuse whatever your candidate does in office. Accountability must follow the win.

- Pastor Greene: Trump didn’t campaign on tariffs, war with Iran, or rising gas prices -- he won on a different message and then governed another way. Voters have to be discerning, not loyal.

- Both hosts agree: whoever the next Secretary of State is, the Concerned Clergy will hold them to what they said.

00:32:06 Indiana Democratic convention preview -- SOS, Treasurer, Comptroller

- Rev. Alexander lays out the stakes: the Democratic convention that Saturday will nominate candidates for Secretary of State, State Treasurer, and State Comptroller (formerly the Auditor). The Republican convention will do the same.

- On the Republican side: the question is whether incumbent Diego Morales -- who has faced significant opposition from within his own party -- survives. Former Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard is also in the Secretary of State race as an independent.

- Democratic delegates: hundreds coming from Marion County alone, approximately 2,500 statewide. Results expected Saturday evening.

- Treasurer and Comptroller candidates are running unopposed; only the Secretary of State race is competitive on the Democratic side.

00:33:53 Senator J.D. Ford’s endorsement of Beau Bayh

- Rev. Alexander: Senator J.D. Ford -- who had explicitly said he was staying out of the Secretary of State primary -- endorsed Beau Bayh just days before the convention vote, creating immediate backlash from progressives who supported both Ford and Potter.

- Pastor Greene: the timing is the problem. Jumping in four days out after saying you’re staying neutral sends mixed signals and creates chaos at exactly the wrong moment for party unity.

- Both hosts note comments on Councilor Jesse Brown’s Facebook page -- the top comment reads “Y’all made this a war” -- indicating the endorsement is deepening fissures that will be hard to close after the convention.

- Pastor Greene: he doesn’t believe Ford acted arbitrarily; there’s something behind it they don’t know yet, and it may not be a satisfying answer for those offended. The distraction pulls focus away from Ford’s real opponent -- Republican Victoria Spartz.

00:38:19 Concerned Clergy’s candidate forum with Potter and Bayh

- Pastor Greene details a candidate forum convened by the Concerned Clergy, Baptist Ministries Alliance, and General Missionary Baptist State Convention of Indiana, with both Secretary of State candidates -- Blythe Potter and Beau Bayh.

- Questions focused specifically on the Black community: voter access and protection, Black community outreach strategy, staffing diversity, Black-owned business engagement via the SOS business registration function.

- Context: current SOS Diego Morales has already provided Indiana voter data to the federal government; the next SOS will face immediate federal pressure.

- Both candidates’ responses recorded; Pastor Greene expects the winner to appear on the Concerned Clergy program multiple times to be held accountable to their commitments.

00:43:47 Why the Secretary of State race matters more than ever

- Rev. Alexander: the SOS controls voting -- and voting is under more direct attack than at any point in memory, from executive orders on mail-in ballots to the threat of ICE presence at polling places.

- Pastor Greene: ICE at the polls will deter not just Latino voters but Black voters who avoid any law enforcement presence. Indiana’s already-low voter turnout cannot absorb that kind of intimidation.

- Rev. Alexander invokes the Trump-Raffensperger call: Trump didn’t call the governor of Georgia after losing in 2020 -- he called the Secretary of State. That office controls whether votes get found or not.

- Pastor Greene names the coalition present at the candidate forum: Dr. Posey (General Missionary Baptist of Indiana), Dr. Moore (Baptist Ministries Alliance), Dr. Clyde, and himself -- meeting at Purpose of Life Church.

00:48:26 Post-forum fallout -- J.D. Ford endorsement revisited

- Rev. Alexander: the Ford endorsement of Bayh has already surfaced in comments on Councilor Jesse Brown’s page as evidence that Democrats are “making this a war” -- poisoning the well for post-convention unity.

- Pastor Greene: whoever wins on Saturday, the real opponent is the GOP. Every distraction from that fight is a gift to the Republican side.

- Both hosts close with a call to watch Saturday’s results and a promise to report out more details next week.

00:55:15 Program close

https://concernedclergy.org

https://www.facebook.com/ClergyIndyhttps://www.facebook.com/ClergyIndy

https://progressiveindiana.net

https://progressiveindiana.net

SUMMARY:

Back after a one-week technical hiatus, Rev. Tony Alexander and Pastor David W. Greene Sr. anchor the hour around a double-barreled critique of racial disparity in how youth misbehavior is covered and prosecuted in Central Indiana. The first half examines a Mill Stream (Noblesville High School) article about Hamilton County fight clubs and spinout gatherings, contrasting the sympathetic economic framing the article applies to white suburban teens with the blame-and-curfew response routinely directed at Black youth in Marion County. Callers Joyce, Mayhem, Moteph, Deanna, and Reverend Phillips each add perspective on parental responsibility, media bias, and the double standard in criminal justice outcomes. The second half pivots to Indiana Democratic Party organizing: Rev. Alexander and Pastor Greene argue that Marion County Democrats are in structural disarray -- unable to run effective PC meetings, let alone mobilize for November -- while Boone and Hamilton County Democratic precinct committees are already a year into door-knocking, voter ID, and blue-wave training. Both hosts close with a direct warning that Marion County leadership must get organized or be held accountable when Indiana fails to ride a national Democratic wave.

WHAT’S INSIDE

00:00:00 Station ID and program open

- Rev. Alexander opens with Substack/Progressive Indiana Network replay information and previews the evening’s topics: Democratic conventions, delegate decisions, and racial disparities in how youth misbehavior is addressed.

- Pastor Greene joins, offers opening prayer.

00:03:29 Hamilton County fight clubs -- The Mill Stream article

- Rev. Alexander introduces a Mill Stream (Noblesville High School newspaper) article titled “The Cost of Community is Inconvenient,” covering fight clubs and teen mob gatherings at Sonic and other Hamilton County businesses.

- Article attributes the behavior to economic hardship -- teens can’t afford bowling alleys or movies -- a framing neither host has ever seen applied to similar activity in Marion County.

- Pastor Greene notes Hamilton County officials will likely suppress coverage; in Marion County, identical behavior would lead local news.

00:07:07 Double standard in narrative framing -- curfews, parents, and the article’s spin

- Pastor Greene observes that when Marion County youth misbehave, media asks “where are the parents?” and talks curfews; the Mill Stream piece never mentions parents at all.

- Rev. Alexander reads additional article passages arguing businesses, adults, and teens are all “suffering” -- language he has never seen used to describe similar incidents involving Black youth.

- Rev. Alexander: the narrative frame set at the top of an article determines the entire direction of the discussion -- starting with economic hardship leads to movie ticket subsidies, not accountability.

00:11:19 Hamilton County wealth data and the cyberbullying factor

- Pastor Greene: the article’s economic hardship framing doesn’t hold up -- Westfield, Noblesville, and Carmel data show household incomes and property values roughly three times Marion County’s.

- Both hosts note the Mill Stream’s author appears to be a Noblesville High School student, which may explain why parental accountability is absent from the piece.

- Pastor Greene: cyberbullying spans all communities and income levels and is a key driver of the fighting; resources alone won’t fix it. He expects Hamilton County to fund recreational solutions that won’t address the root cause.

- Rev. Alexander: social media connects youth across county lines -- everyone is chasing the same trends -- making the behavior universal even as the framing remains racially bifurcated.

00:18:22 Caller Joyce -- Racial double standard in parental blame

- Joyce argues the tried-and-true solution is mobilizing churches, which already have brick-and-mortar facilities, to create positive programming for young people.

- Cites her experience at Church’s Chicken giving honor roll and perfect attendance coupons as a model for bringing parents and youth into positive spaces; criticizes gatekeeping as an obstacle to youth investment.

- Rev. Alexander: in every discussion of Black youth on this station, parents are immediately implicated; this article about Hamilton County teens never goes there.

- Pastor Greene: Hamilton County will likely throw money at recreational resources, which won’t solve the underlying cyberbullying dynamic -- and the IBJ or IndyStar would never have framed a Marion County version of this story the same way.

00:25:35 Caller Mayhem -- Hamilton County hypocrisy and Section 8

- Mayhem argues Hamilton County teens regularly come to Marion County to cause trouble and return home, yet Hamilton County dodges scrutiny.

- Points out that Section 8 housing exists in Hamilton County too, contradicting its public image.

- Concedes both communities cover up bad behavior, but says Marion County’s is uniquely exposed and prosecuted while Hamilton County’s is buried.

00:27:36 Caller Moteph -- Media thesis, Lawrence Hill incident, and the cover-up pattern

- Moteph clarifies the show’s thesis: the question is not whether bad behavior exists, but how differently it is covered and adjudicated by county and race.

- Cites a recent incident at a Lawrence Hill public park where a Black workout group doing nothing wrong was forced out -- contrasted with how Hamilton County youth destructiveness is handled.

- Shares firsthand knowledge of Hamilton County cover-ups including a wealthy family’s teens hospitalized for substance abuse with no public reporting.

- Invokes Malcolm X’s quote on media conditioning communities to hate the oppressed and love the oppressor.

00:31:03 Caller Deanna -- Personal testimony: parental sacrifice as the solution

- Deanna shares a personal story: after losing a stepchild to violence, she moved, left a relationship, homeschooled her children, took a major pay cut, and relocated outside Indianapolis.

- Reports her children are off anxiety medication and healing; credits setting firm boundaries, including with extended family.

- Rev. Alexander and Pastor Greene affirm her testimony while noting her sacrifices are not options available to all Marion County parents.

00:33:37 Criminal justice disparities and transition to second segment

- Pastor Greene summarizes: Hamilton County has more money to spend on solutions, spins the problem differently, and faces no pressure to implement curfews.

- Rev. Alexander ties it together: the same offense -- drugs, violence, spinning, fight clubs -- will be handled as a misdemeanor with diversion in Hamilton County and as a felony in Marion County. Bail, bond, and sentencing all differ by geography and race.

- Rev. Alexander previews the second-half topic: Marion County Democratic Party organization heading into November.

00:37:38 Caller Reverend Phillips -- Justice system reform

- Reverend Phillips calls for better training, focus, and oversight of the justice system, arguing those in authority need more willingness to correct bad behavior rather than deferring to credentials.

- Call drops before he can complete his full point.

00:39:40 Marion County Democratic Party in disarray

- Rev. Alexander argues Marion County Democrats must organize now -- post-primary, pre-convention -- with delegate decisions on Secretary of State and other positions coming up.

- Reports that a recent PC meeting was chaotic and left newly elected precinct committee members confused and demoralized rather than energized.

- Pastor Greene: a blue wave doesn’t happen by accident. Marion County has been hearing calls for new Democratic Party leadership for months; people are frustrated that some PC candidates couldn’t get on the ballot.

00:43:46 Obama precedent and the stakes for statewide Democrats

- Rev. Alexander and Pastor Greene push back on a Facebook commenter’s fatalism (”Indiana is and will always be red”), citing Obama’s 2008 Indiana win as proof a blue wave is achievable.

- Pastor Greene: a Black woman is now running for Indiana State Treasurer; she cannot win without massive Marion County turnout. Same logic applies to Secretary of State and other statewide races.

- Pastor Greene: Marion County Democrats who are already registered must be activated to vote -- registration alone means nothing; boots-on-the-ground PC work is the mechanism.

00:47:48 What Marion County PCs need to do differently

- Rev. Alexander: resources alone aren’t enough -- you need strategy. Marion County Democratic clubs are siloed and inconsistent.

- Pastor Greene contrasts Marion County’s dysfunction with Boone and Hamilton County Democratic PCs, who spent the past year knocking doors, listening to voters, and feeding intelligence back to the party -- not just campaigning for individual candidates.

- Those counties ran training sessions, filled vacancies, and built a coordinated blue-wave infrastructure; Marion County has done none of this.

00:50:56 Direct call to action -- Marion County Democrats on notice

- Rev. Alexander: PCs are supposed to carry out exactly this mission -- the Democrat handbook says so. Marion County is spending its energy bickering instead of organizing.

- Pastor Greene: the chaos persists because some insiders benefit from it -- gatekeeping PC appointments, tolerating vacancies, keeping newly elected members confused. That has to end.

- Both hosts close with a direct warning: if Indiana misses a blue wave that reaches surrounding states, those responsible will and should be held accountable. You can’t pick up your ball and go home because your primary candidate lost.

https://concernedclergy.org

https://www.facebook.com/ClergyIndyhttps://www.facebook.com/ClergyIndy

https://progressiveindiana.net

https://progressiveindiana.net

https://progressiveindiana.net

SUMMARY:

In this week’s edition of the Concerned Clergy Radio Show, hosts Reverend Tony Alexander and President Pastor David W. Greene Sr. dive into a timely and wide-ranging conversation about Christian nationalism versus true Christian discipleship, anchored by Pastor Greene’s recent article for Voices for Democracy examining how Christian nationalists systematically ignore Matthew 25 — Jesus’s explicit call to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and care for strangers. Drawing on Trump’s Easter behavior, J.D. Vance’s attack on the Pope, Indiana Lt. Governor Beckwith’s three-fifths remarks, and the governor’s plan to bring Turning Point USA clubs into middle and high schools, the hosts argue that what is being sold as Christian faith is in reality a bid for racial and political power — and that the full interfaith community must respond, as evidenced by the ongoing assault on voting rights and the looming loss of CICOA services for Indiana’s elderly and disabled. Callers including Tim, Joyce, Guy, and Imhotep each add their own perspective, ranging from Black economic self-determination to humanist philosophy to a call for broad faith-community solidarity.

WHAT’S INSIDE

00:01:42 — Opening Prayer

- Pastor Greene opens in prayer for the nation, state, and local leaders.

- Prays against discord wherever the devil is sowing it.

- Asks God’s protection over Rev. Alexander and blessings on all listeners.

00:02:06 — Topic Introduction: Christian Nationalism vs. Christian Discipleship

- Rev. Alexander previews the night’s topic: what is Christian nationalism, and how does it compare to actual Christian discipleship?

- Notes Pastor Greene recently spoke on the subject with Voices for Democracy.

- Frames the question through recent events: Trump attacking the Pope at Easter, attacks on Robert Mueller after his death.

- Asks: can we honestly say a president who behaves this way is following Christ as a disciple?

00:05:20 — Pastor Greene on His Voices for Democracy Article / Matthew 25 and the Black Church

- Pastor Greene was invited to write an article on Christian nationalism’s silence regarding Matthew 25.

- Matthew 25 is Jesus’s direct teaching: did you feed the hungry, clothe the naked, care for strangers and the sick? Christian nationalists systematically avoid this passage.

- Instead they cast poor people as victims of their own choices — a form of classism — pointing to Lt. Gov. Beckwith’s three-fifths remarks as a modern example.

- The Black church, emerging from slavery, grounded its faith in a Jesus who lifts the oppressed and disenfranchised — the opposite of a Jesus wielded to maintain hierarchy.

- Christian nationalism’s vision of Jesus is “completely opposite” of the Jesus who ministered to women, people with questionable pasts, and the woman caught in adultery.

00:10:01 — Rev. Alexander: Oppressors and the Oppressed Using the Same Faith

- Rev. Alexander observes the historical paradox: enslaved people looked to Jesus for liberation while their oppressors used the same faith to keep them down.

- People of faith trusted God even as that faith was weaponized against them.

- Transitions to first caller.

00:10:38 — Caller: Anonymous — On the Word “Christian” and the White Church’s Silence

- Caller identifies as a child of God and son of God, not a “Christian” — noting the word was originally used as an insult in New Testament times.

- Points to January 6th imagery: the American flag, the Confederate flag, a Jesus flag, and a noose together — Jesus has nothing to do with nooses or racism.

- Challenges the white church’s historical silence: on slavery, on interracial marriage, on racism — where was the church then, and why won’t it speak now?

- Expresses concern that Black people are leaving for Islam in part because the church has failed to draw people with love.

00:13:09 — Response: The Silence of White Churches / Lt. Gov. Beckwith / Turning Point USA in Schools (Part 1)

- Rev. Alexander clarifies: the Black church was doing the work — the caller’s critique is aimed at white church silence.

- Pastor Greene agrees this silence must be confronted; the attacks by Trump and Vance on the Pope demand a response from the broader faith community.

- Warns against honoring the flag over the Bible — nationalism dressing itself as faith.

- Lt. Gov. Beckwith, himself a pastor, is actively teaching Christian nationalist ideas to his congregation.

00:17:00 — The Silence of White Churches / Turning Point USA in Schools (Part 2) / The Faith Community Must Respond

- The governor’s plan to bring Turning Point USA clubs into middle and high schools is “extremely dangerous” — it teaches superiority, discrimination, and racism to children.

- The double standard: slavery cannot be taught in schools, but Turning Point USA can come in and ignore Matthew 25.

- The faith community that must respond is broad: Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, Presbyterian, Muslim — not limited to any single denomination.

- Christian nationalists want to be the sole authority on truth — even rejecting the Pope’s call for peace.

00:19:09 — Rev. Alexander: The Risk of Holy War

- Rev. Alexander expresses fear that current rhetoric — what troops are being told, the framing of conflicts — is pushing the country toward a religious war, not just a geopolitical one.

- The danger is a war defined not by nukes or oil but by competing faiths.

00:20:21 — [BREAK / Return] Caller: Tim — Black Economic Self-Determination and the Church

- Tim argues Black people must stop supporting “racist clowns” and leave white churches that won’t speak up, returning to anointed Black churches.

- Calls for pooling resources: Black doctors, Black lawyers, buying back community businesses — “hit them in the pocket.”

- References John Reed’s killing on Michigan Avenue; notes few pastors showed up to protest.

- Advocates for returning children to Sunday school, teaching Black history at home, requiring Black authors for school reports.

- Tim is fifth generation married, father present — credits God, family, and community for keeping his children out of crime.

00:23:17 — Caller: Joyce — Chattel Slavery, Desensitization, and Community Alarms

- Joyce builds on Tim’s comments, noting Black people were great long before American slavery — and weren’t even the first enslaved group

- Describes Black people being treated as chattel and systematically desensitized through media narratives.

- Mentions the jubilee tradition of debt forgiveness as a model worth noting.

- Raises a local concern: tornado warning alarm systems in Indianapolis’s Black community aren’t working, and Fall Creek is rising.

00:24:55 — Response: Broadening the Fight Beyond the Black Church

- Rev. Alexander notes the conversation has narrowed toward the Black community, but discipleship is broader — all followers of Christ, across all communities, must be in this together.

- Pastor Greene agrees, noting Jews are often lumped in with Black people by the same forces — the fight belongs to the whole faith community.

- Acknowledges Tim’s call for ownership and responsibility, while stressing the need for coalition with others.

- The church’s declining attendance is real — parents who’ve left the church aren’t raising children in it — but that can’t be an excuse to ignore the crisis.

00:29:10 — Trump as a Spiritual Model? / Truth Social, the Pope, and Easter Golf

- Pastor Greene: Christian nationalists dress up nationalism as faith, operating from a hierarchy in which whiteness is supreme.

- Rev. Alexander: if Trump claims to be a Christian, ask him directly — is Jesus your Lord and Savior? Is Jesus your king?

- Trump is plastering his own face across Washington and Florida, renaming bodies of water after himself, commissioning a golden statue.

- On Easter, instead of attending church, Trump posted attacks on Truth Social, condemned the Pope, and played golf.

- “That’s who you’re following as a disciple of Christ, folks. You need to find a better example.”

00:31:13 — [BREAK / Return] [CLIP: Trump] on Iran Negotiations

- Rev. Alexander plays a clip of Trump being asked about American financial considerations in Iran negotiations.

- Trump: “The only thing that matters... you cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. That’s all. That’s the only thing.”

- Rev. Alexander’s takeaway: he just told you he doesn’t think about you — your finances, your spiritual condition, none of it.

00:32:04 — Caller: Guy — Iran Assets, Pentagon Firings, and a YouTube Testimony

- Guy notes Trump’s fixation on Obama and the Iran nuclear deal — points out the money sent to Iran was Iran’s own frozen assets, not a gift.

- Suggests the Trump administration’s mass firing of Pentagon intelligence staff has left them ill-equipped to navigate the Strait of Hormuz situation.

- Recommends listeners search YouTube for the story of a white Georgia farmer crushed under his tractor who reportedly received a message from Jesus Christ about the Black community.

00:33:57 — Caller: Imhotep — Humanism, Historical Context, and Why Young People Leave the Church (Part 1)

- Imhotep reframes the question: rather than asking if Trump is a Christian, ask if he is humane — “the things he says and does are inhumane.”

- Identifies as a humanist who has studied Buddhism’s four noble truths and eightfold path; argues shared humanity is a stronger unifying force than religion.

- Invokes his grandmothers (101 in 2001; 97 in 2016): “ain’t nothing new under the sun.”

- Historical walk: Black Codes (1700s), Bacon’s Rebellion (late 1600s), St. Augustine as first settlement before Jamestown, Gabriel Prosser, Denmark Vesey, John Brown and Harpers Ferry (1859).

- The Puritans practiced a harsher form of Christianity in America than what they left behind in England — this behavior is not new.

00:37:17 — Caller: Imhotep — Why Young People Leave the Church (Part 2) / New BOY Mentoring

- At a Center for Leadership Development meeting, Imhotep observed the crowd: 75% Black women, 25% Black men — men must be more engaged.

- Three reasons young people aren’t in church: (1) single-parent homes where the working parent is at the hospital on Sundays; (2) young people are deconstructing — they read, they research on WorldCat and iCat, and they call out hypocrisy when a pastor rides a $200,000 Jag while the congregation eats cup noodles; (3) [implied: lack of male mentorship].

- His friend who runs New BOY (New Breed of Youth mentoring program) says you have to listen to young people.

- Solution: show them — 25–30 years of coaching and mentoring, leading by example as “a simple human being.”

00:39:03 — Response: Adults Must Act Now / Refighting the Civil Rights Movement

- Rev. Alexander refocuses: this moment requires adults to act — religious liberties for all faiths are under attack, even for self-described Christian nationalists who are still attacking Christians.

- The cross-faith coalition that works in redistricting fights can work here too.

- Pastor Greene: we are refighting the civil rights movement — the same forces that opposed voting rights, integration, and justice under Dr. King are back, more powerful.

- The Bible warns: cast out a demon and it returns with greater numbers. That’s what we’re seeing.

- The youth will be victims of this — they can’t lead the fight. Adults in the faith community must come to the table.

00:43:47 — White Christian Nationalism Is About Power, Not Service

- Pastor Greene draws the sharpest contrast of the night: at the core of Christianity is service to others; white Christian nationalism is about gaining power over others.

- They want power over Black people, Jewish people, poor people — the opposite of “fearfully and wonderfully made.”

- Turning Point USA has moved from college campuses to middle and high schools — Charlie Kirk’s operation is spreading fast.

- Some Black churchgoers migrate to white churches seeking proximity to power — sitting next to a senator or congressman feels like access — but that’s the wrong reason to choose a church.

- Pastor Greene has personally challenged pastors: how do you reconcile Matthew 25 with criminalizing the homeless?

00:45:48 — Voting Rights, Redistricting, and Pastors Who Criminalize the Homeless

- Rev. Alexander connects the dots: the same people who put their hands on Bibles at inauguration are stripping voting rights.

- Within hours of the Supreme Court’s redistricting ruling, officials in ongoing elections moved to redraw lines and redo votes — unprecedented.

- Pastor Greene: stopping an election midway is an act of pure power-seizure, not governance.

- The president doesn’t want to give up Congress; minimizing the Black vote is the mechanism.

- These actors aren’t heathens — they’re sitting in somebody’s church every Sunday morning.

00:50:17 — Closing: CICOA, IPS Funding Cuts, and What Discipleship Actually Looks Like

- Rev. Alexander ties the abstract to the concrete: CICOA (Central Indiana Coalition on Aging) is about to go away — services for widows, elderly, and disabled Hoosiers disappearing.

- Education funding is being cut from IPS.

- The services that embody Matthew 25 — feeding, clothing, caring — are being stripped away in real time.

- This is the difference between Christian nationalism and Christian discipleship: one seizes power, the other serves people.

https://concernedclergy.org

https://www.facebook.com/ClergyIndyhttps://www.facebook.com/ClergyIndy

https://progressiveindiana.net

https://progressiveindiana.net

SUMMARY:

The night after the May 5, 2026 Indiana primary, Rev. Tony Alexander and Pastor David W. Greene Sr. take stock of what the results mean for Indiana Democrats heading into November. Pastor Greene, himself a Senate candidate in the primary, reflects candidly on the experience of running a campaign before the conversation turns to the structural problem at the heart of Indiana Democratic politics: a Marion County electorate that turns out at 15% in primaries and needs to hit 45% or better to elect anyone statewide. The hosts walk through the numbers on voter turnout, the Secretary of State race, the Bayh name recognition question, Trump’s $13.5 million primary purge of redistricting dissenters, and what all of it means for down-ballot candidates like Kerry Forestal and Christina Moorhead. Listener comments from Gloria, Victor, Jill, Joseph, and caller Guy round out the discussion with on-the-ground perspective.

WHAT’S INSIDE

00:00:00 — Opening and Replay Reminder

- Rev. Alexander opens by reminding listeners they can catch the full show replay on the Progressive Indiana Network’s Substack the following morning.

- He notes the Indiana primaries are effectively over, with only provisional and military ballots still pending.

- He welcomes Pastor David W. Greene Sr. and sets up the evening’s focus: what happened in the primary and what work remains before November.

- Pastor Greene opens in prayer for the listening and watching audience.

00:01:40 — Pastor Greene on Running for Senate

- Rev. Alexander asks Pastor Greene — who ran for Senate in the primary — to share what the experience is like from a candidate’s perspective.

- Pastor Greene reflects that running a campaign is a relentless grind: canvassing, responding to requests, preparing materials, and managing volunteers, all while still having to live your regular life.

- He describes the emotional roller coaster — some days energized, some days drained — and says he was simply relieved when Election Day finally arrived.

- He frames the outcome plainly: “nothing beats a failure but a try,” and says running taught him a great deal about himself, other people, and how the political machine actually operates.

00:05:38 — Volunteers vs. Voters: The Primary Turnout Problem

- Rev. Alexander notes there was unusual volunteer energy for a primary, with lots of people standing behind candidates — but that enthusiasm didn’t translate into actual votes.

- Pastor Greene explains the core disconnect: most people don’t understand that the primary determines who’s on the November ballot, not November itself.

- He uses Senate District 29 as an example: roughly 10,000 people voted across all candidates in the primary, but winning in November will require 25,000 votes at minimum — and possibly close to 60,000 if participation trends continue upward.

- The lesson: a small minority of voters determines the primary, while the overwhelming majority only shows up in November.

00:07:56 — Marion County by the Numbers

- Rev. Alexander puts Marion County’s turnout in concrete terms: 632,000 registered voters, just over 15% participation in the primary — an improvement over past cycles, but still dismal.

- He walks through the math: every additional 15 points of turnout doubles the effective voting pool, yet Marion County is still well below 50%.

- Listener Gloria comments on Facebook that many people she encountered didn’t even understand what the primary was or what its purpose is.

- Pastor Greene agrees, noting some residents saw campaign signs and assumed they were for November — they didn’t know a May election was happening at all.

00:09:27 — Why Turnout Is the Only Variable That Matters

- Pastor Greene says he has no magic solution to the turnout problem, but points to contested races and national/state conditions as the drivers of the modest increase they did see.

- He argues statewide candidates cannot win without Marion County turning out at 45% or better — a candidate can visit every county in Indiana and still lose if Marion Democrats stay home.

- He uses Secretary of State Diego Morales as the cautionary case: Republicans were embarrassed by him and barely put him in public, yet he won because Marion County turnout was too low to overcome rural Republican numbers.

- His bottom line: 15% primary turnout means 85% of Marion County Democrats didn’t participate — and that gap is what has consistently cost Democrats statewide races.

00:13:13 — Listener Feedback: The Voter Education Gap

- Listener Gloria’s comment surfaces a deeper problem: voters who don’t know the difference between a primary and a general election, or an off-year and a presidential-year election.

- Rev. Alexander says this is something you encounter constantly when canvassing — it’s not just apathy, it’s genuine lack of civic knowledge.

- Pastor Greene agrees and says the work ahead isn’t just get-out-the-vote but voter education and preparation at a basic level.

- Listener Victor comments that Democrats show up strong for the state convention but tank in November — Rev. Alexander says he’s heard this before, particularly the assumption that local Democrats don’t need to vote because their candidate is already safe.

00:15:32 — Post-Primary Division: Will Democrats Unify?

- Pastor Greene raises the unity problem directly: before the election, he saw social media posts where people were asked whether they’d support the primary winner — and a lot of responses were “maybe” or “it all depends.”

- He argues that failure to heal the primary divide will make it impossible to win in November, because you’re not winning anything with 15% turnout.

- Statewide candidates need to not just win Marion County but win it by enough of a margin to overcome the rural Republican advantage — simply “getting” Marion County isn’t enough.

- He uses SD-29 nominee Christina Moorhead as an example: she needs strong Democratic turnout specifically in the Pike and Wayne portions of Marion County, or she cannot win.

00:17:40 — Caller Guy: Reasons for Optimism

- Caller Guy agrees with the hosts’ overall framing but argues 2026 will be different: Beau Bayh — Evan Bayh’s son — is presumed to be the Democratic nominee for Secretary of State after the June convention, and Guy believes the Bayh name will drive turnout among longtime Democrats and independents.

- Guy also points to growing voter disenchantment with Trump’s economic record — gas prices, food prices, farm input costs — as a potential crossover motivator even among some Republicans.

- He flags the massive Trump-aligned spending in the Indiana Republican primary as a signal of what’s at stake and notes that money was the mother’s milk of those one-issue anti-redistricting ads.

- Rev. Alexander thanks Guy and flags that he’ll address the optimism — and the money — after the break.

00:21:51 — Back from Break: The $13.5 Million Primary Purge

- Rev. Alexander reframes Guy’s optimism: the same forces that just spent $13.5 million — up from $250,000 last cycle, a 5,000% increase — to primary redistricting dissenters will not sit out November.

- He argues Democrats cannot afford to run on the cheap and need real resources to support candidates, not assume passion alone carries the race.

- Pastor Greene calls the spending a naked power play by private backers expecting a return on investment — not party money, but donors who want something specific in exchange.

- Both hosts agree it sent a clear message to every Republican officeholder: cross Trump and you’re gone.

00:29:35 — What That Money Is Really Buying

- Pastor Greene connects the primary purge directly to the 2027 redistricting cycle: the newly installed MAGA senators in rural districts are safe from Democratic challenge and will vote accordingly when the map comes up again.

- He argues Trump funded these candidates specifically because redistricting was coming — the investment was never just about 2026, it was about locking in the 2027 vote.

- Listener Gloria comments that campaign finance used to have rules and regulations — Rev. Alexander agrees and says the current environment is the wild, wild west.

- Pastor Greene closes the thought: when someone spends that kind of money, they are committed to winning, and that money will be back in November.

00:32:48 — Candidate Visibility and the DNC Investment Question

- Listener Jill raises two issues: candidates need to do more retail politics to introduce themselves to voters, and the national Democratic Party isn’t investing enough at the local level.

- Rev. Alexander partially agrees but notes this primary season featured more candidate forums than he’s seen before — the problem wasn’t opportunity, it was whether voters showed up.

- He also pushes back on the DNC framing: the $13.5 million in Republican ads didn’t come from the party — it came from individual donors making phone calls, and Democrats need to think the same way.

- The Republican ads were simple one-issue attacks — “this person voted against redistricting, against Donald Trump” — effective precisely because they were that blunt.

00:36:18 — The Bayh Name Recognition Problem

- Rev. Alexander raises a skepticism about the Bayh name that goes further than Guy’s optimism: voters who remember Birch and Evan are aging out, and younger voters and newer Indiana residents have no idea who the Bayhs are.

- Pastor Greene fully agrees: the people who know the Bayh name are 40-plus; 20- and 30-year-olds don’t know the family at all, because it’s been over 20 years since Evan Bayh held office.

- He warns that assuming name recognition will carry Beau Bayh is a miscalculation — he has to run a real campaign in Marion County, answering the basic voter questions: who is he, what will he do, why should I vote for him.

- They both point to Evan Bayh’s own last race as a cautionary tale: a household name who lost because Marion County didn’t turn out at the level he needed.

00:39:33 — Healing the Primary Divide

- Rev. Alexander frames the post-primary moment starkly: in this environment, the choice is MAGA or Democrat — there is no third lane — and any further Democratic fracturing is a direct gift to Republicans.

- He says it doesn’t matter which candidate you supported in the primary; the entire party is now the concern, and unity is non-negotiable.

- Pastor Greene puts it on party leadership: what happens over the summer — the conversations, the planning, the direction-setting — will determine whether Indiana Democrats can capitalize on a potentially favorable national environment.

- He contrasts MAGA’s structural advantage — one leader, one message, unified turnout — with the Democratic reality of multiple leaders who must coordinate deliberately rather than following a single signal.

00:42:58 — Know Your Candidates: Voter Research and Campaign Finance

- Listener Joseph comments that voters need to verify and trust — do the homework, know the candidates before November.

- Rev. Alexander expands on this: for statewide races especially, if you can’t meet the candidate in person, look up their record — how they voted, what they supported, what they said they’d take away.

- He argues the campaign finance picture is part of that research: when $13.5 million floods into a primary, people should be asking right then where it came from, not just reporting the number.

- Pastor Greene agrees: anyone spending that kind of money is expecting a return on investment, and voters deserve to know what that return is.

00:45:05 — Trump’s Loyalty Demand and the Long Game on Redistricting

- Pastor Greene lays out the long-term implication: the Trump-backed candidates who won their rural primaries are essentially in office now — Democrats aren’t beating them in November.

- Those five or more new MAGA legislators will be in place for the 2027 redistricting vote, which is exactly what the spending was designed to achieve.

- Rev. Alexander adds that Trump has said out loud that judges he appoints should be loyal to him — nobody should be surprised that legislators he funds are equally beholden.

- Pastor Greene notes Indiana Senate leadership itself could shift as a result, since the new members tip the internal balance further toward the MAGA faction.

00:47:35 — Door-Knocking vs. Social Media: What Actually Works?

- Listener Jill advocates for candidates going old school — events, door-knocking, direct voter contact — and Rev. Alexander asks Pastor Greene to weigh in from his own primary experience.

- Pastor Greene says door-knocking has a 10% hit rate at best: safety concerns, ring doorbells, and general reluctance mean only one in ten people will actually open the door.

- He says you still have to do it — leaving material and showing you were there matters — but the kitchen-table conversation of the old days is largely gone.

- The answer isn’t one silver bullet: you need events, door-knocking, social media, texts, emails, and mailers all at once, and you just hope enough of it lands.

00:50:30 — Closing: Make Your Plan to Vote Now

- Rev. Alexander thanks Pastor Greene for his efforts during the primary season and acknowledges there is still a lot of work ahead.

- He closes with the same message the show started the year with: don’t wait until November — make your plan to vote now.

- He reminds listeners the show replay will be available on the Progressive Indiana Network’s Substack the following morning.

- Pastor Greene and Rev. Alexander sign off and wish the audience a blessed week.

https://concernedclergy.org

https://www.facebook.com/ClergyIndyhttps://www.facebook.com/ClergyIndy

https://progressiveindiana.net

https://progressiveindiana.net

SUMMARY:

Six days out from Indiana’s May 5 primary, Rev. Tony Alexander and Pastor David W. Greene Sr. open the program by responding to the day’s Supreme Court ruling allowing Louisiana to redraw its congressional maps and undoing major parts of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 — a decision both hosts frame not as a legal matter but as a moral one, arguing it effectively dismantles the practical enforcement mechanisms of the civil rights law. They connect the ruling to a broader pattern of voter suppression targeting minorities, women, and immigrants, and make the case that the primary is the most urgent available response. The hosts then shift to Indianapolis’s ongoing data center controversy, criticizing the city’s first Department of Metropolitan Development community listening session as a performative “check the box” exercise that left residents more frustrated than before. In the final segment, Pastor Greene — a candidate for Indiana Senate District 29 — makes his closing pitch to voters in Pike and Wayne Township and the district’s suburban reaches into Boone and Hamilton counties, framing his affordability-first platform as a moral response to Indiana’s $22 billion budget and the federal cuts bearing down on seniors and people with disabilities. The program closes with details on a Souls to the Polls bus effort departing from five Indianapolis churches this Sunday, May 3.

WHAT’S INSIDE

00:00:00 Open / Disclaimer / Station ID

00:00:43 Welcome & Introduction

- Rev. Alexander opens six days out from the Indiana primary; introduces Pastor Greene

- Pastor Greene offers opening prayer

00:02:11 Supreme Court Voting Rights Ruling — Overview

- Rev. Alexander summarizes the day’s Supreme Court decision on Louisiana redistricting

- Court ruled maps drawn along racial lines are impermissible but maps drawn along party lines are not

- Pastor Greene frames the ruling as a moral issue, not merely a legal one

- Indiana cited as already ranking near last in voter participation

00:05:24 What the Ruling Means — Urgency for the Primary

- Rev. Alexander argues this is the most critical moment for voters who feel their voice doesn’t count

- Two states had already announced plans to redraw maps within hours of the ruling

- Pastor Greene invokes “the urgency of now”; connects low turnout to political emboldening

00:08:12 Dismantling the Voting Rights Act — The “Third Leg” Argument

- Rev. Alexander describes the ruling as kicking out the third leg of a stool — the Act itself survives but its enforcement mechanisms are gone

- Pastor Greene warns of a return to pre-Voting Rights Act conditions

- Discussion of new documentation requirements targeting women who have changed their names

00:09:54 Who Stands to Lose Voting Rights

- Rev. Alexander tallies affected groups: Black voters, women, immigrants with prior voting rights

- Pastor Greene argues the endgame is a electorate reduced to predominantly white male voters

- Discussion of how manufactured difficulty — lines, documentation, eliminated early voting — functions as suppression

00:12:38 Caller — Guy

- Guy calls in with a historical perspective, noting the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence

- References King Charles’s address to Congress the previous day on checks and balances and the Magna Carta

- Expresses optimism that overreach will backfire, citing Lincoln’s “you can’t fool all of the people all of the time”

- Predicts Congress flips back in the midterms

00:14:58 Response to Caller / Indiana Redistricting Risk

- Rev. Alexander thanks Guy, appreciates his optimism

- Raises prospect of Indiana revisiting its own maps now that Supreme Court has given cover

- Pastor Greene warns Trump will move urgently before November — redistricting, mail-in ballots, early voting all on the table

00:17:20 From “Possible” to “Probable” — Federal Election Infrastructure

- Rev. Alexander upgrades the threat from possible to probable

- Describes White House as effectively drafting model legislation for Republican states to follow

- Predicts a rapid cascade of state-level map challenges heading to the Supreme Court before November

- Pastor Greene argues Trump’s goal is controlling who votes, not just who wins; raises J.D. Ford vs. Victoria Spartz in IN-5 as example of a race that becomes unwinnable without voting access

00:20:00 Executive Order on Mail-in Ballots / Break Tease

- Rev. Alexander describes Trump’s executive order directing the post office to control mail ballot distribution while simultaneously cutting the postal budget

- Teases data center segment after the break

--- [COMMERCIAL BREAK] ---

00:21:19 Indianapolis Data Centers — DMD Listening Session

- Rev. Alexander reports on DMD’s first community listening session on data center guardrails, held the previous day

- Reaction was uniformly negative — attendees said nothing new was presented and no real input was taken

- Pastor Greene calls it a “check the box” meeting — the community was invited but not heard

00:24:24 City Council’s Missed Opportunity

- Rev. Alexander recounts how Councilor Jesse Brown’s earlier resolution to establish data center guardrails was voted down by council

- City then returned to the community asking for input after having already rejected a formal process

- Pastor Greene calls out the Black councilors who opposed Brown’s resolution and have not yet presented the “better plan” they promised

00:26:44 Political Stakes — Data Centers and the 2027 Mayor’s Race

- Pastor Greene argues data center frustration is compounding with gas prices and other economic pain

- Warns councilpersons that silence on this issue is being noted and will matter in 2027 municipal elections

- Rev. Alexander agrees: this is one of the most-watched issues in the city right now

00:28:16 Caller — Reverend Phillips

- Reverend Phillips calls in briefly on the Supreme Court ruling and voting rights

- Frames the moment in spiritual terms — calls on believers to pray and seek God

- Rev. Alexander closes the call warmly and takes the break

--- [COMMERCIAL BREAK] ---

00:30:34 SD-29 Candidate Segment — Pastor Greene’s Closing Pitch

- Rev. Alexander introduces Pastor Greene as a candidate for Indiana Senate District 29

- Pastor Greene frames his candidacy as a moral response to what he calls egregious conduct at the statehouse

- Describes Indiana’s $22 billion budget as a moral document; cites seniors choosing between medicine and meals, CCDF childcare voucher gaps, and underfunded public schools

00:33:27 SD-29 Candidate Segment — Federal Cuts Coming to the State

- Rev. Alexander raises proposed changes to Supplemental Security Income — benefit reductions for disabled people living with family members

- Pastor Greene confirms SSI cuts are coming and shares what he’s heard across his district: retired people who did everything right now facing impossible financial pressure

- Argues seniors and people with disabilities deserve to age with dignity and stay in their homes

00:35:40 SD-29 Candidate Segment — Cross-Aisle Optimism

- Rev. Alexander asks whether Indiana Democrats can find Republican partners

- Pastor Greene points to Governor Braun’s $200 million one-time childcare fund as evidence — driven by Republican business community pressure, not Democratic lobbying, after 311+ childcare closures statewide

- Argues a broad urban-suburban-rural coalition — chambers of commerce, United Way, women-led organizations, faith community — can move the needle on affordability in the 2027 budget

00:37:55 SD-29 Candidate Segment — Shared Economic Pain Across Party Lines

- Rev. Alexander argues school funding, disability care, and food prices affect everyone regardless of race or party

- Pastor Greene: “They don’t charge me any more when I walk in the grocery store because I’m Black”

- Raises rural voters whose hospitals have closed and who now travel 100 miles for care at $4+ gas

00:40:52 SD-29 Candidate Segment — Farmers and Tariffs

- Rev. Alexander reports Wisconsin and Michigan farmers are choosing not to plant this spring due to tariff uncertainty and product markets collapsing

- Pastor Greene argues those farmers didn’t vote expecting this outcome — and their pain may shift their politics

- Notes Trump is pushing federal fallout down to the state level, increasing pressure on the governor heading into his reelection

00:42:40 SD-29 Candidate Segment — Closing Argument

- Rev. Alexander asks Greene for his closing message to SD-29 voters

- Greene: affordability first, fighting to protect Eagle Creek, bringing a track record of coalition work from business to faith-based community

- Campaign slogan: “Don’t be mean, vote for Green”

- Distinguishes himself from opponents on experience — points voters to his public record on education, health care, and redistricting

00:45:51 SD-29 District Geography

- Rev. Alexander asks Greene to define the district for voters unsure if they’re in it

- Greene: formerly J.D. Ford’s seat — Pike and Wayne Township, east to I-465, south to Raceway Road, plus Zionsville (Boone County) and West Carmel (Hamilton County) up to 146th Street

- Describes it as a gerrymandered district the GOP never expected a Democrat to win

00:47:19 Souls to the Polls — Sunday, May 3

- Rev. Alexander asks about the Souls to the Polls effort

- Pastor Greene: five churches participating this Sunday; buses donated by Cameron Riddle’s bus company; departing from Purpose of Life at noon

- Participating churches: Purpose of Life, Antioch, Fountain of Grace, Eastside Baptist, St. John’s Missionary Baptist, Olivet Baptist

- Churches traveling to the City-County Building to vote early; no church membership required

- To join or add a church: contact Kara Johnson at 317-869-7367

- Greene commits to repeating the effort in November

00:50:11 Closing / Sign-Off

- Rev. Alexander urges listeners to bring elderly family members to a participating church for the bus

- Thanks Pastor Greene for his campaign labor; thanks listening and viewing audience

- Sign-off: Concerned Clergy Radio Show, Praise AM 1310 / 95.1 FM, Indy’s Inspiration Station

https://concernedclergy.org

https://www.facebook.com/ClergyIndyhttps://www.facebook.com/ClergyIndy

https://progressiveindiana.net

https://progressiveindiana.net

SUMMARY:

Rev. Tony Alexander opens the program with a wide-ranging discussion of data center proliferation across Marion County townships, pressing lawmakers for the guardrails they declined to put in place months earlier. Pike Township Trustee Annette Johnson joins to explain the trustee office’s emergency assistance role and her reelection campaign. In the second half, Concerned Clergy President Pastor David W. Greene Sr. returns to discuss the grassroots momentum pushing politicians on data centers, Governor Braun’s signing of a public camping ban, and Greene’s own affordability-first state legislative campaign. The program closes with voting reminders ahead of the May 5th primary.

WHAT’S INSIDE

00:00:27 Introduction and how to tune in

- Listeners can tune in live Wednesday nights at 7pm on Praise AM 1310 / 95.1 FM, Facebook, or YouTube (Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis page).

- Call-in number: 317-480-1310.

00:01:58 Data centers: Carson announces legislation, council proposes guardrails

- Congressman André Carson announced today that he will introduce legislation related to data centers, with details expected tomorrow.

- The city-county council is also now proposing guardrails — something Alexander notes they had the opportunity to do when they voted on the Metrobloks data center in Martindale Brightwood and declined.

- Alexander points out that Councilor Jesse Brown proposed transparency measures in the Democratic caucus and was voted down, only for colleagues to now embrace the same idea months later.

- Community asks include: transparency on facility size, energy usage and demand, infrastructure impacts, and binding community benefit agreements.

00:05:25 Townships fighting alone — and what comes next

- Communities in Decatur, Franklin Township, Pike Township, and Martindale Brightwood are all battling data center proposals with no coordinated legislative cover.

- Alexander argues the burden fell unfairly on individual councilors like Jesse Brown while the broader caucus stayed silent.

- A DC Blox data center meeting is scheduled for next Monday at Downey Avenue Christian Church, 111 South Downey Street (Council District 14), hosted by City-County Councilor Andy Nielsen; livestreamed as well — search “DC Blox” (B-L-O-X) to register.

00:09:04 Voting reminders: Marion County primary

- Mail-in ballot application deadline: Thursday, April 23 at 11:59 PM.

- Satellite early voting locations open this Saturday at township government centers in Decatur, Franklin, Perry, and Warren townships.

- Pike Township early voting: Pike Township Public Library, Fort Ben branch library, Krannert Park, and St. Luke’s United Methodist Church (86th Street).

- City-County Building early voting already open; closes May 4 at noon.

- Election Day: May 5th.

00:12:04 Guest: Annette Johnson, Pike Township Trustee — role and funding

- Johnson is in her eighth year as trustee (second four-year term), having previously served 14 years on the township board.

- The trustee’s office provides emergency assistance — utilities, mortgage, rent, clothing, school uniforms, food vouchers, diapers, and supplies for expectant mothers — funded entirely by the local township tax base.

- Pike Township is one of only three Marion County townships with a standalone fire department, which makes up the largest share of its budget.

- To qualify: must live in the township (verified by zip code), present ID, and document an emergency that occurred within the past 30 days — layoff, hours cut, medical leave, or fire damage.

00:17:13 Federal and state funding cuts: pressure on the trustee’s office

- Alexander raises the concern that federal and state funding sources are disappearing — will trustees have to absorb the slack?

- Johnson says the office hasn’t hit that wall yet but predicts it within two to three years.

- She is building relationships with churches and community organizations now to help fill any future void.

- Johnson notes the township’s budget is fixed to the local tax base across three areas: emergency assistance, small claims court, and the fire department.

00:22:19 Top issue: utility bills / How the 30-day rule works

- The number one presenting issue right now is utility bills, which Johnson calls out of control.

- Johnson works with the Winter Assistance Fund (WAF) — she matches WAF’s $800 contribution from township funds, reducing a $2,000 bill to $1,600, for example.

- Johnson’s goal is to pay the full balance so clients leave with a zero balance; she pays senior citizens’ bills in full without exception.

- The 30-day rule refers to a qualifying emergency within the last 30 days — typically a pending disconnection notice, not the age of the debt itself.

- Johnson does not cover reconnection deposits — only pre-disconnection balances; she called on state legislators to update the restrictive guidelines governing trustee assistance levels.

00:26:29 Re-election pitch and campaign contact info

- Johnson’s three-part platform: protect the Pike Township Fire Department, expand innovative assistance programs, and be a powerful community voice.

- Community priorities she’ll advocate for beyond the trustee role: opposing data centers, Save Eagle Creek, and keeping charter schools out of Pike Township in favor of public schools.

- She recently held an essential goods giveaway with Walmart donations and plans to continue community-facing events.

- Contact: AnnetteJohnson2026.com | 317-418-7801

00:30:38 Pastor David W. Greene Sr. joins: Data centers and grassroots pressure

- Greene attributes the recent pivot by Carson and the city-county council to sustained grassroots pressure, not top-down leadership — politicians are recalculating mid-election.

- Save Eagle Creek yard signs are now ubiquitous across Pike Township; Greene notes the coalition organized entirely from the bottom up.

- Decatur Township residents have filed a lawsuit over the rezoning of a data center there; a new data center was also announced on another side of Indianapolis.

- Greene called out the Council’s treatment of Brightwood residents who came to speak at a recent hearing involving Councilor Ron Gibson.

- Greene praised Trustee Johnson for going beyond her job description to fight on data centers, Eagle Creek, and public education.

00:35:24 Community benefit agreements and the DC Blox meeting

- Alexander lays out what communities are asking for: transparency on size, energy demand, and infrastructure impacts, plus binding community benefit agreements before any approval.

- Greene agrees: “It’s time out for trying to do something to the community and not with the community.”

- Greene draws a distinction — not all politicians are on the wrong side; Johnson is an example of an elected official going above and beyond her role to fight for the community.

- A DC Blox data center meeting is scheduled for next Monday at Downey Avenue Christian Church, 111 South Downey Street (Council District 14), hosted by City-County Councilor Andy Nielsen; the meeting will also be livestreamed — search “DC Blox” (B-L-O-X) to register.

00:39:18 Governor Braun’s public camping ban: homelessness is a condition, not a crime

- Governor Mike Braun signed legislation banning public camping across Indiana — targeted, both hosts note, primarily at Indianapolis.

- Greene: homelessness is not a crime, it’s a condition — and conditions require solutions, not punishment.

- A $500 fine and Class C misdemeanor won’t solve homelessness; Greene argues it will deepen it by damaging credit and creating warrant exposure for people who can’t pay or appear in court.

- Greene serves on the Mayor’s Leadership Council on Homelessness and calls for expanding affordable housing, mental health care, addiction treatment, and employment pathways instead.

00:44:06 The moral argument: money isn’t the problem, will is

- Greene challenges the “we don’t have the money” framing — the state is simultaneously pursuing the Chicago Bears stadium and handing out decades-long tax breaks to data centers.

- Alexander adds: federal spending on war and other priorities dwarfs what it would cost to fund early childhood care, Medicaid, and homeless services.

- The fastest-growing homeless population, Greene notes, is women with children — meaning the law risks family separation on top of everything else.

- Greene: “Becoming homeless is not a crime. It’s a condition. It’s not a crime. It never has been.”

00:47:29 Pastor Greene’s state legislative campaign

- Green is running on an affordability-first platform in a district covering Wayne Township, Pike, Zionsville, and West Carmel.

- Key pressures he hears across the district: unaffordable childcare, inaccessible healthcare, seniors rationing medication, renters and homeowners unable to keep up with rising costs.

- Additional priorities: fully funding public education, saving Eagle Creek (Green lives near the reservoir and warns an environmental accident from data center water usage is a matter of when, not if).

00:50:42 Closing and voting reminder

- Alexander repeats all early voting locations and deadlines.

- Mail-in ballot application closes Thursday April 23 at 11:59 PM; Election Day is May 5th.

https://concernedclergy.org

https://www.facebook.com/ClergyIndyhttps://www.facebook.com/ClergyIndy

https://progressiveindiana.net

https://progressiveindiana.net

SUMMARY:

Rev. Tony Alexander opens the hour with two threads running in parallel: the ongoing fallout from DOGE’s dismantling of USAID, anchored by newly public deposition testimony and a whistleblower memoir, and a preview of Indiana-focused topics — education funding under attack at both the state and local levels, Governor Braun’s about-face on child care vouchers, and the newly formed Indianapolis Public Education Corporation (IPEC) board. President Pastor David W. Green Sr. joins at the half-hour to expand on the child care and education crises, pushing back hard on any framing of Braun’s $200 million announcement as a rescue rather than a partial correction of damage he helped cause. Two callers weigh in — one connecting DOGE’s data access to a personal identity theft incident in his household, the other asking whether Indianapolis’s Black community has a pathway into the tech jobs being promised around incoming data centers.

WHAT’S INSIDE

00:00:26 Introduction and opening prayer

- Rev. Alexander welcomes listeners, directs them to the PIN Substack for replays, and opens with prayer.

00:01:38 Topic preview: DOGE, the USAID whistleblower, and Indiana education

- Rev. Alexander previews the night’s agenda: Trump posting images of himself as the Messiah; Nicholas Enrich’s new book “Into the Wood Chipper,” a whistleblower account of DOGE’s takeover of USAID; education under attack at the state and local levels; and Governor Braun’s $200 million child care announcement.

00:03:51 DOGE and the destruction of USAID

- Rev. Alexander walks through DOGE’s origin — Elon Musk arriving within 45 days of Trump’s inauguration, promising to cut waste, fraud, and abuse with a chainsaw — and notes that Musk was effectively gone by May 2025 after a public feud with Trump, leaving extensive damage behind at USAID, Social Security, and elsewhere.

- Rev. Alexander describes Enrich’s account of DOGE staffers arriving at USAID in their early 20s, with no relevant experience, and using ChatGPT to run keyword searches for “diversity,” “equity,” and “inclusion” as the sole method for identifying grants to cut — eliminating programs on the basis of word matches alone, including a Holocaust documentary and plant biodiversity research.

- Rev. Alexander emphasizes USAID’s role in containing disease outbreaks globally before they become pandemics, and cites estimates that nearly a million children have already died as a result of the aid cutoff, with that number potentially rising into the millions.

00:07:02 [NBC News clip — DOGE deposition testimony]

- NBC News correspondent Julie Tsirkin reports on deposition videos from a civil lawsuit filed by humanities organizations, alleging DOGE violated the First Amendment by canceling more than 1,400 arts, history, and education grants.

- Former DOJ staffer Justin Fox testifies that he flagged a Holocaust documentary as DEI-related; he acknowledged using ChatGPT to identify programs to eliminate.

- Former DOGE staffer Nathan Kavanaugh states the goal was to eliminate the federal deficit, then acknowledges under questioning that DOGE did not reduce the deficit. DOGE claimed $150–$180 billion in savings before it ceased to exist.

00:09:08 Rev. Alexander reacts to the clip

- Rev. Alexander highlights that the deposition footage shows DOGE staffers unable to define DEI in their own words — one citing only the executive order — and connects this to the broader pattern of unqualified young operatives being handed authority over agencies they knew nothing about.

- Rev. Alexander notes that the deposition videos were originally posted to YouTube, taken down following a judge’s order after Fox reported harassment and death threats, but remain accessible through backup sources. He addresses caller LME’s implied question by noting that the DEI rationale was applied mechanically, with no actual evaluation of program merit.

00:21:35 Break / Pastor David W. Green Sr. joins

- Rev. Alexander welcomes President Pastor David W. Green Sr. to the program.

00:23:08 Caller #1 — DOGE data access and identity theft

- Caller #1 argues that the most underreported story from the DOGE depositions is not the DEI keyword searches but the fact that DOGE operatives accessed the personal data of every American — Social Security numbers, addresses, birthdates, medical records — and raises the question of what Elon Musk, who recently crossed $800 billion in net worth, would want with that data.

- Caller #1 shares that his wife received a fraud alert the previous week: someone had applied for a credit card in his name using her Social Security number — an incident he directly connects to DOGE’s data access. He urges listeners to stay engaged and vote, noting that Republicans have won only one special election since Trump took office.

00:26:11 Caller #2 (LME) — Data centers, community inclusion, and tech jobs

- LME references the recent shooting at a city councilman’s home tied to the data center controversy and asks whether Indianapolis’s Black community has a real pathway into IT and programming jobs connected to incoming data centers, noting that most corporate databases are already managed offshore.

- Pastor Greene responds that opponents of the data centers were never against technology or economic development — they were against being cut out of the conversation entirely. He draws on his own background in data centers in the 1990s to push back on the job-creation narrative, noting that a data center at night runs on one or two people; real community opportunity lies in construction and trades, not operations.

- Pastor Greene also connects the pattern to other top-down Indianapolis development decisions — the LEAP district, Eagle Creek water extraction — where community engagement came too late and created unnecessary friction, including the violence he explicitly condemns.

00:32:08 Governor Braun and the child care crisis

- Pastor Greene takes on Governor Braun’s $200 million child care announcement directly, arguing Braun should receive no credit for partially restoring what he helped destroy: CCDF vouchers have not been issued for going on 18 months, more than 311 daycares have closed since September, the YMCA’s child care operation shut down when the rates were cut, and thousands of families remain without access even under the new announcement.

- Pastor Greene identifies the three priority groups for the new funding — foster care parents, child care workers, and a third group he could not recall — and notes that this is a short-term fix with no guarantee of continuation; the real test is the 2027 budget session.

- Rev. Alexander adds that Braun moved only because the closures started hitting his own constituent base, with over 300 daycares shuttered and the damage spreading beyond the communities the legislation originally targeted.

- Pastor Greene argues the deeper cost is the workforce and developmental pipeline: parents forced to stay home rather than work, children entering kindergarten without structured early learning, and a cohort that will struggle to pass IREAD-3 by third grade as a result.

00:42:39 Indianapolis education funding and the IPEC referendum

- Rev. Alexander and Pastor Greene discuss the newly formed Indianapolis Public Education Corporation (IPEC) board, which held its first meeting and is already moving toward a referendum to replace the expiring IPS referendum — which ends in November and covers IPS and charter schools alike.

- Pastor Greene says the board is targeting August 1 to get a referendum question on the ballot, but notes the board has met only once, has no executive director yet, and is already talking about how much money it needs before it has a clear picture of what it needs the money for — a dynamic Rev. Alexander compares directly to DOGE walking into USAID.

- Pastor Greene argues the deal has already been cut behind closed doors and the community rollout is just being managed, but notes that economic conditions — inflation, gas prices, the possibility of ongoing military conflict — could tank voter support regardless of how the ask is framed. He extends the warning beyond Indianapolis: Zionsville, Carmel, and townships throughout the region are all facing referendums of their own.

00:49:48 Closing / next week preview

- Rev. Alexander thanks listeners and callers and announces that Pike Township Trustee Annette Johnson will join the program next week.

https://concernedclergy.org

https://www.facebook.com/ClergyIndyhttps://www.facebook.com/ClergyIndy

https://progressiveindiana.net

https://progressiveindiana.net

SUMMARY:

On this edition of the Concerned Clergy Radio Show, Revs. Alexander and Greene welcomed George Hornedo, a Democratic primary candidate challenging incumbent Congressman Andre Carson in Indiana’s 7th Congressional District, with the May 5, 2026 primary now underway. Hornedo outlined his background — from a WIC-assisted childhood in Texas to senior roles in the Obama Justice Department and on multiple presidential campaigns — and framed his run around the conviction that a congressional seat is more than an up-or-down vote in Washington; it is a platform and a megaphone for the entire community. The conversation ranged from the affordability crisis hitting Hoosier families, to Hornedo’s case for restructuring the federal funding formula so Democratic cities in Republican-led states stop getting shortchanged, to a played audio clip of President Trump arguing the federal government should abandon social programs in favor of military spending alone, to Hornedo’s alarm about the erosion of democratic norms. Greene Sr. wove in his own state Senate District 29 campaign, emphasizing coalition-building across levels of government and the moral imperative of putting people first. Both men agreed that disillusionment is not an option — the choice, as Hornedo put it, is to step away or step up. He closed by directing listeners to georgehornedo.com and inviting direct contact by giving out his cell number.

WHAT’S INSIDE

00:00:01 Introduction and Opening Prayer

- Alexander opens by promoting the PIN Substack replay and encouraging listeners to exercise their right to vote, noting that early voting is now underway

- The show’s guest is introduced as George Hornedo, Democratic primary candidate for Indiana’s 7th Congressional District, challenging incumbent Congressman Andre Carson

- Alexander offers an opening prayer and invites listener participation at 317-480-1310

- Greene Sr. is welcomed as co-host for the evening

00:02:59 Guest Introduction: George Hornedo

- Hornedo describes his background: 35 years old, raised in Texas, parents were young high school sweethearts who struggled financially — he was on WIC as an infant, which he cites as formative in his belief that government can work for people

- His career has spanned the Obama DOJ (civil rights work under Attorneys General Holder and Lynch), senior staff roles on presidential campaigns from Obama to Clinton to Buttigieg, voter protection work for Biden 2020, and policy work at the national voting rights organization Let America Vote

- He also cites private-sector work representing communities such as Birmingham, Jackson, Little Rock, Miami-Dade County, and the African American Mayors Association in securing federal funds

- He frames his candidacy not as personal opposition to Carson, whom he says he likes and respects, but as a response to necessity — particularly on issues like data center development and ICE enforcement where he sees the incumbent as too passive

00:06:24 Federal Funding, Affordability, and the Federal Formula

- Greene stresses the urgency of getting federal dollars into Indiana and into the right hands, noting that families are being crushed by rising grocery costs, utility instability, gas prices, and property taxes — including seniors cutting prescription pills in half to afford them

- Hornedo explains that Indianapolis lags behind peer cities in competitive federal grant attainment and argues for a more aggressive, proactive approach to bringing that money home

- He identifies a structural problem in federal formula funding: money flows to states based on population rather than need, which allows Republican-led states to shortchange Democratic cities — a pattern he says he saw repeatedly representing cities like Birmingham, Jackson, and Little Rock

- He calls for a coalition of members of Congress from similar cities to push for formula reform, arguing the change would be transformative for Indianapolis across housing, roads, homelessness, and public safety

00:10:15 Coalition Building Across Government: Greene Sr. on Senate District 29

- Alexander invites Greene to put on his state Senate candidate hat and model what collaboration between a state senator and a congressperson could look like

- Greene argues that Indiana’s tendency to operate in government silos — federal, state, and local officials staying in their own lanes — is a losing strategy; breaking down those walls so information flows freely would benefit everyone from the congressperson down to local trustees

- He points to Indianapolis’s road conditions as the most visible symptom of governments failing to work together and stresses that coalition-building is not optional — it is the only path forward against Republican supermajorities

00:13:58 Campaign Model: Bottom-Up Politics and the Trust Deficit

- Hornedo argues the biggest problem in Democratic politics, before you even get to policy, is an erosion of trust that cannot be rebuilt through TV ads

- He describes building what he says is the largest Democratic field operation the state has seen in years: over 38,000 doors knocked, on track for 60,000; over a million calls made; direct one-on-one conversations with more than 16,000 district residents

- He contends that voters do not care whether a solution comes from federal, state, or local government — they just want problems solved — and that a congressperson should be willing to use their platform on any issue affecting the community, regardless of jurisdictional lines

- He specifically cites his presence at the Martindale-Brightwood community hearing on data centers as an example of using the congressional platform on a nominally local issue

00:18:40 Leadership Vacuum and the 2027 Mayoral Race

- Hornedo says he got into the race because he got tired of looking around for leadership and not finding it — the state blames the city, the city blames the state, and federal representation sits on the sidelines

- He notes that the 7th District is Indiana’s only safe Democratic congressional seat, making it uniquely important, and links it to the need for new mayoral leadership in 2027

- He flags that when Julia Carson held the seat, the district led the state in voter turnout; it now ranks worst in a state that itself ranks dead last nationally — a condition he calls both embarrassing and reversible

- He frames his campaign as an ecosystem-building effort: getting to Congress is the beginning, not the destination, and the goal is to build a Democratic infrastructure that can win across the board

00:21:41 Commercial Break

00:22:16 Post-Break Recap and Listener Call: Marilyn

- Alexander recaps the guest and reminds listeners that early voting is open at the City-County Building downtown

- Caller Marilyn asks Hornedo how many opponents he faces; he clarifies that four candidates are in the Democratic primary — not the general — and that the seat is safe enough that whoever emerges will almost certainly win in November

- Marilyn asks whether Hornedo would collaborate with the winner if he does not prevail; he says yes without hesitation, affirming he will continue working for the community from whatever position he occupies

- Marilyn raises property taxes on Indianapolis’s east side, where new development is driving up assessments on existing homeowners; Hornedo sympathizes and says property tax reform is primarily a state and local matter, but pledges to use his platform to force the conversation

00:27:17 Affordability Deep Dive: Wages, Costs, and Medicaid

- Greene ties affordability to federal decisions cascading down — wars driving gas prices, utility instability, property tax referenda for schools — and describes meeting voters on fixed incomes forced to choose between medication and groceries

- Hornedo frames the budget as a moral document and takes direct aim at Trump’s proposed spending on military conflict while cutting domestic programs

- He describes voters he has met on the trail: a 25-year IPS educator using a food bank, a mother of two boys with autism facing special education cuts, a woman with multiple sclerosis denied food stamps because she earns $100 over the threshold

- He recounts visiting a woman in her forties with deep vein thrombosis, diabetic neuropathy, and severe arthritis who has been denied Medicaid appeal after appeal since returning to Indiana from Pennsylvania — a story he calls the most formative of his campaign

00:34:05 Audio Clip: President Trump on Federal Spending

- Alexander frames the clip for listeners as the current federal direction and turns to Hornedo for response

00:35:18 Response to Trump Clip: Federal Devolution and Democratic Strategy

- Hornedo argues Democratic candidates in competitive general elections should run that clip as a campaign ad — Trump called these programs “scams” and told his own cabinet secretary to ignore congressional authority

- He distinguishes between block granting (still federal money, states determine distribution) and what Trump is describing: removing federal funding from the equation entirely, something without modern precedent that would effectively end these programs

- He warns that Trump should be taken seriously and literally, including on election integrity — an outside group is reportedly working with the White House on executive orders targeting election administration, and the question is not whether elections will happen but whether they will be free and fair

00:39:23 Voter Engagement and the Urgency of the Primary

- Alexander asks Greene what he is hearing on the campaign trail about voter enthusiasm

- Greene says frustration will drive turnout, and stresses that a Democratic Congress capable of providing real oversight is essential given that Trump is acting without congressional check

- He describes the current dynamic as Trump pushing responsibility to states, Indiana Governor Mike Braun pushing it further to local governments, and local governments lacking the revenue to absorb it

- Hornedo urges listeners not to let disillusionment become inaction: the choice is to step away or step up, and stepping up can mean voting, talking to neighbors, or using whatever platform is available

00:43:22 Infrastructure and the Federal Funding Formula

- Alexander raises Indiana’s road conditions; Hornedo says Indiana ranks worst in the country in infrastructure

- He argues a more aggressive congressperson can bring competitive grant money home, freeing up city budgets for infrastructure, and that the federal funding formula itself must be reformed so Democratic cities in Republican-led states stop getting the short end

- He notes that federal road funding currently flows to the state, which as a Republican-led body consistently shortchanges Indianapolis

00:47:45 Closing Conversation: Accountability and People-First Politics

- Greene argues a blue wave alone is not enough — it must be a blue wave that puts people first, with fresh voices willing to do an honest accountability check on how the party got where it is

- He notes Democrats cannot ask the same people who got them here to fix the problem, and that owning the failures is not finger-pointing — it is the prerequisite for doing something different

- Hornedo affirms he is proud to be a Democrat but says he is a person first, and that putting people before party is the only path to real results

00:50:19 Closing: Contact Information and Voting Reminder

- Hornedo directs listeners to georgehornedo.com and gives his personal cell (317-354-7073) and email (george@georgehornedo.com)

- Alexander thanks Hornedo, reminds listeners that early voting is available now at the City-County Building and by mail-in ballot, and that the primary is May 5

- Alexander closes: “Be blessed.”

https://concernedclergy.org

https://www.facebook.com/ClergyIndyhttps://www.facebook.com/ClergyIndy

https://progressiveindiana.net

https://concernedclergy.org

On this week’s Concerned Clergy Radio Show, Rev. Tony Alexander and Concerned Clergy President Rev. Dr. David W. Greene Sr. welcomed Denise Abdul-Rahman and Jordan Geiger of Black Sunlight Sustainability to discuss the environmental and economic stakes of AI data center development in Indianapolis’s Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood — including the City-County Council’s recent approval of the Metrobloks project at 25th and Sherman — as well as rising utility costs, the IURC’s statewide listening tour, and the upcoming free EV charger education event hosted by Concerned Clergy and Black Sunlight on April 7. The conversation drew a direct line between environmental racism, the erosion of democratic accountability at every level of government, and the urgent need for community education and civic engagement.

WHAT’S INSIDE

00:00:00 — Opening / Announcements / Prayer

- Rev. Alexander leads the opening prayer and introduces tonight’s guests from Black Sunlight Sustainability: Denise Abdul-Rahman and Jordan Geiger.

- Tonight’s topics: AI data centers in Martindale-Brightwood, rising utility bills, solar and EV alternatives.

00:02:08 — Introducing Black Sunlight Sustainability

- Denise Abdul-Rahman describes Black Sunlight as a statewide organization focused on connecting communities to resources for self-determination, clean energy, and resistance to environmental harm.

- Abdul-Rahman cites Dr. Robert Bullard’s foundational work on environmental justice: race — not income level — determines where environmental injustice is located in America.

- She describes how greenhouse gas emissions connect to intensifying weather events in Indiana — stronger tornadoes, extreme heat, damaging cold — as well as the emerging threat posed by AI data centers, which use excessive water, generate noise, and often rely on diesel generators.

- Martindale-Brightwood, already overburdened by industrial pollution, is described as a textbook case of environmental racism.

00:07:05 — Rev. Greene Joins: Brightwood, Democracy, and the Price of Engagement

- Rev. Greene expresses solidarity with Brightwood residents and frustration that they engaged the democratic process exactly as instructed — and were still overruled.

- He draws a parallel to the construction of I-65 and I-70 through Black Indianapolis neighborhoods, raising the question of whether the Metrobloks placement was intentional.

- Rev. Alexander notes that a “Rethink I-65/I-70” initiative is now exploring reconnecting those communities — at enormous cost.

- Rev. Greene connects the Metrobloks vote to a pattern of democratic erosion: from the appointed IPS board (with David Harris, a charter school advocate, named president) to federal voter suppression efforts — calling it an attack on democracy at every level.

00:09:15 — What Happens Now? Community Options After the Council Vote

- Denise Abdul-Rahman says the fight is not over: the public comment period was limited to 15 minutes with restricted speakers, and the community can still press the full City-County Council.

- She notes there are unresolved questions about the integrity of the process itself.

- Rev. Greene encourages residents to also engage Metrobloks directly to negotiate community benefits — but insists any real community agreement must be built with the community, not handed down to it.

- Rev. Alexander reads a statement from Councilor Gibson (posted during the live broadcast) claiming a $2.5 million commitment to Martindale-Brightwood, with an estimated $20 million in additional investment — noting it was the first he had heard of any such commitment throughout the entire process.

- Rev. Greene responds that the $20 million figure appears to reference a tax abatement — which does not benefit the community — and that a park in front of Metrobloks that nobody uses is not a community investment.

00:13:02 — Jordan Geiger on Data Center Research and Black Sunlight’s Work

- Jordan Geiger identifies himself as Assistant Director of Special Projects and Outreach at Black Sunlight Sustainability.

- His recent focus has been researching data center development projects across Indiana and their community impacts.

- Geiger’s audio deteriorated during this segment; Rev. Alexander noted they were losing him and tabled the conversation to return to later.

00:14:07 — IURC Listening Tour: Real Relief or Check-the-Box?

- Rev. Alexander outlines the IURC’s statewide listening tour schedule: Goshen/Elkhart, Columbus, Fort Wayne, Evansville; Noblesville City Hall on April 9; Indianapolis Ivy Tech Conference Center on April 20; plus Gary and Terre Haute. Residents are encouraged to search “IURC listening tour” for details.

- Abdul-Rahman says she wants to be optimistic: House Bill 1002 was already passed to address affordability, and the IURC is receiving input from the state’s five investor-owned utilities alongside a federal energy growth task force; attendees are reportedly being asked to bring actual utility bills.

- She notes that a coalition secured $117 million in federal funding to deploy solar across Indiana — but that contract was terminated by the federal government before it could produce results.

- She says Governor Pence eliminated energy efficiency programs and mandatory industrial investment standards created under Governor Daniels; she calls on Governor Braun to restore those programs and fund statewide solar deployment.

- In the near term, she expects the most likely outcomes from the listening tour to be modest: weatherization assistance for very low-income households and small residential green programs.

00:19:01 — Caller: Rev. Phillips

- Rev. Phillips argues that community members need to be educated and focused — using his own background in security work as an example of what trained attention looks like — and says people distracted by their cell phones aren’t paying attention to what’s happening around them.

- Rev. Alexander responds that utility meter reading is largely automated now, so cell phone distraction isn’t the reason utility bills are high.

00:21:46 — Caller: Guy

- Guy praises the citizens who showed up to fight data center approvals across the country, calling it democracy in action even when outcomes are discouraging.

- He argues solar should be the central focus going forward on energy policy — and warns that utility industry lobbyists will fight hard to prevent anything that threatens their revenue.

- He recounts a personal experience being inadvertently disconnected by the power company and finding it nearly impossible to get the error corrected — no local office, no one at the Monument Circle headquarters to take a complaint.

- He says the automation of customer service will only make that worse, and urges people to demand a human being on the other end of utility disputes.

00:26:10 — EV Charger Education Event — April 7

- Rev. Greene and Abdul-Rahman announce a free community education event co-hosted by Concerned Clergy and Black Sunlight Sustainability.

— Tuesday, April 7 | Doors: 5:30 p.m. | Program: 6:00 p.m.

— Julia Carson Center, 300 East Fall Creek Parkway, Indianapolis

— AES Indiana will be present; food provided

- Abdul-Rahman describes the coalition behind the event — the Indiana Alliance for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Electric Vehicle Infrastructure — which includes: Concerned Clergy, Black Lives Matter South Bend, NAACP Evansville, NAACP Terre Haute, Purpose of Life Ministry, Scott United Methodist Church, First Baptist Church North of Indianapolis, and the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance.

- The coalition’s core demands: INDOT siting of EV chargers in underserved communities, public listening sessions on Indiana’s EV infrastructure funding, and equitable contracting and apprenticeship opportunities for Black-owned businesses.

- Abdul-Rahman notes Indiana was allocated up to $100 million for EV infrastructure; the Trump administration has reduced that to approximately $75 million, of which only $3.8 million has been received, with contractor selections still pending.

00:35:43 — Second Half: Democracy Under Attack, IPS, and Staying in the Fight

- Rev. Greene says the Metrobloks vote is itself a democratic failure — a councilor voting against his own constituency — and places it alongside the shift of IPS to a mayoral-appointed board as evidence that democracy is under attack at the neighborhood, local, state, and federal levels simultaneously.

- Rev. Alexander says he’s hearing from dejected people who want to give up, and urges them not to: even when a vote goes against the community, people need to understand that five council members can outvote thousands of residents — and that is exactly why voter education and turnout matter.

- Rev. Greene calls for people to be energized rather than exhausted by the number of fights: data centers, school boards, voting rights, utility costs — they are all connected.

00:41:16 — The Real Math: Jobs, Investment, and Who Benefits

- Rev. Greene, drawing on his background as a systems engineer who worked in data centers beginning in 1985, says the jobs argument for data centers is overstated: a modern data center likely employs one person overnight; in the 1990s it was two.

- Rev. Alexander says on every major energy and infrastructure construction project he is aware of in Indiana — solar, wind, data centers — the foremen and superintendents were out-of-state travelers, not Hoosiers.

- Rev. Greene says local contractor inclusion has to be negotiated upfront and intentionally; without it, companies simply bring their existing out-of-state crews because it is easier.

- Both note that the community of Martindale-Brightwood is not anti-economic development — what they are is pro-community agreement, and a real community agreement requires negotiation, not a unilateral offer.

- Rev. Greene warns that if Metrobloks drives up energy demand and AES raises rates, everyone in the region pays — it is not a Brightwood problem, it is an Indianapolis problem.

00:48:55 — Closing: Call to Action

- Rev. Alexander calls for a coalition of councilors, senators, community leaders, and homeowners associations to sit at the same table and hear directly from developers.

- Reminder: EV charger education event, Tuesday April 7, Julia Carson Center, 6 p.m.; doors at 5:30.

---

CONTACT BLACK SUNLIGHT SUSTAINABILITY

Email: contact@blacksunlight.org

Phone: 855-275-7786

https://concernedclergy.org

https://www.facebook.com/ClergyIndyhttps://www.facebook.com/ClergyIndy

https://progressiveindiana.net

https://concernedclergy.org

In a timely appearance ahead of Indiana’s primary season, Indiana’s 7th District Congressman Andre Carson joined Rev. Tony Alexander and Pastor David W. Greene on the Concerned Clergy Radio Show for a substantive hour covering the partial government shutdown, TSA worker pay, ICE reform, the state of the Democratic resistance under Trump’s second term, data centers and rising utility bills, IPS school governance, and gun violence prevention. After Carson’s departure, the hosts took calls — including one asking whether there is any legal recourse against on-air defamation of Black leaders — and pivoted to a call to civic action, urging listeners to attend upcoming No Kings rallies and Souls to the Polls events across Indiana on Saturday, with voter registration closing April 6.

WHAT’S INSIDE

0:01:06 — OPENING PRAYER

Rev. Alexander leads prayer.

0:01:50 — INTRODUCTION OF CONGRESSMAN CARSON

Rev. Alexander introduces Carson as representative of Indiana’s 7th Congressional District.

0:02:06 — CARSON WELCOME / PLEASANTRIES

Brief exchange. Rev. Alexander notes Carson is in the middle of a primary campaign and that Pastor Greene is on assignment and may join later.

0:03:03 — WHAT’S HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON?

Rev. Alexander asks Carson to break down the current moment in D.C. — particularly the intelligence/national security landscape — from his perspective.

0:03:35 — CARSON OPENS: GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN / TSA / ICE / PROJECT 2025

Carson’s extended opening statement:

- Democrats are holding firm in a partial government shutdown over ICE funding

- Proposes separating ICE from DHS so TSA can function and airports remain open

- Filed an amendment to ban ICE agents from wearing masks/face coverings in public

- Connects Project 2025 to TSA privatization proposals, DEI elimination, healthcare cuts

0:06:28 — TSA PAY, ICE BONUSES — REV. ALEXANDER PRESSES

Rev. Alexander notes TSA workers aren’t getting paid while ICE agents are receiving $50,000 recruitment bonuses. Asks Carson to clarify the political blame dynamics.

0:07:44 — CARSON: TSA MORALE, ATTRITION, AND FIFA CONCERNS

- 400+ TSA agents have quit since the partial shutdown began

- Record wait times at airports

- Expresses concern that staffing levels won’t recover in time for the FIFA World Cup

0:09:13 — IS A DEAL POSSIBLE?

Rev. Alexander asks whether there’s any hope of a resolution or if it’s a stalemate.

0:09:32 — CARSON ON SHUTDOWN NEGOTIATIONS

- Says Schumer has put forward a “good faith proposal”

- Democrats pushing for ICE reform as a condition; Republicans offering only to exclude ICE deportation funding, which Carson calls insufficient

- Notes Senator Thune says a deal is not close

- Says Trump could end the TSA delays immediately by accepting a deal — and has chosen not to

0:11:55 — “ARE DEMOCRATS READY TO FIGHT?”

Rev. Alexander voices frustration shared by many in the community: Democrats appear to be getting “punched in the face” without fighting back. Asks Carson directly if the party is ready to fight differently.

0:13:23 — CARSON: THE FIGHT IS HAPPENING — BUT THE TOOLS HAVE CHANGED

Key segment. Carson argues:

- Democrats can’t use the same playbook in a new environment

- Traditional media, terrestrial radio, church appearances alone aren’t enough

- Black voters are doing “a la carte” voting — they won’t automatically follow the party

- Social media and influencers now make or break elections

- The Black faith community, Black elected officials, creatives, and influencers must work collectively

- A progressive from San Francisco operates differently than one from Indianapolis — same goals, different methods

0:16:45 — CALLERS / TRANSITION

Rev. Alexander acknowledges callers and brings in Pastor Greene.

0:17:06 — PASTOR GREENE JOINS: OBAMA COALITION / JAMES BALDWIN / WHITE VOTER DEMOGRAPHICS

Pastor Greene calls in and raises a demographic argument:

- Black voters are 14% of the population vs. 34 million Latino registered voters

- Obama built a winning coalition across Asian, Latino, Jewish, and Arab-American voters — that coalition has fractured

- Invokes James Baldwin, Malcolm X, and MLK: the Democratic Party is still predominantly moderate-white, and laying the blame for losses on Black turnout misses the structural picture

- The real question is why 65-70 million moderate white voters haven’t held the line

0:19:15 — CALLER JOYCE: PERSONAL GRIEVANCES / SENIOR CITIZEN ISSUES

Joyce, a retired government worker and senior citizen, describes what she characterizes as a pattern of harassment — frozen bank account, mail not being delivered, a gun pulled on her, being locked up in June, and her passport being flagged since 2017.

0:20:52 — REV. ALEXANDER: “HOW DO WE GET RID OF PROJECT 2025?” (Chat question)

Aggregates listener questions and hands back to Carson.

0:21:10 — CARSON: DATA CENTERS AND UTILITY BILLS

Carson pivots to a local issue he’s watching closely:

- Data centers are largely under state jurisdiction but he’s exploring federal options

- There’s a tier system — some data centers claim to be self-contained; others want to pass infrastructure costs onto consumers and municipalities

- “They should pay their fair share of the bill, not neighborhoods”

- Cites a personal dispute with AES over his own utility bill

- References Google scrapping its Franklin Township data center after community pushback

- Notes Bernie Sanders has proposed a federal moratorium on data centers — says he’s open to it

0:23:53 — CARSON: IPS / ILEA SCHOOL GOVERNANCE

Carson addresses ongoing discussion about restructuring Indianapolis Public Schools governance:

- Any changes must center students, teachers, families, and community voices

- Elected school boards are “a cornerstone of our democracy” — wary of shifting to appointed bodies

- Education decisions in Indianapolis must reflect and protect Black and brown families and working-class communities

- Supports both charter and traditional public schools — but with equity, accountability, and transparency

- Notes his own IPS background (St. Rita) and the students he grew up with who were misplaced in classes despite demonstrable intelligence

0:27:31 — CARSON: VIOLENCE, GUNS, JOBS

- References a “nexus to the Mexico-Chicago drug pipeline” (declines to go deeper)

- Introduced the Gun Safety Incentive Act to encourage safe firearm storage

- Hosts annual youth and adult job fairs with Ivy Tech — calls them personal passion projects outside congressional duties

- Notes violence historically spikes in summer; urges collective responsibility

0:29:06 — CARSON RESPONDS TO PASTOR GREENE: MALCOLM X ON LIBERALS

Carson directly engages Pastor Greene’s Baldwin/Malcolm X point:

- While a proud progressive, Malcolm X warned about certain liberals who “smile and say the right things” while pursuing agendas as destructive as overt racists

- Calls out the assumption that Black leadership should always “play second fiddle”

- Describes directly asking corporations (Eli Lilly, AES) about Black executives, contracting with Black-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned businesses

- “What use of it is to have a position if you aren’t going to leverage it on behalf of your people?”

0:31:00 — REV. ALEXANDER: DEI LANGUAGE BEING SCRUBBED

Notes that the words “equity,” “diversity,” and “inclusion” are being AI-filtered out of contracts. Urges changing the language to preserve the substance of the initiatives.

0:31:39 — CARSON WRAPS / CAMPAIGN INFO

AndreCarson.com | 317-226-9400

Campaign is canvassing, phone banking, and compensating volunteers. Carson urges anyone who wants to get involved in politics to join a campaign that shares their values.

0:35:58 — SEND-OFF

Rev. Alexander thanks Carson. Viewer Gloria thanks Carson via chat.

0:36:44 — BREAK

0:37:29 — BACK FROM BREAK: REV. ALEXANDER AND PASTOR GREENE CONTINUE

0:37:59 — CALLER “MAYHEM”: DEFAMATION OF CARSON AND HIS GRANDMOTHER’S LEGACY

Caller asks whether there is any legal remedy for on-air personalities — specifically one described as fired from Urban One — who are defaming Carson and his grandmother Julia Carson’s legacy on the radio without factual basis.

0:39:32 — HOSTS DISCUSS: IS THERE A LEGAL ANSWER?

Rev. Alexander and Pastor Greene agree there probably isn’t a satisfying legal remedy. Pastor Greene ties the climate of disinformation to top-down normalization from Trump, saying people feel “empowered to say and almost do anything without facts.”

0:41:13 — DOUBLE STANDARD: CHARLIE KIRK, JESSE JACKSON, ROBERT MUELLER

Rev. Alexander raises the asymmetry: criticizing Charlie Kirk (even ideologically) was treated as off-limits, while figures like Jesse Jackson and Robert Mueller — who served the country — are freely maligned. Pastor Greene adds that Trump saying “I’m glad he’s dead” about Mueller is “out of bounds” and sets a permission structure that trickles down.

0:42:29 — CALL TO ACTION: SOULS TO THE POLLS / NO KINGS RALLIES

Rev. Alexander previews upcoming weekend events:

- Souls to the Polls — Saturday

- No Kings rallies — Saturday, at locations across Indiana

- Voter registration deadline: April 6

0:43:16 — PASTOR GREENE: WHY THESE EVENTS MATTER

Argues this is not a time for silence. No Kings rallies signal to the Republican Party that the opposition is watching and mobilizing. Low turnout at protests will be read as permission to keep going.

0:45:44 — REV. ALEXANDER: 60+ INDIANA CITIES HOSTING NO KINGS EVENTS

Per the Indianapolis Star, over 60 Indiana cities will have No Kings rally locations Saturday. Names Carmel, Lebanon, and Norah (east side) as central Indiana options. Says you don’t have to go downtown to participate.

0:47:00 — PASTOR GREENE: IRAN / WAR / MISPLACED PRIORITIES

Brief pivot: raises concern about the U.S. sending ground troops toward Iran. “We don’t have money for healthcare and other things, but we got money to go do this.” Notes sardonically that Trump’s sons won’t be among those heading to the front.

0:48:05 — REV. ALEXANDER: WEST PALM BEACH DEMOCRAT WIN / REGISTER TO VOTE

References a recent Democratic win in Palm Beach, Florida — right in Trump’s backyard — as proof that change is possible. Reiterates voter registration deadline of April 6.

0:49:18 — PIKE TOWNSHIP DEMOCRAT CLUB FORUM — TOMORROW

Primary election candidate forum

March 26, 6:00 PM

Lincoln Middle School

5353 West 71st Street, Indianapolis

0:49:50 — CLOSING REMARKS

Rev. Alexander closes out. Thanks Carson, Pastor Greene, and all listeners.

https://concernedclergy.org

https://www.facebook.com/ClergyIndyhttps://www.facebook.com/ClergyIndy

https://progressiveindiana.net

https://concernedclergy.org

Rev. Tony Alexander dedicates this episode to breaking down the SAVE Act, a federal bill being considered in Congress that goes far beyond simple voter ID requirements. While most people hear only that it requires ID to vote, the SAVE Act actually mandates proof of citizenship (passport or original birth certificate) both to register and to vote, forces all states to hand voter rolls to the federal government for citizenship verification, requires re-registration for anyone who didn’t provide citizenship proof initially, and introduces a “Real ID Enhanced” different from the standard Real ID. Rev. Alexander explains how this will disproportionately impact seniors who may not have original birth certificates, younger voters who lose documents, women whose names changed with marriage, and anyone born out of state who must obtain documents from their original birthplace. The bill will also overwhelm BMVs, Social Security offices, and passport agencies as millions try to get required documents. Two callers share experiences: Jo describes difficulties getting Real ID when her birth certificate didn’t match her married name (had to hire attorney, provide school records to prove maiden name), and Guy thanks Rev. Alexander for explaining the details that mainstream media overlooks. Rev. Alexander emphasizes the bill also shortens the election change window from 90 days to 30 days and includes provisions to charge people with lying on citizenship affidavits even when documents are contested. He urges listeners to register by April 6th, look up the actual law, share documents not summaries, and understand what’s coming.

WHAT’S INSIDE

00:03:23 - Station ID and Show Opening

• WTOC AM 1310, 95.1 FM Indianapolis, Praise Indy

• Rev. Tony Alexander welcomes listeners, mentions Herman Whitfield family settlement with IMPD

• Open lines weekly: 317-480-1310, streaming on Facebook (Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis) and YouTube

00:06:18 - What is the SAVE Act?

• Being considered in Congress (House or Senate), unclear if it will pass as written

• Most folks hear it’s just a voter ID law - sounds simple and reasonable

• But it’s much more: requires proof of citizenship (passport OR original birth certificate)

• Must provide proof of citizenship to be REGISTERED, not just to vote - anyone not registered with citizenship proof will have to re-register

00:14:23 - This is Voter Suppression Across the Spectrum

• Bill seems to be failing in Congress, doesn’t have full Republican support, but someone’s really trying to push it through

• Goes across spectrum: Democrat, Republican, Black, white

• Definitely affects females especially those who have been married (name changes)

• Those without passports, can’t find original birth certificates

00:19:22 - What Documents Required and Overwhelming the System

• Original birth certificate plus proof of citizenship, will also require passport

• What happens to BMVs, Social Security offices, Marion County Health Department?

• Everyone without passport will have to get one - overwhelms customs/border passport department

• Women married long time don’t have proof of name change from Smith to Davis - now adding citizenship status requirement

00:24:05 - Federal Verification and Voter Rolls

• Mandatory for all states to give all voter rolls to federal government

• Federal government will determine if you are actually a citizen - they’ll be the verification system

00:24:43 - [FIRST COMMERCIAL BREAK]

00:29:07 - Return from Break: SAVE Act Recap and Iran Discussion

• Welcome back - important everyone understands SAVE Act is much broader than simple voter ID

• Not as simple as showing driver’s license when you vote

• Intelligence Committee hearings today with Tulsi Gabbard and Kash Patel about Iran strike - alarming things said

• Were told one thing but starting to come out that wasn’t true

00:32:41 - Republican Leadership Pushing and Original Certificate Requirement

• Republican leadership trying to get SAVE Act across because very important to Trump

• Indiana seeing retribution campaign against legislators who voted against redistricting

• Back to SAVE Act: must be ORIGINAL birth certificate - not copy from health department

• They want certificate from when you rolled out of hospital - disqualifies whole lot of folks

• Round and round way of suppressing vote

00:36:47 - Caller: Jo’s Real ID Experience

• Had trouble getting Real ID - birth certificate name didn’t match married name

• Had to hire attorney, provide school records from Tennessee to prove maiden name

• People need to get documents in order now

00:39:06 - [SECOND COMMERCIAL BREAK]

00:42:22 - Difficulties Across All Ages and Real ID Enhanced Explained

• Older individuals without original certificates, younger people lose documents constantly

• Regular Real ID (star) different from Real ID Enhanced (American flag)

• Enhanced verifies citizenship proof provided, previously used mainly for Canadian border

00:48:59 - Caller: Guy Thanks for Explaining Details

• Glad Rev. Alexander went into detail - most people just hear “you need ID to vote”

• This is masquerade/charade - if people heard details, they’d feel differently

• Trump administration constantly trying to hoodwink/bamboozle public throughout entire tenure

00:56:24 - Need to Be Informed on SAVE Act

• People copy headlines/articles, flood market with same message - many get misinformed

• Need to be informed with SAVE Act - only 5 states doing it now

• What happens to struggling systems like Social Security when everyone needs documents?

• People rushing to get Social Security cards, birth certificates they haven’t had in 15 years

• Have to get documents from original place - so much folks don’t understand

00:58:07 - Additional Provisions and Closing Warnings

• Must sign affidavit saying “I am a citizen” - if they contest it, can charge you with lying even if you really are citizen

• Currently have 90 days before election to make changes - SAVE Act shortens to 30 days

• Register by April 6th, make sure registration still valid

• Look up actual law, share documents not summaries, be informed

01:00:32 - Show Closing

• “That’s all we have for tonight. We hope everyone is informed and we’ll see you all next week. Be blessed.”

https://concernedclergy.org

https://www.facebook.com/ClergyIndyhttps://www.facebook.com/ClergyIndy

https://progressiveindiana.net

https://concernedclergy.org

In this week’s Concerned Clergy town hall meeting, Pastor David W. Greene Sr. and Rev. Tony Alexander discuss two critical issues facing Hoosiers: Secretary of State Diego Morales partnering with Turning Point USA to conduct voter registration drives in high schools (raising concerns about partisan indoctrination using taxpayer resources and lack of equal access for other groups), and INDOT’s proposal for a toll road across I-70 charging $15.60 for passenger vehicles and $84 for truckers. The toll road discussion reveals how working and middle-class families already struggling with rising utility bills, property taxes, and affordability challenges face yet another financial burden. Callers emphasize that the middle class is “tapped out” and being squeezed from all directions while political leaders from both parties remain complacent due to low voter turnout. The Turning Point USA discussion focuses on the inappropriate use of state resources for partisan political purposes, the hypocrisy of removing DEI and Black history education while allowing Charlie Kirk’s ideology into schools, and concerns about legal challenges to stop this taxpayer-funded indoctrination. The hosts stress the importance of civic engagement, voter registration, and holding elected officials accountable through voting.

WHAT’S INSIDE

00:02:20 - Opening and Prayer

• Rev. Alexander and Pastor Greene welcome listeners

• Prayer for military, Iran situation, national/state/local leaders

• Two agenda items tonight: Morales/Turning Point and I-70 toll roads

00:04:03 - Preview: Two Major Concerns

• Diego Morales using Turning Point USA / Charlie Kirk in high schools

• INDOT requesting federal funding for I-70 toll road across state

00:05:01 - I-70 Toll Road Proposal Details

• Toll road from Illinois border to Ohio border

• $15.60 for passenger vehicles, over $84 for 18-wheelers

• Marion County roads terrible but now adding toll costs

00:08:34 - Toll Roads Will Spread

• If I-70 gets toll, I-65 and I-69 will follow

• Truckers already complain about Indiana road conditions

• No guarantee toll money will actually fix roads

00:12:45 - Affordability and Middle Class Squeeze

• Working families already stretched on utilities, gas, property taxes

• Toll roads add another burden on top of existing costs

• Seniors on fixed incomes making difficult choices

00:15:17 - Federal Cuts and State Priorities

• Losing federal money for education, HUD, housing, SNAP

• Toll revenue for Governor Braun’s priorities before re-election

• Won’t help Marion County—not how he wins elections

00:16:32 - Caller Jim: Middle Class Tapped Out

• Middle class paying for everything, basically tapped out

• Need accountability—remove politicians without integrity

• Politicians get pensions and benefits on backs of working people

00:18:21 - Voting and Accountability

• Low voter turnout lets both parties become complacent

• Only way to create accountability is voting

• People don’t know who voted for what or why

00:20:24 - Rising Costs Compounding

• Gas prices rising due to oil tanker access issues

• Higher gas = higher grocery prices (domino effect)

• Healthcare costs also climbing—difficult times

00:26:05 - Commercial Break and Prayer

• Reminder to call in at 317-480-1310

• Prayer about monks walking from Texas to DC for peace

• Commercials

00:30:46 - Return from Break: Turning Point Focus Begins

• Returning to Concerned Clergy Radio Show

• Shifting focus to Secretary of State concerns

• Caller Jim made important points about accountability

00:31:37 - Diego Morales Turning Point Initiative

• Fox 59 reporting: Secretary of State tapping Turning Point USA in high schools

• Pairing voter registration with poll worker recruitment

• Republican strategy—Governor Braun aligned with president, removed DEI/Black history

00:34:04 - Hypocrisy: Blocking Facts, Allowing Indoctrination

• Can’t teach slavery facts but Charlie Kirk ideology allowed

• State money only for Turning Point—no equal access for other groups

• How is using taxpayer dollars for one partisan group legal?

00:36:32 - Legal Challenges and Trump Connection

• Pastor Greene hoping for lawsuits—should be illegal

• Trump had Charlie Kirk’s widow at State of the Union

• Shows coordination between national and state Republican strategy

00:40:12 - Caller Guy: Need Courts for Relief

• Must go to courts to stop this bullying behavior

• Charlie Kirk twists facts and Christianity

• Mentions James Tallarico (Texas) as counter to MAGA agenda

00:45:30 - Continued Discussion of Partisan Schools Access

• Extended conversation about Secretary of State favoritism

• Question of appropriate use of public education

• Concerns about indoctrination vs civic education

00:50:15 - Equal Access and Election Integrity

• All groups should have equal access to Secretary of State resources

• Partisan favoritism undermines election integrity

• Taxpayer money shouldn’t fund one ideology

00:55:40 - Voter Registration Importance

• Check Indiana voter portal to ensure registration

• Stay informed about what’s happening in legislature

• Bills often hidden in other legislation

01:00:15 - Closing and Call to Action

• Vote in every election to hold leaders accountable

• Check voter registration status

• Concerned Clergy continues weekly town hall

https://concernedclergy.org

https://www.facebook.com/ClergyIndyhttps://www.facebook.com/ClergyIndy

https://progressiveindiana.net

https://concernedclergy.org

In tonight’s Concerned Clergy town hall meeting, Indiana State Representative Gregory Porter joins Rev. Tony Alexander to discuss critical bills from the recently concluded legislative session that disproportionately impact Black communities in Indianapolis and across Indiana. The conversation covers the systematic dismantling of democratic processes through House Bill 1033 (judicial appointments that eliminate Black representation on the bench), the Indianapolis Public Schools takeover bill creating state oversight of the predominantly Black school board, Senate Bill 285 criminalizing homelessness, and AES Indiana’s sale to BlackRock private equity amid skyrocketing utility bills. Representative Porter describes this as a “clawing back” of 50-60 years of civil rights progress, with the governor and his allies systematically removing local control and Black leadership through appointments rather than elections. The discussion reveals how these interconnected policies—from judicial appointments to school board oversight to criminalizing poverty—represent a coordinated effort to strip power from Marion County’s majority-minority community while enriching corporate interests at the expense of everyday residents struggling with unaffordable utility bills and housing costs.

WHAT’S INSIDE

00:01:24 - Opening and Prayer

• Rev. Tony Alexander welcomes listeners and introduces Rep. Gregory Porter

• Prayer for those dealing with war, bombings, and homelessness

• Setting agenda: AES buyout, bills at governor’s desk

00:03:38 - Legislative Session Overview

• One of hardest, busiest short sessions—over 500 bills filed, only 120+ passed

• Started with redistricting bill in December (shot down by Senate)

• Bills that didn’t pass often got stuck into other bills at the end

00:05:42 - Major Problematic Bills

• HB 1033: systematic attack on judicial system

• School board oversight: questioning competency of seven Black women running IPS

• Alzheimer’s bill passed (small victory)

00:06:27 - House Bill 1033: Judicial Appointments Disaster

• Senator Carrasco added amendment removing seats for Marion County Bar Association (Black), Indianapolis Bar, prosecutors, public defenders

• Now governor and Supreme Court appointees choose judges

• Very probable no more Black judges selected for Marion County

00:09:28 - FOP and Judicial Prejudice

• Fraternal Order of Police unhappy with Black judges

• System allows committee to refuse recommending judges for retention

• Rep. Porter calls it “judicial Jim Crow, plantation judiciary”

00:12:29 - Clawing Back Progress

• 50-60 years of progress being systematically reversed

• Everything now appointed by governor or mayor rather than elected

• Past protections requiring African American candidates now gone

00:13:39 - Indianapolis Public Schools Takeover Bill

• Mayor and others (RISE, Stand for Children) wanting mayoral control

• State-appointed overseer for IPS created

• Seven elected Black women school board members now have white male overseer

00:16:08 - IPS Oversight Details

• Described as “plantation overseer” over largest school district in Indiana

• School board no longer controls its own operations

• High school superintendent appointed to oversee experienced Black women educators

00:20:03 - Charter Schools and Asset Stripping

• Concern about charter expansion and IPS asset transfers

• IPS has significant debt obligations and valuable assets

• Fear of privatization scheme transferring public buildings to charter operators

00:24:07 - AES Indiana Sale to BlackRock

• AES bought by private equity consortium including BlackRock

• Bills increased 80-125% for many customers

• Timing suspicious: rate increases announced Monday, then buyout approved

00:27:12 - Bills on Governor’s Desk

• Bills must be signed within 10 days or become law without signature

• Can also veto bills

• Many problematic bills pending governor’s action

00:29:27 - Early Voting Restriction Bill (Died)

• Would have cut early voting from 28 days to 16 days

• Bill died in final days after pushback

• Small victory worth celebrating

00:30:41 - Senate Bill 285: Criminalizing Homelessness

• Vilifies homeless people, gives law enforcement citation authority they don’t want

• Doesn’t reduce homelessness—just hides it

• Driven by legislators from outside Indianapolis

00:31:10 - Lugar Plaza Redesignation

• Plaza outside City-County Building now designated as park

• Dusk-to-dawn restrictions, no alcohol allowed

• Targets unhoused neighbors seeking security

00:33:23 - Downtown Safety Reality

• Downtown statistically safest area in Marion County

• Conventions, NFL Combine, Final Fours all come downtown

• Homelessness is visibility issue, not safety threat

00:36:15 - Local Control Being Stripped

• State legislators from outside Indianapolis making city decisions

• Attacking local autonomy and home rule

• Pattern of state overriding local control

00:40:13 - AES Sale and Utility Rate Crisis

• Buyout timing connected to rate increases—makes portfolio look good at $15/share

• IURC task force studying but no follow-through from administration

• Brand new homes seeing bills jump from $200 to $500

00:45:01 - Data Centers and Tax Breaks

• Data centers haven’t come online yet, can’t blame for current rates

• State giving 50-year tax breaks (cheap land, formerly cheap electricity)

• Need community benefit packages from data centers

00:47:13 - AES Sale Process Not Complete

• $33 billion acquisition needs federal approval

• One investment company from outside the country

• Private equity firms squeeze assets for profit, may resell later

00:48:28 - HB 1343: Militarizing Indiana National Guard

• Buried in Veterans Bill, allows Guard to be militarized like in D.C.

• Can help ICE operations (ICE moved to 96th & Meridian in Hamilton County)

• Governor aligned “lock, stock, and barrel” with current president

00:50:11 - Senate Bill 76: Immigration Enforcement in Schools

• Law enforcement can enter schools and universities

• Can hold someone 48 hours if they “feel” person is undocumented

• Targeting children and students, causing trauma

00:51:25 - Cell Phone Ban in Schools

• Kids can’t have cell phones during school hours

• Educator saying “cell phones down, GPA up”

• May help learning environment and declining test scores

00:52:22 - Senate Bill 27: Chicago Bears Stadium Deal

• Passed in last hours, governor already signed—Bears to Hammond by 2033

• $5-6 billion investment with stadium, convention center in Gary

• State on hook for bonds, gentrification concerns, Illinois fighting back

00:55:09 - Caller Guy: “The Big Squeeze”

• Everything being squeezed on the people from multiple directions

• Recommends book “Technocracy Rising” by Patrick Wood

• Big money people squeezing utilities, agriculture worldwide to get more money

00:56:20 - Closing and Call to Action

• Work not over even though session ended—organize, advocate year-round

• Black Caucus travels state educating people on what transpired

• Get registered to vote, get educated, get to the polls—365-day process

https://concernedclergy.org

https://www.facebook.com/ClergyIndy

https://progressiveindiana.net

https://concernedclergy.org

As Indiana's legislative session ends, Reverends Alexander and Greene discuss major losses including SB 285 (criminalizing homelessness with Class C misdemeanor and $500 fine) and HB 1423 (IPS takeover by appointed board). They emphasize that homelessness is primarily a housing issue, not a criminal one, noting the largest homeless demographic in Indiana is Black women with children who work but can't afford rent. The hosts criticize the mean-spirited, punitive approach that jails people who can't post bail while spending money to house Chicago Bears but not homeless Hoosiers, and note the bill follows model legislation from conservative think tanks like Cicero Institute. On the IPS takeover, they explain the nine-member appointed board (three from IPS, three from charter board, three mayoral picks) transfers power from democratically-elected officials to privatization interests, with nothing in the bill about academic performance—it's about money and power. They warn this model threatens all public schools statewide through language in the bill, compare it to ALEC-style legislation, and promote a "funeral for IPS" event. Throughout, hosts stress these policies lack compassion, serve monied interests over people, and represent the state's loss of moral direction.

TOPICS DISCUSSED

3:57 - OPENING: LEGISLATIVE SESSION ENDING
- At tail end of Indiana legislative session, headed to governor's desk
- "Way it looks, we're going to have a lot of losses" but hoping for some wins
- Inviting calls at 317-480-1310 to discuss bills

6:19 - SB 285: CRIMINALIZING HOMELESSNESS
- Most disheartening bill, reflects "mean-spirited nature" of recent statehouse actions
- Makes being homeless a Class C misdemeanor with fine—not a solution when people are already financially struggling
- Homelessness is a housing issue, need services and compassion not punishment

8:02 - MODEL LEGISLATION FROM CICERO INSTITUTE
- SB 285 borrowed from other states, led by Cicero Institute think tank
- Part of pattern of conservative groups drafting legislation state-to-state
- Similar to ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) model

14:00 - HOUSING VS. PUNISHMENT APPROACH
- Need to focus on getting people housed, not criminalizing them
- Arresting homeless and jailing them costs money (housing and feeding in jail) while claiming no money for actual housing
- Creates cycle: misdemeanor record makes it harder to get job, apartment, stability

17:45 - FACE OF HOMELESSNESS IN INDIANA
- Largest homeless group in Indiana: Black women with children
- These are working mothers who don't make enough to keep up with rent
- People fall on hard times and get caught in struggle, not the stereotype of "strung out" or "don't want to work"

20:05 - MISPLACED PRIORITIES
- State has money to bring in Chicago Bears but punitive toward homeless Hoosiers
- "For certain projects, money ain't an issue. But for other things, we say we don't have money"
- Can find money quickly for some priorities but not for helping people in need

24:09 - CYCLE OF POVERTY AND INCARCERATION
- Jail system gets paid per inmate—is that the solution?
- After jail, person has criminal record hanging over them for employment and housing
- Makes it even harder to get on feet and pay bills

25:00 - STREETS TO HOME INITIATIVE
- Positive alternative providing actual housing and wraparound services
- Faith communities providing "moving kits" (plates, glasses, trash cans, basic needs)
- Service providers help with life skills (balancing checkbook, healthcare, etc.)

27:10 - KEEPING PEOPLE HOUSED LONG-TERM
- Goal is stability, not just getting someone in apartment for three months
- Need to address underlying issues (may have lost birth certificate, other documents needed for jobs)
- Service providers walk beside people through multiple steps to achieve lasting stability

32:01 - HB 1423: IPS TAKEOVER
- Elected IPS school board loses power to nine-member appointed board
- Trump said "DEI was gone, SNAP was gone"—well IPS is gone too in Indianapolis
- "Funeral for IPS" event tomorrow 4pm at Albertson's Mortuary, 5020 East 16th Street

33:25 - COMPOSITION AND IMPLICATIONS OF APPOINTED BOARD
- Three from IPS board, three from charter board, three mayoral appointees
- Moves from democratically-elected to appointed positions—"complete death of IPS as we know it"
- Nothing in HB 1423 about academic performance—it's about money, power, and privatization

35:34 - THREAT TO ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND ALEC MODEL
- Language in bill affects all public schools including townships statewide
- Charter school movement started in New Orleans, brought to Indiana following ALEC-style pattern
- Conservative groups authoring bills that move state to state with similar language

38:05 - POWER DYNAMICS AND FINANCIAL INTERESTS OF APPOINTED BOARD
- What happens to remaining IPS board members not selected? Will they try to please mayor to get picked?
- Expiring referendum IPS needs—only appointed board can pursue it, not elected board. If they don't or it fails, "that's the death of IPS"
- Only three of nine are IPS people; six are charter/mayoral picks. If objective is closing schools, "this is a good way to get it done"

40:44 - GENTRIFICATION AND DEVELOPER INTERESTS
- Board must be in place by March 31st—community should reach out to mayor about selections
- Concern about "mayor friendly" appointments (city councilors, former mayor Bart Peterson) rather than genuine representation
- "I think it's really about dollars and gentrification of neighborhoods, selling property and developers getting property for low prices"

46:41 - HB 1033: JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS ATTACKING BLACK INPUT
- Marion County already doesn't elect own judges—committee does
- Now replacing places where Black people give input with governor appointees
- "Our democracy is under attack across the board"

47:33 - SYSTEMIC ATTACK ON BLACK DEMOCRATIC POWER
- Don't elect judges—appointed group decides
- Trying to remove Black voices from judicial selection board
- IPS has elected board of all Black women, being replaced with mayor-appointed board

48:26 - BROADER PATTERN OF DISENFRANCHISEMENT
- Redistricting targeted Andre Carson and Frank Mrvan to dilute Black voting power
- "We are under attack. Our democracy is under attack"
- "These things are not even a coincidence"

49:01 - CRIMINALIZING HOMELESSNESS TARGETS BLACK COMMUNITY
- 60% of homeless people in Indiana are Black
- Criminalizing homelessness means Black people getting fines and misdemeanors
- "Is it just a coincidence? The answer to that is no way"

49:34 - GOVERNOR BRAUN FOLLOWS TRUMP ON DEI
- Governor going along with president eliminating DEI
- Systemically attacking Black representation: criminalizing homelessness (60% Black), judicial appointments, IPS takeover
- Will appoint "two or three people of color" but "of our color, not of our kind"—token appointments to serve mayor's agenda

51:00 - WIN: EARLY VOTING BILL DEFEATED
- Bill to reduce early voting from 28 days to 16 days appears defeated
- Kudos to everyone who participated in that fight
- Still must be careful as "language can just jump in something" at last minute

55:35 - CLOSING THEMES
- Loss of compassion and moral direction in Indiana policy
- Serving monied interests over people in need
- Call for community resistance and attending IPS funeral event

https://concernedclergy.org

The Concerned Clergy hosts dedicate this episode to honoring Reverend Jesse Jackson, who recently passed away, opening with his iconic "I Understand" speech about growing up poor. The show covers critical legislative battles in Congress like the SAVE Act (requiring extensive documentation to vote, disproportionately affecting women and minorities) and in the Indiana Statehouse like SB 285 (criminalizing homelessness with $500 fines). Reverends Alexander and Greene emphasize making voting plans for the May primary given expected intimidation tactics including potential ICE and National Guard presence at polls. A significant portion addresses immigration rhetoric versus reality, with callers debating whether immigrants drain resources, while hosts counter with facts about detention costs, tax contributions, and indigenous peoples' prior claim to the land. The episode examines Christian nationalism's hypocrisy, questioning how self-proclaimed Christians can support policies harming vulnerable populations while supporting Epstein-connected individuals. Throughout, the hosts stress moral courage in speaking truth to power, the importance of Reverend Jackson's legacy in paving the way for Obama's presidency, and the need for community solidarity in resisting oppressive legislation during Black History Month.

TOPICS DISCUSSED

0:48 - OPENING: REVEREND JESSE JACKSON TRIBUTE & LEGISLATIVE THREATS
- Opens with Jackson's "I Understand" speech about growing up poor without insurance, in three-room house with outdoor bathroom
- Jackson's presidential runs paved way for Obama, contributed immeasurably to Black history and people struggling everywhere
- Indiana legislature trying to take women back to pre-1920 (voting) and pre-1974 (couldn't open bank accounts)

4:52 - THE SAVE ACT: VOTER SUPPRESSION LEGISLATION
- SAVE Act would disenfranchise not just Black folks but many voters by requiring extensive documentation
- Women who changed names through marriage may struggle to provide all required documents (birth certificates, marriage certificates, etc.)
- Bill represents systematic attempt to roll back voting rights and make voting nearly impossible for marginalized communities

10:00 - IMPACT ON WOMEN & FAMILIES
- Women historically couldn't vote until 1920, couldn't open bank accounts until 1974
- Name changes through marriage create documentation barriers under SAVE Act requirements
- Moving state to state makes obtaining required historical documents even more difficult

15:01 - VOTING STRATEGY: MAKE A PLAN FOR MAY PRIMARY
- Don't wait for general election - vote in May primary with a clear plan
- Early vote or request absentee ballot now to avoid Election Day chaos
- Expect ICE presence, National Guard, multiple hoops to jump through at polling sites

16:11 - DON'T VOTE ALONE CAMPAIGN
- MADVoters and other organizations pushing "don't vote alone" strategy
- Take friend or family member as witness to your voting experience
- Going with others provides safety and documentation of any intimidation or irregularities

17:35 - SB 285: CRIMINALIZING HOMELESSNESS
- Bill passed committee 8-5 (four Democrats and one Republican voted against)
- Makes it Class C misdemeanor to be homeless on streets, up to $500 fine
- Moving to governor's desk, expected to take effect July 1st if signed

28:09 - CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM'S HYPOCRISY
- Caller asks how self-proclaimed Christians can support anti-Christian policies
- Ministers need to bring moral voice to Capitol, shine light on darkness
- Politicians claim Christianity while proposing legislation that harms vulnerable people, including Epstein connections

30:15 - IMMIGRATION: RHETORIC VS. REALITY
- Trump narrative claims immigrants taking money, jobs, housing, benefits
- Reality: Building detention camps costs money, staffing costs money, housing/healthcare/food costs money
- 73% of people in ICE detention have no criminal records according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Bureau statistics

35:05 - IMMIGRATION STATISTICS & FACTS
- Most detainees (73%) have no criminal record despite rhetoric about "criminals"
- Detention system is massive expense while claiming immigrants drain resources
- Contradiction between claims and actual government spending reveals true agenda

38:14 - CALLER: "MILLIONS CROSSING BORDER"
- Caller claims millions crossing border illegally every month based on TV
- Hosts explain legal ways to cross border exist, asylum seekers have rights
- Caller insists "they" weren't coming legally, revealing racialized assumptions

40:05 - CALLER: "THEY'RE GETTING OUR FUNDING"
- Caller claims immigrants getting funding for babies and medical care Americans deserve
- Says Black ancestors paid and died to build country, "these people just walked over"
- Hosts challenge zero-sum framing and remind Indigenous people are true original inhabitants

45:07 - RESPONSE TO CALLER: INDIGENOUS LAND & TAX FACTS
- Europeans are the actual interlopers, Indigenous peoples were here first
- Immigrants pay taxes into system but don't collect Social Security benefits
- Facts contradict narrative that immigrants drain resources without contributing

49:53 - IMMIGRANTS PAY TAXES WITHOUT COLLECTING BENEFITS
- Documented fact: Immigrants pay into Social Security without collecting
- Pay sales tax, property tax (directly or through rent), income tax
- Contribute billions to system they cannot access, opposite of draining resources

52:17 - MORAL VALUES IN LEADERSHIP
- Importance of having leaders with actual moral values versus those who claim them
- Need for accountability and truth-telling in face of hypocrisy
- Community must hold elected officials to ethical standards

54:32 - CLOSING: JACKSON LEGACY & LOCAL RESPONSE
- Disappointment with local media/leadership response to Jackson's passing
- Working on clips and greetings from family members to honor his legacy
- Jackson is icon who deserves better recognition from Indianapolis community

57:26 - FINAL THOUGHTS & CALL TO ACTION
- Continue honoring Jackson's work for justice and equality
- Stay engaged with legislative fights and voting rights protection
- Community solidarity essential in resisting oppressive policies

https://concernedclergy.org

Reverend Tony Alexander and Pastor David W. Green Sr. open with a critical discussion of Attorney General Pam Bondi's congressional testimony, highlighting the administration's disrespect toward lawmakers and Epstein victims. The hosts connect this behavior to broader themes of eroding democratic norms, from Trump's racist depiction of the Obamas to the lack of accountability for leadership misconduct. They examine the escalating foreclosure crisis (32% higher year-over-year) and its connection to rising homelessness, criticizing criminalization bills that punish poverty rather than addressing root causes. The conversation shifts to data center development across Indiana, including Meta's LEAP project announcement in Lebanon, analyzing wastewater concerns, infrastructure deals already in place, and questions about financial sustainability. The episode concludes with a discussion of IPS school board governance, opposing mayoral control and warning that appointed boards will serve developers' interests rather than children's education, potentially selling prime school properties for a dollar to build data centers.

TOPICS DISCUSSED:

0:10:25 - PAM BONDI CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY
- Attorney General Bondi refuses to apologize to Epstein survivors for DOJ's release of victim information
- Disrespectful treatment of congresswoman during questioning, calling it "theatrics" and "gutter" behavior
- Sets tone from top leadership showing lack of respect for fellow elected officials

0:14:44 - EROSION OF PRESIDENTIAL DECORUM
- Trump posted image depicting Obamas as monkeys with no accountability
- Previous era expected presidents to set standards and be examples for young people
- Current administration demonstrates "any and everything goes" with no consequences
- Double standard: they demand respect but won't give it

0:18:20 - YOUNG PEOPLE WATCHING & LEARNING
- Young men watching Trump with envy, emulating disrespectful behavior
- Leadership modeling that you can say/do anything without consequences
- Generational impact of normalized disrespect and lack of accountability

0:28:40 - LACK OF PUBLIC OUTRAGE
- Expecting massive crowds demanding accountability - not materializing
- Where are calls for resignation over racist behavior toward Obama?
- Media giving casual coverage: "he probably shouldn't have done that" then moving on
- Should be broad coalition (white and Black) saying "enough is enough"

0:31:46 - EPSTEIN VICTIMS & SEX TRAFFICKING
- Indianapolis sex trafficking ring broken up this week
- Children still being victimized even if not at Epstein's level
- Republicans and others disappointingly ignoring victims at hearing
- Need to stand up for vulnerable children

0:39:27 - CRIMINALIZING HOMELESSNESS
- Trump brought National Guard to D.C. to "get rid of homeless" - just moved them elsewhere
- Indiana Senate bill criminalizing homelessness targeting Marion County/downtown
- Fines and jail time for being poor creates criminal records
- "There must be no line" - what would trigger impeachment or removal anymore?

0:42:18 - FORECLOSURE CRISIS & CONNECTING THE DOTS
- U.S. foreclosure rates up 32% year-over-year (every month increasing)
- Many homeowners have jobs but can't keep up with rising costs
- Homeowners insurance, utilities, property taxes, healthcare forcing impossible choices
- Seniors who built communities now struggling after doing everything right

0:46:36 - HOUSING CRISIS RIPPLE EFFECTS
- More foreclosures → more homeless people
- More empty homes → more crime
- Homes sold to big conglomerates not vested in community
- Then home prices go up, rents go up
- "We're trying to connect these dots for y'all"

0:49:41 - DATA CENTERS & HOUSE BILL 1333
- HB 1333 would take away local control for data center rezoning
- Bill died for now but language could pop back up before session ends
- Every corner of Indianapolis and Indiana dealing with data center development

0:50:48 - META DATA CENTER ANNOUNCEMENT
- Governor Braun announced Meta data center at LEAP project in Lebanon
- Citizens Energy Group meeting about water supply for Eli Lilly and Meta projects
- Wastewater from data centers returns to Eagle Creek with different toxics
- Data centers release different chemicals into water - community needs answers

0:51:18 - DATA CENTER PROLIFERATION
- Locations: Shelbyville, Kokomo, Pike (withdrawn but not totally), Brightwood, east side
- "Everywhere we drive we'll be hitting a data center"
- Question: Will all of them make it? What happens to failed buildings?
- Where's money coming from for land, marketing, community meetings?

0:54:27 - INFRASTRUCTURE ALREADY IN PLACE
- Deals for substations and power already negotiated months ago
- Infrastructure separate from data centers themselves - "two different fights"
- Makes it easier for data centers to take advantage of tax breaks
- Companies not rolling the dice - infrastructure investment signals confidence

0:59:30 - IPS SCHOOL BOARD GOVERNANCE
- Opposition to mayoral control of IPS board (always position, not personal to current mayor)
- People should elect board members, not have mayor appointments
- Already lost right to elect judges, shouldn't lose school board elections too
- African Americans across sectors (board members, faith community, small business) oppose it

1:00:40 - RHETORIC ABOUT BLACK COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
- Critics claim lack of Black opposition means "you don't care about children"
- Unfair characterization - people working jobs, can't attend daytime statehouse meetings
- City council meetings at night show strong Black attendance
- Can't sacrifice keeping roof overhead to attend daytime legislative sessions

1:02:05 - REAL CAUSES OF IPS CHALLENGES
- Wasn't elected board that created current situation
- State legislation and appointed superintendents "carrying water" for certain agendas
- Elected board provided diversity of thought and education on issues like charter schools
- Mayor-controlled board will only please one person, like Pam Bondi answering only to Trump

1:03:12 - PROPERTY SELL-OFF CONCERNS
- IPS owns significant prime real estate inside 465
- Schools need to close, property will go to developers for $1
- Could sell for millions and invest in children (school lunches, summer programs)
- Instead developers get it cheap - "maybe building a data center on it"
- "Connect the dots, people"