The nation turned to our town this week and screams in sickening horror with us over the murder and abuse of a child. Why do we care? Why do they care?

It goes beyond tabloid shows and egotistical media hunting days after the disappearance for a story. It goes beyond headline grabbing Facebook profiles. It goes to the heart of where we walk and drive and live and breathe.

We care because we are horrified evil lives among us.  We care because we have few answers. We care because we are screaming for a life raft after the ship has sunk.

We are aghast that a child, once in our midst, suffered for years and those in charge of her care not only caused, but also contributed to her demise.

We surged through our holidays focused on the perfect gift for someone on a list. We have angst over the right color of socks to wear with pants. And, seemingly, out of nowhere, we have discovered utter pain and the worst, unimaginable crime has taken place where we live. We suddenly are staring at a shattered perspective in our community’s mirror.

There are friends who will never be with her again. There are teachers, and bus drivers, and other 3rd graders who will be forever untouched. There are police and firemen and medical professionals who have been on the front line of the crime. We care because we know so many are grieving.

We are scared for the other two children involved.

We turn to our own children and have to explain that there are people who do horrible crimes when all we want is to tell them life will be O.K.  And we know it doesn’t always turn out that way.

We want answers as a society to try to understand how we can possibly, ever so possibly, prevent this from ever coming close to happening again.

We can point, now, to the awful judgement her mother and many others showed towards Aliahna. But it is not enough to shout out our disdain.

We  must make demands of our prosecutors, our judges, and our lawmakers to do everything we can to keep sexual predators and offenders away from our children. We know the penalties for dismembering a body are no where near what they should be. We are not doing enough.

“Only people who are capable of loving strongly can also suffer great sorrow, but this same necessity of loving serves to counteract their grief and heals them”. — Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910)”

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No, it’s not that so many realized they failed-in fact not one student of mine left failing. Was the problem me? No, not by the appearance of every classroom I peered into and those I continue to gauge. No, not by the comments made by other professors. “It’s just what happens at this point,” stated a colleague.

Of course, I know this, having been through it for years, but for some reason it really struck me as tragic. Perhaps its the consecutive semesters that it has happened with no solution in sight.

What has happened is something I wrote about as the Indianapolis Colt’s football team approached the playoffs last season.

There were countless reasons why the students I had stopped showing up. They sometimes would tell me what happened–car problems, jail, too much on their plate. Sometimes they were just there to collect the financial-aid refund check and never come back. They didn’t play to win. Something in their management team said it wasn’t important to pass the class–to win.

While some safeguards have been put in place, I cannot say it’s enough. Many of my students brag when their financial aid refund checks are deposited that they are getting $7-8 THOUSAND dollars, mostly in Pell and other grants, and know they don’t need to show up for the rest of the semester. They get their check and they are gone. This has to be, by far, the worst semester I have ever seen.

The cost of not only college tuition and books is considered when financial aid is determined, but also the cost of living. Students are not required to show receipts for any expense. Once the money is deposited to them, they have no accountability. Students brag about the $4,000 laptop they bought and Disney vacations.

Study upon study and article and blog post talk about retention rates. They discuss ‘drop-outs’ but don’t want to talk about Higher Education’s dirty-little-secret. They don’t want to discuss going to school just for the money. College Boards and focus groups discuss merits of ‘opportunity for all’ and the all-time ‘high’ numbers of college degree awardees. There is a stark difference between students who don’t come back for their sophomore year, and those who show up for the first day of class to collect their check. And what college wants to release that information?

I could go into details, show you the statistics along racial and poverty lines, but (heaven forbid) I appear to be politically incorrect. I am sure union thugs would show up at my doorstep demanding a retraction.

Yes, in the long run, it may cost students–but it is ultimately affecting us, the taxpaying citizen, who foots the bill for the ‘opportunity’. I would like to see the statistics on student loan repayment. I tend to believe it is nearly as large as the mortgage foreclosure crisis. Collecting that debt is costly and not nearly as successful as the former.

Not only is public education policy at the state and local level bankrupting America, but the higher education level as well.

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What happened, unfortunately, was a pattern repeated in the years following. Between the smoking ban’s effect on small taverns/club owners and the health official’s petty enforcement of ordinances, many a man lost a business.

In December, Bruce Marshall’s building was actually torn down, having been the object of neglect. I was saddened. And still angry. It was a very sharp reminder of the plight man has against his government.

Today, yet another reminder. The story of another man running a business in a growing city: Dana Thompson and the Strand Theater in Angola, Indiana. The man who wanted to run a small business. He was sure he would prosper.

The town has decided to prosecute the man for changing his light bulbs. Of course, there are more details, but the scenario seems strikingly familiar. Man against his goverment. Man means no harm, just wants to run his business. But there is a man on the otherside of the story, just like Bruce Marshall.

A friend writes:

It is an ugly situation. My great aunt worked at this theater most of her life until she was in her 80′s. It is a real treasure. The guy who owns it now (since 1974) has a thriving business and never tore up the beauty of this historical building, like others have downtown.

Inside it is the same as I remember as a kid, yet still clean and comfortable. This is the kind of guy who will say “Did you like it? Do you want to see it again? Go ahead and stay for the second show!”

The theater to him is his life. He stands outside announcing shows, somewhat like a carnival barker–enticing people to come to his theater instead of the one next door (which they tore up inside.. but that is another story). He gladly let’s you stand inside the doorway if you are waiting for others, even if you don’t go to his theater.

He is glad to have you as a customer.

It is enough to kill a man.

Politics can be horrid. In a small town, they really stand out and WILL scare business away.

I don’t know if the man has a lawyer, let alone a good one. Something tells me it will be a long battle. Not only a legal battle, but a public relations battle, as well. If he doesn’t have a legal defense fund, I hope he does soon. I would give money to keep a man and a dream alive.

I sat at the funeral for Mr. Marshall and experienced the mourning. Not only did a family lose a member, but the community, as well. We cannot let man and goverment become opponents. Only the man will lose.

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Allen County Council woman Paula Hughes will make her run for mayor official next Tuesday, September 28.

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I had to drive around our state yesterday, on business and family matters, and didn’t have any significant plans to commemorate the ugly anniversary. In fact, I made it a point to NOT watch the towers fall again on TV, nor listen to the speeches that countless others were making.

Other than in hopes the day would go less painful for those who lost loved ones, I didn’t really wish to be involved.

And then, as I was driving the second leg of my long trip, near Chicago, I saw something I noticed early in the morning on the other side of the state. I had brushed it off to the morning blur. And then I saw it again, and again, and again over the next 12 hours in all kinds of weather in every county.

Men were holding flags on overpass bridges on the highways.

I saw firemen, policemen, military men, and individuals who stood at the center post, holding solitary flags.

I saw lines and small groups of people, spaced in prominence..at a solemn stance with the flag in their arms.

No speeches, no music, no promises, just a stance with a symbol that reminded me how lucky I was to be able to choose my path.

So, the day AFTER September 11, my mind is emblazoned with the images from individuals who made a choice to silently remind us of why we can go on with our day and do our business and be with those we love.

The day AFTER September 11, I prayed.

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3rd round vote to put Stuzman on the ballot. Caucus is over:

Stutzman–260

Thonert–2

Wright-1

Stutzman is the official winner.

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Caucus is voting again with Stuzman, Thonert and Wright to replace Souder in Congress.

Thonert and Wright apparently left the caucus without ‘signing off’ to replace Souder on the November Ballot.

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204 needed to win

Marlin Stutzman–229

Liz Brown–39

Ryan Elijah–46

Bob Thomas–17

Randy Borror–69

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Round 1 voting:

Need 21 to stay on after first ballot. 204 to win.

Marlin Stutzman–180

Liz Brown–46

Randy Borror–67

Ryan Elijah–43

Lonnie Powell–1

Greg Dickman–0

Mike Foster–5

Rachel Grubb–1

Richard Thonert–0

Soctt Welsh–0

Bob Morris–16

Dennis Wright–11

Joe Schomburg–4

Bob Thomas–21

Wes Culver–11

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407 Delegates here. Voting starts soon.

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Precinct Committeeman Dave Dupee, from Allen County, made a motion to have the same candidate be nominated in the voting for both the Special Election and General Election. They are currently in recess and are discussing rules.

Motion was withdrawn.

Voting may start in half an hour or so.

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In Indiana’s 3rd congressional district there is still unemployment, a sagging economy, and angst against government.

They are having a tough time at work. Maybe their lawnmower broke again. Maybe they can’t fill up their tank again until payday. They just got yelled at, again, for leaving their socks on the floor.

A little ‘boost’ to their ego seems to be the ticket out of their duldrum. Maybe this is everything they have ever wanted?

And the affair begins.

A friendly glance comes their way. A shiny smile…. A glance from the (awkwardly true) used car salesman, Bob Thomas. He drives a nice car, after all, his collector cars alone total almost 50. He has a big $3.4 million house (albeit in Indianapolis). He promises the world. He looks like just the man for the ticket. He agrees with you that you deserve everything you want.

Afterall, he looks like everything you have ever wanted. He says all the right things. He will spend his money and make you feel like you are the center of the world.

Then you take him home to Mother on election day. He dances about Israel awkwardly, has nothing to talk about because he doesn’t know who is the local rotary, and has to dash off to a mysterious meeting in Indianapolis.

You wait with baited breath for signs he will come back and have those picnics he promised and kiss babies at the local fair.

You can’t get ahold of him for days, weeks, months–he has a life somewhere else, but you always knew that.

You realize you are traveling to some other town just to get a glimpse at him during a town hall meeting. You know he won’t be at your church Sunday morning.

When the reality sets in, what you wanted, isn’t what you thought it was worth.

What usually comes of an affair? The shine wears off. You discover what happens when they take the make up off. You realize everyone leaves socks on the floor.

Go back home to what you know. Maybe he isn’t perfect. But he will be there when you ask to be. He will be at church on Sunday morning, and you can always find him at the picnic. He is from your town.

The grass will always be greener over Bob Thomas’ septic tank.

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Bob Thomas for Indianapolis.

Bob likes cars.

Bob has a pretty tan and nice teeth.

Bob would like you to know how connected he is to Harvard and the big East schools, including his wife and children.

Bob would like you to know he has not been physically accepted by the military.

Bob hasn’t lived in the 3rd district for most of his life.

Bob last lived here in 1985.

Bob would like to rent a house next to you, at least until the election is over.

Bob us currently traveling the the 3rd district to see who the people are that he wants to represent.

Bob recently filed his campaign finance report listing all (1) of his financial supporters this quarter, besides himself… (Click here PDF).

Bob gave his own campaign $111,286 AND a $20,000 loan. His only other supporter gave $5000 and was from McClean, VA. He has about $11,000 left.

Bob is a used car salesman.

What is Bob’s motivation? He thinks he can sell you, too:

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