Slow Food Indy

Indianapolis has, from all that I can observe, every cultural amenity as any other metro city in the United States. This is exemplified in having a 'Slow Food Indy' group, which is committed to the worldwide Slow Food Movement.

Hendricks and Putnam County

After seeing the unfortunate, homogenous sprawl of Avon, it was good to see some semblance of 'small town' Indiana in Danville. Putnam County, at least on the part that is on US 36 W, has a generally pleasant, rustic feel: rich tree canopy along the roads, no ugly billboards, and pleasant farmfields.

Indianapolis Museum of Art

Art challenges the mind to think differently about how reality is viewed, processed and understood. And a place like the IMA - with an astonishingly diverse and rich collection spanning several periods - is just the place to stimulate new thinking. How it could be a vehicle - an inspiration - for dynamism of thinking towards tackling the key problems of Indiana and elsewhere.

Senator Lugar

Some observations...

1. Thought leader - understands themes, but key decisions seem to be made by another
2. Cautious politico
3. Loyal Republican
4. Passion is for foreign policy commentary, not so much Indiana

Neighborhood where Emmerich Manual High School is

2405 Madison Ave, Indianapolis 2405 (south of Raymond)

Neighborhood where George Washington High School is

2215 W Washington St (Belmont); just west of the White River

Speedway

People I know:
-RM
-TM
-Cleaners

Irvington

Lockerbie

Chatham Arch

A Quick Drive through Fletcher Place

-Drove through yesterday, the Kirkwood of Indianapolis, or so it seems.
-Working class feel
-Ethnic

Restaurants that I've been to there:
The Milano Inn
The Bosphors
Nick Iaria's

Butler Tarkington, Meridian Kessler, Meridian Hills, Arden

Three very tree-lined, well-to-do neighborhoods of Indianapolis. The Central West End of Indy. Being revived as kids go to college, and parents seek to be nearer to downtown

Exploring Multicultural Indiana: A Focus on the Sikhs

**Gurdwara Sahib India Community Center
4420 West 56th Street
Indianapolis
(317) 291-0131 [no one answers on Sunday morning]
-About 16 minutes from downtown

**Guru Nanak Sikh Society
3301 Van Buren St
Indianapolis, IN 46203-3319
(317) 786-2331 [generic voicemail on Sunday morning]
-About 12 minutes from downtown

**Sikh Satsang of Indianapolis
10950 Southeastern Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46239
317-862-SIKH (317-862-7454)
Manjinder.Gill@gmail.com
-about 21 minutes SE of downtown

Observations of Downtown Indianapolis

Making Change in Indiana

People accept the fact that Indiana is different, slower to adopt to new things.

So what do those breathless for big change do?
1. The crystallization effect (a small demonstration project in one city, and then in another)
2. The ripple effect (e.g. Obama)

What would Jesus say about Indiana?

I heard the other day that on every street corner of Indiana, there is a church. Is the spirit of Jesus evident...

Five state-specific concerns that He might have:
1. Contempt for certain communities of people:
a. immigrants
b. environmentalists
c. gays
d. the homeless
2. Ill-treatment of animals: hogs, cows in CAFOs
3. Materialism: sports obsession, car culture, big-time eating, sprawl

Looking for the Culture of Indiana

Homogenizing forces:

1. Advertising by major corporations
McDonalds
Coca Cola

2. Common retail stores
Walgreens
Starbucks
Walmart

3. Market share of companies
The Big 3, Toyota

4. Corporate farms
Acres of same-looking corn and soybean fields

And yet, peeling that back, what makes Indiana different? And gives it character?
1. Its landscape: diverse for such a small state
2. Its people: especially English/German stock heritage
3. Its idiosyncratic towns, like Reynolds or St. Meinrad

And why does that character matter?
-It's interesting: intellectually, aesthetically

Why does Governor Daniels enamour some people?

1. Focused on jobs
2. Energetic
3. Optimistic
4. Midwestern (i.e. no nonsense, plain spoken)
5. Perceived as a problem solver

CAFOs in Indiana

Could we just as well have been in Iowa, NC, or MO?

Yes:
The people: laconic, friendly, proud of their way of life
The challenges: input costs (fertilizer, seed, feed), big corporates
The ethics: indifferent to feelings of the animal
The animals: breeded across the U.S.
The weather: Midwestern

No:
The culture: pride of eating pork; raising hogs
The land: particularly swampy in Indiana
The political climate: Governor is hugely backing ag as part of a strategy for growth

The Experience:
1. Revolting: confined nature of hog existence, living in their own manure, denied light
2. Smelly
3. Sobering: the ag system is too big to change
4. Understanding: hog farmers are under tremendous economic pressure, the folks are nice, and willing to share their lifestyle in great detail

Downtown Indy

One of the central questions:

--Can we promote a bold vision without real carrots and sticks?
e.g. How can mixed use development happen without incentives?

--Will the Cultural Trail be the real game changer?

--Why doesn't the vision for downtown go beyond that?
a. expanded buses
b. subway
c. a transformational program for the homeless

Central Indiana Flooding

I haven't seen any firsthand, but some thoughts:

1. Our best moral selves can come out of this: generosity, cooperation, forgiveness
2. Our best cognitive selves can come out of this: massive, fast-paced coordination

Let's hope that 1, 2 lead to permanent change. Let's also hope that local leaders think about how to site smarter (across all sectors - away from water bodies) and build smarter (e.g. not just durable, but ecologically more attuned, like wetlands instead of less durable sewage treatment plants).

Another area of discussion I hope to see--
How do we deal with all of the degradation to the environment? -- the trees, the animal life, the plant life, and the water bodies themselves?

Will people talk about global warming - and it possibly being the underlying culprit?

County Politics in Indiana

Some observations:

1. Broad interest, little energy: half-hearted interest
2. A few stalwarts in the audience who truly care
3. All the county commissioners - predominantly white males - have one of the following qualities:
a. bald
b. glasses
c. beard and mustache
d. some of the above
e. all of the above
4. Everyone making nice, but not feeling that inside
5. A disinteres in truly understanding the other's view

Promoting Social Change in Indiana: Different Models

*The Corporate View
Keep business unregulated, and they'll be great stewards of their community through support of non-profits.
Example: Eli Lilly

*The Ministry View
The church is the protector of the weak, innocent, sick, abused.
Example: Redeemer Presbyterian

*The Democrat/Jeffersonian View
If man is self-governed, he will make the right decisions in the best interest of his community.
Example: Democracy School

*The Regulatory View
Government must move business actors towards doing things in the best interest of the public
Example: Many secular public interest groups

How does one live?
Acknowledging the path that one is own, and evolving to something better: more truthful, just, loving.

Serving People, through Love of God, a View from Indianapolis

Indianapolis appears to be dotted with ministries - ministries that serve the poor, homeless, the hungry, the ill. With all of the enormous suffering in the world - the incredibly suffering state of the human condition - the work of these organizations provides evidence of the good qualities of man, and in the power of faith to develop man into something even better.