Amos Show Statement For

WHY YOU RUNNING?

Introduction:     Amos let me say right off the bat that I do not apologize for being Christian. So giving honor to God who is first in my life I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak to your listeners, and especially those who will vote May 6^th in the democratic primary. I am Rev. Mmoja Ajabu a God fearing independent that is running for Congress to represent the 7^th district of Indiana. I run as an independent because I am in opposition to some of the official stances of the Democratic Party. The spirit of our beloved Julia Carson must rise again!! She was Christian, I said she was Christian, Did I say she was Christian, unbought, unbossed, unafraid, and unleashed to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help her God. That spirit like it drove Julia, also drives me. I don’t carry her name, but I stand on her legacy, and even more important I follow her path.

I will not support the killing of a developing human being while it is still in the mother’s womb, unless the birth of the child will cause the death of the mother, and still I would agonize and pray that our Father which art in heaven would not put anyone in that kind of position to where that decision was necessary to be made. I do not apologize for being Christian. Jesus is cited in Luke 18:15-16 to Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it. How can the little children come to Jesus if their lives are snuffed before they get out the womb!! NO NO NO NO. I do not apologize for being Christian. Bible says what you do to the least of these you do to me. I will not stop children from getting to Jesus because when it comes time to account, I want to be able to enter into the kingdom.

I don’t support the official position of the Democratic Party, nor the position of Andre Carson, to support gay marriage. I do not apologize for being Christian. Leviticus 20:13 says a man should not lay with a man as he lays with a woman. I stand with the word of God. That does not mean because I don’t support gay relationships that I can’t have love for gay people. I have family members that are gay. I have love for them but I do not support their lifestyle. Because people are gay I don’t support them being discriminated against on the job, in use of public accommodation, or anywhere else, I just don’t support intimate relationships between people of the same sex. And for the life of me I don’t get why anyone wants to tell the public their private business. What you do in your bedroom is your business. If all are of the age of consent, then it is not my business what you do in your private world. I would advise to keep it to yourself. Gay marriage may be popular, in some places it may even be legal, but Lord knows it ain’t right. Slavery was legal, but who is going to argue that slavery is right.

And I am spearheading the effort to get language that legalizes one to be enslaved if convicted of a crime removed from the United States and Indiana constitutions. If you are interested in signing the petition google my website, Ajabu Speaks, go there and leave your contact. I will send you the link to the petition. Let me say it again. I do not apologize for being Christian. And as a Christian and although I am running in the democratic primary, as a God fearing man I have to be independent of these official positions of the Democratic Party, and Andre’s,  because I am not a CINO, that is Christian In Name Only. Faith without works is dead. I do not apologize for being Christian. And because I am Christian I must adhere to

Matthew 7:3-6  Which says the following: “Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye , but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, Let me take the speck out of your eye, while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.”

So before I go too far talking about the speck in other’s eye let me not be a hypocrite without talking about that log in mine.

I am a man of many accomplishments:

Minister of Social Concerns, Light of the World Christian Church (2006-2010)

• ·         Have conducted mentoring primarily for Black males as School 14, provide counseling to individuals and families, have provided employment leads for offenders re-entering society

Director of Truancy & Mentoring, Project Impact Indianapolis, Inc. (2006-2010)

• ·         Devise, coordinate and implement truancy and mentoring plan for youth that have had adverse contact with the justice system because of truancy

Talk Show Host (2006-2010)

• ·         Co-host and regularly host the Unity in the Community radio program on WTLC 1310 The Light located in Indianapolis, Indiana

Atlanta Enterprise Center, Atlanta Georgia

• ·         Case Manager/Employment Specialist (2003—2006)
• ·         Counseled clients on how to develop an individual service plan to get them from where they are to where they want to go. Developed employment leads for people affected by Hurricane Katrina/Rita who live and plan to stay in the Atlanta area.

St. James United Methodist Church, Associate Pastor (2003-06)

                Predominantly white influential church in Athens, Georgia

Pastor, The Light, Athens, Georgia (2003-06)

Pastor at a church located in a Black economically depressed community. Oversaw outreach ministries

Light of the World Christian Church

Youth Director (1994-1996)

Developed and provided youth training that was biblically based. Used the life of David to help male youth understand how to make the transition from boy to man.

ITT Technical Institute,

Electronics Instructor, Indianapolis, Indiana (1983-88)

United States Navy Weapons Support Center,

Electronic Technician, Crane, Indiana (1979-83)

Master of Divinity (May, 2004)                  Interdenominational Theological Center

Atlanta, Georgia

                                                                                                Major:    New Testament

Bachelors of Science (December, 1999) Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis

                                                                                                Major:    Organizational Leadership and Supervision

                                                                                                Minor:   Psychology

Noted Accomplishment:               Maintained a 3.6 out of 4.0 grade point average in Organizational Leadership and Supervision classes

Associates of Applied Science Degree

(June, 1979)                                                                       Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis                                                                                                          Major:     Electrical Engineering Technology

Noted Accomplishment:               Organized and was the first President of the Indianapolis Chapter of The National Society of Black Engineers

$7 million White House Grant To Pike can thank me for bringing NSBE to Indianapolis

CIVIC AFFILIATIONS

International Hunger Initiative (IHI) (2008-2011)

Board member

Organization addresses hunger both locally (in Indianapolis) and globally (Kenya, Africa)

IUPUI School of Education (2009-2011)

Advisory Board Member

Advise Executive Associate Dean on marketing strategies for increasing the University’s community presence.

Indiana Church Federation (2008-2011)

Committee Member

Original organizer and continued committee of Sacred Conversations which addresses race relations around Religion, Race, and Politics.

Disciples of Christ (2001-present)

Ordination Board Member

Determine whether ordination candidates are fit to serve the Christian Church

Concerned Clergy (1994-present)

Member

Group advocates social justice for the “least of these”

RECOGNITIONS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Slavery By Another Name

Organized “Call To Action Film Series” and panel discussion on slavery still being legal in America, and specifically coordinating legislative strategy to change this reality (October 23, 2013)

ABC NEWS NIGHTLINE

Featured interview on race relations in America (October 18, 2013)

International Case Studies in Mental Health

Co-authored chapter entitled “Counseling as much more than counseling”: A Case From Zimbabwe”; copyright 2013 by Sage Publications, Inc.

Christel House Academy

Organized afterschool program to implement Mind Over Media (MOM) program (Fall 2009)

Indiana War Memorial

Gave major address on the relationship of warfare to healthcare (October 2009)

Indiana University Purdue University @ Indianapolis School Of Education

Co-teach class Multicultural Education/Global Awareness (Fall 2009)

Eighth Anniversary of Invasion of Afghanistan

Keynote Speaker at King/Kennedy Monument Indianapolis (October 2009)

Indiana Supreme Court

Organized panel to include Supreme Court Justice Dickson on Judge Sonia Sotomayor U.S. Supreme Court appointment; “Race, Religion And The Law” (October 2009)

Light Of The World Christian Church

Organized service and reception for Africans born on the African Continent (September 2009)

First Friends Church (Indianapolis)

Delivered Major Address on Religion and Healthcare (September 2009)

Riverside Civic League Parade

Master of Ceremony (September 2009)

Disciples Of Christ National Convocation

Organized SPECIAL ASSEMBLY EVENT: VIGIL for HEALTH CARE (August 2009)

Forum on Domestic Violence

Organized citywide form on domestic violence (August 2009)

Indianapolis Monthly (December 2008)

Subject of featured article In The Name Of The Father

Indiana School Counselor Association (ISCA) Annual Conference Indpls, IN (2008)

Workshop Co-Facilitator, “Working with ‘Diverse’ Populations:  A Liberation Perspective on School Counseling”

International Counseling Psychology Conference (ICPC), Chicago, Illinois (2008)

Conference Co-Presenter, “Teaching Collaboratively About Racism’s Local, Global Reality”

IUPUI Black Student Union (January 2008)

39^th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “Drum Major Instinct” Award Recipient

Indianapolis Star (January 2007)

Subject of featured article From Rage To Redemption

Indiana School Counselor Association (ISCA) Annual Conference (2007)

Conference Co-Presenter, “Working with ‘Diverse’ Populations:  A Liberation Perspective on School Counseling”

Interdenominational Theological Center (June 2004)

Campbell H.V. Richardson Scholarship Award

State Of Georgia (June 2002)

“Outstanding Georgia Citizen Award” recipient from Georgia Secretary of State, Cathy Cox

Self-Published Author (April 1998)

The Racist Origin Of The Death Penalty In America; Explains Its Present Racist Application

Office of The Indianapolis Mayor (August 1995)

Received letter of appreciation from Mayor Stephen Goldsmith for calming the riots in College Avenue vicinity

Indiana Black Expo (September 1981-83)

Chair of the “International Afrikan Symposium.” Brought African Ambassadors, United States government officials, United Nations officials, and African Liberation Movements to Indianapolis to discuss the global ramifications of African struggles and U.S. policy.

United States Army (1968-1971)

Heavy equipment operator, Vietnam Veteran

I share all of these accomplishments so that voters know my qualifications. Y’all need to know that I came up on the rough side of the mountain. Everything I have I earned. My given name gave me nothing but a history of carrying the name that was the name of the people who enslaved my family. That initial given name was given to show we were the property of someone who had the legal authority to treat us as if we were less than human. That’s why I changed my given name.  However, with all that I have accomplished the Bible teaches us that we all fall short. I want to talk about some of those short falls because I don’t want to be a hypocrite. I don’t want to talk about specks in other people’s eyes, which I plan to do, without talking about the log in mine.

As most of you know my son got into some trouble back in the mid-nineties. He was in somebody’s house without an invitation. When he left the house with the people he went there with there were three people who bodies no longer had life. Evidence shows my son killed no one. In fact, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled that there was no evidence that showed he killed any one. Yet, although he killed no one this system that has a history of enslaving us wanted to kill him. As a father, I don’t, and didn’t want my son to be killed for something he did do, let alone for something he didn’t do. So as a father, I made some statements that were highly public in defense of my son. I truly believe because of statements the people running the system had second thoughts and offered to remove the death penalty phase from my son’s due process if we would agree to let the judge sentence him. Our family agreed so the judge gave him life without parole. Life without parole is just a slower death sentence. The Indiana Supreme Court ruled that since there was no evidence presented that showed my son killed someone then Life without parole was an illegal sentence. So the judge resentenced him to 240 years. A death sentence by any other name is still a death sentence.

Right now as I speak my son is in indefinite solitary confinement. He has been in the hole almost all the time he has been in prison since 1995. I spoke with him yesterday he sends his love out to all who inquire, write and asked that you continue to pray for him. The reason given for him being kept isolated in the hole is because the prison system ruled that he beat up a guard. This accusation was taken to a court of law and the prosecutor found there was no evidence that my son had laid a hand on this guard. In fact, the evidence revealed that there was no way that my son could have touched this guard in a bad way because the prison layout physically prevented it, and electronic evidence shows my son to be on the other side of the prison at the time the guard was beat up. So my son was given a slow death sentence for something he didn’t do, and now while serving slow death he is kept in the hole and has been there for years. Just this past month the United Nations ruled that by international law a person kept in solitary confinement for more than fifteen days is being tortured. So my son is convicted of murders he didn’t commit, in solitary confinement for beating a guard he didn’t beat, and is being tortured for something he didn’t do. During Andre’s initial run to take Julia’s seat my brother publicly stated he would do what he could to help alleviate this torture my son has been experiencing. To this day he has done nothing. He carries Julia’s name but is in no way an example of her legacy. I truly pray that the Lord helps Andre and me too! Andre is definitely not Julia. She cared for the least of these. She stood for the dispossessed. She advocated for the locked up and locked out. No, Andre is not Julia.

During my son’s trial, as I stated earlier, I said some things to protect my son. However, upon reflection I realized that although my words were a father trying to protect his son, those words were hurtful to families of the victims. I have publicly stated remorse and given an apology for any pain I might have caused anyone in those families. I have tried in several ways, through several people, to be able to issue this apology face to face. Although my intent was to save my son I have been shown my words were hurtful to the victims’ families and for my words I again issue an apology. I had an interaction with a family member just this past week. She showed high emotion. The wounds of that experience she show to still be unhealed. I suggested we have a dialogue so that I could apologize for anything I did to hurt her or her family. She declined the offer. A preacher who was there is trying to set up something to help reconcile this tragic event of the past that still impacts our future. I leave future developments in God’s hands. I believe He is not through with this situation.

I got a call and was made aware that a candidate had a strategy meeting to raise the issue about my interaction with the sister at the Trayvon Martin rally. I have been looking for that sister so as to have a face to face with her also. Although she was trying to take my property and fell, again upon reflection, I could have handled it better. If she wanted the bullhorn, and although the horn was my property, I could have just let her have it as I had done earlier in the rally. When she was falling I could have attempted to stop the fall and assisted her getting up after the fall. I definitely fell short. However, to the God of justice I repent of all my shortcomings. If anyone knows her, or knows where she is at, please let her know that I would like to speak with her and pray all is well. Again, I do not apologize for being Christian. God is a God of mercy. Lord knows I continue to be in need of his mercy. The key to God’s mercy is to repent. Lord I repent of any wrong that I have committed and beg for your mercy.

Lord knows there are other incidences where I have fallen short. This list I have shared is not by any means comprehensive. But for those things stated and stated not, Lord I repent.

I run because I want to resurrect the spirit of our Lord and Savior which Julia displayed. Julia was first elected to Congress in 1996. She championed children's issues, women's rights, and efforts to reduce homelessness and was a staunch opponent of the war in Iraq. She overcame much and accomplished much, and devoted her life to helping other people do the same," She was elected to important public offices, but never forgot who she was, where she came from or who she was there to serve." She was a staunch opponent of the war in Iraq and told hundreds of people at a rally in downtown Indianapolis just weeks before the 2003 invasion that it was an act of aggression only to protect US oil interests.

"Truly, it is all in the name of greed and truly in the name of war," she said. "We should have learned by the Vietnam War, but we did not." http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/obituaries/articles/2007/12/16/julia_carson_1st_black_congresswoman_of_indianapolis_69/  

On his own website Andre acknowledges that Julia taught him as a youngster the values of compassion, integrity and determination. (Andre website http://andrecarson.com/about-andre/ ) What happened to the lesson taught by grandma’s hands to Andre?

Julia position, as is mine, America should not be running around the world fighting senseless wars. On the other hand Andre has voted for every war this country has fought sense he has been in office. He has voted for the wars of Libya, Afghanistan and even the war in Iraq which his grandmother stood in opposition to (H J RES 114). What happened to the compassion Andre learned at the feet of his grandmother, our beloved Julia?  Now that grandma is gone who is he listening to? He stands on Julia’s shoulders but his behavior does not honor her legacy nor does he follow her path. That’s me.

Andre Voted NO on banning federal health coverage that includes abortion. In other words he voted to use federal money to fund killing a developing human while still in their mother’s womb. In my research I was able to find no place where Julia voted to kill a developing human while still in the womb. Andre carries Julia’s name but he is not an example of her legacy nor does he follow her path. That’s me.

Julia won election as a Center Township trustee. In that post, she administered welfare payments in central Indianapolis, earning a reputation for defending the poor that would last throughout her career (The Quotable Julia Carson,” 15 December 2007, Indianapolis Star3). Has Andre established himself as a champion of the poor? No, that’s me. I served with the International Hunger Initiative to address hunger here in Indianapolis and on the African continent. Andre sponsored legislation that starves innocent men, women, and children in Zimbabwe. That’s not the heart of Julia. We love his grandmother for all she did for us. But we must understand that Andre is not Julia. Her legacy resides in me. Yes, my campaign is founded on prosperity. However, I want prosperity to be defined by the absence of the poor, not by the presence of the rich. My position and definition is vintage Julia.

Our beloved Julia continued to champion the causes of the underprivileged, including uninsured children, homeless veterans, and victims of domestic violence, and to oppose the Republican agenda. In 2002 she was one of the few members of Congress who opposed authorizing military action in Iraq. She also sponsored legislation to protect and expand the railway service Amtrak. When she went to the Amtrak facility she was sick. The workers were concerned about how frail she was and thought management was treating her badly because they did not provide a chair for her to sit it. The workers, black and white, almost rioted out of love for our champion. But Julia caused the uproar to calm when she told them that although she was frail she needed to stand in order to build back her strength. She was loved. Julia was concerned about the least of these. She was Christian. And so am I. Prophet Muhammad’s life yields good information, and I take no issue with anyone, including Andre, who chooses to follow Hadith, which are the collected teachings and traditions of Prophet Muhammad, peace be unto him. But did Prophet Muhammad support gay relations or abortion as does Andre. So what does that make Andre?

Julia was Christian and so am I. Muhammad, peace be upon him informs but Jesus saves. If there is a choice between information and salvation then for me, as a Christian, there is no choice. I must choose salvation. Julia was Christian. Andre carries her name but falls way short of carrying on her legacy. Again that’s me. Julia on her death bed stood with Andre because he was her family. She let it be known that she wanted her grandson to take her place in Congress. Her blood flowed through her grandson’s veins. Yet, when it came time for Andre to stand with Julia’s son and support Sam’s run for mayor, Andre turned his back on Julia’s seed and supported Melina Kennedy the democratic party’s choice. Julia took Andre in, from her daughter, his mother, and raised him because he was family. Yet, Andre did not follow Julia’s path. Despite this lesson of compassion towards him from his grandmother, Andre chose politics over his family. So I run to resurrect the lessons the God of justice taught us through the life of Julia. 

Therefore, like Julia stood with her grandson, I stand with my son. That’s my son. I don’t support his behavior displayed out there in Carmel, but I love my son!! That’s the legacy of Julia on which I stand. Andre carries her name but plays in a different game. Justice for the least of these was the name of Julia’s game. I am not laying blame but Andre plays by a different game. It’s time for change. Saints on May 6^th your faith demands that we stand together. Faith without works is dead!! It’s time for God’s will to exist on earth as it does in heaven. The harvest is plenty but the laborers are few. It’s time. On May 6^th I need your vote. It’s time for God’s will to exist on earth as it does in heaven. It’s time!! YOU READY?? Thank you in advance. This is why I run.