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HAPPENINGS AT THE VANDERBURGH COUNTY GOP
Commentary: Eva Kor And Hard Art Of Forgiveness
Commentary: Eva Kor And Hard Art Of Forgiveness
By John Krull
TheStatehouseFile.comÂ
INDIANAPOLIS – Eva Mozes Kor took me to task on a spring afternoon.
She taught me something when she did.
The Holocaust survivor and I talked in March of 2018. We were on the air with filmmaker Ted Green and publisher Peggy Tierney discussing Green’s superb documentary, “Eva.â€
John Krull, publisher, TheStatehouseFile.com
At one of the breaks, I described Kor as one of the world’s leading voices of forgiveness and reconciliation. She shot me a look.
I asked her about it.
She told me I had said something that was “not correct.†She was a voice of forgiveness, she said, not reconciliation. They were two different things.
I pressed her: Wasn’t forgiveness a prelude to reconciliation? Wasn’t forgiveness essential to reconciliation.
Kor was polite but adamant in her response.
Forgiveness was hers and hers alone to give. It asked nothing of the Nazis who had oppressed and tortured her as a child. It gave her the means to liberate herself from the horrors she had experienced at Auschwitz, when the infamous Josef Mengele experimented on her and her twin sister, Miriam.
Forgiveness was something she could control. Something no one could take from her.
Her courteous adamance said a lot.
When Kor died July 4 in Krakow, Poland, where she was on a visit to Auschwitz, the remembrances that flowed after her passing focused on her work as a spokesperson for Holocaust survivors and as an ambassador for forgiveness.
Every word of those remembrances was true, but they didn’t tell the whole story.
The fact is that the woman had a lot of pepper in her makeup. She wouldn’t have survived if she hadn’t.
Too often, we think of forgiveness as something soft, yielding, effortless. It isn’t. Forgiving someone for a wrong done is hard, wrenching work. The greater the wrong, the harder the work.
Kor had so much to forgive.
Because at the end of her life she was such a small woman and enchanting presence – not much taller than a coffee table with a smile that was incandescent – she made it easy to think that getting past what she had endured didn’t cost her much.
But it had to have.
Stripped from her parents when she was 10 years old and then treated as a kind of twisted science project, she must have had reservoirs of pain and rage as vast as the universe. What she endured must have burned within her, with the sort of heat that can consume and scorch anything it touches.
More humane researchers these days have come up with a way to assess how early-life trauma affects children. These traumas go by one of the most misleading acronyms around. They’re called ACEs – short for adverse childhood experiences.
Kor’s ACE score would have been off the charts.
What it must have cost her not to let her suffering broil her and her life down to nothing. Many people never would have been able to escape moments that horrific, never would have been able to find either security or comfort in a world that would allow such things to happen.
But she did.
It’s no wonder asserting control over what her experience meant was so important to Kor. So much of what children depend on, what they need – the love of parents, a sense that the world has a place for them – had been ripped away from her before she would have graduated from the fifth grade.
So much had been taken from her so young, that it must have seemed essential to her to assert ownership over the things no one could take from her.
Her heart.
Her will.
Her forgiveness.
When Kor and I debated – gently, politely – the relationship between forgiveness and reconciliation some 15 months ago, she did what she’d been doing since her childhood. She was asserting that her life was her own and that no one had the right to shape or determine it for her.
Eva Kor took me to task on a spring afternoon.
She taught me something when she did.
May she rest in peace.
FOOTNOTE: John Krull is director of Franklin College’s Pulliam School of Journalism and publisher of TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.
Lt. Governor Grows Indiana-Mexico Relationship
Business roundtables, meetings with senior government officials and the signing of a letter of intent have netted a productive first three days in Mexico, as part of Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch’s second agricultural, economic and tourism development trip.
The agriculture delegation spent Monday and Tuesday in Mexico City, with today’s business being conducted in the state of Hidalgo.
“The Mexican government has shown their support for USMCA and it is now up to Congress to seal the deal,†Crouch said. “But in Indiana, we’re not waiting around. We want Mexico to know that Indiana is open for business and that we’re committed to developing and enhancing our relationship with them.â€
In Mexico City, the Lt. Governor and members of the delegation met with representatives within the Foreign Affairs, Economy, and Tourism ministries. There, they discussed opportunities to enhance cooperation in the areas of agriculture, economic development and tourism. The Lt. Governor also met with the Mexican Undersecretary of North America Jesús Seade, who spoke about the importance of the Indiana-Mexico trade relationship, valued at just under $10 billion.
A business networking breakfast and Friends of Indiana reception also took place in Mexico City, which brought Mexican CEOs, stakeholders and government officials, who have existing or prospective ties with the state, together with the delegation.
“Mexico is relationship-driven,†said Bruce Kettler, Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director. “As connected as we are today, there’s still no substitute for face-to-face conversation, so these meetings were invaluable to growing our, already strong, agricultural and economic ties.â€
One of the highlights of the group’s trip was the signing of a letter of intent between Lt. Governor Crouch and Hidalgo’s Secretary of Interior Simón Vargas Aguilar.
The agreement, on behalf of the two states, calls for enhanced cooperation in areas like agriculture, education, and science and technology. Included in the letter were several action items, for example, organizing industry events, providing opportunities to collaborate with experts and sharing best practices.
“Signing this letter with Hidalgo is a win for both states, but now the real work begins,†Crouch said. “With this agreement as our roadmap, we look forward to upholding our end of the bargain and capitalizing on this opportunity.â€
The agriculture group also toured several locations including the Polanco market area, Tate & Lyle and the Santa Clara processing facility.
The Indiana tourism delegation also built key relationships, and will continue working towards an end goal of creating a tourism campaign in Mexico. The tourism group conducted key meetings with travel wholesalers, specialized travel media and tourism government officials.
“After meeting with several tourism partners in Mexico, I am extremely excited by their interest in our tourism destinations. We’re learning there is a market for our experiences in the Hoosier state,” said Misty Weisensteiner, Director of the Indiana Office of Tourism Development. “Seventeen million Mexican tourists visit the United States per year. It is our mission to capture some of those visitors and bring them to Indiana.”
For updates on the agricultural delegation, follow ISDA at @ISDAgov, or for updates on the tourism delegation, follow IOTD at @INTourismPR. Tomorrow is the delegation’s last day in Mexico.
FOOTNOTE: Photo caption: Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch (middle) signs letter of intent with Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director Bruce Kettler (far right) and Hidalgo Secretary of Interior Simón Vargas Aguilar (second from the right).
Fired Cathedral High School Teacher Sues Archdiocese
Marilyn Odendahl for www.theindianalawyer.com
The teacher fired from Cathedral High School for being in a same-sex marriage sued the Archdiocese of Indianapolis in Marion Superior Court on Wednesday, alleging the church leadership illegally interfered with his contractual and employment relationship with the high school, which led to his termination June 23.
Joshua Payne-Elliott filed the lawsuit after he reached a confidential settlement with Cathedral on Tuesday. The agreement settled all legal claims against the school, including complaints arising from the termination of employment and allegations of a hostile work environment.
In addition to his state lawsuit, Payne-Elliott has filed charges of discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He asserts the archdiocese discriminated on the basis of sexual orientation and retaliated against him for opposing sexual-orientation discrimination.
Payne-Elliot’s attorney, Kathleen DeLaney, said once the EEOC makes a ruling, he intends to file a Title VII lawsuit against the Archdiocese in federal court.
“We intend to hold the Archdiocese accountable for violations of state and federal law,†DeLaney of DeLaney & DeLaney LLC, said.
Responding to a request for comment about the pending litigation, the Archdiocese indicated its actions are protected under religious liberty.
“In the Archdiocese of Indianapolis’ Catholic schools, all teachers, school leaders and guidance counselors are ministers and witnesses of the faith, who are expected to uphold the teachings of the Church in their daily lives, both in and out of school,†the Archdiocese said in a statement. “Religious liberty, which is a hallmark of the U.S. Constitution and has been tested in the U.S. Supreme Court, acknowledges that the religious organizations may define what conduct is not acceptable and contrary to the teachings of its religion, for its school leaders, guidance counselors, teachers and other ministers of the faith.â€
Payne-Elliott’s husband, Layton Payne-Elliott, teaches at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School. The archdiocese, similar to its directive to Cathedral, directed Brebeuf to dismiss Layton Payne-Elliott. However, Brebeuf refused, and as a result, is no longer recognized as a Catholic institution by the archdiocese.
“We hope that this lawsuit will put a stop to the targeting of LGBTQ employees and their families,†Joshua Payne-Elliott said.
According to the complaint, Cathedral had already renewed Joshua Payne-Elliott’s teaching contract for the 2019-2020 school year when days later the Archdiocese told the school it had to enforce the morals clause language in its teacher contracts.
Cathedral president Robert Bridges then terminated Payne-Elliott’s employment. According to the lawsuit, Bridges told the teacher the school’s action “feels like with a gun to our head†because of the archdiocese’s directive. Payne-Elliott, the lawsuit states, was not fired for any performance-based issues.
The teacher alleges in his lawsuit the archdiocese intentionally interfered with his contractual and employment relationship with Cathedral. Namely, according to the complaint, the archdiocese demanded the school fire Payne-Elliott and threatened negative consequences if the school refused.
In a letter posted to its website June 23, Cathedral explained it was terminating the teacher after the Archdiocese threatened to no longer recognize the school as Catholic. Cathedral would have lost its ability to celebrate the Sacraments and its nonprofit status.
Both the teacher and the school were amicable toward each other in the announcement of the settlement. The teacher thanked Cathedral for the opportunities he had at the school and said he does not wish any harm to his former employer. Cathedral, in turn, thanked the teacher for his service, contributions and achievements.
“(My client) is pleased to have come to a confidential agreement with Cathedral High School,†DeLaney of DeLaney & DeLaney LLC, said. “He is looking forward to transitioning to a new teaching position and he hopes the attention brought by the recent actions of Archbishop (Charles) Thompson against the LGBTQ community will pressure the archdiocese to back off this witch hunt.â€
Hill Announces $220K Fundraising Haul, But Not Re-Election Bid
Whether Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill is officially running for re-election next year has yet to be announced, but the embattled AG claimed his political action committee scored a record fundraising haul in the past two months.
In an email Wednesday, the Curtis Hill for Indiana PAC announced what it called “a record at this point in the cycle for an Indiana Attorney General†— more than $220,000 in recent months. A significant amount of the contributions are from large, out-of-state donors.
At the same time, Hill has yet to officially announce whether he will seek a second term as AG amid a sexual misconduct scandal that has overshadowed his term with calls for his resignation from Gov. Eric Holcomb and Statehouse leaders of both parties. Spokespeople for Hill’s campaign also refused to answer a direct question from Indiana Lawyer Wednesday about whether Hill would run for re-election as AG.
“Will stick with statement campaign emailed out,†a campaign aide said in an email.
The Hill campaign’s three-paragraph statement did not say whether Hill was a candidate for re-election, but instead touted his fundraising prowess, attributing those results to his actions as AG.
“From challenging the constitutionality of ObamaCare to fighting illegal immigration to defending the right to life, I have taken on the tough fights as Attorney General. It’s been one of the highest honors of my life to serve and I am just getting started,†Hill said in the statement. “I look forward to continuing to work to defend the rule of law, our conservative values and our way of life.â€
- Thomas E. McInerney, CEO of Bluff Point Associates, a private equity firm and venture capital company in Westport, Connecticut, who donated $25,000 on June 17.
- The Republican Attorney Generals Action Fund, which gave $20,000 on May 24.
- John Catsimatidis, New York billionaire, CEO of Manhattan grocery chain Gristedes Foods, and radio talk show host who recently purchased radio station WABC (AM) in New York, donated $12,500 on May 31.
- Ginger Myers, co-owner with her husband, Keith, of Louisiana-based in-home health care services provider LHC Group and Coteau Grove Thoroughbred horse farm in Sunset, Louisiana, donated $10,000 on June 6.
Additionally, Brian J. Smith, a financial/investment professional from Bristol, Indiana, gave $10,000 on April 29.
Hill’s PAC had a balance of about $121,000 as of January 2019, according to online records. Hill raised and spent about $1.5 million in his 2016 campaign for AG, financial disclosures show. His Democratic opponent in the AG’s general election race that year, Lorenzo Arredondo, raised and spent about one-tenth that amount.
Forbes Ranks Evansville Teachers FCU As Indiana’s Top Credit Union
Global media company Forbes Magazine ranked Evansville Teachers Federal Credit Union as Indiana’s top credit union in its listing of 2019 America’s Best-In-State Banks and Credit Unions. This was Forbes’ second year surveying for the Best-In-State Banks and Credit Unions, and the second year that ETFCU earned recognition.Â
To compile the list, Forbes partnered with market research firm Statista which independently surveyed more than 25,000 customers across the country to gather opinions on their current and former banking relationships. Forbes said that the banks and credit unions were rated and scored on overall recommendations and satisfaction, as well as five additional factors: trust, terms and conditions, branch services, digital services, and financial advice.
Also ranked among Indiana’s top five credit unions were FORUM Credit Union of Indianapolis at No. 2, Interra Credit Union of Goshen at No. 3, Indiana Members Credit Un
Old National Events Plaza Achieved One Of The Top 200 Theaters Worldwide.Â
Evansville, IN – New figures released by the entertainment industry publication, Pollstar, show that Old National Events Plaza has achieved #118 of the Top 200 Theatres Worldwide. Rankings are determined by tickets sold worldwide between November 11, 2018 and May 22, 2019. The ranking is particularly noteworthy for the Evansville theatre, as it recognizes the venue’s improvement over 2018 placement by 31 positions and a gain of 68 positions over the past 24 months. Old National Events Plaza declared 35,651 tickets sold during the recent reporting period and placed ahead of many iconic venues, including several larger regional markets such as Nashville, Indianapolis and Louisville.
“The team at Old National Events Plaza continues to work hard to bring a variety of quality entertainment to our community. This ranking affirms that Evansville is re-emerging as a viable and competitive stop for major artists and live events. It also indicates that we are easing the market’s long-perceived price sensitivity; it’s a great message for prospective clients and promoters that audiences in Evansville are buying tickets, turning out and supporting our shows! We know our patrons are enthusiastic and diverse, and we will do our best to deliver great experiences when they attend events at Old National Events Plaza,†said Alexis Berggren, General Manager.
Some popular shows held in early 2019 at Old National Events Plaza have included the Broadway touring production of Kinky Boots, Steve Martin & Martin Short, John Mellencamp, John Crist, The Doobie Brothers, Chicago and Willie Nelson.
Old National Events Plaza is proud to be recognized in Pollstar’s Mid-Year Worldwide Top 200 Theatre Venues and looks forward to more, outstanding programming in 2019 to include: Foreigner on August 13, Oldies Soldies Love Jam Concert on September 21, The Color Purple on November 4, Alice Cooper on November 27 and many others.
For a complete schedule please visit: http://oldnationaleventsplaza.com/
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About SMG
SMG provides management services to more than 230 public assembly facilities including convention and exhibition centers, arenas, stadiums, theaters, performing arts centers, amphitheaters, equestrian facilities, science centers and a variety of other venues. With facilities across the globe, SMG manages more than 15 million square feet of exhibition space and more than 1.5 million sports and entertainment seats. As the recognized global industry leader, SMG provides venue management, sales, marketing, event booking and programming; construction and design consulting; and pre-opening services for such landmark facilities as McCormick Place & Soldier Field in Chicago, Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, Houston’s NRG Park and the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. SMG also offers food and beverage operations through its concessions and catering companies, currently serving more than 140 accounts worldwide. For more information visit www.smgworld.com.
All Saints Parish And Seton Harvest Will Bring FREE Produce To Neighbors
Community Produce Giveaway Sundays
July 14, August 11 and September 8, 2019 at 3:00pm – 4:30pm at St. Anthony Catholic Church Campus, 704 N. 1st Ave., Evansville, IN 47710
 Evansville, Indiana – All Saints Parish and Seton Harvest announce that they will be bringing free produce to their community neighbors this year. On the second Sundays, of the upcoming 3 months, All Saints Parish will be hosting the Community Produce Giveaway events at their St. Anthony Catholic Church Campus located at 704 N. 1st Avenue, Evansville, Indiana.
Seton Harvest will be bringing their produce van full of fresh vegetables to share with local community. In addition to free veggies, our neighbors will be able to enjoy music, recipes and a cold drink.
First come, first served until all the produce is gone. Come join us.
“LEFT JAB AND RIGHT JAB” JULY 11, 2019
“LEFT JAB AND RIGHT JABâ€
“Right Jab And Left Jab†was created because we have two commenters that post on a daily basis either in our “IS IT TRUE†or “Readers Forum†columns concerning National or International issues.
Joe Biden and Ronald Reagan’s comments are mostly about issues of national interest.  The majority of our “IS IT TRUE†columns are about local or state issues, so we have decided to give Mr. Biden and Mr. Reagan exclusive access to our newly created “LEFT JAB and RIGHT JAB† column. They now have this post to exclusively discuss national or world issues that they feel passionate about.
We shall be posting the “LEFT JAB†AND “RIGHT JABâ€Â several times a week.  Oh, “Left Jab†is a liberal view and the “Right Jab is representative of the more conservative views. Also, any reader who would like to react to the written comments of the two gentlemen is free to do so.
FOOTNOTE: Any comments posted in this column do not represent the views or opinions of the City-County Observer or our advertisers.