WILL NO ONE RID ME OF THIS MEDDLESOME PRESIDENT?!
It’s not very often that I can draw a corollary between 12th century England and 21st century Marion County, but gosh darn it, when I get the chance, I do. The title of this posting comes from a quote from Henry II regarding his conflict with St. Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Becket engaged in a conflict with Henry II over the rights and privileges of the Catholic Church. The tensions grew so great that Henry is quoted as saying amongst other things, “will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?” His shouting was interpreted as a royal command by several of his knights who later assassinated Becket in the Canterbury Cathedral. Becket later became a martyr and Henry II was blamed for the crime and the people lost faith in him.
Fast forward 900 years later.
Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson has got to be sick and tired of City-Council President Monroe Gray and the bad press that tends to follow him. Several months ago, during a meeting where the Mayor announced he would push through a public safety tax, I asked him if council members who work for the city should be allowed to vote on it. He then looked over at Gray and said he was a “shining example” of what a council member should be. However at an eastside neighborhood association meeting Peterson didn’t quite deny he knew Gray, but he did not go out of his way to defend him.
Do you blame him? Gray’s name has become synonymous with bad business dealings, ethical lapses and abhorrent leadership that gone from the sublime to the absurd. County Republicans finally woke and found a strategy that might work by tying the Mayor and the rest of Democrats on the Council to Gray. I can’t help but think that when the Mayor picks up the paper, turns on the TV or radio and comes across a story of Gray’s antics that he can’t but sometimes think in the back of his mind that he could pull a Henry II and make Gray go away. But unlike the former King, I think the Mayor would get a parade rather than be vilified.
