(Jon Shafer is a former Indiana newspaper government, political and investigative reporter, UPI statehouse news correspondent, media and crisis consultant on a governor's staff for a criminal justice agency, a press secretary and legislative assistant to a former Hoosier Member of Congress and served on House Committee Staff. After Washington he returned to Indiana, served as a newspaper editorial page editor. He's also taught in inner city schools in Indianapolis, hosted a radio talk show in Anderson, IN, and is deeply involved in black community affairs. He's one of 144 signers from 39 countries to a statement of support to Wikileaks by members of the Global Investigative Journalist Network, and writes on national politics and public policy, and has a deep interest in foreign policy and international relations. He has earned journalism awards for urban affairs reporting (Anderson Herald) and education coverage at the Indiana General Assembly (UPI). He is also affiliated with several alternative journalist organizations, holds certification in communications from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), and was a member of the Indianapolis Press Club for several years. An independent thinker who steps outside his Christian roots, has dear Muslim friends, affiliated with a progressive Jewish think tank, and sees God/Allah or however the Spirit of the Universe is seen by different cultures and traditions, and that no faith has all the answers, but that all faiths have pieces of the truth. He served as a US Navy air controlman with over 2,500 Distant Early Warning flight crew hours, editor of his squadron newspaper and a Naval station contributing writer. He is a graduate of Irene S. Reed High School, Shelton, WA, 1955, a B.S. Degree in Sociology/Political Science from Ball State University, Muncie, IN, 1968: graduate work in Urban Ministries & Counseling at Martin University, a historic black institution, 2004, Indianapolis, IN)