"Well, I think they should; they ran the 'mom and pop' stores out of my neighborhood," the paper quoted Mr. Young as saying. "But you see, those are the people who have been overcharging us, selling us stale bread and bad meat and wilted vegetables. And they sold out and moved to Florida. I think they've ripped off our communities enough. First it was Jews, then it was Koreans and now it's Arabs; very few black people own these stores."At a Walmart board meeting later that day:
Andrew Young: "Yay! The civil rights movement is off and running again! Darn those kikes, gooks and ragheads! We'll teach them to mess with us! Aren't you glad you hired me?"
Shocked Walmart board members: "You're fired."
Who'd have guessed this would happen? I mean, the guy's credentials were perfect, right? Didn't he have a history of couching everything in life in an "us-versus-them" terminology? So he got carried away. So what? He just forgot who was "them". I think someone forgot to give Mr. Young the manual instructing him just who you could point fingers at and who you couldn't. Oh well. I'm sure he'll land on his feet. I hear the UN will be needing a new Secretary-General soon.
After a couple of decades of having people nod their heads in acknowledgement every time you rehash the same politically correct bullet points, public figures get to the point where they feel the omnipotence that Young has.
ReplyDeleteThats where the foot in the mouth syndrome kicks in...
Don't link to an article in the WSJ that we can't read.
ReplyDeleteExtremely annoying.
WSJ Article
ReplyDeleteStatement by Andrew Young
On Remarks About Store Owners
August 18, 2006 10:27 a.m.
This statement was posted on the Working Families for Wal-Mart Web site., referring to comments made in an interview with the Los Angeles Sentinel.
Ambassador Andrew Young Steps Aside as National Steering Committee Chair
Statement by Ambassador Andrew Young
ATLANTA – "I recently made some comments about former storeowners in my neighborhood that were completely and utterly inappropriate. Those comments run contrary to everything I have dedicated my life to. I apologize for those comments. I retract those comments. And I ask for the forgiveness of those I have offended.
"Let me make it very clear: My comments also run contrary to everything that Wal-Mart is and means to communities. Wal-Mart has provided more opportunity to more people from diverse backgrounds than any company in existence today. My comments in no way reflect on Wal-Mart's record, progress or role as a diverse employer and community citizen.
"I took on the position of chairman of Working Families for Wal-Mart because I believe so strongly in the good that Wal-Mart does to lift up the lives of the working poor. The last thing I would want to do would be to distract from that good. Therefore, effective immediately, I am resigning the chairmanship of Working Families for Wal-Mart.
"I wish to thank the tens of thousands of members of Working Families for Wal-Mart for their support of the organization. I also wish to thank the many leaders who have joined our steering committees for their hard work and devotion. I urge them to continue to speak out and stay active. The good that Wal-Mart does for America's working families is worth fighting for."
Source: Working Families for Wal-Mart