Andrew Young's Racist Comments

Wal-Mart hired former civil rights leader and Atlanta mayor Andrew Young as a spokesperson, confident that the highly respected statesman would serve as a goodwill ambassador to ethnic communities.

For two years Young was an effective spokesperson (shill) for the giant corporation that is anathema in liberal circles for myriad reasons including shoddy treatment of its employees.

But in a recent newspaper interview Young channeled the spirit of Al Sharpton.

When Young was asked about Wal-Mart moving into areas and displacing the “mom-and-pop” stores, he had this gem of a response. “Well, I think they should; they ran the ‘mom-and-pop’ stores out of my neighborhood. 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 retired 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 folks own these stores.”

Usually racists focus their hatred on one race, pining all the evils of the world on them, but in one fell swoop Young insulted Jews, Koreans and Arabs.

Senator George Allen was widely condemned, and rightfully so, for calling a gentleman of Indian descent “macacca”, but prominent African Americans have failed to condemn Young’s racist declaration.

At least Young did the right thing and resigned as the head of Wal-Mart’s Advocacy Group. Young also seems to have genuinely apologized for his hurtful comments. In an interview with the L. A. Times Young admitted that his comments were demagogic and unlike him, and that he shouldn’t have made them.

Now that Young has some free time on his hands perhaps he can examine the pathologies of the African American communities. Why is it that a young African American is more likely to rob a “mom-and-pop” store than to own one?

Young has money, influence and power, certainly he is in a position to address his own community, and preach to them the benefits of owning their own businesses.

Young aimed his diatribe at the wrong target, Jews, Koreans and Arabs who own and operate small businesses in African American communities are not the enemy, they are just working hard to make ends meet.

The real enemy is Wal-Mart, this evil company pays substandard wages, with little or no benefits and drives small businesses into the ground.

I still have a lot of respect for Andrew Young, and I am confident that he will make amends by struggling to improve the lives of African Americans.