Posted on 08/18/2006 11:07:06 AM PDT by neverdem
The civil rights leader Andrew Young, who was hired by Wal-Mart to improve its public image, resigned from that post last night after telling an African-American newspaper that Jewish, Arab and Korean shop owners had “ripped off” urban communities for years, “selling us stale bread, and bad meat and wilted vegetables.”
In the interview, published yesterday in The Los Angeles Sentinel, a weekly, Mr. Young said that Wal-Mart “should” displace mom-and-pop stores in urban neighborhoods.
“You see those are the people who have been overcharging us,” he said of the owners of the small stores, “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.”
Mr. Young, 74, a former mayor of Atlanta and a former United States representative to the United Nations, apologized for the comments and retracted them in an interview last night. Less than an hour later, he resigned as chairman of Working Families for Wal-Mart, a group created and financed by the company to trumpet its accomplishments.
“It’s against everything I ever thought in my life,” Mr. Young said. “It never should have been said. I was speaking in the context of Atlanta, and that does not work in New York or Los Angeles.”
His remarks drew forceful condemnation from Arab, Jewish and Asian leaders.
The national director of the Anti-Defamation League, Abraham H. Foxman, called the comments “very hurtful.”
“The sad part,” he said, is that “even people of color and even minorities who suffered discrimination and prejudice are not immune from being bigoted and racist and even anti-Semitic.”
In the six months that Mr. Young was under contract with the Wal-Mart-financed group, he traveled the country promoting the retailer, meeting with community groups and writing opinion...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
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On the lighter side, he is the first person to get Arab and Jewish leaders to really agree on something...
Why is this guy being sacked for speaking the truth? small shop owners do charge higher prices than walmart's 3% profit margin. if walmart thinks they're so cool, by all means, go open one in the ghetto!
The MSM gives a pass to liberals for bigotry. Think how different this would have been treated if it had been said by a conservative...
Well now, Andy just proved it was justified. They were ripping off the people. When someone tries to charge you too much for a soda, you just shoot the Hell out of them.
Post 14: EXCELLENT detctive work. The Carter administration nutured IslamoNazism at a critical early stage.
It seems to be a contagious disease: Should we call it "Sudden Onset Acute Judeophobia" (SOAJ)?
My only comment is Wal-Mart is dumber than dirt to hire Andrew Young.
You beat me to it (by a mile).
It was the first thing I thought.
That said, the media is kind of in no mans land with this, so I don't see how they will report or talk about this.
Its wal-mart, and the media hates wal-mart, but he is black and a civil rights leader, at the same time, he bashes arabs, so they want to rip him, but he also bashes jews, and since he isn't mel gibson, it leaves them confused.
No matter what Andrew Young did in the past, he is still less known than Mel Gibson. I remember when Hillary made the comment calling a guy a "dirty Jew bastard," that was all over the press even more than the Mel Gibson story was.
Pretty much, their racism is even more diverse then the Klans.
Black civil rights leaders will attack and condemn every race under the sun, from asians, to arabs, to jews, to whites to even hispanics.
You get the feeling, they really do not like any other race, note that at Harvard, they had some serious racial problems over affirmative action due to african american students coming into conflict with carribean and african immigrant students, and civil rights leaders blaming the (former) president rather then trying to work the issues out themselves or blame themselves.
The PLO’s Man: Jesse Jackson and Yasser Arafat go way back.
The story of Jesse's love affair with Yasser is well-documented by Kenneth Timmerman in his best-selling Shakedown, which devotes an entire chapter to this ugly episode in Jackson's career, and one that will come as news to folks who think Jackson's only brush with Jew-bashing was his infamous "Hymietown" remark in 1984.
In August of 1979, Carter sacked Andrew Young, his ambassador to the United Nations, after the black former mayor of Atlanta met privately with the Palestinian Liberation Organization's man at the U.N. Jackson, a friend of Young's, publicly insinuated that Jews brought down Young, and complained that Jews were false friends of blacks.
A month later, Jackson announced he would go to Beirut to meet with Arafat, who was living in exile there. Citing media reports at the time, Timmerman quotes Jackson as telling Arab-American supporters gathered at PUSH headquarters: "By October 1, there will be no black leader left willing to come to the aid of the Palestinian cause, if there is not an immediate infusion of funds into the black community from the Arab states."
THE BCCI AFFAIR: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
14. BCCI ACTIVELY SOLICITED THE FRIENDSHIPS OF MAJOR U.S. POLITICAL FIGURES, AND MADE PAYMENTS TO THESE POLITICAL FIGURES, WHICH IN SOME CASES MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPER.
Beginning with Bert Lance in 1977, whose debts BCCI paid off with a $3.5 million loan, BCCI, BCCI nominees, and top officials of BCCI systematically developed friendships and relationships with important U.S political figures. While those which are publicly known include former president Jimmy Carter, Jesse Jackson, and Andrew Young, the Subcommittee has received information suggesting that BCCI's network extended to other U.S. political figures. The payments made by BCCI to Andrew Young while he was a public official were at best unusual, and by all appearances, improper.
In still other cases, BCCI's payments came in the guise of charitable contributions, and provided BCCI with an entree to generate deposits from others, as in the case of President Jimmy Carter. Among the Americans who BCCI provided with financial assistance in addition to Carter, were U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Andrew Young, Bert Lance, and Jesse Jackson.
SNIP
In some cases, Abedi would not make a "bribe" per say, but would instead use BCCI's resources to build goodwill, which he in turn would then make use of to generate assets elsewhere. This was Abedi's approach, for example, with President Jimmy Carter, who received millions of dollars in BCCI funding for charitable activities, and then travelled with Abedi to developing nations, providing Abedi with entry to their leaders and, often, the assets of their central banks.(50)
Abedi used a similar approach with Jesse Jackson and Andrew Young, both of whom had business expenses paid for by BCCI, and either solicited business for BCCI in return, or offered to do so. (51)
Lance ultimately was forced to abandon his role in the takeover, but he maintained his contacts with BCCI for another decade. During that time, Lance introduced BCCI, and its president, Agha Hasan Abedi, to former President Carter and to the President's friend and former UN Ambassador, Andrew Young. During the 1980's these three former powerful government officials used, and were used, by BCCI, to varying degrees and for various purposes.
SNIP
Andrew Young is one of the most famous black politicians, not only in this country, but all over the world. A former Congressman, Young is also a past Mayor of Atlanta. Perhaps most significant for BCCI, Young was the first black US Ambassador to the United Nations under President Carter. In that position he often championed Third World causes. BCCI used Young in much the same way as it used Carter -- for introductions and access to government leaders in developing countries. Young, in return received a salary and loans, although his financial relationship never amounted to that of his colleague Lance.
SNIP
Andy Young
Introduction
Andrew Young is one of the most prominent Black Americans in the country and has a record of high achievement in public service. However, The Subcommittee finds that Young's relationship with BCCI was inappropriate, particularly during the period that Young served as the Mayor of Atlanta. While he may technically have violated no ethical rules of his office, his financial relationship with BCCI has the appearance of influence-peddling.
Young Meets Abedi
Former UN Ambassador and Mayor of Atlanta Andrew Young represented BCCI as a consultant. Young has said that he learned about BCCI after leaving his position as UN Ambassador in 1979. While he does not recollect who introduced him to Aga Hasan Abedi, BCCI's president, he believes it may have been Gaith Pharaon, the man who purchased Bert Lance's holdings in the National Bank of Georgia.(68)
While he was Mayor, Young made at least four international trips on which he made key introductions for BCCI. According to Young, BCCI officials were occasionally involved during trips that he made with the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. He has explained that he performed services for the bank or met with officials in Tunisia, Nicaragua, Zimbabwe and several Persian Gulf states.(69)
In recent indictments issued by the Manhattan District Attorney, Robert Morgenthau, Tunisia and Zimbabwe were described as countries where government officials were bribed by BCCI officials. There is no information that Mayor Young had any knowledge of any impropriety committed by BCCI officials in either of these countries.
A Financial Relationship With BCCI
While serving as the Mayor of Atlanta, Young, like Lance, provided services for BCCI in return for financial benefits. Young had a $50,000 annual retainer with the bank, and has claimed that he only became a paid consultant in 1986 after he travelled with former President Carter to Africa on a BCCI jet. Young's fees were paid to his consulting firm, Andrew Young Associates. The relationship between Andrew Young Associates and BCCI lasted for eight years until 1989. During most of that period, the BCCI's loans were booked, and according to BCCI's records, "parked," at its offices in Panama.(70)
According to a loan review document from the National Bank of Georgia, AYA had "initially served as a vehicle for Andrew Young's lecture and occasional consulting fee income," but that following his election as Mayor, the firm "was reorganized to focus primarily on offering consulting services to domestic businesses working to achieve sales to various third world countries."(71) According to the memorandum, AYA relies "largely upon name recognition and third world political contacts."(72)
The document described characterized the company as "small, illiquid, unprofitable, and infinitely leveraged."(73)
According to Stony Cooks, Young's business and political associate, expenses incurred from Mr. Young's travels on behalf of BCCI were used to reduce the balance on the credit line. Cooks has claimed, the "offset" arrangement was worked out between himself and Swaleh Naqvi, the chief operating officer of BCCI without specifying the date of the arrangement.(74)
As of October 10, 1989, the outstanding loan to AYA (Andrew Young Associates) was $197,000 and while interest on the loan had been paid, the principal had not paid down. (75) In a letter from Asif Mujtaba, the Group Vice-President of First American Bank in Georgia to Bande Hasan, BCCI Miami, Mujtaba wrote "This loan matured on October 6, 1986 and I have written to the borrower demanding payment."(76) Cook's assertion following BCCI's global closure that payment of the principal, nearly $200,000, was offset by Young's travel expenses, is difficult to believe. Young would have had to have a large number of trips on BCCI's behalf in order to accumulate $200,000 in expenses, and there is evidence, as discussed below, that when he made trips on behalf of BCCI, he immediately sought cash reimbursement from the bank.
Documents show that Andrew Young Associates received its line of credit from the National Bank of Georgia beginning in 1980 which was transferred to BCCI Panama sometime after June 1985, the year Young was re-elected Mayor of Atlanta. (that same year the National Bank of Georgia donated at least $10,000 to Young's successful candidacy for Mayor of Atlanta in 1985.) (77) There is no explanation for why the loans were transferred. Documents do show that while AYA was paying down interest, Young's brother, Walter Young was not servicing the loan. In 1988, after several years of non-payment BCCI's Tariq Jamil wrote S.M. Shafi: "I understand that this loan is also guaranteed by Mayor Young, and therefore I would submit that the collection should be handled delicately as we would like to preserve the relationship between the BCC group and Mayor Young."(78)
Young's Travels For BCCI
According to published reports, Young travelled extensively on behalf of BCCI. The Subcommittee has obtained documents showing one trip which Young made to Nicaragua. In a May, 1987 memorandum written by S.S. Shafi to Ameer Siddiki, BCCI London, Shafi recounts a meeting with government officials in Managua, Nicaragua that had been arranged by Young:
Our first meeting with the Cabinet Ministers and other important personalities of Nicaragua was arranged by Mr. Andrew Young, Mayor of Atlanta who had travelled there for this purpose. Most of the Cabinet Ministers attended the dinner and after some time we were joined by the President of the Republic, Mr. Daniel Ortega. He explained to us at great length the great recession and losses and the widening of the trade gap in his country. The idea behind was to impress on us that BCCI primary concern being the promotion of economic growth in Third World countries we should arrange for credit lines for their pre-export financing of their coffee, sugar, bananas and other items.(79)
In the same memo Shafi reports that "The Minister [of Foreign Trade] added that a delegation headed by him would visit London to meet Mr. Abedi within a few days through good offices of Mr. Andrew Young."(80)
In September, 1987, Tariq Jamil, BCCI London, who had previously worked at the National Bank of Georgia, wrote to Saheb Shafi, BCC LACRO, requesting that Young be reimbursed for his travel expenses to Nicaragua, noting:
Needless to say, we shall continue to receive patronage and help from the Mayor in any of our endeavors in Central America for developing contacts and business for Latin American Region.(81)
The request for $2,345.17 reimbursement was accompanied by a July 15, 1987 letter from Young's assistant Stony Cooks stating that "[p]resently, Mayor Andrew Young's anticipated dates for his visit to Guatemala are August 12-6, 1987."(82) Cooks has told the press, as noted earlier, that Young's travel expenses were used to pay down his loan. The Subcommittee has been unable to verify that assertion, but finds the account -- that Young's travel expenses on behalf of BCCI amounted to nearly $200,000, and were used to offset the loan -- difficult to believe, especially given the reimbursement request in the case of the Nicaragua trip.
An NBG Loan memorandum also shows that Young proposed a joint venture in the country of Nigeria:
[T]o establish a joint venture agreement between A.I.C. and a Nigerian partner, former Head of State, General O. Obasanjo, is being negotiated. The joint venture company would cooperate in the assembly, manufacture and sale of farm equipment in Nigeria and throughout Africa.
Andrew Young Associates will consult with A.I.C. to provide advice and information about the business environment and business development opportunities in the developing nations.(83)
The significance of the Nigerian proposal is simply that it involves a former head of state of the Nigerian government, which was pervasively involved in receiving corrupt payments from BCCI in the form of bribes, kick-backs, money laundering, and other services specified in the chapter on BCCI's activities in foreign countries.
The PLO’s Man: Jesse Jackson and Yasser Arafat go way back.
The story of Jesse's love affair with Yasser is well-documented by Kenneth Timmerman in his best-selling Shakedown, which devotes an entire chapter to this ugly episode in Jackson's career, and one that will come as news to folks who think Jackson's only brush with Jew-bashing was his infamous "Hymietown" remark in 1984.
In August of 1979, Carter sacked Andrew Young, his ambassador to the United Nations, after the black former mayor of Atlanta met privately with the Palestinian Liberation Organization's man at the U.N. Jackson, a friend of Young's, publicly insinuated that Jews brought down Young, and complained that Jews were false friends of blacks.
A month later, Jackson announced he would go to Beirut to meet with Arafat, who was living in exile there. Citing media reports at the time, Timmerman quotes Jackson as telling Arab-American supporters gathered at PUSH headquarters: "By October 1, there will be no black leader left willing to come to the aid of the Palestinian cause, if there is not an immediate infusion of funds into the black community from the Arab states."
THE BCCI AFFAIR: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
14. BCCI ACTIVELY SOLICITED THE FRIENDSHIPS OF MAJOR U.S. POLITICAL FIGURES, AND MADE PAYMENTS TO THESE POLITICAL FIGURES, WHICH IN SOME CASES MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPER.
Beginning with Bert Lance in 1977, whose debts BCCI paid off with a $3.5 million loan, BCCI, BCCI nominees, and top officials of BCCI systematically developed friendships and relationships with important U.S political figures. While those which are publicly known include former president Jimmy Carter, Jesse Jackson, and Andrew Young, the Subcommittee has received information suggesting that BCCI's network extended to other U.S. political figures. The payments made by BCCI to Andrew Young while he was a public official were at best unusual, and by all appearances, improper.
In still other cases, BCCI's payments came in the guise of charitable contributions, and provided BCCI with an entree to generate deposits from others, as in the case of President Jimmy Carter. Among the Americans who BCCI provided with financial assistance in addition to Carter, were U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Andrew Young, Bert Lance, and Jesse Jackson.
SNIP
In some cases, Abedi would not make a "bribe" per say, but would instead use BCCI's resources to build goodwill, which he in turn would then make use of to generate assets elsewhere. This was Abedi's approach, for example, with President Jimmy Carter, who received millions of dollars in BCCI funding for charitable activities, and then travelled with Abedi to developing nations, providing Abedi with entry to their leaders and, often, the assets of their central banks.(50)
Abedi used a similar approach with Jesse Jackson and Andrew Young, both of whom had business expenses paid for by BCCI, and either solicited business for BCCI in return, or offered to do so. (51)
Lance ultimately was forced to abandon his role in the takeover, but he maintained his contacts with BCCI for another decade. During that time, Lance introduced BCCI, and its president, Agha Hasan Abedi, to former President Carter and to the President's friend and former UN Ambassador, Andrew Young. During the 1980's these three former powerful government officials used, and were used, by BCCI, to varying degrees and for various purposes.
SNIP
Andrew Young is one of the most famous black politicians, not only in this country, but all over the world. A former Congressman, Young is also a past Mayor of Atlanta. Perhaps most significant for BCCI, Young was the first black US Ambassador to the United Nations under President Carter. In that position he often championed Third World causes. BCCI used Young in much the same way as it used Carter -- for introductions and access to government leaders in developing countries. Young, in return received a salary and loans, although his financial relationship never amounted to that of his colleague Lance.
SNIP
Andy Young
Introduction
Andrew Young is one of the most prominent Black Americans in the country and has a record of high achievement in public service. However, The Subcommittee finds that Young's relationship with BCCI was inappropriate, particularly during the period that Young served as the Mayor of Atlanta. While he may technically have violated no ethical rules of his office, his financial relationship with BCCI has the appearance of influence-peddling.
Young Meets Abedi
Former UN Ambassador and Mayor of Atlanta Andrew Young represented BCCI as a consultant. Young has said that he learned about BCCI after leaving his position as UN Ambassador in 1979. While he does not recollect who introduced him to Aga Hasan Abedi, BCCI's president, he believes it may have been Gaith Pharaon, the man who purchased Bert Lance's holdings in the National Bank of Georgia.(68)
While he was Mayor, Young made at least four international trips on which he made key introductions for BCCI. According to Young, BCCI officials were occasionally involved during trips that he made with the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. He has explained that he performed services for the bank or met with officials in Tunisia, Nicaragua, Zimbabwe and several Persian Gulf states.(69)
In recent indictments issued by the Manhattan District Attorney, Robert Morgenthau, Tunisia and Zimbabwe were described as countries where government officials were bribed by BCCI officials. There is no information that Mayor Young had any knowledge of any impropriety committed by BCCI officials in either of these countries.
A Financial Relationship With BCCI
While serving as the Mayor of Atlanta, Young, like Lance, provided services for BCCI in return for financial benefits. Young had a $50,000 annual retainer with the bank, and has claimed that he only became a paid consultant in 1986 after he travelled with former President Carter to Africa on a BCCI jet. Young's fees were paid to his consulting firm, Andrew Young Associates. The relationship between Andrew Young Associates and BCCI lasted for eight years until 1989. During most of that period, the BCCI's loans were booked, and according to BCCI's records, "parked," at its offices in Panama.(70)
According to a loan review document from the National Bank of Georgia, AYA had "initially served as a vehicle for Andrew Young's lecture and occasional consulting fee income," but that following his election as Mayor, the firm "was reorganized to focus primarily on offering consulting services to domestic businesses working to achieve sales to various third world countries."(71) According to the memorandum, AYA relies "largely upon name recognition and third world political contacts."(72)
The document described characterized the company as "small, illiquid, unprofitable, and infinitely leveraged."(73)
According to Stony Cooks, Young's business and political associate, expenses incurred from Mr. Young's travels on behalf of BCCI were used to reduce the balance on the credit line. Cooks has claimed, the "offset" arrangement was worked out between himself and Swaleh Naqvi, the chief operating officer of BCCI without specifying the date of the arrangement.(74)
As of October 10, 1989, the outstanding loan to AYA (Andrew Young Associates) was $197,000 and while interest on the loan had been paid, the principal had not paid down. (75) In a letter from Asif Mujtaba, the Group Vice-President of First American Bank in Georgia to Bande Hasan, BCCI Miami, Mujtaba wrote "This loan matured on October 6, 1986 and I have written to the borrower demanding payment."(76) Cook's assertion following BCCI's global closure that payment of the principal, nearly $200,000, was offset by Young's travel expenses, is difficult to believe. Young would have had to have a large number of trips on BCCI's behalf in order to accumulate $200,000 in expenses, and there is evidence, as discussed below, that when he made trips on behalf of BCCI, he immediately sought cash reimbursement from the bank.
Documents show that Andrew Young Associates received its line of credit from the National Bank of Georgia beginning in 1980 which was transferred to BCCI Panama sometime after June 1985, the year Young was re-elected Mayor of Atlanta. (that same year the National Bank of Georgia donated at least $10,000 to Young's successful candidacy for Mayor of Atlanta in 1985.) (77) There is no explanation for why the loans were transferred. Documents do show that while AYA was paying down interest, Young's brother, Walter Young was not servicing the loan. In 1988, after several years of non-payment BCCI's Tariq Jamil wrote S.M. Shafi: "I understand that this loan is also guaranteed by Mayor Young, and therefore I would submit that the collection should be handled delicately as we would like to preserve the relationship between the BCC group and Mayor Young."(78)
Young's Travels For BCCI
According to published reports, Young travelled extensively on behalf of BCCI. The Subcommittee has obtained documents showing one trip which Young made to Nicaragua. In a May, 1987 memorandum written by S.S. Shafi to Ameer Siddiki, BCCI London, Shafi recounts a meeting with government officials in Managua, Nicaragua that had been arranged by Young:
Our first meeting with the Cabinet Ministers and other important personalities of Nicaragua was arranged by Mr. Andrew Young, Mayor of Atlanta who had travelled there for this purpose. Most of the Cabinet Ministers attended the dinner and after some time we were joined by the President of the Republic, Mr. Daniel Ortega. He explained to us at great length the great recession and losses and the widening of the trade gap in his country. The idea behind was to impress on us that BCCI primary concern being the promotion of economic growth in Third World countries we should arrange for credit lines for their pre-export financing of their coffee, sugar, bananas and other items.(79)
In the same memo Shafi reports that "The Minister [of Foreign Trade] added that a delegation headed by him would visit London to meet Mr. Abedi within a few days through good offices of Mr. Andrew Young."(80)
In September, 1987, Tariq Jamil, BCCI London, who had previously worked at the National Bank of Georgia, wrote to Saheb Shafi, BCC LACRO, requesting that Young be reimbursed for his travel expenses to Nicaragua, noting:
Needless to say, we shall continue to receive patronage and help from the Mayor in any of our endeavors in Central America for developing contacts and business for Latin American Region.(81)
The request for $2,345.17 reimbursement was accompanied by a July 15, 1987 letter from Young's assistant Stony Cooks stating that "[p]resently, Mayor Andrew Young's anticipated dates for his visit to Guatemala are August 12-6, 1987."(82) Cooks has told the press, as noted earlier, that Young's travel expenses were used to pay down his loan. The Subcommittee has been unable to verify that assertion, but finds the account -- that Young's travel expenses on behalf of BCCI amounted to nearly $200,000, and were used to offset the loan -- difficult to believe, especially given the reimbursement request in the case of the Nicaragua trip.
An NBG Loan memorandum also shows that Young proposed a joint venture in the country of Nigeria:
[T]o establish a joint venture agreement between A.I.C. and a Nigerian partner, former Head of State, General O. Obasanjo, is being negotiated. The joint venture company would cooperate in the assembly, manufacture and sale of farm equipment in Nigeria and throughout Africa.
Andrew Young Associates will consult with A.I.C. to provide advice and information about the business environment and business development opportunities in the developing nations.(83)
The significance of the Nigerian proposal is simply that it involves a former head of state of the Nigerian government, which was pervasively involved in receiving corrupt payments from BCCI in the form of bribes, kick-backs, money laundering, and other services specified in the chapter on BCCI's activities in foreign countries.
ROFL, ROFL, ROFL.
Maybe we should send Ambassador Young to the Middle East post haste. He and ex President Peanut should be able to wrap up all divisiveness in just a matter of days.
Priceless, UnklGene, priceless.
Problem's never been with Andy's mouth, but it's always been with how he thinks.
It takes a rare politician indeed who will say the exact same thing to a wide spectrum of people, knowing that half of them will not agree.
"I was speaking in the context of Atlanta"
Oh, so it wasn't a racist statement if you're a Korean shopkeeper in Atlanta, only if you're in New York or L.A.
Got it.
Great explanation there, Andy.
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