What Did He Just Say?

Report: Young Resigns Wal-Mart Post Due to Remarks Deemed Racist
BENTONVILLE, Ark. (August 18) -- Longtime civil rights activist Andrew Young is resigning his post as chairman of Working Families for Wal-Mart due to controversy over remarks he made that were deemed racist, according to media reports.

The retailer hired Young early this year as a spokesman to help improve its public image.
Young’s decision to step down was prompted by a report in the Los Angeles Sentinel, in which Young was questioned about the perception that Wal-Mart has put small mom-and-pop stores out of business. “Well, I think they should; they ran the ‘mom-and-pop’ stores out of my neighborhood,” he told the Sentinel. “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.”

Young apologized for his statements, but said they were misinterpreted.
“I think I was on the verge of becoming part of the controversy, and I didn’t want to become a distraction from the main issues, so I thought I ought to step down,” Young told the Associated Press.

In a statement, Wal-Mart said, “Ambassador Young’s comments do not represent our feelings toward the Jewish, Asian or Arab communities or any diverse community. Needless to say, we were outraged when the comments came to our attention. We were also dismayed that they would come from someone who has worked so hard for so many years for equal rights in this country.

“Ambassador Young has done the right thing to apologize and to ask for a retraction. We also support his decision to resign from the post of chairman of Working Families for Wal-Mart. The Ambassador has asked for forgiveness. Though there is no justification for his comments, we do hope that people will reflect on the contributions he has made throughout his life, not just this one unfortunate and regrettable incident.”

Something tells me this didn't help Walmart with their image problem. . .