Something's Missing

What? It's Monday already?







Andrew Young resigns from Wal-Mart group

Civil rights leader hired to burnish retailer's image under fire for remarks

ATLANTA - Civil rights leader Andrew Young, who was hired to help Wal-Mart Stores Inc. improve its public image, said early Friday he was stepping down from his position as head of an outside support group amid criticism for remarks seen as racially offensive.

Young, once a close associate of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., said his decision to step down followed a report in the weekly Los Angeles Sentinel, which he said was misread and misinterpreted.

In the Sentinel interview, Young was asked about whether he was concerned Wal-Mart causes smaller, mom-and-pop stores to close.

"Well, I think they should; they ran the `mom and pop' stores out of my neighborhood," the paper quoted 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."

Young, who has apologized for the remarks, said he decided to end his involvement with Working Families for Wal-Mart after he started getting calls about the story.

The remarks surprised Rabbi Marvin Hier, dean and founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles, who pointed to Young's reputation of civil rights work.

"If anyone should know that these are the words of bigotry, anti-Semitism and prejudice, it's him," Hier said. "I know he apologized, but I would say this, ... during his years as a leader of the national civil rights movement, if anyone would utter remarks like this about African-Americans his voice would be the first to rise in indignation."

OK, OK, let's take a good look at this. This proves that because of the term someone invented called "politically correct," you can't make a general statement about any group of people.

If you do then you are racially prejudiced. Ask Mel Gibson - alcohol was OK, talking was not! (see my post on 8-4-06)

It's time we go back to the basics here.

If I make a statement about a group of people, that does not make me racially prejudiced, that just makes me not afraid to make a statement of how I feel.

You may not agree with how I feel, and that is OK, but that is the way we agree or disagree on a lot of things, and we both have a right to say what we feel.

Now, if I single out one person and insult them or say a slur about them, then it could be considered being racially prejudiced towards them.

The part of his statement that anyone should be upset about is the small businessmen that he claims are "the people who have been overcharging us selling us stale bread and bad meat and wilted vegetables."

He should also know small businesses do not have the buying power of a Wal-Mart, therefore prices will be higher, products not as good as one might want, and they are, after all, in the business to make a living.

His error is in not recognizing they provided a service someone wanted, otherwise they would not have shopped there and the store would have closed, end of story!!!

It's time to get back to having conversations without worrying who might be offended by the way we phrase something. If we have to worry about what is politically correct, then we won't be able to converse any more.

Lighten up people!!!








Missed chance by President Bush

Here is the President of the United States at the Harley Davidson plant sitting on a new Harley.

Even though it is obvious he is not out riding it, what a great opportunity he missed by not holding a helmet in hand sending the message he would wear one if he were riding!!! Like helmets or not, they save lives and that is a missed promo on his part!








Facts? Who needs to know facts?

Americans know pop culture, but come up short in knowledge department

NEW YORK - Three-quarters of Americans can correctly identify two of Snow White's seven dwarfs while only a quarter can name two U.S. Supreme Court Justices, according to a poll on pop culture released Monday.

According to the poll by Zogby International, commissioned by the makers of a new game show on pop culture called "Gold Rush," 57 percent of Americans could identify J.K. Rowling's fictional boy wizard as Harry Potter, while only 50 percent could name the British prime minister, Tony Blair.

The pollsters spoke to 1,213 people across the United States. The results had a margin of error of 2.9 percentage points.

Just over 60 percent of respondents were able to name Bart as Homer's son on the television show "The Simpsons," while only 20.5 percent were able to name one of the ancient Greek poet Homer's epic poems, "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey."

Asked what planet Superman was from, 60 percent named the fictional planet Krypton, while only 37 percent knew that Mercury is the planet closest to the sun.

Respondents were far more familiar with the Three Stooges -- Larry, Curly and Moe -- than the three branches of the U.S. government -- judicial, executive and legislative. Seventy-four percent identified the former, 42 percent the latter.

Twice as many people (23 percent) were able to identify the most recent winner of the television talent show "American Idol," Taylor Hicks, as were able to name the Supreme Court Justice confirmed in January 2006, Samuel Alito (11 percent).

Well, think about it....Snow White's seven dwarfs are more a part of household conversation than Supreme Court Justices. Can you name all seven?

Who even heard of the ancient Greek poet Homer or his epic poems?

The three branches of the U.S. government -- judicial, executive and legislative --are just like the three Stooges, so I get that.

Well, yeah Taylor Hicks was pasted all over the television and commercials and Samuel Alito, who is he again? Oh yeah, he was on TV a little I think!!





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