Young addresses race issues at ISU

Andrew Young visited the ISU campus Thursday as part of the Black Leadership Conference and ISU Speaker Series. Young's résumé resembles a portrait of humanitarianism and civil discourse as a U.S. Ambassador, ordained minister, former mayor of Atlanta and former Congressman. But his most notable contribution to social progression was his role in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s alongside Dr. Martin Luther King.

"At the time we didn't know it was a movement," Young said. "In fact, a lot of things that we tried to do went a little crazy. But then again, to do what we were doing, Dr. King said that we all had to be a little crazy."

Young has been active in politics andsocial progress ever since those fated years, and at the spry age of 78, Young is still as busy as ever.

After breakfast  in Washington D.C. with President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Young then flew into Terre Haute for countless interviews with the media and a lecture for the students and public.

Even with pauses to wipe his tired eyes and taking heavy breaths to lead to his next thought, Young was resilient and consistent with his message: "We are staring at an economic and moral crisis right now, and we need to pull ourselves out of it."

"Our race relations these days are OK," Young said. "Of course, they are not perfect, but that is expected just like I love my wife. But sometimes we may fight. I love my four children, but sometimes they make me upset. The relations will progress, but we have to get out of this economic crisis and the best way to do that is through education."

Young suggested that instead of college kids studying to become lawyers and medical doctors, he would rather see more of the great young minds in this country enter the world of economics and try to deploy a new strategy in finance to avoid crises like the current one that currently looms.  

However, Young is also a firm believer that an education outside of college and in the real world is an integral part of social growth.

"Experience in life is visceral, not intellectual," Young said. "It is hard for someone like President Obama to understand what is like to be poor since he never had that experience. Poorer people who go to school take it much more seriously because their education could be the matter of life or death.

"They do not have a trust fund to fall back on. They understand the value of their education because of what they have went through in life."

Young said that although this country faces a tough fight to overcome, he is positiveabout the outlook.

"I value the work and creativity of the American people," Young said. "Eventually, those who put their nation before their party will once again emerge such as Indiana Senator Dick Luger. He votes on what's best for his country and I think there are others out there like him."

Outside of the political circus, Young, an avid sports fan, was recently inspired by Indianapolis Colts' head coach Jim Caldwell's reluctance to risk his players health in search of a perfect season.

"He could have rode a perfect season to coach of the year and a possible Super Bowl with it, but instead Caldwell put his values and principles before his own personal gain," Young said. "I admire that. That is the type of unselfish vision that this country needs. People like that can be trusted."

Although born in New Orleans, Young said he became a fan of the Colts because of Tony Dungy and Jim Caldwell.

"Those are two guys that people can look onto," Young said. "In sports, it is too much, too soon. These young guys in sports today are given millions of dollars and a lot of attention and then go on make a fool of their selves. I can't say I would have faired much better at that age if I had been given that kind of money. But look at Dungy; he is a great father but still had his troubles and one of his boys killed himself. Dungy remained positive and forged on to be a better person turning tragedy into triumph."

Young will continue to carry on the torch that was lit by  King through his work with charitable organizations such as HOPE, that helps improve inner-city communities and through educating the future generations with his books such as "A Way Out of No Way" and "An Easy Burden."