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Former Atlanta Mayor, US Congressman, and UN Ambassador Andrew Young discusses the late US Congressman John Lewis, Rev. CT Vivian, and the US Civil Rights Movement – of which they were all leaders. He says, regarding Atlanta, “I think that the City still thinks that all of the things that happened here just happened accidentally. They don’t realize that it was the intentional love and sacrifice and vision to make this City more like the Kingdom of God, that we carried with us in everything that we did… Atlanta was a city that advocated peace and non-violence and helped people who were different to love each other and work together and disagree without being disagreeable… Atlanta has two Noble Peace winners – that’s not accidental.” People “still don’t appreciate that the non-violent spirit, you know, we changed the world without hatred, without bitterness, without rancor, and we changed the world by loving the hell out of them“. See: “Ambassador Andrew Young reacts to death of his friend Rep. John Lewis“, 11Alive News. He discusses Rev. CT Vivian, as well. See Link: https://youtu.be/oiSXoU5W7uo

At 88 years old, Andrew Young isn’t running for office, so is more free to say what he thinks re BLM protests. Andrew Young pointed out that there was Covid-19 back in May, while MSM (mainstream media) and most politicians ignored Covid-19 and MSM- many politicians appeared to promote-condone violent protests and waved away Covid-19 concerns. MSM recently rediscovered Covid-19, which is now out of control many places – well duh, it is a contagious disease, and there have been too few sane voices. Andrew Young has been one of the few sane voices:
“OPINION: Lives must matter in a most-serious time for us all” May 31, 2020 By Andrew Young “Former Mayor Andrew Young says that protests over law enforcement unduly distract us from the coronavirus epidemic and the economic damage it’s causing the city.” http://web.archive.org/web/20200609081516/https://www.ajc.com/news/opinion/opinion-lives-must-matter-most-serious-time-for-all/7iTWmC6UxZ5s53voGaE1eO/

Excerpt from the article: “The first and only time that I was arrested in Atlanta, I was demonstrating for a salary increase for our sanitation workers. When the police came to arrest us, I said, “Excuse me officer, may I say one thing before we’re arrested?” And he stopped. And I said, “Please remember we are on same side. And if the sanitation workers get a raise, you will too. And your children will get new shoes and clothing too.” It brought a smile to his face as he snatched me up and put me in the wagon.”

An important point that he makes is that during the Civil Rights movement that there was order. Protests had a beginning and end. And, there were marshalls (within the movement) responsible for order (and safety), during the marches. “Ambassador Andrew Young speaks on Atlanta protests now becoming chaotic“(May 31, 2020) Link: https://youtu.be/aE5LJLWsScE

“Andrew Young Visits with officers in Zone 4” (2016 protests) https://youtu.be/aW0pJV2oSFs

“I was a civil rights activist in the 1960s. But it’s hard for me to get behind Black Lives Matter“. By Barbara Reynolds August 24, 2015 http://web.archive.org/web/20190119235043/https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/08/24/i-was-a-civil-rights-activist-in-the-1960s-but-its-hard-for-me-to-get-behind-black-lives-matter/?postshare=5221440433170944&utm_term=.c65356dad042