I'm pleased that the Trib Editor Martin Reynolds is finally writing on this subject although it falls several weeks behind the SF Chron article.  But better late than never and it is a well-written article with new information presented.  However I have a few questions about what the article LEAVES OUT?

l.  The SF chron article about the "Checkered Legacy of YMBY" mentions that fact that the Bey legacy and Bakery was know for its "strongarm" tactics by the Oakland Police for decades.  Presumably, the greater community as well knew about these strong arm tactics many of whom actually admired the ability of the violence officially directed by Bakery's leadership against drug and prostitutes in the larger community.  Why wasn't this mentioned in the article?  The violence just didn't start in the late l990's as the article implies? 

2. Secondly, the bastardized and anti-semitic and anti-white version of the Muslim faith adopted and practiced by Mr. Bey was  touted on a venerable Oakland black organization, Soul Beat.  How come this wasn't mentioned?  The article deals solely with facts and figures regarding the loan.  But it does little to explain the political pressures brought to bear and the support that Mr.  Bey had and continues to have in the wider African American community in Oakland at large?  When is this issue going to be addressed squarely and honestly, h eadon?  And why not?

I'm not saying this is an easy issue to tackle nor one that has simple answers.  But this I know.  Race hatred practiced by any group should not be acceptable.  There is no way the AA community can continue to expect the continued support of other racial groups when it sanctions AA groups who practice this hatred.  And Bey did.

What's worse, he sanctioned his own predatory and exploitative practices based  on a longstanding practice within the AA community of putting down white people and referring to them as "devils" by linking the behavior of all white people to the slavemasters and practitioners of slavery in this country.  In other words, the white man did worse than Bey did.  If you extrapolate this thinking, a more updated version is that Bush does worst to the AA community than any Black person can do.  This is a widely held belief as well along with the old refrain I hear many members of the AA community say, "Bush is YOur President" like AA's are not citizens of this country.  Oddly now that Obama is running, suddenly black people find themselves participating in the voting process.

I  It seems to me many in the African American community want it  both ways.  They want political, financial a nd social suppport while they want to cling to hatred, past wrongs and grievances and to blame the  larger ills of society as justification for personal corrupt behaviors.  To be fair, white people do the same thing.  But where will we all be if these kinds of rationalizations, justifications and behaviors persist? 

I'm interested in others views and comments.