arthur blank politics

So in this case, we were coming back from a game after the team had played in St. Louis against the old St. Louis Rams theyre now in L.A. and instead of riding in the front of the plane with the coaches and managers, I sat in the back with the players. But in any event, that was part of just being a good listener. Do it in November. Then I would not be bashful about asking questions. During the 2020 elections, Blank contributed $300,000 to the Biden Victory Fund, $35,000 to the Democratic National Convention, and tens of thousands of dollars to state Democratic Party committees. 4 0 obj So I would fight for that and surround myself with people who believe the same thing, because you have to have that brain power in every institution or corporation or nonprofit. For more information about Life Itself, visit the . We were living in a single-bedroom apartment in Queens. It's the customers. And that's all part of his story of redemption and his story of being a changed person. So there was no disrespect to the military. << But that was typical of my mother. In that way, I don't think my personality, probably, or my patience level probably is not the level it would have to be to sustain myself in this political atmosphere today. What Does Hamline Not Understand About Academic Freedom? The next thing is making sure you exercise your political bully power and going to local elections and beating up the politicians you dont like., It is time to beat up prosecutors you dont like at the voting booth. After stepping down as CEO of Home Depot in the early 2000s, Blank's interests centered on a variety of Atlanta-based sports franchises and the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, a private foundation that has awarded over $560 million. << And, you know, living in poverty, we had friends coming by all the time and what have you. ", It is your duty not to burn your own house down for anger with an enemy We have to be better than this moment. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! my patience level probably is not the level it would have to be to sustain myself in this political atmosphere today. Of the other 60% who do come, half are rooting for the other team. So I understood what they were saying: They just wanted support noise. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=Arthur%2BBlank&contributor_employer=The%2BArthur&two_year_transaction_period=2016&contributor_state=GA, https://www.ajc.com/news/local/molly-blank-strong-widow-grew-successful-business-sons/JMYrzmcGsGc4nXD58rqltJ/, https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/197614, https://corporate.homedepot.com/sites/default/themes/thd/images/timeline/History-Of-The-Home-Depot.pdf, https://www.forbes.com/profile/arthur-blank/?sh=ae7b330749c3, https://www.atlantafalcons.com/team/front-office-roster/arthur-blank, https://blankfoundation.org/trustee/arthur-m-blank/, https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/statement-from-arthur-blank-on-georgia-voting-rights, https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/04/11/companies-voting-bills-states/, https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/arthur-blank-wife-angela-are-getting-a-divorce/897352464/, https://saportareport.com/a-longtime-anonymous-donor-reveals-her-identity/sections/abcarticles/maria_saporta/, https://blankfoundation.org/trustee/dena-kimball/, https://blankfoundation.org/trustee/kenny-blank/. And I know he considers the blessings that we had coming from Home Depot [and what its done] for all of our philanthropy today and all of our businesses today to be something that we're very thankful for. February 4, 2021 4:12 pm ET. In our case, the fans, customers, guests or grantees, whatever the case may be, you're going to find out the ultimate truth of what you need to do to build a business response to issues, spot opportunities, deal with problems, whatever it may be. The wealthy propose tax increases on the poor and middle class to pay for their new stadiums, and they claim that new businesses flocking to the area will magically cover the costs. So thats Gruden. And so think about the implications of the choices you're making for yourself and for your loved ones, etc. Theres at least one more level to the Jon Gruden disaster that NFL fans should consider about the leagues remarkable influence. Arthur Blank on NFL kneelers: 'Players have no interest in being disrespectful to flag' Political Insider By Jim Galloway, Political Insider Trump is apparently referencing a highly sourced. The rescue team said the man was buried up to his neck in soil. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. He fielded multiple quarterback-related questions and spoke glowingly of Ridder, who. Despite being widowed at a young age, his mother managed the familys mail-order pharmaceutical business and sold it to a large retail conglomerate. The Blank foundation also emphasizes environmental sustainability and aims to support programs that foster this message in the Westside. j"[p!d~oB?1].drwe GM]/v2q3^u[\ /. Two Gruden compadres, ex-Gophers star and former NFL coach Tony Dungy and his ESPN partner Mike Tirico, both black, are in a bad spot for defending Gruden about his michellin [sic] tires description of another black guys lips. /Width 625 Stay up to date with what you want to know. I seriously doubt the leagues TV ratings or ad revenue would suffer an iota. Her father was one half of Rodgers and Hammerstein. This is not in the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. This is chaos and were buying into it. Marcus handed the CEO reigns to Blank in 1997; Blank held the position until a new president and CEO was hired in 2000. But really, in my view, it's mostly that talking to young people about, you know, here's somebody who's been there, done it, gotten on T-shirts, lived it, and somebody whose name they respect or the least they know of, I should say, in most cases. "So, you know, I love him. Support more understanding and be better listeners trying to see how the other people, you know, try to stand in the footsteps of others. He's done a lot of work in terms of animal rights, which has been great and been appreciated by all of those agencies and all those institutions. I went to a small business school outside of Boston called Babson College I would always sit in the front because I always wanted to pay attention and learn. >> We, Yahoo, are part of the Yahoo family of brands. But he did. There are people and other countries who are posting things pretending to be US, pretending to stand for peaceful protest, but they are trying to incite us into violence and chaos to try and do more harm! !, And listen to me, be careful where you are getting your information to JOIN protests!! Brian Kemp signed SB 202 into law. And I remember he told me, he said, You know, when [I went into] the prison system, they gave me three pair of underwear, three shirts, three pair slacks, three socks and one pair of shoes, and that was it. He said, That was all I was going to have, as opposed to the lifestyle he was leading before. It is in effect protecting the teams owner, a guy regularly reviled by sportswriters, players and fans as a (very wealthy) toxic idiot. endobj /Length 7 0 R His faith is very strong. And he recently gave $250,000 to committees supporting Joe Biden, Forbes reported. (Airlines resisting vaccination mandates for passengers are another prime example of failure of true leadership.) In recent years Atlantas sports teams have attracted controversies that have highlighted the racial disparities that still largely define the city. Blank donated another $35,500 to the Democratic National Committee, according to Federal Election Commission filings. I had another NFL player, while [Vick] was in prison, come visit me and say I came from exactly the same neighborhood, but it was in a part of Pittsburgh. So sadly, Michael was raised in an environment where that was kind of normal behavior, if you will. Continued: https://t.co/yePGJUaGVV, Ive got a lot of love and respect for police officers., We dont want to see Targets burning. Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank said Wednesday he is encouraged by the progress of quarterback Desmond Ridder and the potential of building around the rookie. It starts with respect. The Arthur M. Blank Foundation announced on Wednesday a new series of grants focusing on mental health and well-being in response to America's growing mental health crisis. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Given its footprint, we have good rights to expect a lot more from this monolith. He had three children with his first wife Diana Blank, whom he divorced in 1993. We've broken every season ticket record per game. Peaceful protests of the past have led to new ways forward. There was a six-year period in there, when things went a little south. I listen to what he says and sometimes I'll cringe. We Have Every Reason To Expect a Lot More from the NFL, no promises that it will reveal everything it has found out. This is not a good way to make a living. Why Is Doc Jensen Still So Obsessed With His Long-Disproven COVID Claims? After stepping down as CEO of Home Depot in the early 2000s, Blanks interests centered on a variety of Atlanta-based sports franchises and the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, a private foundation that has awarded over $560 million. But I would keep raising my hand. That should never be tolerated. Hes a combination of father and brother to me. But you want your core values to be the same, ideally. Blank's statement did not specify any initiatives or call any elected officials or political parties by name. "This grant will help The Center add to its existing . This is not a protest. They put my mother, my brother and I in the living room with one of them and the other was searching the house, looking for cash that wasn't there. A company where we already know from law suits the teams executives treated its cheerleaders like Vegas escorts and, yup, traded nudie pictures of them changing outfits. The Braves leaving town also represented an end to the multicultural hub in the heart of the city that was forged by those Olympics. I still remember this as if it was yesterday. GALEO engages in advocacy, creates opportunities for engagement and networking, and develops leadership skills for Latino community members. The Number of White Teachers About to Get Fired is Exactly Zero. In 1989, the company opened its 100th store. They all have a great set of eyes and they're all different. And if I stop talking now for two minutes, you realize just how long two minutes is. But he was. (And Im not forgetting Colin Kaepernicks protests against police violence, and how the league effectively blackballed him before paying him off to avoid a certain-to-be-nightmarish public trial.). If you don't make good choices, you can end up being in really bad places. For years, Americans have fallen prey to the con of wealthy businessmen who want to build shiny new sports arenas yet dont want to pay for them. And they've worked collectively for the United States, for everybody in this country, 330 million people. So I'm happy to see that, you know, he came back to Atlanta and spent time here. I have what's called a veil state, or I am a stutterer. But We Aint Seen Nuthin Yet. /BitsPerComponent 8 In 2014 it emerged that Bruce Levenson, who owned the NBAs Atlanta Hawks, had written an email that amongst other things theorized that the black crowd [at Philips Arena] scared away the whites, adding for good measure: I have even bitched that the kiss cam is too black. Levenson later that year sold his stake in the franchise, and the Hawks have worked hard to win back their black audience. "And I'm not 100 years old I'm getting there, but I'm not but the things I see and deal with are just inherently not what's made this country great. For the last two decades, sports have united this largely racially divided city, and partially due to the actions of the Hawks and the Braves, the Falcons could ill-afford to have a stadium plan that was not only racially inclusive, but also worked to incorporate the surrounding community. One where guys like the Vikings' Mark and Zygi Wilf and Arthur (Home Depot) Blank of the Atlanta Falcons come off as comparatively rational. The 74-year-old Blank, who Forbes estimates has an estimated net worth of $3.1 billion, is the director of Cox. "It's not a red issue or a blue issue, it's about how you treat people, whether it be guests, fans, customers, associates, or shareholders in the case with HD," said Blank, whose Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation has granted over $800 million to help underserved people across the nation. Marcus has been an outspoken Donald Trump devotee throughout both the 2016 and 2020 elections, donating $7 million to Trump's campaign four years ago. Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta is the first nonprofit legal advocacy organization dedicated to protecting the civil rights of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander (AANHPI) and Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian (AMEMSA) communities in Georgia and the Southeast. Currently, over 200 Westside residents are working on the stadiums construction and the foundation has funded, among other things, Westside Works to help residents find employment and learn job training skills. endobj A number of events over the last couple of weeks have reminded us again that the long, worthy quest for equal justice, civility and unity in America is far from over. 1, I think at that time I didn't probably fully appreciate the environment, the communities and neighborhood that Michael was raised in, an area called New Newport News. Also watchRISING UP: A Westside Story,a documentary film by David Lewis Productions that gives viewers a detailed look into the ideation, construction, and impact of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on the city of Atlanta. I understand that, but I respect it," said Blank. The firing in 1978 was a political situation primarily between my partner Bernie [Marcus] and a gentleman, that has passed away now, who was his boss. And I think we got disconnected. And then he worked in the laundry. By Bob Bahr October 12, 2021, 5:48 pm. The Westside also suffers from severe flooding problems, and the stadium has a 1.1 million gallon storm vault underground to trap and reuse their rain water, and help prevent flooding. More must be done to bring people together through meaningful change. Falcons owner Arthur Blank is weighing in on Georgia's sweeping overhaul of election laws. I mean, those fans, they feel like that's the only sport that we're hosting in that stadium. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images), WSOC TV facebook feed(Opens a new window), >> Go home. So, we had great confidence in our own abilities. Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank is married to Angela Macuga, his third wife. Thats great. The Falcons were the first pro football team in the South, founded during the civil rights era in 1965. One reporter asked Fontenot whether he thought the Falcons were getting Watson. Full statement from Arthur Blank: https://t.co/1lU870TGWa pic.twitter.com/0qejiahKKY, Please, please stop this violence!! But I know that his essence, at his heart and his soul, is a really good person that cares deeply about humanity. The league has recently been running in-game PSAs pushing cancer and mental health awareness screenings, etc. Walz Cooperation With Law Enforcement Deserves Praise, Not Punishment, If You Think Republicans Cant Ban Abortion in Minnesota, Look No Further than Iowa, Russia, Ukraine and My Seven Months with YouTube. I stayed in touch with him to some degree when he was in prison. And so he's used that time since he got out of prison and giving back to community, speaking to young people. Since then, they have re-organized their focus areas more specifically into four groups: policy advocacy, organizing and civic engagement, impact litigation, and legal services. His professional team Atlanta United FC brought professional soccer to Atlanta beginning in 2017. I remember I called the commissioner then, who was Paul Tagliabue, and I say, Well, Paul, I have this idea. The system has worked well for the multi-billionaire and co-founder of The Home Depot. 2023 FOX Television Stations, Georgia Secretary of State calls many election changes 'solid', study by ESPN and FiveThirtyEight in October 2020, too restrictive and targets minority voters, Cobb leader says moving MLB All-Star game in protest would hurt business, Democrats dispute police report in Georgia lawmakers arrest, Civil rights groups file new lawsuit over Georgia voting law, Photos show rescue of Woodstock man 'buried up to his neck' in collapsed trench, Frederick, MD tanker explosion leaves 1 dead; Shuts down part of US-15, Sheriff's office continues five-year-long search for missing Carrollton man, Georgia baby girl reported missing with man diagnosed with mental illness, police say, Jesse Wilson: Adoptive mother arrested in boy's death in Arizona, Clayton County twin sisters make history rising the ranks in Georgia UPS facility, Alex Murdaugh killed wife, son to buy time, prosecutor says, UGA football star Jalen Carter facing charges in fatal crash: What we know, Young Thug trial: Judge orders probe of leaked evidence, Families intensify search for two men missing for more than a week. /SMask /None>> He came out of the prison system as a changed person for the positive, not for the negative. Ticket pricing was higher than it could have been or should have been at that time, and so I brought Dick Sullivan over from Home Depot, the gentleman who now runs our PGA Superstores and we came up with a strategy that we've got to sell season's tickets for $100. My dad didn't look at who it was. Give them hope. I love CNN, I love Cartoon Network. And he had to mop the floors for weeks and months on end. Mercedes-Benz Stadium is located adjacent to the Falcons current home, the Georgia Dome, in Atlantas Westside. Blank who grew up in New York City said he believes the US is going through one of the most tumultuous times in its history. /Producer ( Q t 4 . But we both said, you know, if we ever had to compete with Handy Dan that was the most successful conventional chain of home improvement center stores in the country at that time it would be with a large, no frills, downmarket store. The foundation is . And it was early on a Sunday morning. a guy regularly reviled by sportswriters, players and fans as a (very wealthy) toxic idiot. And Ambassador Young, another good friend would say the same thing. We believe the right to vote is sacred and should be protected, so that we can have an active and engaged citizenry that participates in our democracy year-round, not just during presidential election cycles. But my mother would say to me, You know, what you have to say is important. Arthur Blank, owner of Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United, co-founder of Home Depot . Minnesota Legislature, What Are You Chewing? And so he speaks to people throughout the United States, young people primarily, about that. Both John Lewis John, just a month before he passed away and Andy Young have said to me that we do have to recognize that things are better than they used to be. The pair always strove to create a work environment that put people before politics, said Blank. It is making no promises that it will reveal everything it has found out about the Redskins and others who had contact with the team. The Home Depot co-founder, Arthur Blank, candidly shares details of an impromptu meeting in an airport hangar when he was asked to step down, the company's short-term mistake of replacing him. And, you know, you see the blending of every type of person and personality you can imagine. Dr. Sanjay Gupta speaks with businessman Arthur Blank about gun regulation and philanthropy. Now, there's no place for violent protest. So we had 35, 40 players kneeling before that, after that speech, we had close to 300 players kneeling because they took it personally and their families took it personally and their parents and their siblings and their grandparents and their heritage was being challenged. A message sent to Arthur Blank from President Obama in 2018, thanking him for his commitment to affordability at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium after Blank cut concession prices by 50%. If you sit in your homes instead of burning your home to the ground, you will have time to properly plot, plan, strategize and organize and mobilize in effective ways., Two of the most effective ways is first taking your butt to the computer and making sure you fill out your census so that people know who you are and where you are. Born on September 27, 1942, Blank owns the Atlanta, Georgia sports teams - the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL and Atlanta United of the MLS. } !1AQa"q2#BR$3br He owns the team, after all. /Title ( A r t h u r b l a n k p o l i t i c s) That is the change we need in this country.". One where guys like the Vikings Mark and Zygi Wilf and Arthur (Home Depot) Blank of the Atlanta Falcons come off as comparatively rational. Arthur Blank greets a crowd of cheering Atlanta United fans in 2017. So, you know, we understood that our culture had nothing to do with which party you are affiliated with. Blank told Business Insider that despite their differences, running a company is "not a red issue or a blue issue" and is instead about sharing the same values. I am, in a certain sense. More must be done to address the underlying issues that have led to these incidents across the country. C q" Blank also owns Atlantas Mercedes-Benz Stadium, a sports and entertainment facility valued at $1.5 billion that hosted the 2019 Super Bowl. Looting is NOT THE ANSWER!!!! Soon after, Blank met his third wife Angela Macuga whom he married in 2016 and later announced their plans to divorce in 2019. Politicians, business owners and celebrities are speaking out to share their thoughts on Floyds death, the issues his killing have brought to the forefront and the protests that turned to chaos, specifically in Atlanta. At the time, Atlanta liked to call itself The City Too Busy to Hate, but as more African Americans moved to the city the moniker shifted to The City Too Busy Moving to Hate, as more white Atlantans escaped the city to the northern suburbs. A Handful of Things I Could Not Care Less About, Matt Birk: Rape Victims Are Playing the Rape Card?, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. In their sixth season of Major League Soccer, the Five Stripes bring some new faces onto the field this year. Arthur is committed to changing the narrative around sports stadiums, said Frank Fernandez, the VP of Community Development at The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, to The Daily Beast. If executed improperly, this stadium could continue a long line of broken promises for this blighted community. Lawlessness, vandalism and intentionally upending the peace with any form of violence has never been productive and is not the answer. NOW WATCH: We combined Trump and Biden's separate town halls so you can watch an actual debate between the presidential candidates, Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories, according to records filed with the Federal Election Commission. One was in pricing. It Now Actually Matters, a Lot. Young you are. Falcons owner Arthur Blank spoke with reporters during a 10-minute teleconference from the Super Bowl. ", CNN -- Ted [Turner] did a great thing. In 2022, they plan to connect with over 1 million voters/ potential voters through phone banking, text banking, in-person canvassing events, and going door to door. Arthur Blank enjoys one of his favorite hobbies at Mountain Sky Guest Ranch, one of three guest ranches owned by Blank Family of Businesses. Our frontline associates and all those businesses come next. Were trying to do the exact opposite of that.. /Filter /DCTDecode Stop making people feel so fearful. All the issues that Colin [Kaepernick] raised at that time [2016-2107] about the social injustice and lack of equality and equity in the criminal system and all those issues, I think they were real then and they're certainly real now. The guest. Kimball previously served as the vice president of network support at Teach for All. Link Copied! %PDF-1.4 The Athletic's Felipe Crdenas joined Georgia Public Broadcasting's Orlando Montoya tohelp breakdown what fans can expect this year on and off the field. Good Company is billed as a visionary road-map for creating successful businesses. In the 1940sGeorgia mountains, eight children were taken into the woods and left to die. Brian and Arthur welcomed their daughter Blake into the world via Arthur's sister Aoife, who acted as a surrogate for the couple, back in September -- with Brian previously teasing the documentary before Blake's arrival. When I left [Home Depot] in 2001, [it] was the second largest retailer in the world, second only to Wal-Mart. Tikkun Olam [a Jewish concept of repairing the world through action]. The portfolio includes nearly $10 million in grants to 12 nonprofits that represent a diverse set of organizations with a strong presence in Georgia and the Southeast. The stadium boasts roughly 4,000 solar panels and will use 70 percent less energy. ~B?/"J()NF =|Z|&t?jCJw)C 0H>~9 ( 81c2fO=a>}@#y}~9]jqCZ'}*x:qj@PTj+2>dm?aU2 8'z?mWm)yt7,?:99=, +oG6 <4!I lg, ]6vDT2zu9~1bA'px#?)X&,:irv.q'/U:~]{tf&[eR|ozKD-sCEAMnO e=#MguofhNFT1vMfH# Q,e_oZdb_47OatAYs2=LJr~R1# gwg],Xs7q72 f) _n:R-r9-:Q`Mg?_t*"v8? Blank told Business Insider that despite their political differences, their different leanings never got in the way of their ability to work together as partners or as friends. sum of five consecutive integers inductive reasoning,