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OPINIONS/CJarlnttc $otft
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Racially-charged
term is a political
tar baby itself
Say goodbye to the term “tar baby”
It is one of the richest, most vivid terms in our language,
so useful to describe a “sticky situation” in which someone
is trapped and finds that every effort to get out compounds
the trouble.
The term was popularized by Joel Chandler Harris’s
retelling of Afiican American folk tales. His fictional Uncle
Remus, an old black man, speaking in heavy dialect,
shared his wisdom with a young white boy
telling the story of how a crafty fox captured
his rival, a precocious rabbit.
Maybe you remember how the story
began. “Brer Fox went ter wuk en got ‘im
some tar, en mix it wid some turkentime, en
fix up a contrapshun w’at he call a Thr-
Baby”
Brer Fox put the tar baby in road and
waited for Brer Rabbit to come by He didn’t
wait long. The story continues, “Mawnin!’
sez Brer Rabbit, sezee - ‘nice wedder dis mawnin,’ sezee.
‘Tar-Baby ain’t sayin’ nuthin’, en Brer Fox he lay low.’”
When the tar baby fails to respond to Brer Rabbit’s
pleasantries, the rabbit angrily punches bim in the face-
and is stuck. When the tar baby ignores Brer Rabbit’s
demand that he be let loose; the rabbit hits and kicks and
butts his head until he is thoroughly trapped in the tar. At
this point, according to Chandler’s Uncle Remus, the fox
comes out of hiding’ ‘“Howdy Brer Rabbit,’ sez Brer Fox,
sezee. You look sorter stuck up dis mawnin’,’ sezee, en den
he rolled on de groun’, en laft en laft twel he couldn’t laff
no mo.”’
Soon after becoming White House press secretary earli
er this year, Tbny Snow used the imagery of this folk tale
to sqjlain why he was not going to try to discuss in detail
and try to justify the NSA’s secret telephone monitoring
program. “I don’t want to hug the tar baby of trying to .
comment on the program - the alleged program - the exis
tence of which I can neither confirm nor deny”
Afew weeks ago, Massachusetts Governor and president
prospect Mitt Romney explained the dilemma caused by
the continuing problems of the “Big Dig” tunnel construc
tion project in his state. Speaking to a crowd of supporters
in Iowa, Romney said, “The best thirg politically would be
to stay as far away fium that tar baby as I can ”
Both Snow and Romney quicldy foimd that the vivid “tar
baby” metaphor was not appreciated by everybody
Critics accused Snow and Romney of racism for using a
term that is offensive to many Afiican Americans because
“tar baby” has also been used derivsively to refer to blacks.
The complaints themselves brought forth a number of
angry responses that pointed out that neither Snow nor
Romney had used the term in a racial context. It is the crit
ics, these respondents asserted, who are the “racists.”
Whenever the scabs of our history of racial antagonism
are ripped off, we see the deep estrangement that remains
finm our long history of racial injustice.
I am reluctant to give up the wonderful stoiy, the wisdom
of this Afiican American tale, and the powerful image of a
“too smart” rabbit stuck in a mess of tar.
Wouldn’t we miss the chance to celebrate Afiican
American culture and its powerful teaching if we threw
Brer Fox and Brer Rabbit into the trash bin of racial mis-
understandirg?
In response to a similar point raised by Tbny Snow in his
own defense, one Afiican American commentator,
Margaret Kimberly says that we miss an important point.
She writes, “The words tar baby are a slur, period. They
are used to hurt, to anger-, and to offend. The fact that they
first appeared in the Unde Remus stories doesn’t let Snow
off the hook. The Unde Remus stories were part of a care
fully orchestrated effort to make plantation life appear
benevolent instead of horrific.”
She may be wrong about the intent of those of us who use
“tar baby” only to describe a “sticky situation.” But unless
and rmtil we c^ put the term and the story on common
grounds, we had better be prepared to take the conse
quences when we say “tar baby” in any context.
D.G. MARTIN is the host of UNC-TV's North Carolina
Bookwalch, which airs Fridays al 9:30 pm. and Sundays at 5pm.
Whenever the scabs of our
history of racial antagonism
are ripped off, we see the
deep estrangement that
remains from our long history
of racial injusfice.
Time for Africa to
get its share of U.S.
trade dollars
By Harry C. Alford
NAT/ONAL NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIAVON
With the collapse of the recent trade rouild in Doha, the United
States must ecamine what its economic priorities are around the
globe. As the world’s foremost military and economic power, we
have the ability to encourage economic development, trade, and
stability in countries whose people live in conditions nnimaginablp
in the U.S. Specifically the dtizens of many nations aroimd the
world suffer from dDject poverty HIV/AIDS, and have almost no
opportunities to lift themselves out of their dire condition.
lb help correct tiiis, the United States has developed a subsidy
system over the past several decades in which more than 130
nations are exempted from duties on a number of imports to the
United States. This program, known as the Generalized System of
Preferences, aims to stimulate developing economies with unique
incentives for production and exportation It is capitalism at its
best, and promotes fiiendship and stability throTO^ trade. We, the
Black Diaspora, now want in.
In recent years, however, a number of coimtries that were once
deemed "developing" have remained in the GSP program, despite
marked progress. They are not only reaping the lion’s share of its
benefits, but brazenly abusing international trade agreements.
For instance, the top 10 beneficiaries of GSP benefits account for
more than two-thirds of the rewards.
Although they may not have economies on the scale of the U.S.,
Japan or Germany coimtries like Brazil, India and Argentina are
no longer the "developing" nations they once wrae. Indeed, their
economies often export more than $100 million each to the U.S., a
level that far smpasses any reasonable definition of the term
Imagine if Liberia, Ghana or Kenya could participate in this. It
would go a very long way toward economic development, jobs, and
quality of fife.
Meanwhile, the overwhelming majority of the pooim- countries
on the GSP, whose exports are but small fractions of any of the top
10, receive negligent support. In our own welfare system, strict
guidelines are set to ensure those who truly need help are givai it,
while those who have adequate incomes are no longer e1igib]p
This same standard should apply to nations as well.
International trade abuse is another risirg concOTi with current
beneficiaries. U.S. patents and other forms of intellectual proper
ty rights are simply being ignored without consequence. Not only
are U.S. farmers beirg affected by the importation of produce at
duty-fi-ee prices, these goods are often made through patented bio
logical farming techniques developed in the United States.
In the phaimaceutical sector, Brazil has recently announced that
it will begin production of three U.S. drugs, without regard for any
existing patent restrictions. Further, the software industiy recent
ly reported that in 2003, more than $80 billion of the global mar
ket consisted of coimterfeits.
Ultimately, cormtries that willfully violate basic intellectual
property ri^ts should not continue to receive subsidies, especial
ly at the cost of American businesses and coimtries that desper
ately need more opportunities.
American political interests must also be considered, given the
tumultuous political climate abroad. Aside from infringing on
international trade agreements, countries such as Brazil anri
Argentina have befriended dictatorial leftist governments and
have become an obstacle to the advancement of human rights and
democracy Governments tiiat have the infrastructure to prevent
such abuses must not allow them The unfortunate reality is that
pofitical fii-eedom in South America is severely fimited at best.
Tb be sure, while many countries in Asia and South America take
the GSP program for granted, scores of Afiican nations lack even
the most basic public infrastructure to provide for their citizens.
The most effective way we can assist these coimtries is by helping
them build resources through production and trade.
We want better utilization of this program in Ghana, Kenya,
Uganda, Mozambique, Cote D’Ivoire, Senegal, Liberia, Cameroons
and states throu^out sub-Saharan Afiica. Why can’t we go to
Kroger and Safeway and buy produce and goods from Afiica and
not just South America. It is time for Afiican-Amaicans to stand
up and demand economic equity for the entire Diaspora, -
Reform is at hand, and countries that abuse American generosi
ty should be held accountable. Those that need investment, trade
incentives, and economic development simply to feed their people
should be given every opportunity to fift themselves out of pover
ty Removing the top 10 beneficiaries of the current GSP will
accomplish this, while holding egregious abusers of trade and
human rights responsible for their actions and ensuring that those
countries that are truly in need of our aid receive the help that
they deserve.
Let’s help the needy and not the greedy
HARRY C. ALFORD is the PresidenUCEO of the National Black Chamber
of Commerce, Inc. Website: www.nalionalbcc.org; email:
President@nalionalhccarg
Reform is at hand, and countries
that abuse American generosity
should be held accountable.
Connection
between crime
and poverty
By Brian Peay
SPECIAL ro THE POST
You can’t watch the news without hearii^ breaking
news about a bank getting robbed, a report of an indi
vidual or place of business gettij^ robbed. Why is this
so?
People need money
Common knowle(^ teaches us that the suspects
committing these offenses are most likely not indi
viduals that come fiom families that are better than
well off. It’s likely they attended private school, were
members of the country club, took private golf lessons
or the product of a two parent housdiold.
Then who are these individuals that commit these
offenses? In April 2006 Charlotte-Mecklenburg police
statistics stated robberies decreased by 13.9 percent.
Their Street Crimes Task Force and the patrol divi
sions continue to target robbery suspects and hot
spots.
The majority of these individuals live well below the
national poverty level and many, however not all are
minorities. Many of them are not from two parent
households where a mother and father are present.
Most suspects struggled in school and are all too often
high school dropouts. ’What prompts someone to com
mit robbery?
It coxild be a combination of things. Generally an
individual would commit an offense such as this due
to lack of money or education about money Maybe
they are imemployed or even imderemployed where
they feel the need to break the law, A suspect could as
well not be as financially literate as others where
he/she is simply not educated enough to manage thefi-
finances whether they earn minimu-m wage or not.
How can one be educated about money and its many
uses? Simple.
The solution
Tbach our kids about money as early as they can
coimt it. Pass on the wisdom of wealth. Effective
money management is a vital part of oui- evei-yday
lives whether yoimg or old. Finances must be taught
in the home first. There are many negative influences
on the radio and television today that are idolized by
the youth. They actually believe that it’s ok to die ti-y-
ing to get rich and don’t realize the negative impact it
imposes on the youth.
Kids need to be taught at an early age that money
is not the goal. It’s a tool to reach the goal. The goal
should not be to get rich. The goal we should teach
ourselves and our offspring is to five comfortably and
decent. We aU need U.S. currency or dead presidents,
every day to live- decently However, it’s never a good
idea to love money
When a person loves money theyTl do whatever
whenev^ and however to achieve their goal of gain-
it^ it whether legal or not. If we’re financially edu
cated about money its uses and dangers at an early
age it will carry over into our early adult fives and
, most wfil utilize the knowledge daily
There may always be crime and poverty However,
' theybothcanbedecreasedsignificantlyifproperedu-
cation is incorporated at an early age. Another great
way to start wilh our youlh is to implement money
management and financial literacy into the public
school curriculum as an elective. In doing so ifU
accommodate the knowledge that’s already taught in
the home. ’What is there to lose? My point?
Incorporate financial education into the public school
system. Knowledge is power!
BRIAN PEAY lives in Charlotte.
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