Calvin Smith’s race card

I’m not going to comment on everything Calvin Smith says in his opinion piece titled “Is race trump card in our political discourse?” in today’s Royal Gazette (not available online). But there are a couple of specific points I’d like to respond to.

”...the support of whites for the PLP seldom, if ever, rises above five percent of the entire white electorate. On the other hand, the percentage of blacks who support the UBP is never likely to be much below 20 percent of all black voters.”

Mr. Smith presents this as evidence that there is no marked inclination for whites to move together with blacks on racial issues unless whites are in control. His implication is that you can only be in favour of racial equality if you support the PLP. I don’t accept this. The only thing indicated by the figures provided by Mr. Smith is that the UBP has had more success appealing across racial boundaries than the PLP.

”Why should Bermuda’s black majority support a party that has a minority of blacks when they have the option of supporting a party that has a majority of blacks?”

Because politics is supposed to be about ideas, not skin colour.

”Given the obvious uphill battle that faces the UBP, one would think that it would avoid insulting Bermuda’s black population with ridiculous references that suggest that the PLP is creating racial polarisation?”

Ridiculous? What about Ewart Brown’s “back to the plantation”, Derrick Burgess’ “maidservant of her masters” and David Burch’s “house niggers”? Were they not racially divisive comments?

Moreover, I’m sure that the majority of Bermuda’s black population are not insulted by criticism of PLP MPs, just as I was not insulted by Walter Roban’s criticism of Mark Pettingill’s recent comments about black males.

”Why would the PLP need to introduce the race card when the party is overwhelmingly black and is targeting issues that will correct past injustices that have severely handicapped the progress of the black majority?”

Because the PLP is concerned that an increasing number of blacks are becoming disillusioned with the party and may either withhold their vote or even switch it to the UBP at the next election. The party plays the race card to make those who are considering such action feel like they are betraying the cause of black equality.

Perhaps the party even believes it.

Additional rules for commenting on this thread: Discussion should be restricted to the points raised by Mr. Smith in his article. No personal attacks on Mr. Smith himself. No incivilities, rants, taunts, or personal commentary on other contributors. No generalised bitching about either the PLP or the UBP. Constructive debate only, please. All comments that violate these rules will be deleted.

Comments

[SmokingGun on 31.08.06 at 20:54]

Good points Limey. I don't know, maybe it's just me, but I just don't think he nor his colleagues really give a damn about equality for anyone but themselves. Blacks or whites or anyone in between. The bias in his words is just rank. If one is white one is to be punished forever? And if one is black must one forever be held back? No individuality? Not a person, not a free spirit of free mind?

When will he ever learn that ripples never come back.

[Bermudian on 31.08.06 at 21:22]

It's a pity that the media (print radio etc) here all give so much sway to these dinosaurs.

[googlybda on 31.08.06 at 22:52]

"Why should Bermuda’s black majority support a party that has a minority of blacks when they have the option of supporting a party that has a majority of blacks?”

So Whites should not support PLP because UBP is predominantly white?

"Why would the PLP need to introduce the race card when the party is overwhelmingly black"

Because the PLP plays the race card to convince black voters that whites are the evil race and UBP is itself evil in its denegration of blacks. Piffle, but it has worked in years past, but those days are hopefully gone. We are one community and need to feel that we are all in the same boat whichever party is in power!
I think Pettingle's words were too easy to take the wrong way. He didn't say that blacks were not good business men. he said the PLP leadership were not helping black males to become busioness men in their tenure as leaders of Bermuda. In fact the education system has gone to hell in a hand basket. How can anybody become a "business man" if he can't read or write!
The large number of young business men black and white did it through their own graft and studious characters, They were not helped by anybody! They learned to read and write despite the lack of help from the education system. He mentions blacks spending there hard earned money to send their kids to school. He probably means university to be fair to him, but the ones that went a step further and sent their kids to private school (black or white) had a much better chance of making it to university.
My hat is off to the less fortunate workers who had to scrimp and save to do this!
Calvin know too well how to play the race card!

[googlybda on 01.09.06 at 07:41]

Calvin talks about looking to the two sports of cricket and football for role models.

Sure, the machete wielding hooligans or the cricketers who abuse umpires or the cricketers who put the opposition off by using racial slurs, or those that go away on paid for trips to other countries and bring back drugs?

What happened when two outside umpire were brought in to run Cup Match? No major incidents on the field! Why?

Sports like everything else is losing its discipline.

[Phil on 01.09.06 at 07:42]

googlybda

I don't think Calvin was suggesting every footballer and cricketer is a good role model. However, I agree with him when he says that those sports do have some good role models. Moreover, these are people that kids can actually relate to.

[silencedogood on 01.09.06 at 10:47]

Call me crazy, but isn't saying or implying that whites only want to be a part of political organizations which they control, hence low white membership in the PLP, playing the race card, yet Cal goes on to say "why would the PLP play the race card?"!?!

Maybe you should answer your own question by explaining your actions Cal.

I'm sure the poor results yielded by the public education system in Bermuda are not intentional on the PLP's part, but no one can argue that they don't help them maintain control. Only an real moron would fall for this kind of political sleight of hand.

We need to get the quality of education up and it will relieve the pressure on so many of the current social problems of the day.

[Ali on 01.09.06 at 11:45]

Calvin Smith also suggested that the race card had been used in the past to imply that the PLP could not run our economy but that had been disproved because we now how a booming economy. In my opinion the current economic boom is in spite of rather than because of the PLP. There are many examples and some very worrying ones which show that they are a tax and overspend government which ignores many of the established accounting rules and procedures and in fact their fiscal management is very poor. This is not playing the race card it is just plain fact.

[googlybda on 01.09.06 at 22:05]

Limey,
Why are you twisting my words.
I suggested that Calvin Smith was asking us to look to football and cricket for role models. He names them. What I am saying football and cricket generally is not a place to look for role models! There are very few!
Logie himself highly criticised Bermuda's cricket players for their tardiness and lack of commitment etc.
Please don't twist my words!

[Adam on 02.09.06 at 16:53]

He also made the blunder in the article of calling baby boomers people who are now over sixty. I hope it was a mistake on his part, but perhaps his confusion comes from the fact that people over 60 in Bermuda have been almost entirely neglected by the present government.
All his ramblings about planning and fiscal responsibility are nothing if he clearly doesn't undestand the terms.

[cigar pete on 03.09.06 at 04:48]

I don't get this "white people don't vote for the PLP so they are evil racists". Am I suppose to forget the last eight years, where not a month goes by in which the PLP spouts out racial slurs against whites. Asking me to vote for the PLP is like asking a Jewish person to vote for a Neo-Nazi/skinhead party.