..on Caribbean misogyny
There’s so much to reflect on this special Independence Day. But a LAPOP survey on spousal attitudes to domestic violence was especially interesting. Asked whether they think whether husbands should use violence against their wives who neglect their chores – more than half of adult Guatemalans (53%) think they should. By contrast, the Paraguayans clock in lowest at 8%, while we’re #3 at 30%! Once again, we’re hitting world headlines for all the wrong reasons. Even the Americans whose movies suggest they aren’t too averse to a bit of wife beating come in at 11%.
So what does that say about us? Back around the time independence was granted, future Nobel Prize winner VS Naipaul had written, with tongue not necessarily in cheek, there was this wife who oiled the cricket bat all week, with which she was thrashed on weekends! Then there was that more accessible folk philosopher of Caribbean life and times, the Mighty Sparrow, who made some observations on the subject. In fact, Sparrow, who’s been awarded several doctorates by UWI for his commentary – and compared to Chaucer – suggested there wasn’t even the need for an excuse such as ducking household chores, for the husband to “touch up” the wife:
“What, Socrates and Plato didn’t know,
I’m gonna sock it to you in calypso.
Every now and then, cuff dem down,
They love you long and they love you strong.
CHORUS
Black up their eyes, bruise up their knee,
And then dey love you eternally.”
The song was belted out lustily from one end of the archipelago to the other…us being the southern end. And the LAPOP poll showed Sparrow mightn’t have been too far off the mark. In that percentage that believes wife beating is salutary, almost as many women as men believe that ought to be the case! What to do?
Well, let’s just look at the data a bit more closely. Even the Jamaicans, Bahamians, Bajans, and Trinis (in descending order) don’t believe in wife beating as much as we do. And it isn’t by coincidence their levels of prosperity are inversely correlated by the number of approved wife beaters. That suggests if our economic circumstances continue heading downhill domestic violence will continue climbing skywards.
The other variable was education. Not that educated men beat their wives less…but more educated women REFUSE to consider the beatings as salutary. And this is good news for us since our females are fast becoming more educated than our men.
Unfortunately, this suggests as the educated wives reject beatings divorce rates may rise.
Or so will murders of abusive husbands by wives, who’ll get off with the defence of “provocation”.
…on commemorations or celebration
Today, come hell or high water, we’ll be having our Independence floats moving from Stabroek to D’Urban Jubilee Park in commemoration of our 50th Independence Anniversary. Some have asked “what’s to celebrate?” And this Eyewitness holds that this is one of those “half-empty/half-full” conundrums.
Could we have done better after 50 years of independence? We only have to look to places such as Singapore and Malaysia that were right where we were fifty years ago and today have done so much better, to say, “Sure!!” But we also have to ask, “Could we have done worse?” And just as clearly as we look at so many countries in Africa and elsewhere, and admit, “Yes, it could’ve been worse.”
This Eyewitness believes today is a day for taking stock. We have to do some introspection and ask what each of us can do so the next 50 years aren’t a repetition of the first.
Our children deserve better, don’t they?
…on social cohesion
Last night, the Golden Arrowhead was raised for the fiftieth time to herald our sovereignty.
Let us acknowledge the magnanimity of Dr Jagan, who was ousted from office unfairly, still showing up to show his solidarity with Mr Burnham on the inaugural occasion.
