We see what was obviously a misunderstanding concerning a local beer distributor and the Lumbee Tribal Government as just that — and something more, a grand opportunity.
What happened was shared in this newspaper in two stories last week, though we would have prefered one. The second became necessary when R.A. Jeffreys’ issued a statement apologizing for its use of the tribe’s logo and slogan as a promotional tool in two local retail outlets, but too late for it to appear in our first story. So we felt obligated to do a followup with the apology included.
The tribal government was angry — an understandably so.
American Indians are often characterized as suffering disproportionately with substance-abuse issues, which was acknowledged in a statement from Tribal Chairman Harvey Godwin. It read: “As alcohol and drug abuse are often associated with Native American culture, the use of the Lumbee tribal brand and an image of a Native American dancer in an advertisement promoting an alcohol product is viewed as particularly offensive to Lumbee People.”
The statement also said that the tribal government had sued Anheuser-Busch and the local distributor for using the logo and slogan for “promoting the sale of Budweiser and Bud Light,” and leading “members of the tribe and others in the community” to believe “that the Lumbee Tribe gave its permission … .”
The lawsuit asked for unspecified damages and that the the logo and slogan be removed immediately — but they already had been.
R.A. Jeffreys, to its credit, owned the mistake, exonerated the national company and apologized, saying the intent was to honor the rich heritage of the Lumbee Tribe “through the use of the logo and the slogan, which reads, “Heritage, pride and strength.”
It went on to say that the the promotional displays were set up by local wholesalers and removed within a day of the tribe’s objection becoming known.
Now for the opportunity.
R.A. Jeffreys years ago bought the local distributorship that was known as Eagle Distributing, which had a long history of supporting civic ventures across Robeson County with monetary donations and sweat. The list of beneficiaries would be way too far for today’s Our View to accommodate, but are fairly well known in the community. R.A. Jeffreys has continued that tradition in many ways, including as a sponsor of Alive After 5.
We think there is an ocean of room for the local distributor and tribal representatives to get together and come to a mutual agreement that benefits both and doesn’t involve the court system. The local distributor has shown no reluctance to write checks in support of worthy causes, and the tribe has plenty that qualify.
It would be a good way to turn what was a misunderstanding into a positive — and a negative headline into a happy one. We hope the parties can sit down at the same table and figure something out.
If they do, we pledge to do our part.
