Jesse Helms is at it again, confronting allegations of racism. And, as usual, he's batting his eyes innocently and going "Who, me?"

The fuss this time is over the nomination of former Illinois Senator Carol Moseley-Braun for ambassadorship to New Zealand. Helms, who has said that Moseley-Braun "shouldn't hold her breath," is blocking the nomination using his standard passive-aggressive tactic of refusing to even schedule a hearing.

Now, Helms in person is reported to be quite charming, even courtly in manner. And no one can deny his commitment to constituent service. If you're trying to get Granny's stalled Social Security check freed up, ol' Jess is your man. But every now and then, as now, Jesse's Dark Side comes peeping out.

What's most disturbing about Helms is not that he opposes certain things. That's to be expected. But what's always irked me about Helms is, he doesn't play fair. He manipulates the rules of the Senate so that the people he dislikes don't even get discussed, much less voted on. It's how he torpedoed former Massachusetts Governor William Weld's bid for the ambassadorship to Mexico.

Jesse, of course, says that his admitted dislike of Carol Moseley-Braun has nothing to do with her race. Helms claims that he's troubled by, among other things, Braun's visits to Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha. This from a man who used to hang out with Chilean butcher Augusto Pinochet. Of course, at the time, Pinochet was one OUR pet thugs.

Helms also claims to be troubled by allegations that Moseley-Braun misused campaign funds. However, Helms says he'll review the FBI files and she'll get a hearing if HE decides the allegations are unfounded. To heck with the rest of the Foreign Relations Committee, to heck with the rest of the Senate. Jesse uber alles.

The fact is, Jesse's still peeved at Carol Moseley-Braun over a six-year old scrap concerning the Confederate flag. In 1993, she opposed what was supposed to have been a routine renewal of the United Daughter's of the Confederacy's patent on their symbol because it contained a representation of the Confederate Battle Flag. Helms insisted that the flag was a symbol of Southern history. Of course, that was kind of the point that Moseley- Braun was trying to make.

Then the debate turned ugly. Helms reportedly told Orrin Hatch: "I'm gonna make her (Moseley-Braun) cry." So much for our Southern heritage of chivalry. One tries to imagine Robert E. Lee making a statement like that and one can't help but wonder what Southern manhood has come to. One also wonders why one is referring to oneself in third person and decides to have a drink and go lie down until the fit passes.

Helms then reportedly encountered Moseley- Braun in an elevator and, with the subtle and delightful wit for which he is famed, taunted her by whistling "Dixie." Yeah, that's a real knee-slapper, Jess. Frankly, Carol probably should have either shook it off or graced Jesse with a chorus of `R-E-S-P-E-C-T', but she missed that golden opportunity.

Now, I want to be absolutely clear here. I think Carol Moseley-Braun was wrong in her opposition to the UDC patent. I think a private organization has a right to use any symbol it deems appropriate, even if someone might find it offensive. Further, I think the whole thing was a tempest in a teapot. I mean, get real. Is the UDC going to stop using the Battle Flag because they don't have a patent on it? For that matter, why does ANYONE, other than the Confederacy, have a patent on the Battle Flag? I think there was more than a bit of grandstanding going on on both sides there.

But will somebody tell me just what the heck that has to do with the ambassadorship to New Zealand? As far as I know, the ambassador to New Zealand doesn't have a whole lot of input into patent issues, or even First Amendment ones. She goes to receptions, occasionally pets one of those weird-looking Kiwi birds, and that's it. You could argue that the point of sticking her way the hell and gone out in New Zealand is to keep her out of trouble.

This whole mess is nothing more that Jesse Helms abusing his position as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee for a petty piece of political revenge. If he can produce evidence of ethical lapses on the part of Carol Moseley-Braun, let him whip 'em out. But anyone deserves a hearing and a chance to answer their accusers. It's the American way. It's the Southern way.

© 1999 by Jerry D. Rhoades, Jr.