Above is the cover GolfWeek Magazine chose to illustrate the Kelly Tilghman “lynch Tiger in the back alley” comment, in all its cute “play on words” glory. The cover goes along with a pathetic story by Senior Writer Scott Hamilton that does little more than recap the situation, and throw in a comment by a noted African-American, apparently in an effort to say “no biggie.”
“Accept the apology and move on. We all say dumb things,” said Dr. Harry Edwards, a consultant of the San Francisco 49ers and a sociology professor at the University of California-Berkeley.
Tacked on to that, is an editorial that tries to prove why the “lynch” story is actual golf news:
“It was a costly ’slip of the tongue,’ an innocent mistake that, judging by user commentary on Golfweek.com, a majority of Golfweek readers believe didn’t merit the punishment. Outside the microcosm of golf, however, the public isn’t so forgiving.”
The editors of GolfWeek couldn’t have explained it any better. The “microcosm of golf.” Golf, as they see it, isn’t part of society or the public as a whole. It is it’s own entity, apparently. Mainly, this is all Al Sharpton’s fault for making an issue of it. If he would just leave golf alone, they could be a racist as they want to be.
We are yet three weeks into 2008, but in that short time, mainstream golf has gone out of its way to show just how out of touch they are with the African-American society, and society in general.
If GolfWeek had done some type of hard-hitting expose on racism and golf, perhaps the noose cover would have made sense. But with the story being little more than a tossed-together rehash of the Tilghman situation, the front imagery leapfrogs Tilghman’s remarks as a grand sign of just how out of touch GolfWeek is, and what little respect they have for their African-American readership.
Because while the editors of GolfWeek see the cover as a “grabby” way to sell magazines, many others see the cover and are reminded of things much deeper and more horrifying.
The United States is not such an advanced and enlightened society. We are much closer to our past when lynchings and overt racism was acceptable behavior, rather than a colorblind future.
Tilghman’s remark was callous and insensitive. But the claim of “slip of the tongue” could at least be given some credence. GolfWeek has no such claim. It was their thought-out, editorial decision to run this photo as a play on words along a meaningless story, and a more meaningless editorial.
And if everyone from GolfWeek emerges from this with their jobs intact, it will be yet another sign of just how little respect they have for African-Americans, and American society as a whole.
–WKW
| « From Tilghman to GolfWeek: The 'discussion' of diversity in golf is over | K.J. Choi, Mike Huckabee could make 2008 a magical year for the faithful » |
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incident was fading out, we get this shameless grab
for $.
An explanation, please.
Is the third last paragraph of your blog your opinion or your take on the opinion of GolfWeek's editorial.
Please elucidate. Thank you.
Alex USMC 1969-73
Don't worry, Wolfrum, Golfweek editor and VP Dave Seanor's head has been served up on the proverbial platter. And all is well with American society again.
http://www.golf.com/golf/tours_news/article/0,28136,1704872,00.html
She's a Brit and the Brits don't share American's
touchy and sometime outlandish political correctness
Golf is not worse than any other subculture that looks after it's own, there are so many examples of American sub culture picking on golf as being some racist bastion is disingenuous and intentionally inflammatory.
Al Sharpton's whole career is based on exploiting racial
friction to prop up his standing in the African American
community. The fact he got involved in this should make people in golf wary of his racial motives, not Tilghmanans
If Tilghman had said "shot Tiger in a back alley" would that have been politically correct? If Tiger were white, would the "lynch" crack have been politically acceptable? THe whole poltical spin put on Tilghman's crack and Al Sarpton's getting involved in this tempest in a teapot is absurd, and Tiger Woods reaction shows he's above racist politics in America.
Wow! Please share with the rest of us, how you have managed to live in a world where thoughtless and idiotic actions don’t have consequences – because in the real world (as Seanor has just found out)….they do.
Are you certain that Kelly is British?
I could swear that she once said that she was from South Carolina, perhaps Myrtle Beach.
Are you certain that Kelly is British?
I could swear that she once said that she was from South Carolina, perhaps Myrtle Beach.
Tilghman is not British.
Joe R - I believe "The Editor's decision is final" still stands.
Your RIGHT ON
Steve Wozeniak PGA
www.stevewozeniak.com
ok however. What a pathetic double standard. It's about time we revisit the American Constitution and the rights
of Americans. The liberals in this country need to
shut up. I am tired of everyone trying to be politically correct. Enough is enough.
White Boy
Kelly Tighlman should have been fired.
Dave Seanor should be praised for having the guts to keep alive a story that golf is trying desperately to sweep under the rug.
lived during the times when lynching may have occurred. . So it's time to quit being so petty about everything thats said or done. You want racism to go away, sorry some people just don't like other people for more reasons than skin
color, that just happens to be one difference. When
everyone is treated equal, and we don't cater to one geoup or the other ( read that as the Al's and Jesse's),
maybe tensions will ease.
p.s. Tigger is a n/i/g/g/e/r