I just want to make a minor clarification in your otherwise compelling post. Since the Golf Channel is, at least to my knowledge, a network found on cable systems, it is not deemed an over the air broadcaster for FCC purposes. So, I would not argue that the insult is made more compelling because it is shared in the public airwaves. It was insulting whether it was on broadcast, cable, print or Internet.

 Mark Conrad -- 1/10/2008 9:36 PM  

Tiger is actually more Asian than anything else, so the lynching comment isn't really relevant.

 Peter -- 1/10/2008 10:30 PM  

Why do people want to make victims out of every black? BY THE WAY, THEY ARE FRIENDS!

I think her comment shows that she does not see Tiger as black. I for one NEVER do. I would say something about him that I would say about a white golfer.

The viewership on the golf channel is what? 50 people? This would not be a big thing if the pc police were not searching for it.

And why bring up the Jena 6 into the conversation? Read up on it. The the rope had nothing to do with the eventual fight. The fight came later (months?).

As a kid, the only people I ever heard the "n" word from were blacks. I never could understand why my parents said it was a bad word. I heard it all the time at school.

Everybody needs to take a deep breath. I'm in Chicago. Have you read the news this past week? We've had so many black on black murders since Christmas. That is what should offend everyone.

 elena -- 1/11/2008 6:31 PM  

What I find most compelling about this post and its subsequent comments, particularly the last two, is the fact that there is still a need to explain WHY comments such as this are inappropriate. I can not believe that people really don't get it.

The fact is racism against Blacks was a living, breathing, vicious animal in this country not very long ago. It has been the cause of countless deaths, turmoil and embarrassment for many Blacks in America for ages. Regardless of whether one individual sees Tiger as Black does not mean that he is not. We do not have to go that far back to a time where NO one would have cared that he was "more Asian" than Black. He still would have been called the “N” word and hung from a tree because he whistled at a white woman.[1]

It is clear to me that Americans would much rather sweep under the rug all the unfortunate circumstances Blacks have had to deal with in this country and make light of the mere fact that they ONLY dealt with those things because of the color of their skin. Tilghman’s comment would NOT have been made if Tiger's skin color wasn't dark & he wasn't Black, because then there would have been no "joke".

Until the time comes where individuals stop trying to justify the use of words whose connotation have a KNOWN history of hatred, I will remain convinced that racism is STILL living and breathing in the United States of Amnesia. The need to explain why this is wrong and/or justify why it is okay to use such words demonstrates an alarming level of ignorance and insensitivity to what REAL people in this country have lived with.

It matters not that Tilghman considers herself to be Tiger’s friend or that she did not “intend” ill will. All that matters is that a comment of lynching a Black man is INAPPROPRIATE. That should be where the discussion ends.

[1] http://www.jimcrowhistory.org/resources/pdf/hs_es_emmett_till.pdf

 deanna -- 1/12/2008 9:23 AM  

Truly, it is immaterial whether Woods & Tilghman are best friends or strangers. That is relevant for the feelings in their personal relationship, but not between The Golf Channel & its public.

Also, Tilghman being 'racist' or not is immaterial as well. As an on-air anchor, she committed a mistake and was thus punished for it. So, it doesnt matter whether or not YOU, I, the President or Alan Cummings view Tiger Woods as Black. It is wholly insulting to assume that this only concerns Woods.

In fact, Woods has famously claimed that he's NOT "Black" but comblinasian. Yet there are scores of people who DO identify as Black, or simply decent Americans who dont treat lynchings in cavalier conversation.
Yet, it is interesting that neither Fuzzy Zoeller or Kelly Tilghman didnt make a Thai, caucasian or native american jokes.

 Anonymous -- 1/14/2008 6:38 PM  

America must never forget the pain caused by lynching. It does not matters if the anchors women’s comments were crafted as a harmless joke, not intended to offend but to entertain, the insensitivity of the comments goes well beyond ignorance. While Tiger may not be able to challenge such comments without jeopardizing his stature among his peers, they affect a greater audience. Even though this is 2008, some still think lynching is the only way to control the movement of a person or people. Again, Tiger may not care, but those of us who understand the "Dream" know that there this is no place for these types of comments in present day America.

 Anonymous -- 1/17/2008 10:02 PM  

Quite honestly, if you can spell MORON, you'll have this lady down cold.

Tilghman, JOKING about lynching is not funny. Let's hear you "joke" about sending Jews to the gas chamber, and see how long you'll have your cushy job. Tiger really IS your friend. He chose to brush this off and not tank your career. I hope you learned your lesson, though. That stuff is NOT FUNNY.

 Anonymous -- 1/24/2008 1:27 PM  

thanks

 çeçenistan -- 2/22/2009 9:09 AM  

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