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(Update: On Jan. 9, the Golf Channel suspended Tilghman for two weeks for "lynch" remark.)The Golf Channel's Kelly Tilghman has an interesting sense of humor, and by interesting I mean not in the least bit funny.
During Friday's telecast of the Mercedes-Benz Championship, Tilghman joked on the air that golf's young players should "lynch Tiger Woods in a back alley."
Ha, ha, ha ... wait a sec, that's not ... funny. It's particularly not amusing, as one can imagine, to African-Americans. (Check out the history of lynching here and here . Note to Kelly: it's not so funny, it's not a joke.)
One can follow the assumption that Tilghman was trying to say other golfers have no shot at beating Tiger Woods unless he's not playing. However, why anyone would use the word "lynch," a dark racist practice, one that continued well into the 20th century, to convey such a thought doesn't quite add up.
Maybe Kelly Tilghman, who grew up in South Carolina and received a golf scholarship to Duke, is racist. Maybe Kelly Tilghman isn't a racist. Perhaps she has "lots of black friends." Perhaps the closest she's ever been to a black person is watching an episode of 'Everybody Hates Chris.' Who knows? Yet, her comments were not only in poor taste; they were idiotic and showed a complete disregard for history.
Perhaps learning from Don Imus' mistakes, Tilghman issued an on-air apology during Sunday's final round and promptly reached out to Woods' reps to further apologize. Tilghman also released a statement, in which she said: "I used some poorly chosen words. I have known Tiger for 12 years and I have apologized directly to him. I also apologize to our viewers who may have been offended by my comments."
What's Tiger Woods take on the matter?
According to Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg, "It is a complete non-issue. Kelly and Tiger are friends. It might have been a poor choice of words, but there was absolutely no ill intent whatsoever."
Obama's running for president, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is around the corner, yet Tilghman's comments prove the struggle is far from over.
But if Tiger Woods' is OK with it, are you?
Comments: (225)
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By: KimAnne on 1/23/2008 1:33PM
TO LIGHTHOUSE: YOU ARE WHITE AND YOU WILL NEVER GET IT! JUST BECAUSE WE AS BLACK PEOPLE MIGHT CALL EACH OTHER THE "N" WORD HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH A WHITE WOMAN MAKING A RACIST COMMENT ABOUT LYNCHING. MAKING FUN ABOUT LYNCHINGS IS EQUIVALENT TO MAKING FUN OF YOUR MOMMA DAUGHTER OR SISTER BEING RAPED, BURNED AND HUNG (MAYBE THIS WILL HELP YOU TO GET IT). WHAT WE SAY AMONGST EACH OTHER IS NONE OF YOUR OR ANY OTHER WHITE PERSON'S BUSINESS. I WISH THAT YOU AND OTHER WHITE FOLKS WOULD STOP USING WHAT BLACK PEOPLE SAY TO EACH OTHER (THE "N" WORD) AS AN EXCUSE TO CONTINUE TO SPEW OUT YOUR DEMONIC UTTERANCES.
AND BY THE WAY I DO NOT AGREE WITH US(BLACK FOLKS) CALLING EACH OTHER CERTAIN NAMES (BECAUSE WHAT YOU ARE WHAT YOU SPEAK). HOWEVER, EVER SINCE I CAN REMEMBER (NOW 43 YRS OLD) THE "N" WORD HAS BEEN USED WITHIN OUR CULTURE (AND I STRESS OUR). IT IS NO DIFFERENT THAN OTHER CULTURES(SUCH AS THE ITALIANS, IRISH, HISPANICS) WHO CALL EACH OTHER NAMES - WITHIN THEIR OWN CULTURE. NONETHELESS, I AM SURE THAT YOU(LIGHTHOUSE AND OTHER IGNORANT ONES) UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT LIKE YOU AND EVERY RACIST, YOU'RE LOOKING FOR AN EXCUSE!
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By: WISHIWASWHITE on 1/24/2008 4:01AM
Finally, tonight, the Winter Games. Count me among those who don't like them and won't watch them ... Because they're so trying, maybe over the next three weeks we should all try too. Like, try not to be incredulous when someone attempts to link these games to those of the ancient Greeks who never heard of skating or skiing. So try not to laugh when someone says these are the world's greatest athletes, despite a paucity of blacks that makes the Winter Games look like a GOP convention. Try not to point out that something's not really a sport if a pseudo-athlete waits in what's called a kiss-and-cry area, while some panel of subjective judges decides who won ... So if only to hasten the arrival of the day they're done, when we can move on to March Madness - for God's sake, let the games begin."BRYANT GUMBLE.
AND NOT A WORD ABOUT IT, BURIED. REVERSE RACISM IS A GROWING TREND,AND BLKY HAD BESS STOP IT BEFORE IT IS TO LATE.IF WHITES ORGANIZE, IT IS ALL OVER.
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By: Bill Hagar on 1/24/2008 10:51AM
I agree that Kelly's comment were very insensitive but I see a person that is ignorant and not a racist. This is certainly NO excuse but is a reason for her stupid comment. Let's be mad at her for her comments and not her skin color as this just perpetuates the problem. Racism won't end until we all rise above it, try to understand each other and stop hating.
For the record, I am white.
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By: Con?u$ed on 1/26/2008 4:41PM
I just dont understand y we as Blacks are so ready to jump n call someone racist when we discrimnate against each other more than other races in todays world. Tiger said him self i does not bother him he turned the other cheek, but yet others are angry. get angry at somethin that matters. like drugs and violence in our communities, our young black brothers falling trap to a system because of not havin a positive black man to look up to or guide them. honestly, what that lady said is nothin to me compared to the things that we do and say to each other as a people.Find a real reason to b upset and when u find that reason, do somethin about it instead of complain about it on blogs WAKE UP BLACK PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!
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By: manny springer on 1/27/2008 10:42AM
With friends making comments like that who needs enemies
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By: E. Joyce on 1/09/2008 2:33PM
I read this early this morning on another site associated with the Golf Channel. After reading the primarily Anglo response, I decided to chime in:
Looks like the lessons of history still haven't been learned. The media is already covert in its bias (for those of you who never notice, reporters/videographers of general news stories have been notorious, since the invention of the tv tube of using negative,stereotypical images of minorities if the story is not a positive one and cutting them out of the positive ones) and for someone to still feel comfortable enough to make such a statement when they have control of the mike tells me where we are still stuck in this country when it comes to race. Tiger Woods is a person of color and African descent who has changed the face of a sport, not because of the color of his skin but because of his exceptional talent. And his preference is not to have anyone focus on his racial makeup but on his amazing ability to hit the ball. Yet from early on in his career -- yeah, I had the opportunity to go to his very early US tournaments -- those with the lynch mentality were embedded in the crowd. He has managed to stay far above all those who attempt to make his race an issue and continue to play his game. So as we talk among ourselves perhaps we should take our own individual temperatures when it comes to the sickness of bigotry and hatred of those who are of color and of non-Anglo descent. When you are quick to minimize, trivialize and approach acts of racism with a condescending attitude as though it was something you have to deal with every day, perhaps you have a slight fever, yes? The only way racism is quashed is changing one paradigm at a time -- if the person with that paradigm is willing to change. In the meantime we still have to take the time to let those who continue down this path know that comments, actions, images that are racially charged are not socially, politically acceptable and will not be tolerated in the workplace -- or any place. And I'm sorrys or I was just kiddin' is not enough when you are in control of the mike. And Jesse, Al, please...stay out of it. I am sure Tiger's got this.
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By: tray32 on 1/10/2008 3:00AM
She is a racist! but who in this country isn't? in this country every one has racist views they just choose better forums to expose them usually among people or groups that have simalar beliefs.You should be able to speak your mind I hate all of you and feel good about it.
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By: Vic on 1/09/2008 3:08PM
Though it may have been spoken in jest, I think the comment was in very poor taste. Human error, yes. But it just brings to light the reality of the problem. It still exists(racism)no matter how hard we may want to make it a nonissue. To the Tiger Woods of the world,it is an issue,just not to you.
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By: KokoDarling on 1/14/2008 6:32PM
Well, this is such a deep issue. Racism is so deep that many of us today cannot explain why for one we behave the way we do. Due to the lack of education (Willie Lynch)and therapy. Racism is so deep that White Americans and those alike will make comments like Tilhgman and Imus on national TV/radio in such a candid fashion and are totally oblivious to the depth of what was said. We (ourselves who are of African American decscent)have made that same mistake if you will as it relates to demeaning and/or disrespecting ourselves and others alike. I truly believe the racist behavior is so deep that many of us cannot articulate why we say and do the things we do which brings up the subject of education, mental therapy etc. We all need it Black, White or other. America's past will always haunt us and affect us if we continue to do nothing. This type of behavior which resembles a virus will continue and as this country gets older, and while we continue to ignore it will continue to grow or mutate for generations ahead. So American, let's do something but first and foremost let's recognize that there is an epidemic. We need to work on this and develop a cure.
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By: Andrea on 1/09/2008 4:24PM
Her comment should get her fired -- really.
For work at home jobs go here:
http://www.jobs-from-home.com
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