Apparently an on-air Golf Channel personality (Kelly Tilghman) was talking about Tiger Woods recently and used the word "lynch" -- suggesting that in order for the other golfers to actually win now and then, they might need to gang up on Tiger and "lynch him in a back alley."
Had they said this about a white golfer, no one would have blinked. The word is a little more loaded when referring to Tiger, I suppose, because of his race and the history of violence against blacks in America. So OK, this host was insensitive. She was suspended for two weeks.
The real problem I have is what took place this week in Golfweek magazine -- the cover is shown here. A noose was used to illustrate the story about Tilghman's use of the word "lynch" -- and the editor has now been sacked over that image choice. Why? It's an appropriate, dramatic image to illustrate the content of the story -- and that's all.Agree? Disagree?
Check out the article on Yahoo.
4 comments:
The noose only carries the symbolism we assign to it. Many people have been hanged by the use of a noose. I think it is a mistake to make it PC taboo.
I think that's a total overreaction. Reverse-racism and over-PCness is completely damaging.
I'm reading an interesting book about that at the moment, and how some of the Indian Tribal governments are taking advantage of our fearfulness to be seen as racist, if we stand up to the bullying and corruption going on in some parts of the country.
On the Mark says: Everything is an overreaction in today's environment. I followed this story from a distance and I believe that even Tiger said he wasn't offended by the original comment.
I always get wary when someone uses the term "reverse-racism." Racism is racism, no matter what group it comes from.
If there hadn't recent noose incidents (Jena, Columbia University), I don't think reactions would've been the same.
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