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Racism to a Tee?
By Josh Stein, Rhode Island
With an apology from the offending party and an acceptance of the offended, one would think the trouble would be over between Kelly Tilghman, a T.V. reporter for the golf channel, and Tiger Woods. The Reverend Al Sharpton, however, is making it clear that forgiveness is not so easily gained- in fact, there's no room for it at all and he wants her head.
"Being malicious and hateful is not comparable to being stupid and insensitive; you can't just throw intention out of the picture. That's why people distinguish between involuntary manslaughter and first degree murder. " -Josh Stein
Tilghman, who, in addition to being a reporter, is a personal friend of Tiger Woods. Her comment - that the only way other golfers could get an edge on Woods would be to "lynch him in a back alley." For this, Al Sharpton has promised to picket the Golf Channel until she is fired.
This may sound like a replay of the drama surrounding Don Imus, but the golf reporter is no shock jock. That one sentence was the only marginally offensive thing Tilghman has ever been heard to say- what's more, she, the Golf Channel, and Tiger Woods all claim they were not said maliciously.
History and intention, however, make no difference to Al Sharpton. On the contrary, he believes, "What she said is racist. Whether she's a racist -- whether she runs around at night making racist statements -- is immaterial."
Hanging nooses in trees to intimidate black students is one thing, but this is quite another. Being malicious and hateful is not comparable to being stupid and insensitive; you can't just throw intention out of the picture. That's why people distinguish between involuntary manslaughter and first degree murder.
The importance of intention in morality is so obvious that most people experience it as a gut reaction. Unless Al Sharpton is somehow damaged, he probably does, too. Why on Earth, then, would he begin this sort of crusade- especially when there are real instances of racism more deserving of attention?
Maybe he's hoping for a replay of Don Imus (who went back on the air without widespread protest, incidentally) and another fifteen minutes of fame on network television. After all, taking down an attractive white reporter on a golf network makes for a juicer story than protesting against slumlords in New York or our complete and continuing failure to rebuild black neighborhoods in New Orleans.
Al Sharpton has ceased to be an activist and crusader. At best, he is hunting witches. At worst, he is hunting headlines. Focusing on people like Tilghman is mean and petty, but more importantly, it's divisive. Civil Rights activists are up against hard enough odds as it is and Al Sharpton's particular brand of insanity serves only to alienate and divide them.
In my mind, the worst thing about this story is that, insensitivity notwithstanding, Tilghman was right. Tiger Woods is probably the best golfer in the history of the sport and doing him physical harm is probably the only way his competitors could slow him down. It's too bad Tilghman didn't suggest running him over with a car instead of lynching him. Then there wouldn't be a problem.
