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| Tiger OK with 'lynch' remark, but Sharpton ready for battle |
| 2008-01-11 |
| Looks like Al is out hurting his own cause again. Broadcaster Kelly Tilghman has apologized. Tiger Woods has accepted it. But the Rev. Al Sharpton says it isn't good enough. I'd say Tiger owns the rights, Al. In events resembling the prelude to the fall(?!) of radio host Don Imus, Sharpton appears to be marshaling his forces for a fight with the Golf Channel, which suspended Tilghman on Wednesday for a racially insensitive statement made last week. I'd call it unaware, but go on. Tilghman uttered the remark during coverage of Hawaii's Mercedes-Benz Championship on Friday, while she and and co-host Nick Faldo were bantering about how young golfers might challenge ever-dominant Woods. Faldo said, "To take Tiger on, well yeah, they should just gang up for a while until ..." "Lynch him in a back alley," Tilghman interrupted with a chuckle. Tilghman is a far cry from Imus, the morning show host who was canned after calling the Rutgers University women's basketball team "nappy-headed hos." Unlike the disc jockey, who is known for his off color humor and outspoken remarks, she has no history of stoking racial tensions. But Sharpton says it is the word -- not the person or their history -- that matters. In a Wednesday interview, he compared Tilghman's statement to calling for a woman to be raped or for a Jewish-American to be sent to a gas chamber. Depends on whether or not your objective is to try to stoke racial tensions, I suppose. "Lynching is not murder in general. It is not assault in general. It is a specific racial term that this woman should be held accountable for," the reverend said. "What she said is racist. Whether she's a racist -- whether she runs around at night making racist statements -- is immaterial." Looks to me like you're trying to redefine the term, Al. Yes, there's a connotation, but not all are aware of it. I call it a good sign. Sharpton said he wants Tilghman fired At first, the channel said it had no plans to discipline Tilghman, who issued a statement saying she had apologized to Woods and wanted to further apologize to offended viewers for "some poorly chosen words." Woods, who through his agent issued a statement saying he was friends with Tilghman and respected her, said, "We know unequivocally that there was no ill intent in her comments." A spokesman for IMG World said Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg, would not be available for an interview, but it has been widely reported that Steinberg said Tilghman's remark was "a non-issue in our eyes. Case closed." But as word of Tilghman's remark circulated via the media and video clips made their rounds on the Internet, the Golf Channel reconsidered its stance on Wednesday, suspending Tilghman for two weeks. Perhaps people who disagree with the Golf Channel bending over like this ought to stop watching them until they "straighten up". And apologize for being poll-driven instead of truth-driven. "There is simply no place on our network for offensive language like this," the network said in a statement. "While we believe that Kelly's choice of words were inadvertent and that she did not intend them in an offensive manner, the words were hurtful and grossly inappropriate." I'm hurt when they use the word golf. Ow. Chat rooms and Internet message boards buzzed Thursday with calls for Tilghman's ouster. There were also a fair number of posts calling the remark "stupid" or "insensitive' but adding that Tilghman's intent did not seem racist. Those who have never inadvertantly that might offend a lunatic are invited to cast the first stone. "Though her comments were ridiculously insensitive, they weren't spewed with malicious intent," reads one post on a Black Entertainment Television message board. "Was it offensive? Yes. However, Tiger does not care, so why should I?" reads another. Other remarks seemed to back Sharpton's stance. "YOU CANT TAKE IT BACK," reads one. Another says, "Fire her!!! Now!!!!" Yeah, just like your mothers CAN'T TAKE YOU BACK, either. Kevin Miller, a newsradio host for KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, said he believes Sharpton and his ilk are off base. Ilk? Heh heh. I don't even know where to begin on that one. Oh wait a moment, yes I do! His ilk are the type who would like to turn pity and fabricated indignation into money rather than do any work and live responsible lives. So they submit their souls to the likes of Al and pity themselves and support whatever crap comes out of his mouth in the hope that it furthers their cause of reaping the benefits of some kind of guilt for something that happened long ago that few alive today had any control over. Keep it up, boneheads, and you'll never amount to anything other than a royal pain in the a$$. Go out and be a Colin Powell instead of validating your foolish choice for an existance by passing your foolish ideas on to your kids. You make about as much sense as the "Palestinians" to me. Yes, there needs to be a watchdog to keep racist crap beaten down to a reasonable level, but the watchdog doesn't have to be rabid. "What she said is wrong," Miller said of Tilghman's comment, which he called "flippant, adolescent, unfortunate." I say she has some serious respect for Tiger's game! However, he added in Tilghman's defense, "you have to look at the intent." The "politically correct vigilantes" calling for her job are inciting divisiveness in the country when they should be building bridges, he said. "Lynch" is the offensive word du jour, Miller said. Tomorrow, it could be a different word, he said, suggesting that Sharpton should issue a book of words that Americans can and can't say. Please be sure to include the word golf. Ow. "The word keeps changing all the time," Miller said. "Maybe we should just apologize in advance for everything." Yeah, but even if Al's mom apologizes until she dies she still can't take him back. But Sharpton insists it doesn't matter how profusely someone apologizes, no more than it matters who forgives Tilghman for her remark. Someday you'll have to stand before God, Al. I'll bet He can take you back. "It's not about Tiger Woods. It's about the station. It's about using public airwaves to offend people," Sharpton said. "Some things are beyond the pale of discussion." You are on all kinds of mass media and you said the word pale! Something bad but politically correct needs to happen to you! Tilghman's comment may have been a mistake, Sharpton said, but he feels it was evident of a deep-seated and well-cloaked racism. So well cloaked she doesn't even know she's racist. Now I even wonder about myself! "I don't know why that would pop into her mind, but it popped out of her mouth, and she should be held accountable," the reverend said. I can't figure out why these thoughts about her choice of words pop into your "mind", Al. I am beginning to wonder about your motivations. Again. Miller, conversely, feels it was an honest mistake, and she should be afforded a second chance, especially considering it was the first instance of her making insensitive remarks. A second chance? For what? "I think it's a sad day in America when words can get people run from their jobs," Miller said. "I'm willing to send her a certificate of atonement Sorta makes me wonder why doesn't Al's choice of words get him run out of his "job". Not. |
| Posted by:gorb |
| #9 "Lynch him in a back alley," Tilghman interrupted with a chuckle. "Was it offensive? Yes. However, Tiger does not care, so why should I?" reads another. ************************************************* Thought Experiment... "Lynch him in a back alley," Tilghman interrupted with a chuckle. Golf TeeWee... or GTV & RD... GTV: "Was it offensive RD? RD: "Hell No. Tiger doesn't care, and it just so happens I don't care either, why should I anyway?" GTV: " What if Kelly Tilghman called Tiger a Niger on the Air?" RD: "I wouldn't give her extra credit for putting her Steel-Toed Skin-Head-Boots in her Mouth, but I certain ally wouldn't lose any sleep over it." GTV: "If GTV punished Kelly Tilghman and fired her for saying the "N" word on Air even though Tiger forgave her would they be over-reacting?" RD: "Not really, But I wouldn't fire for saying the "N" word literally... I'd fire her for her lack of discipline and judgment and for not being aware that the words and the context she chose to use them on Air had a tremendous impact on our whole Business, millions of Paying Customers, millions of Cable Viewers and our Stock Holders" end... |
| Posted by: RD 2008-01-11 22:24 |
| #8 It's higher CO2 levels, gotta be. Al Gore, to a white courtesy telephone, please. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2008-01-11 21:33 |
| #7 Al Sharpton in a golf controversy; snow in Baghdad; where's the flying pig story? |
| Posted by: Hyperbolic Idiot Detection Service 2008-01-11 18:36 |
| #6 Why do you think they call it "Lynchburg", people? GOOGLE IT! |
| Posted by: mojo 2008-01-11 15:58 |
| #5 I wonder if Mussolini realized what was being done to him in the last moments of his life was offensive to Al. Perhaps the Italians who strung him up should be made to apologize. Sorry Al, you don't have an exclusive on the word. |
| Posted by: Capsu78 2008-01-11 12:40 |
| #4 This is getting fuckin crazy, there are people hiding in the bushes ready to jump out and point their finger while yelling AHHHHAAA!!!! Somebody ,please, for the love of god, retire Sharpton. |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2008-01-11 12:11 |
| #3 Pot meet kettle. Sharpton is on tape calling greeks homosexuals to a black audience. Heard it on Hannity about two weeks ago. Sharpton's a pathetic joke. Someone needs to end this guy. |
| Posted by: Broadhead6 2008-01-11 09:54 |
| #2 But Sharpton says it is the word -- not the person or their history -- that matters. What, like..."white interloper"? As I remember, seven people died over that one at Freddy's Fashion Mart... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2008-01-11 09:36 |
| #1 This is the difference between a winner and a loser. Tiger can laugh at anything, because he is not just the best, he is legendary in the sport. He could buy and sell Sharpton 30 million times over, and still tower over him. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2008-01-11 09:20 |