Golf Channel Suspends Tilghman
After a week of controversy over anchor Kelly Tilghman’s ill-chosen remarks about Tiger Woods last week, the Golf Channel has decided to suspend her for two weeks.
I won’t repeat the offensive phrase, but suffice it to say that it was of a rascist nature. Woods has graciously accepted her apology.
Seemingly, everyone has an opinion about this and I’ll offer mine. Words are precious things and one has to be responsible for the things we utter. Saying “Oh, sorry” later when someone becomes offended just doesn’t cut it. We see this time and time again in the media.
The usual excuse is that they didn’t mean to say that. But, whey even think such rascist things? It makes me wonder what these people say among friends if this is what we hear from them on the air. Until such rascist remarks become unacceptable in the locker room, clubhouse, or at a cocktail party, we will continue to have these hateful occurences.
What do you think? Leave a comment.
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4 opinions for Golf Channel Suspends Tilghman
Jerry
Jan 15, 2008 at 12:58 pm
The following assumes Ms. Mitchell is a member of the print media.
The popular though over-used phrase today is “fair and balanced”. To that end Sandy Mitchell bogies the subject. In a sense Ms. Mitchell’s comments are equally inflamatory and offensive. Her attempt to “balance” her view references the eradication of sch comments at “cocktail parties, in the clubhouse and in the locker room”. However, by omission, she exempts non-minorities rather than referring to all (regardless of race and in whatever forum) who engage is such comments and behavior.
I make no excuse for Kelly’s comment. She is a professional broadcaster and her statement deserved action by her management. However, for many of us, we were only made aware/reminded of the “lynching” link to racism through Mr. Sharpton’s comments. The context of Kelly’s statement following Nick Faldo’s “gang up” comment was not presented - and it certainly does not justify Kelly’s statement. I’ll bet the phrase “gang up” is also viewed offensive by a paranoid few.
To the point, when is the broadcast and print media going to address the racism and insensitivity exhibited by some minority, and specifically, the minority comedic community and the self proclaimed minority spokesmen who engage in offensive racist comments that separate, divide and insult all of us. (Ms. Mitchell; Mr. Sharpton: that is the “fair and balanced” that seems to be missing).
Sandy Mitchell
Jan 16, 2008 at 11:41 am
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and for reading Green Posse.
I’m certainly not excusing anyone (or any “side”) for hateful comments. I happen to agree that comediens are so of the worst offenders.
However, I do think that “lynch” still has connotations from the post-Civil War days that “gang up” will never have. I didn’t even read Mr. Sharpton’s comments until after I read your post.
George Costello
Feb 2, 2008 at 12:16 pm
I listened to Kelly and her comment and felt people have taken it out of context and assume a racist comment when I did not get the feeling she meant it in a racist manor what so ever. If Tiger was white I am sure nobody would have said a word about. I think blacks have a tendency to keep the separation of the races going
Sandy Mitchell
Feb 2, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Hi George. Thanks for reading Green Posse and leaving a comment. I agree that Ms. Tilghman likely didn’t intend her comment to be hurtful. Still, those with a public forum need to be more careful with their words than the average guy or gal. (She also could use some training on how to “ad lib” on camera.) ;-)
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