It’s pretty simple. I don’t think anyone can look at this cover and not be taken aback. At least I don’t think I know anyone that wasn’t startled a bit by the cover.
Now, I’ve been surprised by the number of people that don’t think it was a big deal that a television announcer would say that a black man should be “lynch[ed] in a back alley.” Maybe people just don’t get it.
Or maybe they do. The best way to find out–ask some of those defenders what they thought when they saw that noose on the GolfWeek cover. If they think it’s too much, if they think it’s incendiary, then I wonder how they could think talking about a lynching wasn’t a big deal in the first place.
This is a show and prove moment for a lot of people. That joke wasn’t a big deal? Then what’s the big deal about the cover? Sure, Tilghman said what she did in what I suppose was a stream-of-consciousness moment. GolfWeek did something premeditated.
However, Tilghman actually thought that was funny. GolfWeek certainly does not. That’s enough reason for me to be OK with the latter.
Now, the article itself? Needed more discussion of the history of lynching and exactly why that image they’ve used is so provocative. Not a bad cover story, and definitely a good attempt. Just fell a little bit short, but I don’t blame the magazine for trying.
8 thoughts on “Why I'm OK with GolfWeek”
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Ask yourself this: would you (as a black man who only watches golf when Tiger’s playing) pick up a copy of GolfWeek if this was not on the cover? As you say, the accompanying article is ok; but this seems to me to be a ploy by the managment of GolfWeek to increase interest in a niche magazine; not a genuine effort to start a dialogue that would be beneficial to our society. Also, I am sick of seeing white people stick their foot in their mouths, say “my bad”, and never have to explain why they thought they could say what they said. No one ever talks about why lynching was bad, just that white people shouldn’t joke/talk about it. Why do we (black people in the know) continue to let this stupidity go unanswered? Any apology should come with a press conference where that person should explain why they though it was cool to be ignorant on TV.
Maybe this magazine cover and the accompanying article will enlighten someone so that they won’t make the same dumb-ass mistake Tilghman made.
From what I’ve read, part of the negative reaction to the cover is from folks who think the matter was all-but-over, and GolfWeek created a cover to drag it out unnecessarily. I disagree–on both counts. Just because Tiger said it was a non-issue for him personally, does not make it so universally. And, it’s not “dragging out” a discussion if the symbol in question remains that compelling. It’s not like black folks were about to forget all about lynching unitl GolfWeek “reminded” us.
Oh bullshit on all of it!
BULLSHIT!!!
GolfWeek wanted to sell some copy. There’s a thousand other images they coulda put on the cover–like a split screen of Tiger and whatsherface, etc. But a noose? C’mon on!!!
Pure tabloidism. Pure and simple.
Should the event still be discussed? Of course, it should ALWAYS be talked about. All of our problems should be talked about. That’s how you educate people. Does a noose on the cover of a national magazine educate me? No, it’s trying to “capture my dime!”
And now, what has become the story? The cover… Taking away from educated discussion on the other matter.
Not that I know Tiger, but this whole situation has given credence to what has been the only criticism leveled against him–that he’s not man enough to stand up for himself. Personally, I find it sad that a man would continually lay down, take bullshit from whoever is dishing it out, and get back up to put on a green jacket.
Damn.
Tiger’s laughing all the way to the bank…with his Arian wife and quadroon baby…I don’t think he’s too worried about what a golf ‘reporter’ says. Maybe we should all focus more energy on building our ecomomic status like Tiger and spend less time worrying about what ‘the man’ has to say about us.
http://strong11foru.blogspot.com/
Tiger’s “non-issue” reminds me of Gil Scott-Heron’s lyrics in his Winter in America “…nobody’s fighting because nobody knows what to say…” Tiger doesn’t know what to say because he doesn’t know enough about Black issues to know what to say. I’m sure if his dad was living GolfWeek and the golf media would get an ear full.
James, I think you hit it on the head.
Does Tiger even think of himself as black, or asian? He’s only 1/4 black and 1/2 asian, so maybe he honestly thinks it doesn’t apply to him.