Did Al Sharpton cross over the line when he tried to get Kelly Tilghman fired?

Question

Al Sharpton claims that Kelly Tilghman (golf anchor) made a racist statement by saying that other players should ``Lynch him (Tiger Woods) in a back alley,'' if they want to beat him in Golf.

Al Sharpton claims that "lynching" is racist.

Is Al aware that Whites were also victims of "Lynching"? Is Al Aware that Tiger is part White and more Asian than Black? Since Tiger's majority race is Asian, shouldn't the Asian people be the ones who complain?

Where is the PROOF that the statement was directed at Black people?

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/01/10/tilghman.woods/index.html

Answer 1

I'm an avid golfer. I mean AVID. I love it and it's a great game. when i heard about kelly Tilghman's comment about Tiger and how it was attracting all this controversy i couldn't help but chuckle. I heard the comment as it was said and people are blowing it way out of proportion... that is to say that Al Sharpton and the editors of golfweek are blowing it way out of proportion. They even quoted it out of context siting only the part where Players should "lych him in a back alley". That's not what she meant. She said, jokingly i might add, that if the players are going to have any hope of beating him it's only because someone lynched him in a back alley.

Now, that being said, we all say things that come out COMPLETELY wrong sometimes, and the only thing that's different about this is that Kelly is on TV. Tilghman is a friend of Tigers and she apologized to him and took care of it. His agent even said it was a "non issue" which means Tiger knew what happened and doesn't care. yes it's unfortunate in this country that we have the history that we do and I consider it a horrible mark on our past (slavery) BUT it cannot rule everything we do and in the off-instance that something like this is said, create anarchy and renew the bible thumping and re-stack the race cards that everyone loves to play.

Onto the photo of a Noose on the front of Golfweek. WTF is up with that! I think that's more unnerving than anything that's been said so far. it's an aweful symbol and i'm ashamed to have it associated with the great and honorable game of golf. It is a gentleman's (and lady's) game and there's no place for an image like that. Go out on a course, you'll find African american, caucasian, asian, Latino/hispanic, Men, women, children, even Disabled people out having fun and respecting eachother without fail. In fact, it's the only game where you call penalties on YOURSELF, and to have it's name dragged through the mud to make a headline is just disgraceful. Just because all our heroes in football and baseball and other sports have been condemned through drug use and horrid behavior doesn't mean we should drag down the last speck of hope that there's decency in the professional sports arena.

Answer 2

Definatley crossed the line.  First of all when Tiger was told this, he LAUGHED...he said that he has know Kelly for a long time (12 years) and did not see anything wrong with the comment.  So if the person that it is directed to did not have a problem, why should anyone else??

Answer 3

It's a sad reflection of the times in which we live, but she should have had more sense than to say that. Shoot him, yes - lynch him, no.

However, I don't think it was a bad enough mistake to deserve being fired. A reasonable person - including, I'm sure, Tiger himself - would accept an apology.

Answer 4

al sharpton needs to get a real job. this is 2008 and sometimes people say things to be funny and we don't need to be like when that guy said lady golfers will never be like the men because their b***s get in the way. he no sooner completed his sentence when told to leave.  kelly is ok. they need her to do more lpga golf on location.

Answer 5

You see initially I thought "Oh boy here goes Al Sharpton again racking up the muck."  Then I looked into it more and thought about it deeply. Did Tillman make her comment with malice? Absolutely not. Not even close. And Woods being understanding diffused the situation immensely.  I think, however, the issue should be less focused on the particular momental usage of the word and re-focused on why that word even came to her mind.

The term is NOT race specific. It is defined as an unlawful killing of a person by a mob, usually by hanging. In fact the term is thought to be derived from the last names of WHITE men during pre- and post-revolutionary America.  However, the term obviously carries racial connotations. Yes anyone of any color can be lynched, but the association made with it is the mob hanging African Americans. That is why the term is polarizing. Al Sharpton is definitely not the model of racial neutrality, but that doesn't necessarily make his statements incorrect. Don Imus was fired for using a movie reference to jokingly describe the Rutgers Female Basketball team. So the idea that Tillman should have been fired is not so clear cut.

The problem with firing Tillman, however, would be, just as it was with Imus, counter-productive to addressing the issue of racism in America. Firing Tillman would be an attempt to quickly sweep the matter under the rug without dealing with the socio-economic issues arising from the statement. It was a golf production. The belief is that there were not that many black people to watch so as to be offended. Moreover, Tiger Woods is perceived as black even though he is multi-racial. He may be able to laugh about it because, as an earlier poster wrote, he is predominantly Asian and not black.

It was offensive action should be taken and was, but it is not right to simply write of Sharpton's comments because he is Sharpton. Every once in a while those bumbling opportunists stumble accross an issue and get it right.  Not necessarily for the correct reasons, but they get it close to right nonetheless

Answer 6

Al don't speak for me. Just like Jesse Jackson doesn't. They won't touch on a subject unless there is one of two things in front them. Money or Cameras.

Let's give the word "lynching" the respect it deserve. Google the word lynching and see what come back. The only reason Tiger always dismiss things like this because he is a businessman. Just like when Marc Cuba didn't say much against the NBA with the referee scandal.

Just like I would understand a hispanic get upset if someone would've said the only way you going to beat C. Rodriguez is that you deport him or the only way you going to beat Hogan is that you lock him in his Trailer the last day of tournment.

We all need to be more careful when we speak.

What do you mean drag this great sport down. It drags itself down with all the racist overtones that still exist. Do you honestly believe Augusta would've opened their doors to non-whites if they wouldn't have lost their PGA previlages.

Answer 7

Al Sharpton crosses the line every time he opens his mouth.

Answer 8

Sharpton did not just cross the line.

He stomped on it, and danced on it.

That's his modus operandi.

That's how he get all the press coverage he does.

Answer 9

Without a doubt.

This is what happens when sensationalism trumps the context in which the statement was made. While the choice of word may not have been the best, even watching the live telecast an informed viewer would know that there was no malice intended -- it's not like Tilghman had been painting a target on Tiger's back for the entire broadcast and then used the "lynch" remark to drive it home.

Honest mistake by a broadcasted trying to infuse some humor into a long show. Sharpton should get off his soap box and find a proper issue to back.

Answer 10

Al Sharpton tries to get every white person fired.  It's his claim to fame.  He is one of the most racist people on the face of the planet.  Apparantly Al doesn't know that Tiger is multiracial, including white, but assumes that a black person was wronged.

Answer 11

could u imagine him as our pres         met the guy once   off camera not so bad guy