Why the intent of Kelly Tilghman's "lynch" Tiger comment doesn't matter
A number of sports broadcasters (including some of my favorites like Mike Tirico, Mike Wilbon, Scott Van Pelt) have attempted to defend Kelly Tilghman (but, of course, not her "lynch" comment) as possessing no malicious intent.
But lots of people who make off-color jokes don't intend to offend anyone or have any malice, yet their words can still offend. As Page Thompson, the president of The Golf Channel, explained: “Quite frankly, I don’t know what she was thinking. I found the comment to be offensive. No one here thinks that Kelly meant the remark to hurt Tiger Woods or anyone else, but the words were hurtful and that’s why she was suspended.” (More)
6 Comments:
Sorry, mulligan, but the intent DOES matter. The analogy to an off-color joke is not apt. People who tell off-color jokes and then apologize for offending knew that their jokes were off-color and, while not intending any malice, know that there's a good risk someone will be offended.
Tilghman said something which, in the context, carried a connotation which was offensive. It's more like telling a story and blurting out, thoughtlessly, to your best friend whose mom has just passed away "Oh, I was so embarrassed I just wanted to DIE!" Then realizing what you said. It's a thoughtless comment, because, if she'd taken a second to think about it, she'd have realized that the particular words she used to convey a harmless and inoffensive (and even complimentary) idea were, in context, laden with offensive connotation.
It's just not so cut and dried. Stupid, yes. Thoughtless, even. It just isn't suspension worthy. And it certainly isn't worth any more opprobrium being thrown her way.
AMEN Linus! If we are to accept Mulligans "Intent doesn't matter" stand, then we need to have "rainy day" funds available for bail for the next time we tell someone to 'break a leg'or some similar comments we might make.
PC should be refined as 'Phony Claim'. In my opinion PC is a tool, no, a weapon for victimhood!
Was struck yesterday by The Golf Channel's coverage of the Hope. As George Lopez and Samuel L. Jackson posed for a shot with the Hope's "Glamour Girls" Lopez commented:
"Golf's the greatest game in the world...they could make a black guy and a Mexican guy surrounded by white women..."
Faldo and Lerner chuckled, but I was wondering what must have been going through their heads.
Nothing malicious, I'm sure George Lopez's heart is pure. As is Kelly Tilghman's. Just a reminder of the duplicitous nature of the "gotcha" world we now find ourselves in.
There is money in it (Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton) and I guess everyone's got a right to earn a living.
Was struck yesterday by the Golf Channels' coverage of the Hope.
As George Lopez and Samuel L. Jackson posed for photographs with the Hope's "glamour girls" Lopez commented: "Golf's the greatest game in the world...they could make a black guy and a mexican guy surrounded by white women..."
Faldo and Lerner chuckled, but I wondered must have been going through their heads.
I'm sure Lopez's heart is pure. As is Kelly Tilghman's. Just a reminder of the duplicitous "gotcha" world in which we live.
There's money in it. Look at Revs. Jackson and Sharpton. Guess everyone's got the right to make a living.
I'd just rather watch golf, and treat all people like I'd like to be treated.
I can not pretend that racism does not exist, but to a much lesser extent than some want to pretend. to turn this obvious compliment into anything else is sad. I can not believe no one has mentioned the origin of the word lynch in this blog. The definition of the word is to execute without due process of law, especially to hang, as by a mob. This term did not come about during the african american struggle for civil rights, though their is no doubt many african americans were victims of this horrible practice. Word History: In the late 18th century, Pittsylvania County, Virginia, was troubled by criminals who could not be dealt with by the courts, which were too distant. This led to an agreement to punish such criminals without due process of law. Both the practice and the punishment came to be called lynch law after Captain William Lynch, who drew up a compact on September 22, 1780, with a group of his neighbors. Arguing that Pittsylvania had "sustained great and intolerable losses by a set of lawless men ... that ... have hitherto escaped the civil power with impunity," they agreed to respond to reports of criminality in their neighborhood by "repair[ing] immediately to the person or persons suspected ... and if they will not desist from their evil practices, we will inflict such corporeal punishment on him or them, as to us shall seem adequate to the crime committed or the damage sustained." Although lynch law and lynching are mainly associated with hanging, other, less severe punishments were used. William Lynch died in 1820, and the inscription on his grave notes that "he followed virtue as his truest guide." But the good captain, who had tried to justify vigilante justice, was sentenced to the disgrace of having given his name to the terrible practice of lynching. This is, was and always will be a black eye on this nation's history, but because some racists used the term to describe their crimes against african americans does not make it a racist comment in and of it's self. As many benign words, lynch most certainly could be used with racist connotation. The reason I find this situation so sad is because if this kelly woman was racist in the slightest degree she absolutely would have a comment like that on the taboo do not say in unfamiliar public settings list of racial slurs that actually are part of a small group of narrow minded people's vocabulary. to be completely honest with everyone, this topic is all I pre-judge african americans about. I am a 32 year old white descendant of immigrants from Ireland who has never judged anyone on anything other than character, so why am I constantly reminded that I should feel guilty about the african american plight perpetrated by someone elses ancestors. My hope for our country is that one day the african american community will stop picking at this festering scab at every single opportunity they get, and let us all heal once and for all.
Leave Kelly alone. She made a mistake was suspended not too mention a litte humiliated, so the punishment fits the crime. Did Al Sharpton fire call for his firing after it became obvious the the players for the Duke Lacrosse team were innocent victims of an over imbitious prosecuter. No he didn't, and I don't recall an apology to those young men or the school. I guess Al lives by different rules
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