Isn’t his dad half-black, but his mother full-Asian? That would make Tiger more Asian than black.
Then why don’t we hear stories about the Asian bucking the odds, his Asian race not allowed on lily-white courses back then, etc?
If you saw him walking down the street, how would you describe him?
I have definitely seen him characterized as “Asian American,” rather than “African American.”
Sorry if this is a bit of a highjack, but not being American, I have always wondered about the terms “African-American” and “Asian-American” etc.
I mean, I appreciate the need for care to be taken to show proper respect for people’s cultures etc, but if we’re ever going to get proper racial equality shouldn’t you all just be “Americans” ?
I suspect many, if not most, Americans, feel the same way.
The Media, however, has this overpowering drive to label somehting at all costs, whether or not those labels are appropriate, invited, or even accurate. Moreover, the way things are often leveled now actually invites comparison to people who actually are African American (immigrants or multinational children). Unfortunate, but true.
“Americans” is something of a muddy euphemism. A lot of people would still get their panties in a bunch over the whole North American/Central American/South American thing.
I prefer “Earthling”.
Woods himself has used the term “Cablinasian”.
This word he made up is at once a description of his heritage (caucasian, black, American Indian and Asian) and his opinion on how silly the whole thing is.
Well, there are TWO groups who are very insistent that Tiger Woods be identified as black- white bigots (who think “one drop” of black blood makes one 100% black) and black Americans, who think he has an obligation to identify himself as one of them, mainly for politcal reasons.
If there’s a controversy, it comes because many black Americans want Tiger Woods to use his celebrity, fame and stature on behalf of political causes that are important to them… and Tiger doesn’t seem to have much interest in doing that.
As the best and most visible golfer in the world, Tiger probably COULD push many country clubs to start admitting (or admit more) black and female members. He probably COULD bring attention to all sorts of issues. But he seems indifferent to politics. Indeed, he often seems indifferent to almost everything but golf.
Black Americans who think he SHOULD be politically active don’t want to hear, “I’m not JUST black- ethnically, I’m a LOT of things!” I’ve heard some black commentators say sarcastically, “Hey Tiger, try to get a taxi cab in New York after dark, some time. Or try driving through a white neighborhood in your fancy car. When no cabbies will stop for you, when the cops pull you over for no reason, you’ll find out what you are- you’re black.”
We can’t all “just be americans” until we are all treated as “just americans”
anglo americans (including those once “filthy irish”) still enjoy easier and greater access to power than do minorities and it is still based on skin color,
the sooner we realize this, the sooner we can start accounting for our own prejudices and maybe maybe maybe then we can create a society that allows all equal access to power, or at least refrain from oppression based on race.
tiger is black because “black man, white woman, black baby”
see also: public enemy or malcom x
also: the very fact that we see tiger as black is a testament to our own prejudices.
for now whitey, just try to see yourself as a racist and oppressor like everyone else.
see also: peggy mc intosh “white privilege the invisible napsack”
Know of a comic going by the name of Chocolate? She had the perfect answer to your question in one of her routines. She pointed out the racist remark made at the Master’s (yeah, I know; delightfully ironic when you’re talking about racist attitudes) by one player. Said player didn’t mention rice or noodeles or peanut sause. He made a racist remark about chicken and watermelon.
Oh, greck: The term “whitey” is also a racist remark.
easy there monty, I’m no racist
i was being ironical
don’t be so sensitive
it was just a harmless joke
i got nothin against the pink people
some of my best friends are white
i would never date one but…
we had a white maid growing up -good worker, sometimes we even had her and her kids over to swim in the pool (we always cleaned it afterward of course) cute kids, one of them even went to college -a real credit to the race.
sorry, but I figure if i’m gonna poke fun at a race, it’s safe enough to do it to the race that hasn’t been systematically oppressed for generations
perhaps i just don’t know enough about the struggles of white people in america beyond their troubles with the natives and mexicans as obstacles to their god given quest to owning all of the land.
do they have a special message board for smart asses?
[quoteWe can’t all “just be americans” until we are all treated as “just americans” [/quote]
May start a thread on this, but, honestly, if some people are racist, does that mean we should all bow to thei views and constantly, in a public and literary fashion, distance “us” from “them”. I don’t believe so.
You say we won’t all be Americans until we treat every American like they are. But isn’t this label ITSELF part of the problem?
A shorter version of this would be “I define myself by other people’s prejudices - you better as well.”
Yes. It is called the Pit. If you are going to act like the hole in said asses, seek elsewhere.
Regards,
Shodan
Some news stories about Woods (no link, sorry, but Sports Illustrated has mentioned this) have said he consciously markets himself as black in the US, but as Asian when he plays in Asia. Perhaps the question is better addressed to Nike management.
Sounds like b.s. to me. He’s rich & famous, so everyone wants to take potshots at him. I don’t understand how people thing Tiger owes anything to anybody. Geez - just let the guy play golf.
You say we won’t all be Americans until we treat every American like they are. But isn’t this label ITSELF part of the problem? **
[/QUOTE]
I may need elaboration on that question, but I don’t think the label really is the issue, remove racism and the label means nothing.
ok, we think in language, and the label is the symbol that first cognitively connects us to the concept.
but still, the label is small potatoes
small red potatoes, steamed, with butter and herbs, mmmm
shodan, thanks for the “pit” info i’ll use that as an outlet for most of my smart assery
I don’t know about his “marketing” in Asia, but I don’t think he consciously tries to market himself as black, asian, or anything else here in the states. Every time I see him interviewed, he does his best to avoid having to label himself as anything but a golfer.
According to Tiger:
“My parents have taught me to always be proud of my ethnic background. Please rest assured that is, and always will be, the case. . . . Truthfully, I feel very fortunate, and EQUALLY PROUD, to be both African-American and Asian! The critical and fundamental point is that ethnic background and/or composition should NOT make a difference. It does NOT make a difference to me. The bottom line is that I am an American . . . and proud of it! That is who I am and what I am. Now, with your cooperation, I hope I can just be a golfer and a human being.”
I read an excellent article about Tiger not too long ago:
http://www.nationalreview.com/nordlinger/nordlinger090602.asp
It does a good job of outlining how Tiger feels, and how others feel, regarding his race.
Jeff
I’ve always said there are two nonmutually exclusive ways you can identify yourself:
-
There’s the political identity, based on the way others view you.
-
There’s your personal identity, based on the way you view yourself.
For instance, if a white person were raised by black people, it would stupid (or naive is a better word) to think everyone would view that person as black. His/her political identity would be “white” because that’s what the world would see.
But on a personal level, that person could very well identify themselves as black.
It’s up to Tiger how he wants to identify himself on a personal. But politically–at least in the States–he’s black.
Your worldview is seriously out of kilter, greck, if you consider any of the stuff you just posted to be either acceptable or amusing. In short, your comments contradict your description of yourself.
This comment
proves you a racist.
This comment
Proves you’ve forgotten to read the forum rules.
i am a racist
we all are
we all belive ourselves to be the center of everything, and all that is true radiates from us
at least on an emotional level
we have the instinct to generalize and it has kept us from dying off as a species for a long long time.
as long as we have this drive, we will fear that which has in the past appeared dangerous and anything like it.
Evolution takes a long time, and the only way to rid ourselves of bigotry is to create harmony between the races and deny ourselves information validating the dangers of the unknown.
good luck with that one
Alternatively, we can all be ever mindful of our racist tendencies, try not to act on them, and apologize when we do.
we’re all racists on a primal level, I think we still need to be seeing as how we still kill each other quite a bit.
So, im a racist, in the biological sense. but idealogically, nah.
as for the racist remarks, ok, i get it, no sense of humor in monty land
future sarcasm will be labeled as such so that it may be read in proper context
oh yeah,
and ok, you win monty, I didn’t read the rules
(sarcasm alert, begin sarcastic context now)
you win that one, it’s settled, your trophy will be awarded you at the annual forums banquet in november. all will applaud the great monty
and back on topic:
tiger is black only because of our bias toward seeing him that way, well, that and because he has a father who is half black