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I just finished this week's

I don't remember when we first received the PDF files for

I was looking for images for my blog entry on race & identity in America and came across a recent article about a racist comment made by Kelly Tilghman, a commentator for the Golf Channel about Tiger Woods. She and her co-anchor were talking about how to defeat Tiger Woods and in the back and forth dialog, she suggested that they (those wishing to unseat Tiger Woods) should "Lynch him in a back alley." The Golf Channel initially noted her comments as unfortunate but protected speech, only after receiving pressure (from a challenger, no less) did the Golf Channel decide to suspend the anchor for two weeks.

I continue to be amazed at the blatant use of racism and racist terms in the media and the belief that just because the target of the racism is okay with it means that it is okay. Try repeating her comment with regard to the presidential candidate Barack Obama and see if the Secret Service takes an interest in your comment? Try repeating her comment at work when joking about a black co-worker and see if you keep your job? We must take responsibility for what we say and what we do. The idea that this comment was benign is ridiculous. It was an individual suggesting that instead of beating Tiger on the golf course you should get together in a mob and lynch him. Can we have a reality check here? She was suggesting that his competitors form a group and take him in a back alley and lynch him.

Lynching has it gensis in slavery, it was a tool used to control and subjectate human beings and it was used as a form of intimidation in the Jim Crow south for years. Today, to lynch someone is consider a hate crime, and those participating in a lynch mob are considered vigilante terrorists. How else should anyone take her comment, 'Lynch him in a back alley'?

Tags: Race | Kelly Tilghman | Tiger Woods | America | Racism |