It’s Not Your Brain, It’s Just the Flame
The reason black people could care less about the latest Tiger Woods Scandal, one word: Cabalasian. This is the clever amalgam he made up to describe his Caucasian, Asian, and African-American heritage. At the time he said it I was aghast. He had done what no other competitor in the sport of golf had ever done, black, blue or white. He conquered the greens and beat the ‘man’ at his beloved and sacred, exclusionary sport. The field had been leveled and the landscaper was black. With Woods' declaration he crushed all that. He made it clear he was not black, but brown. I immediately became as dispassionate on his success as he was about his African-American legacy.
As he is dogged by the rabid American media, I still could care less. The lack of public support by black people for Woods is clear that I am not alone. He is paying the price of his fame, the way he made it. He took the money, kept quiet when he could have spoken out against injustices that impact black people everywhere, and took care of himself. He was selfish to his wife, his children, and our community. It’s the price he paid for fame.
Despite all the truths told about fame for countless years by those who’ve tasted it, there are still millions of Americans who would gladly give their right kidney for a sliver of this intoxicant. One friend, who can’t walk in public without people recognizing him, said his position has weighed heavy on him costing him far too much to calculate. I witnessed the finale of VH1's "I Want To Work For Diddy," were two people were willing to run thirty New York City blocks carrying flowers requested by Bad Boy Records founder Sean "Diddy" Combs, just to become his assistant. Reports have surfaced that the winner, a former teacher who holds a master's degree, lost her job for appearing on the show, and has yet to be hired by Combs. Imagine that!
For the time being the media should leave Woods' carcass alone and focus their attention on the real atrocities going on in our own backyard. In the end, he'll be get a mulligan, be foregiven his sins, defy Warhol's prediction of just fifteen minutes, and be back on top. The Fourth Estate should perform the public service they were created to do, and tell the stories that people need to hear about to protect themselves, their families and get jobs. The country is at war on several continents, taxes are steadily rising, home values plummeting, children are being killed by the very individuals charged with their protection, and 38 million Americans are hungry as I write this. There's more important stories to be told.
Woods' current predicament is only surprising because of the shroud of secrecy he built around himself, but was inevitable because it’s the nature of the fame game. You get it, it detonates in fifteen minutes, and people make merry in your demise. Charles Barkley’s sentiments ring true once again, Barkley, Woods, nor anyone like them, should stand as role models.
As he is dogged by the rabid American media, I still could care less. The lack of public support by black people for Woods is clear that I am not alone. He is paying the price of his fame, the way he made it. He took the money, kept quiet when he could have spoken out against injustices that impact black people everywhere, and took care of himself. He was selfish to his wife, his children, and our community. It’s the price he paid for fame.
Despite all the truths told about fame for countless years by those who’ve tasted it, there are still millions of Americans who would gladly give their right kidney for a sliver of this intoxicant. One friend, who can’t walk in public without people recognizing him, said his position has weighed heavy on him costing him far too much to calculate. I witnessed the finale of VH1's "I Want To Work For Diddy," were two people were willing to run thirty New York City blocks carrying flowers requested by Bad Boy Records founder Sean "Diddy" Combs, just to become his assistant. Reports have surfaced that the winner, a former teacher who holds a master's degree, lost her job for appearing on the show, and has yet to be hired by Combs. Imagine that!
For the time being the media should leave Woods' carcass alone and focus their attention on the real atrocities going on in our own backyard. In the end, he'll be get a mulligan, be foregiven his sins, defy Warhol's prediction of just fifteen minutes, and be back on top. The Fourth Estate should perform the public service they were created to do, and tell the stories that people need to hear about to protect themselves, their families and get jobs. The country is at war on several continents, taxes are steadily rising, home values plummeting, children are being killed by the very individuals charged with their protection, and 38 million Americans are hungry as I write this. There's more important stories to be told.
Woods' current predicament is only surprising because of the shroud of secrecy he built around himself, but was inevitable because it’s the nature of the fame game. You get it, it detonates in fifteen minutes, and people make merry in your demise. Charles Barkley’s sentiments ring true once again, Barkley, Woods, nor anyone like them, should stand as role models.
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