Tiger Woods and The Myth of the ‘Great Black Example’

Originally posted on December 11th, 2009 at www.americasright.com

By Lisa Fritsch
America’s Right

Tiger Woods’ latest violation with the black community is that, out of the string of adulterating women of late, black women don’t rate.

“Tiger Alienates Black Community with White Lovers,” attests one headline. Whether he cares, or whether he knows it or not, Tiger has been alienating the black community for some time. The black community wanted Tiger as their latest “great black example,” in order to validate their cause of collective power. This is how it has always been done; the black community celebrates and shares in the successes of one of its own, the “great black example” gets approval and acceptance. Only, Tiger Woods has rejected the need for that approval and acceptance.

Frankly, it’s about darn time for somebody to have the courage to live outside the box and boundaries of race.

Tiger has appeared firmly against being the “great black example,” and who can blame him? Being part of the “great black example,” after all, requires no small tendering. The “great black example” must abide by certain codes of conduct and pass extensive loyalty tests within the black community and its leaders. It requires loyalty put into action over reason, individual choice, and common sense. It requires the adhering to three main rules, three very important rules which Tiger Woods did not follow and thus led to the disappointment and angering of this “alienated black community.”

First, where there is any ambiguity in the race of the “great black example,” be it a white, Asian, or other non-white mother or father, they must identify first and foremost, as the one-drop rule states, with blackness. He or she should first announce, publicly and emphatically, their unequivocal blackness to the world. To not obediently and happily adhere to this rule is considered a shame. Tiger Woods may be–by his own description–Cablinasian, but the black community is willing to overlook this infraction, as Tiger is such a “great black example” attesting to the limitless world of elite sports for blacks. So they define him as black, whether he accepts it or not.

Second, it’s best that a “great black example” marry within the black enterprise. This is especially crucial when the “great black example” is of mixed race, because it further solidifies their alliance and loyalty to their blackness. President Barack Obama, for example, passed this loyalty test with flying colors in marrying Michelle, who is not only intelligent and attractive but also unambiguous in her blackness as she is dark-skinned. “Had Barack had a white wife,” said one woman in an article on race and Tiger Woods in the aftermath of the implosion of his personal life, “I would have thought twice about voting for him.”

Woods, however, is not a politician, and the voting for his endorsements and trophies lies only in his swing, not in his wife’s skin color. Tiger’s wife is everything in which alienated black community disapproves: white, blindingly blond, and married to the uber-celebrity, multi-millionaire “great black example” that got away. Similar abandonment issues have been reckoned with before when other “great black example” strayed — notably Quincy Jones, Van Jones and OJ Simpson. (Which begs the question: were any black women were envious of Nicole Simpson after she was murdered?)

Tiger didn’t just marry, though. His cheating revealed a certain amount of profiling and preferences for women that, according to several black talk show hosts, has supposedly disgraced the name of black women who wonder, in this alienated black community: Are we not good enough to be the plaything of a “great black example?” Says talk show host Michael Dyson: “Woods bought into the lie about what is beautiful?” Is there anyone out there who denies the beauty of Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Tyra Banks, Lauren Hill, or our First Lady simply because Tiger Woods’ wasn’t unfaithful with a black woman?

Finally, the “great black example” must willingly and publicly denounce and cry foul to any person or entity that hints at racism through commentary, off-handed remarks, or lack of racial/black diversity. Racial offense cannot be tolerated and no “great black example” can overlook this no matter how evolved and post-racial he thinks himself. Tiger failed greatly here. When CBS broadcaster Kelly Tilghman said that golfers challenging Woods should “lynch him” in order to prevail, Tiger took the high-road. “We know unequivocally that there was no ill intent in her comments,” said Woods through his agent, even going on to say that he was friends with Tilghman and respected her. GASP! This kind of grace and dignity that turns away from conflict and finds strength in forgiveness and excuses human err is not permitted — “great black examples” are explicitly expected to conform to victimhood at every opportunity so as to defend the dignity of the community they represent.

The “great black example” is extinct. The notion that an individual is obligated to a group based on race or gender, is inhumane. A person belongs to God and themselves. No group has a right to lay claim to someone else’s existence and their individual right to free will, tastes, and choice. It is time for the black community to accept and rejoice in this, for this is the ringing of true freedom.

There is no “alienated black community,” and woe to the person who works to manufacture one. There is only the fruitful character of the individual and therein our responsibility lies. For so long the black community has known power through a collective force of identity, and that time was not misplaced. The time now, however, calls for us to serve our communities collectively by living and thinking through the lens of character. Our only obligation to each other is to be ourselves. Apparently, Tiger Woods understands that and has been true to that at the risk of rejecting or alienating a community of people, or being rejected himself. More power to him — for “to thine own self be true” takes courage. And so too does letting go of others who define and represent us. Rejoice in God-given individuality! This, we owe to ourselves and others. This, so that we don’t rise and fall according to mere examples of our race but, instead, united with the human race we stand.

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Lisa Fritsch is an Austin, Texas-based conservative writer and radio talk show host known for her no-nonsense approach to today’s social and political issues. She is of the conservative character, and has been contributing to America’s Right since December 2009. Visit her Web site at lisafritsch.com.