It is widely stated and accepted that Tiger Woods is the breaker of golf's "Black" color barrier.
If you asked, "Who is the first "Black" winner of a "Major" golf tournament, I'd say close to 100% of the media would say "Tiger Woods".
If you asked "Who is first "Oriental/Asian" winner of a "Major" golf tournament, I'd say close to 100% of the media would say "Y. E. Yang" - the recent Korean winner of the PGA Championship at Hazeltine.
I say that Tiger Woods is the first Oriental/Asian and Black winner of a "Major" golf tournament.
Tiger Woods and myself absolutely understand and agree that he and I have Oriental/Asians blood. My Mom is Japanese (born in Japan) , my Dad is Irish/German (born in the USA). Tiger's Mom is Thai (born in Thailand) , his Dad is Black, Caucasian and American Indian (born in the USA).
Tiger Woods is more Oriental than he is Black - do the math.
Tiger Woods is 12 times the first Oriental Major Golf Tournament winner if he is also the first Black Major Golf Tournament winner.
I am 1/2 Oriental. Once upon a time, during a conversation I identified someone as "Oriental". A white P.C. person pointed out to me that "Oriental" was derogatory and "Asian" was more appropriate. I disagreed and said that Oriental was more accurate in that Asian was broad and did not do justice to the diversity of Asians. Eastern Europeans, Russians, Ukrainians, Indians, Siberians, Tibetans are all Asian, but not of the Orient. I am 1/2 Japanese, my Mom was from, proud of, die hard Japanese of Oriental persuasion. My mom did not think that being from the Orient was derogatory. In that PC Haole's world view, Europeans that are Italians, Greeks, Danes are the same as Scots, Poles, French, Irish etc. I doubt that you'd get much agreement among the Euros about that characterization.
I loved it when early in his career Tiger disputed the Media's slotting of him as "Black". He quite vehemently stated those who say he is Black while not acknowledging his Asian/Oriental roots were disrespecting his Mother's and his heritage. He, despite Jim Rome's derision, proudly describes himself as "Cablinasian" - part Caucasian, part Black, part Indian (American) and part Asian.
I love it.
I do not fault Tiger at all for NOT pointing out how inaccurate, narrow minded, racist, ignorant and lazy it is for just about every person in the Media to say he is "Black". The Media has their racist agenda, black is black, white is white, there is nothing else. To educate these narrow minded Racists (not Bigots) would take more energy than he really needs to expend. Let them remain ignorant, it really does not matter to him or me.
If Tiger actually has to fill out forms that ask what race he is, I am sure he is faced with the same category choices that I am - White, Black, Asian, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, American Indian, Inuit, etc.
I wonder if he does what I do and fills in "Other".
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3 comments:
I happen to agree on the Oriental slant of your conversation. It is more geographically specific and there is nothing degrading or insulting about saying that someone is from a certain area on the map. That does not, however, apply to the term Ying. I think Ying, currently gaining more popular use in the American vernacular, can be considered a degrading term. And yes, Tiger Woods is the first Ying to win a major tournament. Who was the first daygo? The first Yid? (probably hasn't happened yet as yids don't play golf well). The first Kiwi? Aussie? Limey? Kraut? 'Rican? Froggy? If you win a major you will probably be the first Ying/Mick to win!
A highly unPC rant from a PC kinda guy.
Ever think of getting an alias if you are going to spout off with this inflammatory rhetoric?
Stich, there might have been others but Corey Pavin qualifies.
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