It's Okay...It's Okay...I know her!!!

01.12.08
It has been brought to my attention that people in America are just stupid. Stupid in the sense that no one learns from each other!!! Don Imus was only nine months ago and here we are again in another racially tense situation.
In case you don't know what I mean...Golf Channel anchor Kelly Tilghman recently said that in order to get an advantage on Tiger Woods, young competitors should "lynch him in a back alley". Tilghman was suspended by the Golf Channel for two weeks because of her on air rant.
Two things shock me about this, the first being that she was comfortable enough to not only say these statements....but she said them ON-AIR!!!! The second most shocking (and where I got the name from this blog) was Tiger's reaction. He issued a statement from his agent Mark Steinberg, "This story is a non-issue. Tiger and Kelly are friends and Tiger has a great deal of respect for Kelly. Regardless of the choice of words used we know unequivocally that there was no ill-intent in her comments. This story is a non-issue in our eyes. Case closed." (quote from http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/news/story?id=3186158)
So if I go on air and call me Mexican friend a racial slur, does that make it okay because we are friends? Let alone a racial slur that involves a reality that happened to an entire race, not only that person. I understand why Tiger Woods is avoiding the subject, because it is only a headache that will not solve the situation, but I do feel that he has the power, wherewithal, and influence, to make a lasting impression on the subject. I'm not saying he should have taken an Al Shartpon-esque stance, but 'Its okay I know her' is a cop out. Yay or Nay?