Monday, December 7, 2009

Tiger Woods is Addicted to White Women or People's Exhibit Number One in the 21st Century Post-Racial Museum of Racial Absurdities



“Out of the blackest part of my soul, across the zebra striping of my mind, surges this desire to be suddenly white. I wish to be acknowledged not as black but as white...who but a white woman can do this for me? By loving me she proves that I am worthy of white love. I am loved like a white man...I marry white culture, white beauty, white whiteness. When my restless hands caress those white breasts, they grasp white civilization and dignity and make them mine.”

---Franz Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks

I had no comment to offer on Tiger Woods' indiscretions until I rediscovered the above quote. Fanon so perfectly describes Woods' sickness that it demanded I proceed. So Tiger, I guess you ain't had it right 'till you had it white, no?

I am a huge fan of the "swirl"--the intermingling of bodies differently hued in the midst of hot, sweaty, lovemaking. Moreover, I have never understood so much energy expended over one's choice of who to bed and for what reasons. That qualifier being known, Tiger Woods is a special case.

If Tiger were worthy of blackness I would label him a "tragic negro." But, for all of his gifts, he walked away from his ancestry and history. To boot, Woods is self-hating (see this article in Esquire magazine where he revels in telling white folks racist jokes about black people). Predictably, Woods does not have the blues sensibility that comes from a sense of belonging to the Black Atlantic. Tiger does not hear the drum--nor does he ever want to.

I am accommodating. If Woods had said "hey, my mom is Asian, my dad is Black, and I honor both," I could respect him, rather, against the force of history and commonsense, Tiger in the height of arrogance, invents his own race. Now a "Cablinasian," Woods is his own man, not standing on the shoulders of those athletes of color who struggled to open doors that he now freely walks through. Tiger is now/was an island onto himself.

During his ascension, I was tempted to let Woods stay in self-imposed racial exile as the multicultural marketing machine that is 21st century corporate America, of which he was one of its greatest examples, used him--and he used it. Like OJ Simpson before him (Hertz jumping, airport running, Nicole Simpson white prize possessing negro that he is) Woods was given a pass into nominal whiteness. Just like soccer legend Pele in the "racial democracy" that is Brazil--who ironically was the butt of the joke that only in Brazil could Pele (a dark skinned black man) be "white"--Woods has so much money that some would allow him this latitude of racial self-invention.

But like so many of wealth and prestige, Tiger Woods could not resist drinking deeply from the fountain of self-indulgence. Whiteness, or to be more specific, White women, were his ambrosia. Like a mere mortal at a feast of Dionysus hosted by Pan, Woods drank too deeply to only awaken drunken on a neighbor's lawn in the midst of a maelstrom of his own making.

Who knows what will come of Tiger. Financially, he will be fine. Rich before. Rich now. Rich later. To his credit, Woods is consistent. If one looks at the rogues gallery that are his mistresses and dalliances he does have a particular taste: white of any hue, station, habitus, beauty, or way. Pity then, that this appetite would be his destruction (Even more sad given Tiger's resources. I must ask the obvious: Could he not have found women that were on average more attractive? At least possessing the class and beauty of his wife as opposed to some Jersey shore castoffs or a woman picked up at Dave and Busters or Hooters?).

The DSM-IV, the bible for psychotherapists, has a pithy diagnosis for Woods' behavior: he is addicted to white women.

Please do not misunderstand me. It is not the fact that Woods likes white women that is so troubling. I could care less. What is troubling, is that Tiger so needs a certain type of woman as a means of immunizing himself--or so he thought--from his own blackness. This is a mode of racial fetishizing and obsession that is dishonorable to Woods' family. It is also, at least in my opinion, doubly insulting to the women that Woods bedded for he did not want them because they happened to be White. No, he wanted these women precisely because they were White. This is a subtle but very important distinction.

Pray tell, who better than Tiger Woods exemplifies the following description of the sickness that is "addiction?"

The term "addiction" is used in many contexts to describe an obsession, compulsion, or excessive psychological dependence, such as: drug addiction (e.g. alcoholism, nicotine addiction), problem gambling, crime, money, work addiction, compulsive overeating, credit card addiction, compulsive debting, computer addiction, video game addiction, pornography addiction, television addiction, etc. In medical terminology, an addiction is a chronic neurobiologic disorder that has genetic, psychosocial, and environmental dimensions...The term addiction is also sometimes applied to compulsions that are not substance-related, such as problem gambling and computer addiction. In these kinds of common usages, the term addiction is used to describe a recurring compulsion by an individual to engage in some specific activity, despite harmful consequences, as deemed by the user themself to their individual health, mental state, or social life.

26 comments:

RiPPa said...

Bravo!

I loved this breakdown.

At the rate this debacle is going. I won;t be surprised if a guy comes forward and says that he too is having an affair with Tiger. Even less surprising would be if if he were white.

Werner Herzog's Bear said...

Good commentary, although I wonder how much the culture of the golf world has to do with framing Woods' addiction. In this regard I think of Fuzzy Zoeller's infamous "fried chicken and collard greens" comment after Tiger won the Master's in 1997.

In a sport played at venues with a long history (and present) of racial exclusion, it seems that Woods has always decided to accomodate (all the way to the bank) rather than confront.

macon d said...

Great work, especially the enlightening emphasis on how a desire for whiteness can also be symptomatic of a repulsion for blackness.

That Teowonna! said...

In my blog post this week, I discussed Tiger Woods but I didn't go this route, as many other black bloggers did. Yours was well worth the read! www.thatteowonna.com

Annette C said...

He may have been Amerasian before but the media and his golfing buddies have surely dubbed him a Negro by now!! Welcome to being Black Tiger...How does it feel?

Pandora Bunny said...

If only we were able to rehabilitate these poor addicts so that they could see the light.

How quickly some relationships would crumble.

Pandora

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OhS2Z_nUKk

anadia said...

My great grandfather was murdered in Oklahoma for marrying whom he wanted to. In front of his wife and kids. He was Irish.

I dont understand why it's so imperative to the remaining "Black Power" crowd that just because ANY person of color marries/dates/sleeps with another race (in this case 'white') they just HAVE to be disowning their culture. People like that sound just like the KKK. Give it up already. Not all white people are racist assholes just like not all black people are illiterate rap artist wannabes. However...

if this jackassed mofo who decided to leave his woman for another piece of ass tells "a black guy, and irish guy, and a jew walk into a bar..." jokes... he can burn!

macon d said...

Check out this clip of Rush Limburger on the damage Tiger is supposedly doing to the singular, monolithic "black frame of mind."

Lady Zora, Chauncey DeVega, and Gordon Gartrelle said...

@Rippa--thanks for the complement. high praise coming from you. A dude, I wouldn't be surprised at this point.

@Werner--I should have mentioned that one with fuzzy zeller. That was a very early indication of Woods' politics.

@Macon--self-hatred and a love of whiteness often go hand in hand.

@thatteowonna--thanks, I will check your post.

@Annette--It will be interesting to see how the MSM doesn't mention the obviously racial narrative of Woods interests. It is the elephant that has pooped in the corner of the room but everyone is ignoring it.

@Pandora--We need a 21st century drop squad for this this confused souls.

@Anadia--Who is this black power crowd you speak of? I ask because that phrase if often thrown around and it isn't very specific and it is a caricature of sorts. In fact, we people of color owe a great deal to the black/brown/red power movements in this country and the personal sacrifice of their participants and allies.

I don't think that the issue--at least for me--has anything to do with where Tiger sticks his penis and into whom. I just call a spade a spade and the personal is political: Tiger loves white women because he has a deep dislike of his own blackness. Your thoughts?

gordon gartrelle said...

Or maybe he just feels more comfortable around white women.

I can't cosign this, Chauncey.

Now we're supposed to be mad that Tiger didn't scoop out some sisters on the low? "Black women deserve to be mistresses too!!!" That's the rallying cry? How twisted is that? It's like the black women who get upset that there aren't enough sisters represented among the half naked models objectified in rap videos.

Some people just feel more comfortable dating partners from a particular racial background. We just never question it because most of the time it's people from the same racial background.

Preferences are often formed in adolescence from a variety of factors. Tiger probably had little contact with sisters growing up. And very few of the sisters he did come across would've dated his lame ass.

Judge him for his infidelity, but condemning anyone for his or her romantic/sexual preferences is a losing proposition (as long as their partners are consenting adults).

anadia said...

Perhaps the question would be best put...

What is this insatiable need and desire for every one of any color to disavow someone for dating/marrying/screwing/et al someone of whatever race he/she/it sees fit? Why is it so important that the reason HAS to be "he/she/it isnt (your race here) enough" or "he/she/it hates his/her/its own race"?? Why is it that it appears everyone wants to community cockblock people and talk yang about it afterwards? What about it makes it so ingrained in the unintelligent psyche?

Tiger's a ho. So are lots of men. Not all, but enough. So are women. Lots of them. Not all.. but enough. Do we blame race? Or the desire to have sex?

anadia said...

BTW, its almost as bad as the Caucasian cousins calling their own "n*ggerlovers" for marrying blacks and mulattoes. I SO wish people would think of what traits they are mimicking.

Unknown said...

Presumably, your next topic will be how we can cure the Kardassian sisters of their addiction to Black men.

L. VAZQUEZ said...

Hi there,

I don't think that Tiger dislikes his blackness...he has always claimed his African ancestry and has said that his father was half black... why black folks continue to say that he DENIED that he was black was just beyond me...

I think that Tiger DOES have a preference for white women but as another commenter mentioned... THAT doesn't point to a hatred for black women or for black people...

Tiger has black friends...other guys who are professional athletes...

Tiger has spent his entire life on golf courses...at country clubs...and guess what kind of environment THAT is....yep...

Since the age of 3, he has been golfing just about every day so that's why I am not surprised that he developed a preference for white women when that's just about ALL that there is at a country club...

Frankly, I don't know why black women should care if there are black men out there who are exclusively into white women...

No one is forcing black women NOT to marry outside of their race...

chaunceydevega said...

Who would have thought that Tiger would have so many supporters. It seems like he has benefited from some of the bonding social capital afforded to groups--inside Robert Putnam joke.
Good talk,

Seriously, though. Given all of the other data points--his active effort to distance himself from blackness; the racist jokes; etc. etc. when do we say "hey, dude has some issues with his blackness?" Why are we so afraid to say such?

Also, when does the personal become political, i.e. one's choices so suggest a politicized decision--in this society who we choose to sleep with is a personal and political choice, especially across or not the colorline. What is wrong with talking opening about this?

Me and Gordon were talking earlier and his claim is that Tiger is "culturally" white--I buy that. But again, how do we separate that from whiteness, race and power in a society that devalues black and brown folks?

Finally, Tiger can do what he wishes. That has never been the issue. For me, I just want an honest conversation about his motivations given all of the data points about him available.

Re: back to me and Gordon's talk earlier tonight, if Tiger was being a man with money and sleeping with a panoply of women of all colors I would so you go boy--just being honest. If he were with Asian women exclusively because his moms is Asian, that would make sense. Being real, when I see Tiger I see the token black guy in the white frat in college who let himself be the butt of racist jokes to make friends. His logic, "I am not really black so it is okay."

Tiger's habits demand deeper analysis. And on the Kardassian point, I would love to do something on those sisters as negrophiles. Problematic for different reasons.

Tiger is benefiting from our sense of linked fate and how black folk protect their own, even when he does not own us...ironic, no?

chauncey devega

loser13 said...

everybody (all races) love white (pink)puss#$#y.

Claude3 said...

Does everything have to be about race? Keep picking the scab.

Black Moses said...

so claude, you dont see tiger fucking white women exclusively having anything to do with race whatsoever?

HT said...

I never realized that a guy liking hot blondes was a political statement. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

gordon gartrelle said...

That's the thing, HT.

A number of us don't see these women as hot. The equation blonde = hot doesn't really work for most black people.

Quite frankly, many of the women coming forward are busted. Let's just be honest. Neither of us is claiming to be Denzel or anything, but Tiger Woods, richest athlete in the world & a relatively good looking guy, should be able to do better than some of these jumpoffs.

But in "defense" of Tiger-- I'm positive that he has cheated with tons of great looking women. What's probably happening is a selection bias: the best looking ones have other opportunities (modeling careers, rich benefactors); the busted ones have no other (easy) career/fame opportunities, so they cash in on their brief time on their backs/knees with Tiger.

HT said...

Selection bias is an excellent concept to apply here. The people who are coming forward are saying "Hi! Tiger used me for his pleasure, and I was cool with that until two weeks ago." Also, why are we treating these people as if they're honest? People fake having cancer for attention, who wouldn't jump on the "Tiger's Tail" bandwagon for their 15 minutes?

And it's been said before by wittier folk than I, but I doubt Tiger is chasing these girls down. I'm sure he turns down more women in a year than I've hooked up with in my life.

And as far as the hot blondes comment goes, I should have put that in quotes.

Anonymous said...

I'm not anonymous

Every black blog I see has some hatred for the evil white woman. If a caucasian dude was caught sleeping with a dozen black princesses everyone would just say "oh you know he can't resist no brown sugar" or something amusing like that.

But white women? They are held in the deepest contempt and disdain. Thanks for being brave enough to show your true "color" folks.

Signed, NOT an "ally"

Isabel said...

Yes I was going to ask; how does the existence of racism provide a green light for the expression of sexism and classism??

The Rush Blog said...

Who cares if Tiger Woods like white women? In fact, why do you care? Are you still pissed that he acknowledged his Asian ancestry?

NelsonStJames said...

Would anyone care at all if this were Joe Blow on the corner and not Tiger Woods. This significance we give to entertainers and celebrities is really meaningless, other than it gives people the opportunity to take the seeming moral high ground.

Trust me there are many young men out there with the same problem that Tiger has, they are not as high profile, and no body ever discusses the part our community and the society plays in making them that way. Tiger I can forgive because I assume his parents didn't raise him with the restriction and cautions many Black men are raised with.

I honestly can't understand how people can't understand how this society inculcates the way people think when I see Blacks blowing their paychecks in casinos, drinking, buying overpriced cars and designer sneakers every day. You don't aspire to do that where I come from and people call you strange. So the next time you sit your children in front of your big screen baby sitter, think about how you might be helping them to think like Tiger Woods.

MysticYaz said...

Tiger loves trashy easy women. He's shallow and gets what he deserves. I detest people who ignore and deny their heritage. Don't like his bulging eyes, he looks deceitful.