Battle of the Bilge

An excellent tribute from an excellent golfer…
BotB Verdict:

Average Number of Times Received Daily at MOAA: 2

Summary

An email that is circulating quotes the speech that legendary golfer Tiger Woods made during the inauguration ceremonies of President Obama. Woods is the son of Lieutenant Colonel Earl Woods, who retired from the Army after a long career that included two tours of Vietnam as a member of the Green Berets. The text of the speech cited in the email is accurate, although there has been some instances of political commentary in most versions, either for or against his not mentioning President Obama. There are a few improbable statements in the most common email cited here, but the speech itself has not been altered. Full story after the break…

The Most Common Iteration

To All My Friends………..I checked this out myself. It is 100 % TRUE…………Besides being a great golfer, for him to give this speech, I now respect him even more……… A Veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to his country for an amount of ‘up to and including my life.’ That is Honor, and there are way too many people who no longer understand it.

Subject: Fw: Tiger Woods speech at the Inaugeration! but not heard or seen by many TIGER WOODS SPEECH AT THE INAUGURATION: Tiger Woods received a special invitation to speak at the inauguration. His inviters were stunned, when he did not deliver the message they expected. You will see why the media swept it under the rug with no further ado.. And who and why a certain element is ticked off at Tiger.

Below is the text of his speech, entitled:

“You’ll Never Walk Alone”

I grew up in a military family – and my role models in life were my Mom and Dad, Lt. Colonel Earl Woods. My dad was a Special Forces operator and many nights friends would visit our home. They represented every branch of the service, and every rank. In my Dad, and in those guests, I saw first hand the dedication and commitment of those who serve. They come from every walk of life. From every part of our country. Time and again, across generations, they have defended our safety in the dark of night and far from home.

Each day — and particularly on this historic day — we honor the men and women in uniform who serve our country and protect our freedom. They travel to the dangerous corners of the world, and we must remember that for every person who is in uniform, there are families who wait for them to come home safely.

I am honored that the military is such an important part, not just of my personal life, but of my professional one as well. The golf tournament we do each year here in Washington is a testament to those unsung heroes. I am the son of a man who dedicated his life to his country, family and the military, and I am a better person for it.

In the summer of 1864, Abraham Lincoln, the man at whose memorial we stand, spoke to the 164th Ohio Regiment and said: ‘I am greatly obliged to you, and to all who have come forward at the call of their country.’ Just as they have stood tall for our country – we must always stand by and support the men and women in uniform and their families. Thank you, and it is now my pleasure to introduce the US Naval Glee Club.

Tiger Woods gave this 2-minute tribute to the military at the Inaugural Celebration in Washington DC. You know he was greatly pressured to be there. Liberals have been mad at him for a decade for not joining their ranks. You know he didn’t want to be there. So instead of paying homage to Obama, he paid tribute to our soldiers.

Not one time did Tiger mention Obama, the inauguration or the new administration. He knew beforehand that his love for America, and appreciation for our military men and women would anger them further. But Tiger is his own man; his father taught him to be his own man. Somewhere over that cold, gray Washington sky, old Earl Woods was smiling down on his beloved son. And there will be one more crying hug waiting for Tiger when he passes through the Pearly Gates into God’s arms. PASS IT ON: Draft Tiger for Congress!

Authors Note: The parts in bold are at least two different additions to the email chain that politicize the speech.

Origins

The speech was delivered as a part of the HBO special We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial and was the introduction to a performance by the US Naval Glee Club.

Evaluation & Commentary

Tiger Woods has always made a point of not becoming involved with political groups. Despite pressure from both Republicans and Democrats he has used his wealth and fame for charitable causes instead. He founded The Tiger Woods Foundation with his father and other groups to help young Americans of all walks of life live healthier, safer lives. Because of his a-political approach to public life, his speech was seen by conservative groups as a rebuff of President Obama since he didn’t mention him by name. But if you read closely, his recognition of ‘this historic day’ was clearly a nod to the President.

Unfortunately, the question of his political leanings has overshadowed an excellent tribute to the military, and one that is undeniably heart felt. Colonel Woods instilled a sense of pride and honor in his son that carried through to his adult life, and that was more than apparent in his speech. An interesting fact about the elder Woods is that he ‘broke the color barrier’ in college as the first black athlete to play baseball in the Big Seven Conference while playing for Kansas State in 1951. He was offered a position with a team from the Negro Leagues after school but instead chose to enter the US Army.

The commentary in the email just that, political commentary. It is extremely doubtful that any of the ‘Inviters’ [sic] did not know the text of the speech or approve his statement in advance. There’s the usual ‘liberal media bias’ comment about why this isn’t mainstream news (it was, the inauguration celebration was one of the most watched events in history). And the ending commentary about Tiger knowing his words would anger the Democrats and that was his intention is remarkably harsh and goes back to the often sited myth that Democrats hate the military and hate America. You don’t have to be a conservative or a Republican to love and care for our troops, and our country.

Further Reading/Tools
PGA’s Coverage
Snope’s Page
Message Board Example of Upset Democrats & Debate

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