Sergio Garcia and His Comments about Tiger Woods

                As the Senior Editor of the African American Golfers Digest and as an African American male in the United States of America I am appalled and extremely offended by the recent remarks made by professional golfer Sergio Garcia.  Garcia made these remarks in response to a question posed to him concerning Tiger Woods and their much publicized verbal battle in the media after the 2013 Players Championship.

                His comments were not only inappropriate, and hurtful they were racist and insensitive.  In this day and age comments of this nature have no place in society and certainly not in the game of golf.  Sergio’s remarks are reminiscent of similar remarks made by professional golfer Fuzzy Zoeller after Tiger’s win at the 1997 Masters Tournament. Moeller’s remarks were wrong and hurtful then and sixteen years later the racial tone associated to Sergio Garcia’s remarks are just as inappropriate.  Comments of this nature dredge up thoughts of a sad and disgraceful period in this country’s history not only to African American’s but to people of all races and walks of life.

                I am sure that Sergio Garcia and his team will draft a response to his actions and work diligently to address this issue in a timely manner. However, Garcia will not a get a pass from me.  Regardless of how off the cuff or stupid his comments were they point to his mindset and to a racist belief system that he possesses. It is clear that Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia have always had a tenuous relationship at best both on and off the golf course, but the comments uttered by Sergio Garcia clearly cross the line of basic decorum and decency.

                I call on Sergio Garcia and his sponsors to take immediate and appropriate action to rectify his actions. A failure to issue a sincere and meaningful apology will only cause this regretful situation to get worse. The fact that Sergio Garcia isn’t willing to admit to the racist overtones of his comments only goes to show his lack of concern and sensitivity about the struggles, challenges and painful history of the African American experience.  

Sergio Garcia’s press conference this morning did very little to change my mind or my views on this sad and unfortunate situation. I urge both Taylormade Golf, Adidas Golf and Sergio Garcia’s other sponsors  to address this issue immediately and make sure that the players who represent their brands don’t possess such racist and insensitive mindsets and attitudes.  

Edward Wanambwa
            GolfWiz Blog

#golf_writer  

Clinton Presidential Center Offers Insight Into The Life of Our 42nd President

There are fourteen Presidential Libraries.So far, I’ve visited five: Johnson, H.W.Bush, Carter, Ford, and most recently Clinton. They are alike in many ways, chronicling the lives of a U.S. President, but they also reveal much about the times when each man held the office and the history of our nation and its people. Each one, in its own way, tells us who we are as Americans.  

 

Located in a beautiful 32 acre park on the southern banks of the Arkansas River in the state capital Little Rock, the Clinton Presidential Center is a contemporary designed two story building.  Its a Platinum LEEDS rated building, the only one in Arkansas, meeting the highest standards for environmentally friendly construction and operations. 

 

Along with its large exhibit halls, there are full size replicas of the White House Cabinet Room and the President’s Oval Office as they were during the Clinton years.  The archival and library holdings are the largest of all the Presidential Libraries with approximately 76.8 million pages of paper documents, 1.85 million

photographs,  and over 75,000 museum artifacts. There is also a rooftop apartment provided for the Clintons when they visit Little Rock.

 

A special exhibit honors “The Little Rock Nine” a group of nine black students who courageously integrated Little Rock Central High School in 1957.  

 

Opened in 2004, the Center is home to the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum, the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, and the Little Rock offices of the Clinton Foundation.

 

The Foundation works to improve global health, strengthen economies, promote health and wellness, and protect the environment by fostering partnerships among businesses, governments, non-governmental organizations, and private citizens. 

 

The University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service is the first graduate school in the nation to offer a Master of Public Service degree. It emphasizes real-life application where students gain the knowledge and experience to further their careers as leaders in the areas of nonprofit, governmental, volunteer, or private sector work.

 

The Clinton Presidential Center attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the nation and world each year and plays an active role in the Little Rock community, hosting a number of events, lectures, and conferences throughout the year. It has been instrumental in bringing more than $2.5 billion in economic development to the area.

 

“Forty Two” (named for the 42nd President), is the Center’s popular restaurant open Monday through Saturday for lunch and afternoon snacks.  It also serves a exquisite Sunday Brunch.  The Clinton Museum Store is located

in a separate building adjacent to the Center.

 

While many museum in Little Rock offer free admission, The Clinton Presidential Center

has a small admission fee. It is open daily except major holidays. The internet offers considerable information about the Center and other attractions in the Little Rock area.

 

 

 

 James Weaver 

Senior Travel Writer
GolfWiz Blog