Letter to Tiger Woods: Why accept that medal from Trump?

SCREEN CAPTURE / CNN

Donald Trump presents the Medal of Freedom to golfer Tiger Woods.

Dear Tiger Woods: What moved you to accept the Medal of Freedom from Donald Trump Monday night?

Where have you been the past three years? Wandering among the greens of exclusive country clubs, I'd venture to guess, immune to what's happening in the streets, the courts, schools and government chambers.

We hailed you as a hero and then you fell, but we still backed your long comeback. And when you finally won the Masters again after so many years, we cheered along with your mother and mixed-race children.

Other sports teams dominated by African American athletes such as the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers, the Philadelphia Eagles and most of the Boston Patriots and the University of Virginia NCAA basketball champs have all turned down invitations to eat burgers with the current White House occupant.

The Baltimore Sun wrote in an editorial Monday: “Mr. Woods has made his choice, and part of his legacy will be embracing a man who incited bigotry and racism.” ... Trump “regularly demonizes minorities and emboldens those who hate.”

Trump has called white nationalists "good people," insulted NFL players who were protesting the inequality in our society and most recently, snubbed Kyler Murray, the black/Asian No.1 NFL draft pick and instead congratulated the second pick because he was a white Trump supporter, and is trying to institute strict new immigration rules that -- if in place years ago -- would have prevented your mother from immigrating here.

As an -every-weekend golfer, Trump has long been a fan of yours and recently, he became a business partner with you. Your remarkable comeback will certainly enhance several of Trump's golf course and hotels.

Instead, you chose to let Trump have his moment with you because he has several golf courses that you play at. Don't you realize your apparent endorsement of Trump will enrich his resorts and businesses plus (mistakenly, in his mind, at least) enhance his standings with African Americans?

When you first won the Masters in 1997 and you donned the green jacket, you made a bold statement to a sport and a clubhouse that had rules preventing African Americans' memberships. We cheered you for breaking down those racist barriers.

If you had refused the medal, you could have had another chance to make another, even grander statement in behalf of your Asian mother and African American father, your  mixed-race children  and millions of other people who look like you and your family. 

Instead, to our bitter disappointment, you bogeyed.

______________________________________________________________________