Moser: President Obama Was Not Denied Tee Off Because He is Black

Opinion 

I need a break from the Moser Farewell Tour this week! Let’s talk about something that caught my attention this week and see what you think.

Did you read the President Obama’s request for Labor Day tee time was denied by several exclusive golf courses? Various news sources carried the story and most blithely ignored the facts regarding extremely short notice, Labor Day weekend and a security nightmare. (A lot of exclusive club memberships cost upward of $100,000, so it might be a little difficult to tell members they would have to cancel their reservations at the last minute.)

When reading a news story, do you ever wonder what might be missing? Is there a purpose or bias of which you may not be aware? Most of the stories I read mentioned the Trump Golf Course, a rather obvious slant to grab more readers’ attention than just any golf course or several golf courses.

The comments in the Washington Post version were appalling. Many readers opined the reason the president was denied play time was because he is black. I do not doubt there are still some people in the U.S. prejudiced against black people. There are also people prejudiced toward white, Asian, smart, dumb, pretty, ugly, fat, thin, short, tall, young, and old.

Prejudice works on so many levels. Those who are afraid of the unknown seek out others to band together and create a larger force. Many forms of prejudice are designed to create a power to advance an ideal. One thing that all forms of prejudice have in common is that they drive people apart.

It’s impossible to be completely open-minded about every issue and we all look to thought leaders to help us form an opinion. Are you in the obstinate pool that doesn’t care about the best course for everyone? Do you attempt to influence others without regard for their needs or beliefs? Do you genuinely try to do what’s best for the majority or do you only try to do what’s best for you?

I write opinion because a news story, as I learned in journalism eons ago, tells a story based on facts.  The reporter doesn’t try to influence your thinking with sensational or misleading headlines or content.

In today’s fast paced, interactive, competitive, social media-driven reporting, it’s rare to find anything written just with the facts.

It is true I am opinionated, but I promise you I’ve never made a snap judgment based on fear. (Well, possibly when I stomped that spider without regard to whether it was a beneficial insect or not- that may have been a snap judgment.)

So I’m giving you my considered opinion: President Obama was not denied tee off because he is black. If you must work to divide each other, let’s at least stick with a plausible premise.