In defense of imperfection: Tiger Woods

In Defense of Imperfection

There is no doubt that with popularity and fame comes responsibility. However, there are ramifications and great sacrifices that are inherent when one is tossed into the public eye and limelight. The pressure is insane and cannot be fathomed. Privacy is non-existent and the media and paparazzi are ready to pounce for a photo at a second's notice or write up some gossip nonsense. There are many out there in the media who lack class, scruple and integrity. They seem to wait patiently, eagerly conniving to pounce on famous people who've made mistakes, seemingly minute or grand!

The recent hoopla and controversy surrounding Tiger Woods and his bout of infidelity has brought the world's attention to the world class superstar. The impact that this naturally gifted athlete has had on the game of golf is phenomenal and despite my non-credentials in the sport, I can tell you this much:
He has brought such a spotlight to the game of golf and helped to skyrocket its popularity worldwide. The power this individual has had over the years in golf cannot be adequately explained. When all the smoke clears from this most recent hoopla & "blown-out-of-proportion" scandal which happens to be a mistake that a human being committed, he will return to golf and for those sponsors that dropped him because of the lucrative image that companies always have to uphold and maintain, you’ll be pounding your head against the wall wishing that for one moment, just one moment, you remembered that he was human and that as a human being, we all commit mistakes of the smallest or gravest kind and no one has the right to judge him, regardless of your occupation, stature or prestige in life.

As the public, we scrutinize and scrutinize and we are so full of “righteous” judgment that we find it utterly despicable that individuals we hold on a pedestal could fall from “glory”. Being a superstar athlete is a high profile career that many of us can only see in our wildest imaginations. We don’t see how their private lives are invaded and how smack is written about them 24/7. We don’t see the pressure that amounts to being who they are because of their fame. Famous stars are like our punching bags and personal voodoo dolls where we choose to do as we please and we choose to control how certain individual's are perceived.

He will/has to account for his actions (he publicly apologized recently) and for the repercussions of his actions, both to his family and to himself. I am not condoning what Tiger Woods did in his bout of infidelity however, it bitterly disgusts me that people (the media) would take opportunities such as seeing people struggle from their mistakes, struggle even more by jumping on the bandwagon and rubbing salt into the wound so-to-say. Media can be responsible and certainly media can report respectfully, with dignity and integrity. I have ZERO respect for those who take moments of vulnerability of others to make a buck. It’s utterly disgusting to me. When things like this happen, it tells me that the world has lost its level of class.

Let He Who Has Not Sinned Cast the First Stone
"If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." John 8:7