Opposition Grows to LPGA Discrimination
California Political Desk
September 05, 2008
SACRAMENTO – Opposition to a recent policy by the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) to require its athletes to speak English starting next year continued to grow today as several more organizations called on the Tour to rescind the new rule. Yesterday, Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/San Mateo) announced several other leading civil rights groups who are also joining him in opposition.
Among the latest in opposition is California´s conference of the nation´s largest and strongest civil rights organization, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). In addition, the following organizations also announced joining the coalition opposed to the LPGA´s policy: Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Californians for Disability Rights, Filipinos for Affirmative Action, California Immigrant Policy Center, Korean American Coalition, National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, Sojourn to the Past – A Civil Rights Education Project, Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA), California Alliance for Retired Americans, and the National Korean American Service and Education Consortium (NAKASEC).
"The nation´s most prominent organizations for civil rights, seniors, the disabled, LGBT, women, and various ethnic communities are overwhelmingly opposed to the LPGA English mandate," said Yee. "We will continue to fight to ensure this discrimination ends. If necessary, we will picket LPGA events, urge sponsors to withdraw support, go to the courts, introduce legislation, or do whatever else it takes for the LPGA to rescind this policy. Our nation has made great strides in ensuring civil rights for all; we should not be taking steps backward."
"It is unfortunate that the LPGA has decided to turn back the clock on the idea of advancing equal opportunity and America´s relationships with other parts of the world," said Alice Huffman, President of the California State NAACP. "Speaking English has nothing to do with playing the sport. The LPGA should seriously reconsider its approach."
Despite there being no relevance to the sport, the LPGA claims that it is important for players to be able to interact with American media and event sponsors. In fact, no other professional sports league in the United States requires such a mandate. One major sponsor, State Farm, has already announced they may no longer support the LPGA if they do not rescind the policy.
There are 121 international golfers on the LPGA Tour, coming from 26 different countries. This year, the Tour held events in ten countries.
"Clearly, the LPGA fails to realize that broadening the talent pool to welcome international players is in the best interest of the Association," said EunSook Lee, NAKASEC Executive Director. "This policy is discriminatory, particularly against South Korean players who are significantly represented within the LPGA membership. We are also concerned that the new policy may violate state law. The LPGA´s English-Only is a great step backwards in the advancement of golf and we urge the Association to rescind their new policy."
"This is another horrendous example of anti-immigrant sentiment," said Lillian Galedo, Executive Director of Filipinos for Affirmative Action.
"Californians for Disability Rights applauds Senator Yee for taking a strong stance against discrimination and for inclusion," said Laura Williams, President of Californians for Disability Rights, Inc. "The LPGA action to enforce an English speaking only policy is a major step back to a time when exclusion and discrimination based on our differences was not only tolerated, but encouraged. Do they intend to allow ASL for deaf and hard of hearing? Or make accommodations for persons with learning impairments, which makes a second language difficult if not impossible? Californians and Americans should not return to the dark ages of excluding all but a narrow scope of young white able-bodied."
"English-only policies breed intolerance and misunderstanding and have no place in athletics or civil society," said Vincent Pan, CAA Executive Director. "The Olympics have shown how sports can help bridge communities and make the world smaller, with sponsors who appreciate and value language and cultural diversity."
Other organizations in opposition to the LPGA policy include the California National Organization for Women (NOW), Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA), Equality California, Latino Issues Forum, Asian American Justice Center (AAJC), Asian American Coalition for Civil Rights, Applied Research Center, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), National Center for Lesbian Rights, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, Legal Aid Society – Employment Law Center, and Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality.
"Denying access based on language capability or country of origin is unfair, unreasonable, and discriminatory," said Yee. "Omitting qualified players from LPGA membership is inappropriate and unsuitable for the world we live in and poorly reflects on the increasingly diverse population of California and the United States."
Among the latest in opposition is California´s conference of the nation´s largest and strongest civil rights organization, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). In addition, the following organizations also announced joining the coalition opposed to the LPGA´s policy: Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Californians for Disability Rights, Filipinos for Affirmative Action, California Immigrant Policy Center, Korean American Coalition, National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, Sojourn to the Past – A Civil Rights Education Project, Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA), California Alliance for Retired Americans, and the National Korean American Service and Education Consortium (NAKASEC).
"The nation´s most prominent organizations for civil rights, seniors, the disabled, LGBT, women, and various ethnic communities are overwhelmingly opposed to the LPGA English mandate," said Yee. "We will continue to fight to ensure this discrimination ends. If necessary, we will picket LPGA events, urge sponsors to withdraw support, go to the courts, introduce legislation, or do whatever else it takes for the LPGA to rescind this policy. Our nation has made great strides in ensuring civil rights for all; we should not be taking steps backward."
"It is unfortunate that the LPGA has decided to turn back the clock on the idea of advancing equal opportunity and America´s relationships with other parts of the world," said Alice Huffman, President of the California State NAACP. "Speaking English has nothing to do with playing the sport. The LPGA should seriously reconsider its approach."
Despite there being no relevance to the sport, the LPGA claims that it is important for players to be able to interact with American media and event sponsors. In fact, no other professional sports league in the United States requires such a mandate. One major sponsor, State Farm, has already announced they may no longer support the LPGA if they do not rescind the policy.
There are 121 international golfers on the LPGA Tour, coming from 26 different countries. This year, the Tour held events in ten countries.
"Clearly, the LPGA fails to realize that broadening the talent pool to welcome international players is in the best interest of the Association," said EunSook Lee, NAKASEC Executive Director. "This policy is discriminatory, particularly against South Korean players who are significantly represented within the LPGA membership. We are also concerned that the new policy may violate state law. The LPGA´s English-Only is a great step backwards in the advancement of golf and we urge the Association to rescind their new policy."
"This is another horrendous example of anti-immigrant sentiment," said Lillian Galedo, Executive Director of Filipinos for Affirmative Action.
"Californians for Disability Rights applauds Senator Yee for taking a strong stance against discrimination and for inclusion," said Laura Williams, President of Californians for Disability Rights, Inc. "The LPGA action to enforce an English speaking only policy is a major step back to a time when exclusion and discrimination based on our differences was not only tolerated, but encouraged. Do they intend to allow ASL for deaf and hard of hearing? Or make accommodations for persons with learning impairments, which makes a second language difficult if not impossible? Californians and Americans should not return to the dark ages of excluding all but a narrow scope of young white able-bodied."
"English-only policies breed intolerance and misunderstanding and have no place in athletics or civil society," said Vincent Pan, CAA Executive Director. "The Olympics have shown how sports can help bridge communities and make the world smaller, with sponsors who appreciate and value language and cultural diversity."
Other organizations in opposition to the LPGA policy include the California National Organization for Women (NOW), Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA), Equality California, Latino Issues Forum, Asian American Justice Center (AAJC), Asian American Coalition for Civil Rights, Applied Research Center, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), National Center for Lesbian Rights, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, Legal Aid Society – Employment Law Center, and Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality.
"Denying access based on language capability or country of origin is unfair, unreasonable, and discriminatory," said Yee. "Omitting qualified players from LPGA membership is inappropriate and unsuitable for the world we live in and poorly reflects on the increasingly diverse population of California and the United States."
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