most US pro golfers are neo cons - EU and Intl. golfers are pissed off [View All]

[donsu]

http://ww1.theherald.co.uk/sport/70559-print.shtml

Playing the patriot game


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Simply put, many Europeans and other international players are put off by the overwhelming number of American PGA Tour players who identify themselves as George Bush-loving Republicans who support the US occupation of Iraq.
Geoff Ogilvy, the affable and well-read Australian who won the US Open and has lived in Arizona with his Texan wife for four years, says: "A lot of their conservative views are way off the map . . . I think George Bush is a bit dangerous. I think the world is scared while he's in office, there's less tolerance of diversity over here people have more blind faith in their government." Various Europeans have hinted that they have similar views, but say privately they'll be crucified in American locker rooms and newspapers if they publicly oppose Bush, his fundamentalist Christian agenda or the Iraq war.
"That's the new way of American censorship," said Jesper Parnevik, as he baked on the driving range in Fort Worth. "People get hurt very badly if they speak out."

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But there is definitely a sizeable and often vocal element among the Americans that follows politics, advocates right-wing Republican policies – tax cuts for the rich, corporate welfare, pro death penalty, anti-gay marriage, anti-labour unions – and increasingly, identifies with evangelical Christian ideology.

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George Bush, who campaigned for office as a born-again Christian, is the icon of the evangelical movement and once famously told a group of Amish farmers: "I trust God speaks through me. Without that, I couldn't do my job."
Not coincidentally, the American pro golf world, which has been heavily influenced by corporate America and Republican politics for at least 30 years, now has such a strong element of Christian fundamentalists that the entire Ryder Cup leadership – Tom Lehman, Corey Pavin and Loren Roberts – are all self-professed born-again Christians. Roberts was even converted and baptised at a tournament.

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There are now official chaplains and weekly Bible study groups, or "fellowships," on each of the four American pro tours, and various players either display the Christian fish symbol on their golf bag or wear a popular cloth bracelet that says 'WWJD'
"It's not seen as so strange anymore for a player to be open about his faith," former tour pro Bobby Clampett told Golf World. "They're no longer called The God Squad or Jesus Freaks like we were 20 years ago. Now it's cool."

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"I think a lot of Europeans find that conservative Christian thing as frightening as conservative Muslims," he said. "If you find any European pros who are in that Bible-thumping category, it's usually because they've been to the United States."
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pardon me while I puke into their golf bags