If you were sitting around wondering, "Man, what the heck has been happening with the California legislature lately," you've come to the right place. On the heels of the LPGA attempting to force players to learn and speak English, which they immediately yanked when the uproar began, the California Senate made it illegal to hold any event where English-only is a statute.
From the AP ...
The California Senate has voted to make it illegal to hold events that require participants to speak English in a move prompted by the LPGA Tour's English-only proposal.
The LPGA backed off the plan after Sen. Leland Yee and others criticized it as discriminatory. Yee says the proposal insulted women, minorities and immigrants, and might disqualify the best golfers.
The San Francisco Democrat's bill makes such policies illegal in California without a "business necessity." It was approved Thursday 21-14 without debate.
Looking back on this whole English-only plan by the LPGA really shows how hard the tour struggles with sponsors and pro-am chemistry. Not only was the idea ridiculous from a political standpoint, but the United States is a land of opportunity and a melting pot for just about anyone with a brain and an idea. Voicing this idea in a meeting behind closed doors was one thing. Sending out a presser saying it was going into effect was a whole other monster.
At least it prompted a state to take a stand against such actions. For that, the LPGA deserves a feather in their American-made cap.
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