"I find it troubling that media that does not know the whole story would jump on a racist bandwagon"

The Brand Lady speaks! A week after Beth Ann Baldry likely ruined Carolyn Bivens' vacation to Southern California (CB, a call would have been nice!), the LPGA Commish talks to Baldry via email and offers this wisdom to Ron Sirak:

"I find it troubling that media that does not know the whole story would jump on a racist bandwagon," Bivens told Golf World. "If these players don't take this step [and learn English], their ability to earn a living is reduced. They will be cut out of corporate and endorsement opportunities. I can't imagine that someone who has thought this through does not realize that in opposing this measure they are penalizing the very people they are trying to help."

You know she's right. It's not the LPGA officials who are the racists. It's the sponsors who are at fault here!

Maybe it was better that she stuck to emailed answers.

Sirak also offers the first information on the South Korean players-only meeting, and it sounds like little was lost in translation:

According to the source, one father lashed out at Bivens, who was defended by several veteran Korean players. A second source said some Korean players walked out of the meeting along with a few fathers. Multiple sources said the Korean players requested a private meeting with no LPGA officials, managers or parents, at which the veterans told the younger players it was to their economic benefit to learn English.

The Baldry email Q&A is mostly filled with carefully crafted answers clearly vetted much better than Sarah Palin, because there isn't much to make fun of here.

Carolyn Bivens: The feedback we are getting is much the same as what has been in the mainstream media, which runs from total agreement for the program to asking for more information to disagreeing with the position. The more the audience knows about the business model of the LPGA, the more likely they are to be in agreement. We welcome the dialogue, which is a wonderful way to learn what people are thinking about the LPGA and to inform at the same time.

Yawn.

GW: How has the LPGA responded to Asian-advocacy groups that have criticized the decision?

CB: We’ve not had the opportunity to speak with all of the groups that have contacted us, but we have had dialogue with some of the folks who have asked for more information or criticized our policy. The conversations have been positive, with a good exchange of information. Since much of the coverage reported on only 5 percent of our program, the penalty, instead of 95 percent of our program, the education and resources committed to our tour members, the one-on-one conversations are productive and positive. Some people and groups are developing opinions based on misinformation instead of understanding the policy in its entirety before drawing conclusions. We intend to follow up with these groups in the days ahead.

It's like reporters who cover an execution and fail to highlight that 95% of the time the killer wasn't hurting anyone

GW: Have you cut short your vacation to deal with the public response?

CB: While I’ve not been in the office this week, I have been in constant communication with our staff, sponsors and members as the LPGA responds to the various inquiries and media requests this past week.The wonders of technology.

Meanwhile George Vecsey of the New York Times talked to several tennis players at the U.S. Open and drew this conclusion:

The L.P.G.A. probably has the right to install close-to-mandatory English courses for the players — an hour here, an hour there. Maybe the pro-am gig could be considered a language lab. But setting a deadline, putting employment on the line? Sounds anti-American to me.