Tiger Woods is in trouble again. Apparently he spit on the green after he putted out on one of the holes he was playing in this past weekend’s tournament. After reviewing the video, The European Tour announced today that Tiger would be fined an undisclosed amount for his blatant breach of golf etiquette. I must confess that I gloated over Tiger’s latest public relations blunder. And that is not right.

The problem is that I don’t like Tiger. I didn’t like him before his chronic acts of infidelity came to the surface late in 2009. I have always perceived him to be arrogant and impersonal. My friends that work in the golf industry have confirmed the assumptions I have made about his character. One sports writer that I read this morning pointed out that the “Anti-Tiger” contingent will make a big deal out of this latest infraction. I suppose I would be a member of such a group, but it is still not right.

I admit that I am very inconsistent. If I like someone, I will extend miles of patience to them. They can do something that I find offensive, and I will most likely be inclined to overlook the affront. I am pretty loyal to my friends. But if someone like Tiger gets fined for spitting, I find it a bit amusing. That will never be right.

Last time I checked being fair and just is a characteristic of the wise. One dimension of fairness is to be consistent in the expression of compassion and tolerance. If Phil Mickelson was fined for spitting, I would be raging mad. I would be saying: Give him a verbal warning! There is no need for a fine! (Can you tell that I like Phil?) I am convicted. I realize that I am as inconsistent as Texas weather in February.  Spitting on the golf green at a tournament is never a good idea, but neither is adopting a mindest of favortism . I am going to make a real effort to an adopt an attitude that reflects fairness and justice with everyone.  I do believe that is the right thing to do…