What does the "Medal of Freedom" mean, exactly?

[BonzaiDuck]

Here's a news item about Tiger Woods, who faces a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of his former deceased employee -- Nicholas Immesberger, a bartender at Woods' restaurant.

Wrongful Death Lawsuit against Tiger Woods

Our illustrious Disgusting-Piece-of-Traitorous-Filth-in-Chief has bestowed on Woods the Medal of Freedom Award -- the same honor given to Robert DeNiro by Obama, who gave us characters in "Cape Fear", "Casino", "Heist", "Wag the Dog" and other movies with an overlap to Trumpian similarities.

So would genuine presidents previous to our so-called president have balked at awarding Woods the medal, knowing that he was the target of a wrongful death lawsuit? Or am I nitpicking at Woods' flaws and mistakes, as an indicator of Trump's bad judgment?

 

[nakedfrog]

I think you're probably nit-picking.

 

[zinfamous]

It means you have the most freedom.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Nakedfrog could be correct, but look at all his other stunning and illustrious choices for the Medal. To Trump, golf is everything; and the nature of the game allows him to cheat through every hole in the course. I suppose I can understand his affinity for Woods. I just don't think anyone from Ike (a golfer) through Obama would've picked Woods under these particular circumstances. Then, again, maybe they would . . . . Woods . . . .would. An iron? or a wood?

 

[IronWing]

There is no criteria for the medal beyond, "the President wants to give one." The list isn't exactly illustrious. Paul Bremer got one.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Presidential_Medal_of_Freedom_recipients

 

[HomerJS]

Tiger is getting a bad rap for this charge. The restaurant in question is owned by his girlfriend.

My theory is it puts him on the spot to pay out.

 

[BurnItDwn]

I think tiger is kinda an asshole, but, I agree with HomerJS on this ...ambulance chasers lookin for pay dirt.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

There is no criteria for the medal beyond, "the President wants to give one." The list isn't exactly illustrious. Paul Bremer got one.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Presidential_Medal_of_Freedom_recipients

Seeming to blow hot air here, I predicted the Iraq War the day before 911 around a campfire in the North Cascades. In fact, on that day, I predicted 911, or at least, another terror attack. [Narcissists -- even "recovering" -- always thump their chests about something . . ]

And it's true -- it's merely the President's inclination. In fact, I don't particularly think there's something wrong with giving Tiger Woods the medal. He's something of a ground-breaking legend and a great golfer.

It's just that the recent past has shown the clown-president gave one or more to people not particularly enamored in the wider public eye, like Miriam Adelson. I THOUGHT he gave one to Betsy DeVos, but it appears that I'm wrong.

HomerJS has enlightened me about the lawsuit. I'm even wondering how I came to make an effort posting the thread. It shows that one can be daily upset at a jackass in the White House, to the point of feeling irritated about an award to someone you might otherwise hold in mild regard as a "great" in this or another respect.

 

[Oyeve]

It means you are free to give a medal to any ahole you want.

 

[Victorian Gray]

Tiger is getting a bad rap for this charge. The restaurant in question is owned by his girlfriend.

My theory is it puts him on the spot to pay out.

His girlfriend is the general manager, while the company that owns the restaurant belongs to Woods. They are both getting sued.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

His girlfriend is the general manager, while the company that owns the restaurant belongs to Woods. They are both getting sued.

And I'm even more enlightened, so thank you.

I'm personally conflicted over the situation with my brother, a 62-year-old disabled maintenance drunk. On a monthly basis, he goes through two 36-pack cartons of Bud, two 2-liter bottles of E&J Brandy, and two 2-liter bottles of Kraken Rum. There's not much risk of his getting into an auto accident and killing himself or someone else; he's currently at risk for having half his left foot amputated. He can't drive his truck, because it's a 5-speed manual transmission, so he uses my Auto-trans SUV. And he's meticulous about deferring his daily pain medication and staying totally sober when he gets behind the wheel.

But I do all the work for the household of three. I shop for the groceries. I take Moms to the doctor frequently. I'm purchasing agent for everything, and do almost all the driving. And -- when Bro gives me his booze list, I buy all the items. He would have trouble lifting those 36-packs.

And so -- am I enabling him? He would really cause trouble if I refuse to buy his booze, and most certainly I would lose . . .

Moral of the other story: if you own or buy a watering-hole, you should make a policy of being responsible for customers who are drunks with car keys, and you should certainly be responsible for your em-ploy-ees. [Big with the rhymes today, hey?]

 

[VRAMdemon]

Tiger is getting a bad rap for this charge. The restaurant in question is owned by his girlfriend.

My theory is it puts him on the spot to pay out.

He pay pay out anyway and settle out of court to avoid trail, possibly out of respect for the family. As I understand Tiger was friendly with these employee's and is generally saddened by the tragedy.