Private Club, Public Concerns: Women at Augusta

» Tom - Agusta

Excellent article Roy!

-- posted by Tom

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» grimaceb - Hootie Johnson

Brilliant article, and very well-written. I'm in agreement with all of your points. What surprises me the most is that - in my opinion - Augusta has both the legal and the moral high ground, and yet Hootie Johnson seemingly feels the need to present himself as smug, arrogant, and a real jerk. This is not helping his cause.

Should Augusta admit a female member? Certainly. I say so, and most of their members say so. But they should be allowed to do it on their own time frame, not the hasty time frame set up by someone who is quite literally paid to be a thorn in people's collective sides. While raising awareness of the ongoing women's rights movement in America, I think that this particular stance by Martha Burk may be hindering her movement more than she realizes, by alienating some rational thinkers in the middle of the political spectrum.

Of course, they say that any publicity is good publicity, and both Augusta and the NCWO are gaining notoriety in that regard. But one need look no further than the forced entry into the Citadel of one Shannon Faulkner, whose enrollment into the previously all-boys school was delayed and fought on a national - and very public - level. Faulkner was set up to fail by her "sisters" in organizations like Ms. Burk's. When she finally attended classes at the military academy, resentment had grown twenty-fold, and it was found that she couldn't handle either the emotional nor the physical pressures the school placed on its students. When she dropped out, it was a smack in the face to women's activists everywhere.

Let history run its course. I've no doubt that Ms. Burk would be reluctant to come out in favor of male membership in some specifically female organizations, and it is only sensible that a private organization like Augusta be allowed its own membership decisions. Not those forced onto it by someone with an axe to grind. Perhaps Ms. Burk's time and energies would be better spent elsewhere, as I'd like to think that entry into a country club is far from the top of the list as far as concerns of American women are concerned.

-- posted by grimaceb

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» NYCScribe - Planning to picket Augusta? If so, you should know that ...

Demonstrators planning to protest the all-male membership at Augusta National during the Masters will now face specific regulations.

A divided Augusta Richmond County Commission approved a new ordinance Tuesday that requires protesters to apply for a permit 20 days before a demonstration. It also specifies an appeal process if a request is denied.

The city's lawyer said the old ordinance, which simply gave the sheriff authority to approve or deny protest permits, could be too vague to withstand a court challenge.

Under the new ordinance, approved 6-5, the sheriff will approve or deny the permit on the basis of public safety.

-- posted by NYCScribe

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» NYCScribe - Augusta and the KKK

A Ku Klux Klan group has asked for a permit to demonstrate in support of Augusta National Golf Club's right to an all-male membership. Talk about a public relations nightmare. What's next? Perhaps Hitler will be reincarnated and lend his support to their cause of rightful discrimination.

-- posted by NYCScribe

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