Finally, Super Bulldog weekend is here. I am ready to enjoy the baseball games and all the parties.
Another event that I will keep my eye on is The Masters golf tournament. I am pulling for Tiger Woods, who is trying to win his third Masters championship.
Tiger is not the only person gaining attention in Augusta. Martha Burk, head of the National Council of Women’s Organizations, is leading a movement to allow women into Augusta National.
Burk had planned to hold a demonstration at the entrance of the country club, but the court would only approve a site a half mile away from the entrance. Burk still plans to protest during the third round of play this Saturday.
This is not an issue that has just popped up. Burk has been hard on Augusta National’s staff and its members for some time. The controversy started on June 12 of last year when Burk sent a letter to Augusta National chairman Hootie Johnson urging him to admit women as members so that it would not be an issue at the 2003 Masters.
Johnson acknowledged that Augusta might one day have a woman member but not anytime soon.
Burk replied with letters to The Masters television sponsors urging them to suspend their sponsorship because Augusta National does not allow women members. Some companies agreed that Augusta should have women members. Others chose not to respond.
As a result, The Masters will be televised this year without commercials, a first for a network televised sporting event.
Should Augusta National allow women to join their private club? That is where we run into problems. Augusta National is a private club, which means they can admit who ever they want whether they are black, white or female.
I like to think of it as the club guys had when we were about 4 or 5 years old. Remember the club with the sign out front that read “no girls allowed?” Eary in my life, I realized that girls did not have “cooties” and Augusta National should figure that out as well. Women should be admitted to Augusta National. Black people were once excluded from private country clubs around America but that changed. So why not change the rules at Augusta?
To find that out, you have to ask Johnson. He fielded questions from reporters on Wednesday and addressed the matter regarding Martha Burk and her planned protest along with the idea of allowing women to join the club.
Johnson responded by saying “That won’t change, no matter how many protests by women’s rights groups. It won’t change no matter how much pressure is applied by outside interests.” Backed by 60 members of the prestigious club, Johnson stated that he is not alone in the decision to allow women. “If I drop dead this second,” said Johnson, “our position will not change on this issue.”
The PGA has made strides to promote diversity by granting Annika Sorenstam a spot at the Colonial tournament in May. The PGA cannot control Augusta National so this decision is going to come down to the men of the club. Johnson can say what he wants, but I wonder how the women in his family feel about the controversy.
Martha Burk did not help herself when she stated “CBS’ plans to televise The Masters is an insult to women in the U.S. armed forces” at New York City news conference.
I applaud Burk’s actions to push for equality and diversity, but that line was too far. How can anyone compare the war in Iraq to a country club? Burk should take it easy.
I do not see Johnson or anyone at Augusta admitting women anytime soon. The fact remains that Augusta National is a private club and no one can do anything about it.
Pressure builds over time and hopefully Johnson and the rest of the club members will change that decision and allow women to join.
Dave Miller is a junior communication major.