The Wrong Women

The Augusta National Golf Club is still reactionary. The memberships granted to Condoleezza Rice and Darla Moore change nothing, even if the former secretary of state and the banker are the first female members in the elite organization’s 80-year history, as the club boasted. “These accomplished women share our passion for the game of golf and both are well known and respected by our membership,” said a club spokesperson. Membership cannot be requested; it is granted by invitation only. Both women share the values of the conservative South Carolina golf club.

The political views of George W. Bush’s cabinet member are well known and Moore is also unlikely to vote for Barack Obama in November. She’s far too much like his Republican challenger Mitt Romney: both amassed their fortunes by buying up bankrupt concerns, firing the employees and selling the companies off at a huge profit.

If Augusta wanted to set an example they should have done it right. Women’s rights advocate Martha Burk would have been a good if highly unlikely choice for the Augusta honor. She’s the woman who started the protest movement against the club in 2002. Despite the choice of the wrong women, Burk commented, “Oh my God. We won!”