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Dr. Johnny Benjamin

Dr. Johnny Benjamin

Posted: April 8, 2010 08:17 AM

The Hypocrisy of Augusta National GC Chairman and The Masters

What's Your Reaction:

Good Lord! Now I've truly heard it all.

Billy Payne, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club, made a very passionate, televised public announcement chastising Tiger Woods. He took Tiger apart and called him a disappointment and a disgrace as a man and a role model.

But wait a minute.

What is Mr. Payne's moral authority? What foundation is he using to condemn anyone's actions as despicable? Apparently, he has conveniently forgotten the egregious, 'Klan-ish" history and continued discriminatory practices of his much loved Augusta National Golf Club.

Let me remind him.

Augusta National Golf Club, the course of the legendary Bobby Jones and host of the Masters, built on the grounds of a former slave plantation has not ventured very far beyond its roots. Augusta National banned all non-white golfers, including those that qualified for the Masters, well beyond the Civil Rights act of 1964. Augusta National did not accept their first Black member until 1990 and as unbelievable as it may seem, has still yet to accept a female.

Billy Payne, for shame!! Who are you or your fellow keepers of 'the tradition like no other' to judge anyone? Your continued tradition of racism, bigotry and sexism speaks loud and clear.

 

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03:29 PM on 04/14/2010
Right on.....
03:44 PM on 04/11/2010
Augusta National can do whatever it wants. Sororities, fraternaties, all private clubs are private. They do great charitable work and should be congratuated instead of being assaulted by the nazis of political correctness.
01:36 PM on 04/08/2010
Thank You! The sanity is refreshing, I was beginning to think I made that history (no-minorities) and the current reality (no-women) up in my mind.

I hope they get their well-deserved push-back on this one.

I hope Tiger wins, balls up his master's jacket stuffs it in the trophy and tosses it in a lake right before he calls the entire operation hypocrisy and walks out, and tries to work things out with his wife a family.

You would think that deified saints were throwing stones at Tiger judging from the moral outrage. geez
09:51 AM on 04/08/2010
Tiger out to walk onto the first tee, drive it into the woods and then leave.
photo
janie@atthelake
Keep Austin Weird
09:25 AM on 04/08/2010
Good article. When I saw it on tv yesterday, I thought it was a repeat from a couple of months ago.
photo
SeenItBefore
Ya want to super size that?
08:50 AM on 04/08/2010
What happened to that old bigot, Hootie?

A bunch of hypocrites, one and all.

Maybe an old Groucho Marx quote is in order: "I could never join a club that would have someone like me as a member."
08:25 AM on 04/08/2010
Par for the course.