Nation Magazine: 'Condi Rice's Membership at Augusta National Is Nothing to Celebrate'

August 21st, 2012 8:57 AM

MSNBC's Ed Schultz isn't the only liberal media member disappointed with Augusta National Golf Club's announcement that it's admitting two women including Condoleezza Rice as members.

The Nation magazine actually published a piece Monday titled "Condi Rice's Membership at Augusta National Is Nothing to Celebrate":

[P]lease forgive me if I don’t join the chorus of cheers. Rice and [South Carolina billionaire banking executive Darla]Moore are not twenty-first-century Jackie Robinsons, and their acceptance into this bastion of exclusion has nothing to do with women’s liberation and is utterly disconnected from the reality of daily life for millions of American women.

Condi Rice as a symbol of female power? Only if by power, we mean the power to put thousands of Iraqi women in graves all in the name of a war based on lies that she actively promoted.

After chronicling Rice's supposed crimes against humanity - especially women! - author Dave Zirin continued:

In a sane world, Rice would be awaiting trial at the Hague. Instead, she gets to play golf at a club that, incidentally, didn’t allow African-Americans until 1990.

As for Darla Moore, she is a banking billionaire who lives on a South Carolina plantation that’s been in her family for seven generations. She is a longtime friend of the Bush family as well as of the aforementioned Hootie Johnson. Ten years ago, when asked about becoming the club’s first member, she said, “I’m as progressive as they come. But some things ought not to be messed with.”

I’m sure it’s tempting to look at today as an advance for women in sports. But it’s very difficult think that today’s national celebration of a multi-billionaire and a war criminal has anything to do with women’s liberation.


So much like Schultz, it's really not about advancing women and minorities to Zirin; it's about advancing liberal women and liberal minorities.

As Matt Welch wrote at Reason Tuesday, "So glass ceilings only truly get broken by ladies who have the right kind of politics. Duly noted, white man!