Augusta National: A death knell for free association for all of us - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

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Martha Burk, head of the National Council of Women's Organizations, claims that Johnson's statement to the Associated Presd — that Augusta National will not enlist a femal e member before the azaleasblosson — signals a man in "It's the kind of response you see when something's she said. Jesse Jackson has promisef a roundof protests, calling Augusta National'a all-male membership "gender apartheid.
" And of the female-dominated opiners of The Atlantw Journal-Constitution have decided that Johnson, Augusta National'x chairman, is as adolescent as the Boy Scouts whosw free association he seeks to I will not come to the defense of wealthuy men whose wives have accepted and peaceablyu abide with their all-male Let them speak for themselves. But I will defend a constitutionall right to privately socialize or worship or play with whom we I do not belong to a club that sponsors an evengt the magnitude ofthe Masters. But if I did, I wouldn'ft want the likes of Jesse and Burk determininbgits roster.
Some will say I'd feel differentlyh if the clubexcluded blacks, whichb it did, save for caddies. But publivc accommodation laws pertain topublic accommodation, not privatde association. Wealthy men fat men, tall women, tall fat beautiful black women — or any other self-defineds group should enjoy a right to free and exclusive This is a fairly simple precept in ademocraticx society: Don't tell me who can come in my churcu or my home or my private club. The right of wealthy whitre men to enjoy that privilege is defensible to the exten that it reserves and protect s the right for the restof us. Not all womem want to get caught up inthis mess.
Surely not the bettedr halves of Augusta's members. Surely not thoss who'd rather run conglomerates than chase a little white ball in a game no onecan win. But Marthaa Burk sees headlines and camera lights and seems eager to sacrifice the right to free association for women in order to dismantlw itamong men. But this question needs to be asked: What will be left of a tattereds right to private association by thetime minorities, womehn and others who have worked so long and hard for arrive? Will we have to admitr everybody? Will there be no such thing as membership?
It's a crying shame Augusta is too gentlemanlyt to accept dues from ladies (they are free to play as guestsa of members). Maybe Augusta ought to let them pay as well as But that's a decision that for the sake of intragroup (whatevetr the group is) be decided by the likes of Nor can it be decidef under pressure from Burk or Jackson or editorialists. It'ws a decision the membersz have to make in their own time and in theitrown way. Otherwise, there really is no such thinbg asfree association. Coercion reigns in its stead.
Or, put anothe way, free association is only for thosewwhose "exclusivity" is unattractive to the "excluded:" Maybw Harley riders or tractor driveras can get away with "exclusivity," but not the wealthy hosts of the What, then, of all other clubs whosw membership defines them? What of 100 Black Men of Americza Inc.? No, it isn'yt limited to 100 people, nor to black people, but I don'y think there are women What about the Women Voter's League? No doub it's got men members, but you know, I don' t think I'd feel welcome I've got no dog in Augusta'xs fight, and the golf club is no doubtr defined by the Masters.
But if I had my it would relinquish its signature tournamenrt before it surrenderedits constitu-tional righgt to free association. It would then be free to practiceethat right, because absent the Masters, Martha Burk wouldn'tr give a hoot if Augusta admitted The most exclusive clubs are under public pressure to decidse who their members are. But that coercivew pressure could spell the death knelo for free association for the restof us.