The news has been a-buzz with the admission of Condoleezza Rice, former Secretary of State during the Bush Administration, and Darla Moore, VP of private investment firm, Rainwater, into the Augusta National Golf Club, a private all-male golf club in Augusta, Georgia. It has hosted many a Masters Tournament since 1934.  Of  note, the golf club finally admitted non-white members only as recent as 1990.  Prior to that, it had a policy for requiring golf caddies to be African-American, would not admit non-whites and women regardless of race.  Change is slow indeed.  Can’t help but wonder if some old geezers need to retire or die before new blood can be infused into the organization.  We know what happens when organizations fail to change with the times….

Is this cause for celebration?  Is it a win for the women’s movement?  Some people see it as such.  But I can’t help but wonder.  Ms. Rice is African-American, highly educated and accomplished, female, and a Republican.  Did the latter make her “more qualified?’  Darla Moore, is another accomplished woman, having been the first woman to be profiled on the cover of Fortune magazine, and another Republican with lots of ties with Bush and having worked for the Republican National Committee.  See a pattern here?  I will only be truly impressed if they start inducting Hilary Clinton and Michelle Obama into their membership.  As the comments go, these women can play as a foursome!

Seriously, will this move forward the women’s movement issues?  The meatier ones, that is?  It does not seem so.  I think it’s almost at the same level as the foie gras ban here in California.  You can’t help but wonder why people spent the time on it.  Does it deserve its 15 seconds of fame?

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• Condoleezza Rice among first women admitted to Augusta National Golf Club (politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com)