Martha Burk - Still an Uber Harpy

Well it’s almost time for The Masters – so I thought I would check in to see what Uber Harpy Martha Burk was up to this year.

The National Council of Women’s Organizations (NCWO) has a whole page devoted to Augusta National on their web site. This in itself is interesting – does this mean that getting a woman member at Augusta National is the single most pressing issue facing women today? No other single issue gets its own page. A cynic would say that Martha Burk and the NCWO is just trying to cash in on a little controversy just for the sake of the free press coverage.


The Augusta National Golf Club Story: 2004
NCWO Protest Continues

Building on 2003, 2004 Targets Corporate Actions
The strongest lesson for women to come out of the 2003 Augusta National controversy is that corporate America is still willing to sanction sex discrimination at the highest levels. The Augusta membership roster reads like a roll call of the Fortune 100, with CEOs and Chairmen from companies like American Express, the Bank of America, Citigroup, General Electric, Berkshire Hathaway, Motorola, Prudential, Hormel Foods, Bassett Furniture, and many more (www.augustadiscriminates.org).

Building on 2003? The protest was a complete disaster for Burk. She was a laughingstock. The protester who claimed his name was Heywood Jablome came away looking better than Burk.

In 2004 NCWO is concentrating on ending this very public form of discrimination by corporate CEOs, which legitimizes it throughout their companies and with society in general, effectively sending a message that sex discrimination is not serious discrimination. Accordingly, we are seeking meetings with these corporate leaders and women who work in their companies. If you work for a company involved in Augusta, please e-mail us at marthab@ncwo-online.org. We'd like to hear your story.

I have two problems here: first sex discrimination – is that like when an organization will limit its membership solely on the basis of the person’s gender? Funny – more than half of the “member” organizations of NCWO (not to be confused with the North Carolina Wind Orchestra) are women ONLY organizations. I guess this falls under the “Yeah but that’s different” defense.

The second issue I have is what appears to be an appeal for snitches. “We would like to hear your story”? I’m half tempted to write her an email saying my name is Imma Hogg and that I work for American Express just to see what kind of coaching these folks are willing to stoop to.

NCWO is working with a group of powerful institutional investors to bring pressure on CEOs not to condone sex discrimation [sic] through their actions, such as belonging to a club like Augusta. These socially responsible investment companies, led by Calvert, Walden, Domini, Trillium, and Shorebank, have confronted the New York Stock Exchange about the Augusta membership of NYSE Chairman John Reed. Read their letter at iccr.org.

Looks like they lined up some pretty heavy hitters there [sarcasm off]. Hey Martha – if you are going to cry about discrimination – at least learn to spell the word!

As part of the continuing corporate campaign, similar letters will go to all of the companies involved in with Augusta national, whether through memberships or sponsorships. We urge consumers to make their views known (www.augustadiscriminates.org).

Here’s the thing that I really hopes bites Martha Burk in the ass – many of the companies who she would have you boycott also are big contributors to the organizations who make up the NCWO. To me it would be funny if say the Bank of America stopped sending checks to say the YWCA and when the YWCA asked “Y” – the Bank of America simply said, “Ask Martha Burk.” Of course this would never happen because Martha Burk is a joke and her claim of representation for many of these women’s organizations is also a joke.

Augusta Loses All Sponsors For 2004
Augusta National Golf Club has announced that it has no television sponsors for 2004, so the tournament will again be broadcast commercial free. NCWO believes CBS is underwriting Augusta and its discriminatory practices (and costing stockholders money) by continuing to broadcast the tournament over the objections of women's groups and viewers who oppose discrimination.

This is the only thing that I’m happy about. Commercial free TV! Yee haw!

Augusta really doesn’t need sponsor money and last year’s telecast went over huge for CBS. The thing that is kinda sad is the fact that Augusta is a non-profit organization and much of the advertising dollars used to be spent in the community in the form of charitable contributions. Some enterprising writer should do an in depth study of the damage Martha Burk's ego trip has played on real charitable organizations.

Will We Protest At The Gates?
NCWO has not ruled out a protest during the 2004 Masters Golf Tournament, nor have we decided to mount a protest. In 2003, the Augusta National Golf Club pressured city officials to change their protest ordinance, making it impossible for NCWO to get near the front gates of the Club. We have sued the City of Augusta with the help of the American Civil Liberties Union; our case is still pending. We don't know if the courts will rule in time for the 2004 tournament. If they do not, we would again be confined to property owned and controlled by the club, almost a mile from the front gates. This would render any protest ineffective.

What rendered your protest ineffective is the fact that nobody cares about your stupid protest. Iron my shirt! Make my dinner! Those are the signs that people remember from last year’s circus. Oh if only it could be proved that you lied to the Feds so that Martha Stewart could make you her prison bitch!

Other Action for 2004
While we may not have a physical presence in Augusta during the 2004 Masters, NCWO will continue to raise awareness of the Club's discrimination against women through media and grassroots action. If you want to be involved in opposing sex discrimination at Augusta, contact us at staff@ncwo-online.org

Give it up honey – stick a fork in it – you’re done. Martha Burk may have gotten more than her allotted 15 minutes of fame but thank God it’s over.

Please send any thoughts or comments to of4dad@hotmail.com