Country Clubs Still Discriminate

Golf club grounds keeper claims age discrimination

2011-09-05T14:36:00.000-07:00

"It also is unlawful to retaliate against an individual for opposing employment practices that discriminate based on age or for filing an age discrimination charge, testifying or participating in any way in an investigation, proceeding or litigation under the ADEA."

From the Hawk Eye

Golf club grounds keeper claims age discrimination
By JOHN MANGALONZO

A former Burlington Golf Club employee has filed a civil rights lawsuit against his former employer and two of its board members, alleging he was forced to resign due to his age.

Meanwhile, the golf club has filed a counterclaim, insisting Larry Albertsen has breached their contract and made promises to the board, which he did not fulfill.

The board has denied anything illegal - let alone discriminatory practices - took place.

The two board members mentioned in the lawsuit are Diane Sanders and Lorrin DeBlieck, who also was the greens chairman. Neither could be reached for comment Tuesday.

The petition originally was presented to the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, which issued a right to sue.

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 makes it unlawful to discriminate against someone because of age with respect to terms, condition, or privilege of employment, including hiring, firing, promotion, layoff, compensation, benefits, assignments and training. The act allows employers to favor older workers, even when doing so adversely affects a younger worker who is 40 or older.

It also is unlawful to retaliate against an individual for opposing employment practices that discriminate based on age or for filing an age discrimination charge, testifying or participating in any way in an investigation, proceeding or litigation under the ADEA.

For the rest of the story click here.

2011-07-27T11:34:00.001-07:00

On 7/28/71, Jack Sarver, temple member and member of the Tucson Jewish Community Council, sent a letter to the Tucson Country Club, the area’s oldest and most prestigious country club, alleging discrimination in member policies. He then sent an open letter to the Arizona Star, addressed to the citizens of Tucson , demanding an end to public events at the club. After a series of meetings between the council and the club, Sarver received a letter stating TCC would no longer discriminate in the screening of new applicants.

Not much has changed over the years..........

Golfer Wade Morris is a victim of religious discrimination
By Jill Painter, Staff Writer

SUNLAND - Five women stood on the sidewalk just outside Angeles National Golf Club on Wednesday morning with rally signs and Israeli flags.

One sign read: "Where's Wade Morris?"

The small group was protesting the absence of golfer Morris, a former driving range manager at Angeles National, from the PGA Tour qualifying event there for the Northern Trust Open.

Angeles National was one of the Southern California courses where golfers had the opportunity to play in a qualifier for next week's professional event at Riviera Country Club.

Brenda Morris, Wade's mother, held the sign questioning his whereabouts. Last year, Morris - who is Jewish - filed a discrimination complaint against Angeles National before the qualifying tournament. His attorney, Ann Hull, said he was told he could not play at the course, which was used as a qualifying event by the PGA.

For the rest of the story click here.

"In the end antiblack, antifemale, and all forms of discrimination are equivalent to the same thing - antihumanism.” ~ Shirley Chisholm

“Prejudice, not being founded on reason, cannot be removed by argument” ~ Samuel Johnson

_________________________

Elaine Joyce wins golf discrimination suit

Elaine Joyce, champion amateur golfer has been awarded $15,000 by a jury in the federal discrimination suit she filed because she was denied a chance to play in a men’s tournament at a public course. Joyce has a single-digit handicap and has won multiple tournaments.

Her goal wasn’t financial, but ending gender discrimination at public courses. However, the golf world is minimizing the importance of her victory in their continuing attempt to marginalize women in the sport. They are focusing on the monetary award amount which was much less than she sought.

It was a major victory for women in the sport. Joyce sued the town of Dennis after she was told she couldn’t partner with her father in a 2007 men’s tournament at the Dennis Pines Golf Course.

_________________________________

University of Minnesota discrimination lawsuit: Harris resigns, women give testimony

Gopher’s Golf Director Resigns Amid Lawsuit

CBS Minnesota

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The golf director at the University of Minnesota accused of firing a coach because she’s lesbian is resigning. The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports John Harris is leaving effective July 1.

For the rest of the article click here.

In suit by lesbian U golf coach, claims of bias are met with denials

By Brian Murphy 07/01/2011

Two University of Minnesota women's golfers have testified that swing instructor Ernie Rose told them last fall that former golf director John Harris considered sexual orientation when hiring assistant coach Kathryn Brenny and prohibited her from staying with the team on the road after learning she was lesbian - an accusation Rose and Harris explicitly deny. For the rest of the article click here.

___________________________

The deliberate subjugation of women, is simply unacceptable anywhere at any time. We urge people to avoid the trap of blaming the victims. For some it is easy to ignore or trivialize the plight of a few fortunate women, but realize as you marginalize them that you marginalize every person who is the victim of the economic effects of the Club's discriminatory practices and the discrimination it fosters throughout our community.

It is exactly the sort of tacit approval granted to gentlemen at country clubs by those who claim to be evolved, enlightened, or fair minded in town that leads to the development and acceptance of potentially discriminatory laws.

"In the face of an obstacle which it is impossible to overcome, stubbornness is stupid." ~Simone de Beauvior

Tucson Weekly: The local Women's Commission backs a complaint against the Tucson Country Club

2011-04-06T15:14:00.000-07:00

by Mari Herreras

When women go to the Tucson Country Club, they can enter every building at the members-only golf club—except for the one everyone calls the men's grill. Some say that's gender-based… for the rest of the article click here.

Tucson Country Club does not reflect the values of most Tucsonans

2011-03-12T11:03:00.000-08:00

Why fight it?

"When powerful people send the message that sex discrimination is no big deal, even at a golf club, it's a short leap to the idea that a little pay discrimination is ok too, not to mention a pat on the butt at work. After all, it's just the girls. They shouldn't be so sensitive about these things." ~ Dr. Martha Burk

When deciding whether or not a complaint of discrimination against Tucson Country Club is worth the time and effort, we considered and ask you to consider few pertinent items. There are bigger issues here that do impact our entire community, not just club members.

Many of the same people who believe that segregated dining and the denial of equal access to women is acceptable are many of the same people who employ and determine the wages of many of Tucson’s residents, including female residents. One could reasonably assume that the Men's Grill policy reflects their view of the value of women. At this time and place, this is not the most pressing issue our communities face, no doubt. More and more children are going to bed hungry. People are losing their businesses and jobs left and right. Our kids need equal access to safe quality public schools and more community involvement in them. Clearly there are more pressing matters and people deserving of our attention. However, discrimination should never be ignored and the effects of it are communitywide.

The deliberate subjugation of women, is simply unacceptable anywhere at any time. We urge people to avoid the trap of blaming the victims. For some it is easy to ignore or trivialize the plight of a few fortunate women, but realize as you marginalize them that you marginalize every person who is the victim of the economic effects of the Club's discriminatory practices and the discrimination it fosters throughout our community.

It is exactly the sort of tacit approval granted to Tucson Country Club by those who claim to be evolved, enlightened, or fair minded in town that leads to the development and acceptance of potentially discriminatory laws. We have essentially told Arizona leadership that they do not need to come up with creative, compassionate, and fair solutions to real problems because we just don't get that worked up about the unfair treatment of other people or we convince ourselves that the victims most definitely only get what they deserve.

We believe that the club is a public accomodation due to the leadership’s decision to rely on nonmember events to survive. If we believed otherwise, we certainly would not request the government's intervention. The decision of private or public is one for the courts, and not for the club or us. However, many non-members in Tucson have enjoyed events at the Club, and the Club has enjoyed that revenue.

"In the face of an obstacle which it is impossible to overcome, stubbornness is stupid." ~Simone de Beauvior

"La Sangre se hereda y la virtud se aquista.” ~ Don Quixote

****

Dr. Martha Burk from the Huffington Post........

One More Black Eye for Arizona

We know Arizona has been in the news lately for it's "hunt-'em-down-and-make-'em-show-their-papers" law aimed at brown people, most of them also poor. Discrimination at its rawest.

Members of the genteel country club set are no doubt holding their noses and trying to ignore the stink the state's action has created around the country. Meanwhile, discrimination of another stripe continues on those hallowed golf greens. Both the Tucson Country Club and the Phoenix Country Club, sites of U.S. Open qualifying rounds this week and next, continue to discriminate against women in tee times and use of club facilities, some 60% of which are reserved for men only.

Yeah, I know they can't actually deport women, so many would say there's no comparison with the racial profiling that's bound to occur with the new anti-immigrant law. But women have been openly gender-profiled, and publicly declared second class citizens by both clubs. And by continuing to discriminate against women and telling the world "we do it because we can," as a former Tucson Country Club president said recently, they send a message that sex discrimination doesn't matter.

So what? It's only a game of golf, after all..... for the rest of the story go to the Huffington Post.

I suggest you follow the link. You just might learn something about discrimination in our state laws and on our greens. All female athletes, all women for that matter and the men who value them should applaud Dr. Martha Burk for her efforts. More importantly, send this article to your politicians too.

“There has been resistance from lawyers because the rules contain a cultural change...” ~ Thomas Zlaket

"Your Honor, in an interview with a law publication, you stated that lawyers will resist new rules because they require a cultural change, well the change we are asking for has already been accepted by the surrounding society. The rest of society already thinks it is not okay to discriminate. This will only take a subcultural change." ~ Loretta Hunnicutt

Tucson Country Club Discrimination: The Beginning Revisited

2011-03-04T20:27:00.000-08:00

We started thinking and that is almost never a good thing.

The more defenses we hear of the men’s grill phenomenon, the creepier the whole concept gets. To watch a forty something year old explain to you, hands flailing, and in a shrill panicked voice that the Men’s Grill must remain the Men’s Grill because it has always been the Men’s Grill is just creepy. Then the women start defending it, and the creepiness is too much.

Stories of grown women hysterically calling other grown women in the middle of the night because as a result of their training to always accommodate, they thoughtlessly signed a petition to put an end to the Men’s Grill, but realize now after talking to their husbands just what a betrayal to the club that reckless act was, are just creepy.

Do these womblike clubs protect their denizens from the real world so completely that they have no idea what the norm is? It is as if they can’t comprehend that the majority of us do not and would not dream of segregated eating facilities. Devoid of unpleasant sights and sounds, the environs provide for their comfort and development, and defend them from the same environmental forces that promote evolutionary change. I am sorry, but the idea of adults in the womb is just creepy, dead on descriptive but really, really creepy. We might be grateful that they work so hard to isolate themselves if that idea wasn't so creepy in itself.

The Men’s Grill is a tradition to some, and a nasty vile habit to others. To those of us who venture out every now and then, the traditions we keep are more…. you know…. more useful, functional, or some how worth our time and energy. I will leave a discussion of functionalism for another day.

What is so remarkable about the Men's Grill "tradition" is that it is ONLY a tradition. Much like many towns with sundown laws, the laws were not codified, they were understood. The penalty only implied, the rules communicated in whispered advisories or "kindly" warnings.

It is easy to understand why folks didn’t dare ignore the sun down laws. Fear for your physical safety will prevent most prohibited behaviors. If you’ve got two brain cells to rub together, you would probably choose to live to fight another day or in another way. Despite the paleolithic attitudes that justified discrimination for some, those who were the subjects of prejudice had far more than two brain cells to rub together and the desire to peacefully resist and peacefully exist. They proved time and time again that they had far more brain cells to rub together than those who made the unwritten rules.

Makes you wonder if they remained unwritten because whoever could conceive them in the first place couldn’t write. Just a thought, I’m just asking……….

Of course for some modern day country clubs, the rules are unwritten so that they can change to accommodate those important enough to be accommodated. For example, if a family had an event that tied up every ballroom and dining area, the Men’s Grill could be open to women and men who were not invited to the event, but needed dining space during that one exceptional event. It would then revert to the Men’s Grill until such a time, as another important group needed a little bending of the rules.

What then could explain the behavior of a bunch of supposedly well-educated well-heeled folks of superior power, who would submit themselves to unwritten rules without physical consequences, if they thought those rules were unfair or at least outdated? One could suppose that the social and financial loss that could result from not following the herd might be prohibitive. I wonder where we would be right now if some men and women in history had allowed the threat of inconvenient tee times, loss of an account or two, or being shunned during a mixer prevent them from taking a principled stand?

Perhaps more puzzling to us is the willingness of the more enlightened community to use the club's facilities. They are quite lovely, but will that one special evening, or that big fundraising event be harmed by refusing to participate in the discrimination of women? Tucson is supposed to be much more enlightened than the rest of the state, which must mean that the term "enlightened" is very very relative term. In most of the places I have lived that claim to be enlightened, the club's practices would be the stuff of folklore.

The actions of those who challenge men’s grills cannot be compared to freedom riders or anyone like them, if for no other reason among many other reasons, than the consequences are just silly. That being said, the people who wanted to preserve this tradition, played on the best qualities of their fellow members; their loyalty and spirit of cooperation and community. When that didn't work, they just intimidated them.

We just started thinking...............

Why Fight it?

"When powerful people send the message that sex discrimination is no big deal, even at a golf club, it's a short leap to the idea that a little pay discrimination is ok too, not to mention a pat on the butt at work. After all, it's just the girls. They shouldn't be so sensitive about these things." ~ Dr. Martha Burk

When deciding whether or not a complaint of discrimination against Tucson Country Club is worth the time and effort, we considered and ask you to consider few pertinent items. There are bigger issues here that do impact our entire community, not just club members.

Many of the same people who believe that segregated dining and the denial of equal access to women is acceptable are many of the same people who employ and determine the wages of many of Tucson’s residents, including female residents. One could reasonably assume that the Men's Grill policy reflects their view of the value of women. At this time and place, this is not the most pressing issue our communities face, no doubt. More and more children are going to bed hungry. People are losing their businesses and jobs left and right. Our kids need equal access to safe quality public schools and more community involvement in them. Clearly there are more pressing matters and people deserving of our attention. However, discrimination should never be ignored and the effects of it are communitywide.

The deliberate subjugation of women is simply unacceptable anywhere at any time. We urge people to avoid the trap of blaming the victims. For some it is easy to ignore or trivialize the plight of a few fortunate women, but realize as you marginalize them that you marginalize every person who is the victim of the economic effects of the Club's discriminatory practices and the discrimination it fosters throughout our community.

It is exactly the sort of tacit approval granted to Tucson Country Club by those who claim to be evolved, enlightened, or fair minded in town that leads to the development and acceptance of potentially discriminatory laws. We have essentially told Arizona leadership that they do not need to come up with creative, compassionate, and fair solutions to real problems because we just don't get that worked up about the unfair treatment of other people or we convince ourselves that the victims most definitely only get what they deserve.

We believe that the club is a public accomodation due to the leadership’s decision to rely on nonmember events to survive. If we believed otherwise, we certainly would not request the government's intervention. The decision of private or public is one for the courts, and not for the club or us. However, many non-members in Tucson have enjoyed events at the Club, and the Club has enjoyed that revenue.

"In the face of an obstacle which it is impossible to overcome, stubbornness is stupid." ~Simone de Beauvior

****

Dr. Martha Burk from the Huffington Post........

One More Black Eye for Arizona

We know Arizona has been in the news lately for it's "hunt-'em-down-and-make-'em-show-their-papers" law aimed at brown people, most of them also poor. Discrimination at its rawest.

Members of the genteel country club set are no doubt holding their noses and trying to ignore the stink the state's action has created around the country. Meanwhile, discrimination of another stripe continues on those hallowed golf greens. Both the Tucson Country Club and the Phoenix Country Club, sites of U.S. Open qualifying rounds this week and next, continue to discriminate against women in tee times and use of club facilities, some 60% of which are reserved for men only.

Yeah, I know they can't actually deport women, so many would say there's no comparison with the racial profiling that's bound to occur with the new anti-immigrant law. But women have been openly gender-profiled, and publicly declared second class citizens by both clubs. And by continuing to discriminate against women and telling the world "we do it because we can," as a former Tucson Country Club president said recently, they send a message that sex discrimination doesn't matter.

So what? It's only a game of golf, after all..... for the rest of the story go to the Huffington Post. I suggest you follow the link. You just might learn something about discrimination in our state laws and on our greens. All female athletes, all women for that matter and the men who value them should applaud Dr. Martha Burk for her efforts. More importantly, send this article to your politicians too.

“There has been resistance from lawyers because the rules contain a cultural change...” ~ Thomas Zlaket

"Your Honor, in an interview with a law publication, you stated that lawyers will resist new rules because they require a cultural change, well the change we are asking for has already been accepted by the surrounding society. The rest of society already thinks it is not okay to discriminate. This will only take a subcultural change." ~ L Hunnicutt

"La Sangre se hereda y la virtud se aquista.” ~ Don Quixote

Round Two

2011-02-26T19:18:00.000-08:00

Let's go.......

"When powerful people send the message that sex discrimination is no big deal, even at a golf club, it's a short leap to the idea that a little pay discrimination is ok too, not to mention a pat on the butt at work. After all, it's just the girls. They shouldn't be so sensitive about these things." ~ Dr. Martha Burk

"The opera ain't over till the fat lady sings." ~ Ralph Carpenter

When deciding whether or not a complaint of discrimination against Tucson Country Club is worth the time and effort, we considered and ask you to consider few pertinent items. There are bigger issues here that do impact our entire community, not just club members.

Many of the same people who believe that segregated dining and the denial of equal access to women is acceptable are many of the same people who employ and determine the wages of many of Tucson’s residents, including female residents. One could reasonably assume that the Men's Grill policy reflects their view of the value of women.At this time and place, this is not the most pressing issue our communities face, no doubt. More and more children are going to bed hungry. People are losing their businesses and jobs left and right. Our kids need equal access to safe quality public schools and more community involvement in them. Clearly there are more pressing matters and people deserving of our attention. However, discrimination should never be ignored and the effects of it are communitywide.

The deliberate subjugation of women, is simply unacceptable anywhere at any time. We urge people to avoid the trap of blaming the victims. For some it is easy to ignore or trivialize the plight of a few fortunate women, but realize as you marginalize them that you marginalize every person who is the victim of the economic effects of the Club's discriminatory practices and the discrimination it fosters throughout our community.

It is exactly the sort of tacit approval granted to Tucson Country Club by those who claim to be evolved, enlightened, or fair minded in town that leads to the development and acceptance of potentially discriminatory laws. We have essentially told Arizona leadership that they do not need to come up with creative, compassionate, and fair solutions to real problems because we just don't get that worked up about the unfair treatment of other people or we convince ourselves that the victims most definitely only get what they deserve.

We believe that the club is a public accomodation due to the leadership’s decision to rely on nonmember events to survive. If we believed otherwise, we certainly would not request the government's intervention. The decision of private or public is one for the courts, and not for the club or us. However, many non-members in Tucson have enjoyed events at the Club, and the Club has enjoyed that revenue..

"In the face of an obstacle which it is impossible to overcome, stubbornness is stupid." ~Simone de Beauvior

Dr. Martha Burk from the Huffington Post........

One More Black Eye for Arizona

We know Arizona has been in the news lately for it's "hunt-'em-down-and-make-'em-show-their-papers" law aimed at brown people, most of them also poor. Discrimination at its rawest.

Members of the genteel country club set are no doubt holding their noses and trying to ignore the stink the state's action has created around the country. Meanwhile, discrimination of another stripe continues on those hallowed golf greens. Both the Tucson Country Club and the Phoenix Country Club, sites of U.S. Open qualifying rounds this week and next, continue to discriminate against women in tee times and use of club facilities, some 60% of which are reserved for men only.

Yeah, I know they can't actually deport women, so many would say there's no comparison with the racial profiling that's bound to occur with the new anti-immigrant law. But women have been openly gender-profiled, and publicly declared second class citizens by both clubs. And by continuing to discriminate against women and telling the world "we do it because we can," as a former Tucson Country Club president said recently, they send a message that sex discrimination doesn't matter.

So what? It's only a game of golf, after all..... for the rest of the story go to the Huffington Post. I suggest you follow the link. You just might learn something about discrimination in our state laws and on our greens. All female athletes, all women for that matter and the men who value them should applaud Dr. Martha Burk for her efforts. More importantly, send this article to your politicians too.

“There has been resistance from lawyers because the rules contain a cultural change...” ~ Thomas Zlaket

"Your Honor, in an interview with a law publication, you stated that lawyers will resist new rules because they require a cultural change, well the change we are asking for has already been accepted by the surrounding society. The rest of society already thinks it is not okay to discriminate. This will only take a subcultural change." ~ L Hunnicutt"La Sangre se hereda y la virtud se aquista.” ~ Don Quixote

Golf discrimination news and updates

2011-02-05T14:39:00.000-08:00

This story is unbelievable. What is more unbelievable is that it happened in the year 2011. What is not unbelievable is that the golf world is not irate over discrimination....

Golfer Wade Morris says he's a victim of religious discrimination
By Jill Painter, Staff Writer 02/09/2011 07:38:56 PM PST

SUNLAND - Five women stood on the sidewalk just outside Angeles National Golf Club on Wednesday morning with rally signs and Israeli flags.

One sign read: "Where's Wade Morris?"

The small group was protesting the absence of golfer Morris, a former driving range manager at Angeles National, from the PGA Tour qualifying event there for the Northern Trust Open.

Angeles National was one of the Southern California courses where golfers had the opportunity to play in a qualifier for next week's professional event at Riviera Country Club.

Brenda Morris, Wade's mother, held the sign questioning his whereabouts. Last year, Morris - who is Jewish - filed a discrimination complaint against Angeles National before the qualifying tournament. His attorney, Ann Hull, said he was told he could not play at the course, which was used as a qualifying event by the PGA.

For the rest of the story click here.

“Prejudice, not being founded on reason, cannot be removed by argument” ~ Samuel Johnson

Elaine Joyce wins golf discrimination suit

2011-01-05T14:48:00.000-08:00

From the Arizona Daily Independent

Elaine Joyce, champion amateur golfer has been awarded $15,000 by a jury in the federal discrimination suit she filed because she was denied a chance to play in a men’s tournament at a public course. Joyce has a single-digit handicap and has won multiple tournaments.

Her goal wasn’t financial, but ending gender discrimination at public courses. However, the golf world is minimizing the importance of her victory in their continuing attempt to marginalize women in the sport. They are focusing on the monetary award amount which was much less than she sought.

It was a major victory for women in the sport. Joyce sued the town of Dennis after she was told she couldn’t partner with her father in a 2007 men’s tournament at the Dennis Pines Golf Course.

For the rest of the story click here.

Notes from The Club.........

2010-12-09T10:47:00.000-08:00

I received this from a friend out at the club today. A year later and not much has changed. It is good to see that some have kept their sense of humor! Too bad though.... some others just never developed one..... but what can you expect from the unevolved?

----- Original Message -----
From:
To:
Sent: Wednesday, December 08, 2010 9:46 PM
Subject: The Original Sin

Here's one for your blog...it is definitely referencing TCC!
The Original Sin

“There has been resistance from lawyers because the rules contain a cultural change...” ~ Thomas Zlaket

"Your Honor, in an interview with a law publication, you stated that lawyers will resist new rules because they require a cultural change, well the change we are asking for has already been accepted by the surrounding society. The rest of society already thinks it is not okay to discriminate. This will only take a subcultural change." ~ L Hunnicutt

"La Sangre se hereda y la virtud se aquista.” ~ Don Quixote

The ladies of the club have a choice

2010-10-25T08:49:00.000-07:00

A dear friend sent this to me, and I do hope the ladies of the club will consider it and vote for those who represent their best interests and against those who actively or passively participate in discrimination.

It was not until 1920 that women were granted the right to go to the polls and vote. Women were jailed for picketing the White House, carrying signs asking for the vote, and by the end of the night, they were barely alive. Forty prison guards wielding clubs and their warden's blessing went on a rampage against the 33 women wrongly convicted of 'obstructing sidewalk traffic.'

Lucy Burns
They beat Lucy Burns, chained her hands to the cell bars above her head and left her hanging for the night, bleeding and gasping for air.

Dora Lewis

They hurled Dora Lewis into a dark cell, smashed her head against an iron bed and knocked her out cold. Her cellmate, Alice Cosu, thought Lewis was dead and suffered a heart attack. Additional affidavits describe the guards grabbing, dragging, beating, choking, slamming, pinching, twisting and kicking the women.

Thus unfolded the 'Night of Terror' on Nov. 15, 1917, when the warden at the Occoquan Workhouse in Virginia ordered his guards to teach a lesson to the suffragists imprisoned there because they dared to picket Woodrow Wilson's White House for the right to vote. For weeks, the women's only water came from an open pail. Their food--all of it colorless slop--was infested with worms.

Alice Paul

When one of the leaders, Alice Paul, embarked on a hunger strike, they tied her to a chair, forced a tube down her throat and poured liquid into her until she vomited. She was tortured like this for weeks until word was smuggled out to the press. The president and his cronies tried to persuade a psychiatrist to declare Alice Paul insane so that she could be permanently institutionalized. The doctor refused. Alice Paul was strong, he said, and brave. That didn't make her crazy. The doctor admonished the men: 'Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity.'

Helena Hill Weed

Served 3 day sentence in D.C. prison for carrying banner, 'Governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed.'

Please, if you are so inclined, pass this on to all the women you know. You need to get out and vote and use this right that was fought so hard for by these very courageous women. Whether you vote democratic, republican or independent party - remember to vote. Remember, a vote for Tom Horne and Jan Brewer are a votes against women.

"The strongest and most effective force in guaranteeing the long-term maintenance of power is not violence in all the forms deployed by the dominant to control the dominated, but consent in all the forms in which the dominated acquiesce in their own domination." ~
Robert Frost

****

For another perspective, read Roxie Bacon's view here

****

"When powerful people send the message that sex discrimination is no big deal, even at a golf club, it's a short leap to the idea that a little pay discrimination is ok too, not to mention a pat on the butt at work. After all, it's just the girls. They shouldn't be so sensitive about these things." ~ Dr. Martha Burk

"The opera ain't over till the fat lady sings." ~ Ralph Carpenter

When deciding whether or not a complaint of discrimination against Tucson Country Club is worth the time and effort, we considered and ask you to consider few pertinent items. There are bigger issues here that do impact our entire community, not just club members.

Many of the same people who believe that segregated dining and the denial of equal access to women is acceptable are many of the same people who employ and determine the wages of many of Tucson’s residents, including female residents. One could reasonably assume that the Men's Grill policy reflects their view of the value of women.At this time and place, this is not the most pressing issue our communities face, no doubt. More and more children are going to bed hungry. People are losing their businesses and jobs left and right. Our kids need equal access to safe quality public schools and more community involvement in them. Clearly there are more pressing matters and people deserving of our attention. However, discrimination should never be ignored and the effects of it are communitywide.

The deliberate subjugation of women, is simply unacceptable anywhere at any time. We urge people to avoid the trap of blaming the victims. For some it is easy to ignore or trivialize the plight of a few fortunate women, but realize as you marginalize them that you marginalize every person who is the victim of the economic effects of the Club's discriminatory practices and the discrimination it fosters throughout our community.

It is exactly the sort of tacit approval granted to Tucson Country Club by those who claim to be evolved, enlightened, or fair minded in town that leads to the development and acceptance of potentially discriminatory laws. We have essentially told Arizona leadership that they do not need to come up with creative, compassionate, and fair solutions to real problems because we just don't get that worked up about the unfair treatment of other people or we convince ourselves that the victims most definitely only get what they deserve.

We believe that the club is a public accomodation due to the leadership’s decision to rely on nonmember events to survive. If we believed otherwise, we certainly would not request the government's intervention. The decision of private or public is one for the courts, and not for the club or us. However, many non-members in Tucson have enjoyed events at the Club, and the Club has enjoyed that revenue..

"In the face of an obstacle which it is impossible to overcome, stubbornness is stupid." ~Simone de Beauvior

****
From the Huffington Post and Dr. Martha Burke

One More Black Eye for Arizona

We know Arizona has been in the news lately for it's "hunt-'em-down-and-make-'em-show-their-papers" law aimed at brown people, most of them also poor. Discrimination at its rawest.

Members of the genteel country club set are no doubt holding their noses and trying to ignore the stink the state's action has created around the country. Meanwhile, discrimination of another stripe continues on those hallowed golf greens. Both the Tucson Country Club and the Phoenix Country Club, sites of U.S. Open qualifying rounds this week and next, continue to discriminate against women in tee times and use of club facilities, some 60% of which are reserved for men only.

Yeah, I know they can't actually deport women, so many would say there's no comparison with the racial profiling that's bound to occur with the new anti-immigrant law. But women have been openly gender-profiled, and publicly declared second class citizens by both clubs. And by continuing to discriminate against women and telling the world "we do it because we can," as a former Tucson Country Club president said recently, they send a message that sex discrimination doesn't matter.

So what? It's only a game of golf, after all..... for the rest of the story go to the Huffington Post. I suggest you follow the link. You just might learn something about discrimination in our state laws and on our greens. All female athletes, all women for that matter and the men who value them should applaud Dr. Martha Burk for her efforts. More importantly, send this article to your politicians too.

“There has been resistance from lawyers because the rules contain a cultural change...” ~ Thomas Zlaket

"Your Honor, in an interview with a law publication, you stated that lawyers will resist new rules because they require a cultural change, well the change we are asking for has already been accepted by the surrounding society. The rest of society already thinks it is not okay to discriminate. This will only take a subcultural change." ~ L Hunnicutt"La Sangre se hereda y la virtud se aquista.” ~ Don Quixote

From Golf Digest Magazine

2010-09-14T19:20:00.000-07:00

Private country clubs such as TCC should find the following article and the online discussion generated by it of interest.

The Case For Change At Private Clubs
By Jerry Tarde

This is the kind of economy that should inspire public golfers to join a private club if they have the money, because we've never seen bargains like this. Private clubs lost about one out of every 10 members last year, give or take a few percentage points, and some industry analysts estimate that upward of 1,000 clubs will close or merge or go public before stability returns to the market. I don't think that's such a bad thing, because a shakeout will benefit the game. The weak will fall away and the strong will have to become smarter.

Private clubs should use this downturn to change the fundamentals of their membership and services. We need to get rid of the last vestiges of discrimination against women and minorities. We need to gravitate toward course conditions that are firm, fast and maybe a little brown in spots, because we'll be using less water -- a cheaper and ecologically sound decision.... for the rest of the story click here.

Reader Comments

Well well well. The great man Jerry Tarde has finally seen the light. Jerry, have you quit entertaining your male staffers at Pine Valley while excluding female employees of the same rank? Have you quit intimidating female employees so they're afraid to complain? And have you personally resigned from Pine Valley or threatened to resign if they don't open membership to women, or at least encouraged them to do so through personal communication with the board? Martha Burk (yes, THAT Martha Burk)
Posted 9/14/2010 7:22:34pm
by MarthaBurk

__________________

I think the author needs a lesson in Private Clubs 101. In the very last paragraph you say you wouldn't be surprised if American golf moved toward the British model with private courses welcoming outside play to keep expenses down. You should have checked with the magazine's attorneys first before writing that. Private club memberships are protected by the constitutionally established freedoms of association and privacy. This includes the right to join a group and to exclude others. In order to rely upon these constitutional defenses, however, a club must develop and follow a plan of exclusiveness and selectivity, and maintain numerous other components of private status. Clubs that fail to maintain their private status risk losing the right to choose their members, to set their internal policies, and to determine the appropriate use of club facilities. When have clubs gotten in trouble? When they act like a public facility. You can't talk out of both sides of your mouth: exclude people you don't want but then open your golf course, driving range, dining facilities, parties, etc. to the public. That's called public accommodation. Once you start accommodating the public (in any number of ways),and word gets out, watch out. Next thing you know, anyone will be using your private club --- and the law will be behind them. There are numerous court rulings on this. Do your homework!
Posted 9/14/2010 5:05:00pm
by CommishJW

****

"When powerful people send the message that sex discrimination is no big deal, even at a golf club, it's a short leap to the idea that a little pay discrimination is ok too, not to mention a pat on the butt at work. After all, it's just the girls. They shouldn't be so sensitive about these things." ~ Dr. Martha Burk

"The opera ain't over till the fat lady sings." ~ Ralph Carpenter

When deciding whether or not a complaint of discrimination against Tucson Country Club is worth the time and effort, we considered and ask you to consider few pertinent items. There are bigger issues here that do impact our entire community, not just club members.

Many of the same people who believe that segregated dining and the denial of equal access to women is acceptable are many of the same people who employ and determine the wages of many of Tucson’s residents, including female residents. One could reasonably assume that the Men's Grill policy reflects their view of the value of women.At this time and place, this is not the most pressing issue our communities face, no doubt. More and more children are going to bed hungry. People are losing their businesses and jobs left and right. Our kids need equal access to safe quality public schools and more community involvement in them. Clearly there are more pressing matters and people deserving of our attention. However, discrimination should never be ignored and the effects of it are communitywide.

The deliberate subjugation of women, is simply unacceptable anywhere at any time. We urge people to avoid the trap of blaming the victims. For some it is easy to ignore or trivialize the plight of a few fortunate women, but realize as you marginalize them that you marginalize every person who is the victim of the economic effects of the Club's discriminatory practices and the discrimination it fosters throughout our community.

It is exactly the sort of tacit approval granted to Tucson Country Club by those who claim to be evolved, enlightened, or fair minded in town that leads to the development and acceptance of potentially discriminatory laws. We have essentially told Arizona leadership that they do not need to come up with creative, compassionate, and fair solutions to real problems because we just don't get that worked up about the unfair treatment of other people or we convince ourselves that the victims most definitely only get what they deserve.

We believe that the club is a public accomodation due to the leadership’s decision to rely on nonmember events to survive. If we believed otherwise, we certainly would not request the government's intervention. The decision of private or public is one for the courts, and not for the club or us. However, many non-members in Tucson have enjoyed events at the Club, and the Club has enjoyed that revenue..

"In the face of an obstacle which it is impossible to overcome, stubbornness is stupid." ~Simone de Beauvior

****

Dr. Martha Burk from the Huffington Post........

One More Black Eye for Arizona

We know Arizona has been in the news lately for it's "hunt-'em-down-and-make-'em-show-their-papers" law aimed at brown people, most of them also poor. Discrimination at its rawest.

Members of the genteel country club set are no doubt holding their noses and trying to ignore the stink the state's action has created around the country. Meanwhile, discrimination of another stripe continues on those hallowed golf greens. Both the Tucson Country Club and the Phoenix Country Club, sites of U.S. Open qualifying rounds this week and next, continue to discriminate against women in tee times and use of club facilities, some 60% of which are reserved for men only.

Yeah, I know they can't actually deport women, so many would say there's no comparison with the racial profiling that's bound to occur with the new anti-immigrant law. But women have been openly gender-profiled, and publicly declared second class citizens by both clubs. And by continuing to discriminate against women and telling the world "we do it because we can," as a former Tucson Country Club president said recently, they send a message that sex discrimination doesn't matter.

So what? It's only a game of golf, after all..... for the rest of the story go to the Huffington Post. I suggest you follow the link. You just might learn something about discrimination in our state laws and on our greens. All female athletes, all women for that matter and the men who value them should applaud Dr. Martha Burk for her efforts. More importantly, send this article to your politicians too.

“There has been resistance from lawyers because the rules contain a cultural change...” ~ Thomas Zlaket

"Your Honor, in an interview with a law publication, you stated that lawyers will resist new rules because they require a cultural change, well the change we are asking for has already been accepted by the surrounding society. The rest of society already thinks it is not okay to discriminate. This will only take a subcultural change." ~ L Hunnicutt"La Sangre se hereda y la virtud se aquista.” ~ Don Quixote

Club Practices, Legal Precedent, and Tucson Country Club

2010-08-15T14:09:00.000-07:00

on country club, usga, golf, golf discrimination
Over the past decade, the preferential availability of weekend tee-times for male members has been a frequent source of litigation, perhaps in part because the practice is relatively common. Men's-only dining facilities, an amenity found in many private golf clubs have also sparked litigation in recent years. Today courts appear more likely to rule that private clubs are subject to the anti-discrimination laws of their state. Some of the common practices that the courts site in their rulings are outlined here.

Bear Hill allowed non-members to use its facilities such as the local high school golf team.
*
Tucson Country Club allows non-members such as the members of University of Arizona Golf Team to use its facilities.
*

Bear Hill allowed non-members to use its facilities such as the Rotary Club,etc.
*
Tucson Country Club allows clubs to use its facilities.
*
Bear Hill advertised the availability of its banquet service to the fee-paying public.
*
Tucson Country Club advertised the availability of its banquet service and its wedding services to the fee-paying public. The addition to the front of the club was made to allow and accomodate outside revenue generating events. Prior to this addition members were frequently inconvenienced by nonmember revenue generating events.

Bear Hill held public tournaments.
*
TCC recently held a USGA qualifying tournament which by the tournament rules must accommodate the public, as well as the Arizona Amature Championship, and the Arizona Wildcat Tournament.
*
Framingham Country Club solicited memberships from the public.
*
Tucson Country Club placed banners and advertisements for membership that are visible from area not private to Tucson Country Club.

In Daniel v. Paul, 395 U.S. 298 (1969) the court used as one test whether a club is owned and controlled by members.

Tucson Country Club is owned by members, however members do not control its operations as evidenced by the fact that over 200 members signed a petition to open the "Men's Grill" to all and not only were those members ignored the Women's Advisory Committee was dissolved.

Tucson Country Club not only allowed non-members to use its pool facilities in order to complete a full field for its swim team, it advertised for non-member swim team participants. Additionally, it promoted the use of the pool for the non-member swim team members and disallowed use of the pool by members during its swim team practices.

Southern Trace Country Club was in contravention of Louisiana's anti-discrimination law by virtue of having a men's-only grill.
*
Tucson Country Club has a men’s-only grill.

.
________________________________

In a similar court case from New York, Mill River Country Club was sued by the State Division of Human Rights for alleged religious discrimination in its admissions process. Before determining whether the club violated the state’s anti-discrimination laws, a decision had to be reached regarding the club’s private status.

The Commissioner of the Division of Human Rights decided that the club was a place of public accommodation and stripped the club’s private status protection. Naturally, the club appealed this decision. In a ruling handed down on February 10, 2009, the New York Appellate Court determined that the use of the club by nonmembers and the revenue generated for the club by those nonmembers caused the club to be a place of public accommodation and not a private facility. The club appealed this decision to the state’s highest court. On June 9, 2009, the New York Court of Appeals dismissed the club’s appeal and the Commissioner’s ruling was sustained.

____________________________________________

Phoenix Country Club loses battle over separate grills

The presence of separate men's and women's grills at the Phoenix Country Club violates state statutes barring sex discrimination, according to a ruling this week from the state's Civil Rights Division.

The division launched an investigation after Phoenix Country Club members Logan and Barbara Van Sittert filed a complaint in March 2007 alleging discrimination because of the country club's policy that barred Barbara Van Sittert from entering the Men's Grill.

But the division's investigators found that country club members' ability to host events for non-members in club dining facilities undermines "PCC's position that it is a private club."

After determining that the country club, with its frequent events open to non-members, was a place of public accommodation, the investigators found that the facilities were subject to Arizona's Civil Rights Act and club executives could not enforce policies that engaged in discrimination based on sex.

Read more click here
Loretta Hunnicutt
****

"When powerful people send the message that sex discrimination is no big deal, even at a golf club, it's a short leap to the idea that a little pay discrimination is ok too, not to mention a pat on the butt at work. After all, it's just the girls. They shouldn't be so sensitive about these things." ~ Dr. Martha Burk

"The opera ain't over till the fat lady sings." ~ Ralph Carpenter

When deciding whether or not a complaint of discrimination against Tucson Country Club is worth the time and effort, we considered and ask you to consider few pertinent items. There are bigger issues here that do impact our entire community, not just club members.

Many of the same people who believe that segregated dining and the denial of equal access to women is acceptable are many of the same people who employ and determine the wages of many of Tucson’s residents, including female residents. One could reasonably assume that the Men's Grill policy reflects their view of the value of women.At this time and place, this is not the most pressing issue our communities face, no doubt. More and more children are going to bed hungry. People are losing their businesses and jobs left and right. Our kids need equal access to safe quality public schools and more community involvement in them. Clearly there are more pressing matters and people deserving of our attention. However, discrimination should never be ignored and the effects of it are communitywide.

The deliberate subjugation of women, is simply unacceptable anywhere at any time. We urge people to avoid the trap of blaming the victims. For some it is easy to ignore or trivialize the plight of a few fortunate women, but realize as you marginalize them that you marginalize every person who is the victim of the economic effects of the Club's discriminatory practices and the discrimination it fosters throughout our community.

It is exactly the sort of tacit approval granted to Tucson Country Club by those who claim to be evolved, enlightened, or fair minded in town that leads to the development and acceptance of potentially discriminatory laws. We have essentially told Arizona leadership that they do not need to come up with creative, compassionate, and fair solutions to real problems because we just don't get that worked up about the unfair treatment of other people or we convince ourselves that the victims most definitely only get what they deserve.

We believe that the club is a public accomodation due to the leadership’s decision to rely on nonmember events to survive. If we believed otherwise, we certainly would not request the government's intervention. The decision of private or public is one for the courts, and not for the club or us. However, many non-members in Tucson have enjoyed events at the Club, and the Club has enjoyed that revenue..

"In the face of an obstacle which it is impossible to overcome, stubbornness is stupid." ~Simone de Beauvior

****

Dr. Martha Burk from the Huffington Post........

One More Black Eye for Arizona

We know Arizona has been in the news lately for it's "hunt-'em-down-and-make-'em-show-their-papers" law aimed at brown people, most of them also poor. Discrimination at its rawest.

Members of the genteel country club set are no doubt holding their noses and trying to ignore the stink the state's action has created around the country. Meanwhile, discrimination of another stripe continues on those hallowed golf greens. Both the Tucson Country Club and the Phoenix Country Club, sites of U.S. Open qualifying rounds this week and next, continue to discriminate against women in tee times and use of club facilities, some 60% of which are reserved for men only.

Yeah, I know they can't actually deport women, so many would say there's no comparison with the racial profiling that's bound to occur with the new anti-immigrant law. But women have been openly gender-profiled, and publicly declared second class citizens by both clubs. And by continuing to discriminate against women and telling the world "we do it because we can," as a former Tucson Country Club president said recently, they send a message that sex discrimination doesn't matter.

So what? It's only a game of golf, after all..... for the rest of the story go to the Huffington Post. I suggest you follow the link. You just might learn something about discrimination in our state laws and on our greens. All female athletes, all women for that matter and the men who value them should applaud Dr. Martha Burk for her efforts. More importantly, send this article to your politicians too.

“There has been resistance from lawyers because the rules contain a cultural change...” ~ Thomas Zlaket

"Your Honor, in an interview with a law publication, you stated that lawyers will resist new rules because they require a cultural change, well the change we are asking for has already been accepted by the surrounding society. The rest of society already thinks it is not okay to discriminate. This will only take a subcultural change." ~ L Hunnicutt"La Sangre se hereda y la virtud se aquista.” ~ Don Quixote

USGA and TCC

2010-08-09T19:44:00.000-07:00

Tucson Country Club

The USGA has determined that clubs that illegally discriminate may not hold qualifiers. However, the USGA holds that it does not discriminate against those who discriminate for USGA membership purposes. After reading the email published here, the club was probably not going to hold a qualifier any way due to private status concerns, so this is meaningless.....

Click on document for larger view

Las necedades del rico por sentencias pasan en el mundo. ~ Don Quixote

****tta Hunnicutt

"When powerful people send the message that sex discrimination is no big deal, even at a golf club, it's a short leap to the idea that a little pay discrimination is ok too, not to mention a pat on the butt at work. After all, it's just the girls. They shouldn't be so sensitive about these things." ~ Dr. Martha Burk

"The opera ain't over till the fat lady sings." ~ Ralph Carpenter

When deciding whether or not a complaint of discrimination against Tucson Country Club is worth the time and effort, we considered and ask you to consider few pertinent items. There are bigger issues here that do impact our entire community, not just club members.

Many of the same people who believe that segregated dining and the denial of equal access to women is acceptable are many of the same people who employ and determine the wages of many of Tucson’s residents, including female residents. One could reasonably assume that the Men's Grill policy reflects their view of the value of women.At this time and place, this is not the most pressing issue our communities face, no doubt. More and more children are going to bed hungry. People are losing their businesses and jobs left and right. Our kids need equal access to safe quality public schools and more community involvement in them. Clearly there are more pressing matters and people deserving of our attention. However, discrimination should never be ignored and the effects of it are communitywide.

The deliberate subjugation of women, is simply unacceptable anywhere at any time. We urge people to avoid the trap of blaming the victims. For some it is easy to ignore or trivialize the plight of a few fortunate women, but realize as you marginalize them that you marginalize every person who is the victim of the economic effects of the Club's discriminatory practices and the discrimination it fosters throughout our community.

It is exactly the sort of tacit approval granted to Tucson Country Club by those who claim to be evolved, enlightened, or fair minded in town that leads to the development and acceptance of potentially discriminatory laws. We have essentially told Arizona leadership that they do not need to come up with creative, compassionate, and fair solutions to real problems because we just don't get that worked up about the unfair treatment of other people or we convince ourselves that the victims most definitely only get what they deserve.

We believe that the club is a public accomodation due to the leadership’s decision to rely on nonmember events to survive. If we believed otherwise, we certainly would not request the government's intervention. The decision of private or public is one for the courts, and not for the club or us. However, many non-members in Tucson have enjoyed events at the Club, and the Club has enjoyed that revenue..

"In the face of an obstacle which it is impossible to overcome, stubbornness is stupid." ~Simone de Beauvior

****

Dr. Martha Burk from the Huffington Post........

One More Black Eye for Arizona

We know Arizona has been in the news lately for it's "hunt-'em-down-and-make-'em-show-their-papers" law aimed at brown people, most of them also poor. Discrimination at its rawest.

Members of the genteel country club set are no doubt holding their noses and trying to ignore the stink the state's action has created around the country. Meanwhile, discrimination of another stripe continues on those hallowed golf greens. Both the Tucson Country Club and the Phoenix Country Club, sites of U.S. Open qualifying rounds this week and next, continue to discriminate against women in tee times and use of club facilities, some 60% of which are reserved for men only.

Yeah, I know they can't actually deport women, so many would say there's no comparison with the racial profiling that's bound to occur with the new anti-immigrant law. But women have been openly gender-profiled, and publicly declared second class citizens by both clubs. And by continuing to discriminate against women and telling the world "we do it because we can," as a former Tucson Country Club president said recently, they send a message that sex discrimination doesn't matter.

So what? It's only a game of golf, after all..... for the rest of the story go to the Huffington Post. I suggest you follow the link. You just might learn something about discrimination in our state laws and on our greens. All female athletes, all women for that matter and the men who value them should applaud Dr. Martha Burk for her efforts. More importantly, send this article to your politicians too.

“There has been resistance from lawyers because the rules contain a cultural change...” ~ Thomas Zlaket

"Your Honor, in an interview with a law publication, you stated that lawyers will resist new rules because they require a cultural change, well the change we are asking for has already been accepted by the surrounding society. The rest of society already thinks it is not okay to discriminate. This will only take a subcultural change." ~ L Hunnicutt"La Sangre se hereda y la virtud se aquista.” ~ Don Quixote

2010-08-05T10:36:00.000-07:00

"Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose." ~ Helen Keller

"When powerful people send the message that sex discrimination is no big deal, even at a golf club, it's a short leap to the idea that a little pay discrimination is ok too, not to mention a pat on the butt at work. After all, it's just the girls. They shouldn't be so sensitive about these things." ~ Dr. Martha Burk

"The opera ain't over till the fat lady sings." ~ Ralph Carpenter

When deciding whether or not a complaint of discrimination against Tucson Country Club is worth the time and effort, we considered and ask you to consider few pertinent items. There are bigger issues here that do impact our entire community, not just club members.

Many of the same people who believe that segregated dining and the denial of equal access to women is acceptable are many of the same people who employ and determine the wages of many of Tucson’s residents, including female residents. One could reasonably assume that the Men's Grill policy reflects their view of the value of women.At this time and place, this is not the most pressing issue our communities face, no doubt. More and more children are going to bed hungry. People are losing their businesses and jobs left and right. Our kids need equal access to safe quality public schools and more community involvement in them. Clearly there are more pressing matters and people deserving of our attention. However, discrimination should never be ignored and the effects of it are communitywide.

The deliberate subjugation of women, is simply unacceptable anywhere at any time. We urge people to avoid the trap of blaming the victims. For some it is easy to ignore or trivialize the plight of a few fortunate women, but realize as you marginalize them that you marginalize every person who is the victim of the economic effects of the Club's discriminatory practices and the discrimination it fosters throughout our community.

It is exactly the sort of tacit approval granted to Tucson Country Club by those who claim to be evolved, enlightened, or fair minded in town that leads to the development and acceptance of potentially discriminatory laws. We have essentially told Arizona leadership that they do not need to come up with creative, compassionate, and fair solutions to real problems because we just don't get that worked up about the unfair treatment of other people or we convince ourselves that the victims most definitely only get what they deserve.

We believe that the club is a public accomodation due to the leadership’s decision to rely on nonmember events to survive. If we believed otherwise, we certainly would not request the government's intervention. The decision of private or public is one for the courts, and not for the club or us. However, many non-members in Tucson have enjoyed events at the Club, and the Club has enjoyed that revenue..

"In the face of an obstacle which it is impossible to overcome, stubbornness is stupid." ~Simone de Beauvior

****

Dr. Martha Burk from the Huffington Post........One More Black Eye for Arizona

We know Arizona has been in the news lately for it's "hunt-'em-down-and-make-'em-show-their-papers" law aimed at brown people, most of them also poor. Discrimination at its rawest.

Members of the genteel country club set are no doubt holding their noses and trying to ignore the stink the state's action has created around the country. Meanwhile, discrimination of another stripe continues on those hallowed golf greens. Both the Tucson Country Club and the Phoenix Country Club, sites of U.S. Open qualifying rounds this week and next, continue to discriminate against women in tee times and use of club facilities, some 60% of which are reserved for men only.

Yeah, I know they can't actually deport women, so many would say there's no comparison with the racial profiling that's bound to occur with the new anti-immigrant law. But women have been openly gender-profiled, and publicly declared second class citizens by both clubs. And by continuing to discriminate against women and telling the world "we do it because we can," as a former Tucson Country Club president said recently, they send a message that sex discrimination doesn't matter.

So what? It's only a game of golf, after all..... for the rest of the story go to the Huffington Post. I suggest you follow the link. You just might learn something about discrimination in our state laws and on our greens. All female athletes, all women for that matter and the men who value them should applaud Dr. Martha Burk for her efforts. More importantly, send this article to your politicians too.
“There has been resistance from lawyers because the rules contain a cultural change...” ~ Thomas Zlaket

"Your Honor, in an interview with a law publication, you stated that lawyers will resist new rules because they require a cultural change, well the change we are asking for has already been accepted by the surrounding society. The rest of society already thinks it is not okay to discriminate. This will only take a subcultural change." ~ L Hunnicutt"La Sangre se hereda y la virtud se aquista.” ~ Don Quixote

Discrimination Of Another Stripe: The Tucson and Phoenix Country Clubs

2010-05-10T19:36:00.000-07:00

Dr. Martha Burk from the Huffington Post:

One More Black Eye for Arizona

We know Arizona has been in the news lately for it's "hunt-'em-down-and-make-'em-show-their-papers" law aimed at brown people, most of them also poor. Discrimination at its rawest.

Members of the genteel country club set are no doubt holding their noses and trying to ignore the stink the state's action has created around the country. Meanwhile, discrimination of another stripe continues on those hallowed golf greens. Both the Tucson Country Club and the Phoenix Country Club, sites of U.S. Open qualifying rounds this week and next, continue to discriminate against women in tee times and use of club facilities, some 60% of which are reserved for men only.

Yeah, I know they can't actually deport women, so many would say there's no comparison with the racial profiling that's bound to occur with the new anti-immigrant law. But women have been openly gender-profiled, and publicly declared second class citizens by both clubs. And by continuing to discriminate against women and telling the world "we do it because we can," as a former Tucson Country Club president said recently, they send a message that sex discrimination doesn't matter.

So what? It's only a game of golf, after all..... for the rest of the story go to the Huffington Post. I suggest you follow the link. You just might learn something. All female athletes, all women for that matter and the men who value them should applaud Dr. Martha Burk for her efforts.

“There has been resistance from lawyers because the rules contain a cultural change...” ~ Thomas Zlaket

"Your Honor, in an interview with a law publication, you stated that lawyers will resist new rules because they require a cultural change, well the change we are asking for has already been accepted by the surrounding society. The rest of society already thinks it is not okay to discriminate. This will only take a subcultural change." ~ L Hunnicutt
Loretta Hunnicutt

****

Why Fight it?

"When powerful people send the message that sex discrimination is no big deal, even at a golf club, it's a short leap to the idea that a little pay discrimination is ok too, not to mention a pat on the butt at work. After all, it's just the girls. They shouldn't be so sensitive about these things." ~ Dr. Martha Burk

"The opera ain't over till the fat lady sings." ~ Ralph Carpenter

When deciding whether or not a complaint of discrimination against Tucson Country Club is worth the time and effort, we considered and ask you to consider few pertinent items. There are bigger issues here that do impact our entire community, not just club members.

Many of the same people who believe that segregated dining and the denial of equal access to women is acceptable are many of the same people who employ and determine the wages of many of Tucson’s residents, including female residents. One could reasonably assume that the Men's Grill policy reflects their view of the value of women.At this time and place, this is not the most pressing issue our communities face, no doubt. More and more children are going to bed hungry. People are losing their businesses and jobs left and right. Our kids need equal access to safe quality public schools and more community involvement in them. Clearly there are more pressing matters and people deserving of our attention. However, discrimination should never be ignored and the effects of it are communitywide.

The deliberate subjugation of women, is simply unacceptable anywhere at any time. We urge people to avoid the trap of blaming the victims. For some it is easy to ignore or trivialize the plight of a few fortunate women, but realize as you marginalize them that you marginalize every person who is the victim of the economic effects of the Club's discriminatory practices and the discrimination it fosters throughout our community.

It is exactly the sort of tacit approval granted to Tucson Country Club by those who claim to be evolved, enlightened, or fair minded in town that leads to the development and acceptance of potentially discriminatory laws. We have essentially told Arizona leadership that they do not need to come up with creative, compassionate, and fair solutions to real problems because we just don't get that worked up about the unfair treatment of other people or we convince ourselves that the victims most definitely only get what they deserve.

We believe that the club is a public accomodation due to the leadership’s decision to rely on nonmember events to survive. If we believed otherwise, we certainly would not request the government's intervention. The decision of private or public is one for the courts, and not for the club or us. However, many non-members in Tucson have enjoyed events at the Club, and the Club has enjoyed that revenue..

"In the face of an obstacle which it is impossible to overcome, stubbornness is stupid." ~Simone de Beauvior

Guest Opinion: Another View From A Tucson Country Club Member

2010-05-09T07:41:00.000-07:00

In my opinion, it is not bad enough that Tucson Country Club (TCC), a well-known public accommodation, which PRETENDS it is a private club, discriminates because of gender; they also seemingly discriminate against anyone and anything they want to any time they want to!

Lately they legally and/or practically discriminated against a highly decorated Disabled American Veteran simply because they did not like the “tone” of a letter he wrote which succinctly pointed out what he believed was the Board’s ignorance in pushing the Club into debt for a questionable agenda and practices during recessionary times.

The letter questioned the judgment of the Board and among other issues also questioned the character of one of the Board's apparent agents who it seems attempted to give some people the impression that he had been a Marine (he even signed his emails “Semper Fi”) when he had never even served a day in any of the military services. Talk about pretending!

How do bank presidents, lawyers, judges, and business owners face their female employees, colleagues, clients and constituents knowing that they discriminate against the very people they are supposed to serve? How will they face veterans from now on? They pretend not to be Neanderthals!

While on the subject of pretending, the former head of the Arizona Supreme Court, past TCC President and current club representative, Thomas Zlaket sat in judgment of cases that came before him involving women. Did he just pretend that he viewed all citizens as deserving of equal treatment? Was he blind on and off the bench? If so, that could explain why he might not see the arrogant flouting of Arizona law out at the country club, maybe or maybe not?

There is much pretending these days out at TCC, for many years now they have been trying to pretend that they are a private club all the while holding very public events. The women attending events have paid full price for their entrance to events but unlike other male members of the public could not enter the Men’s grill.

How and why do they do things like this? Well in the words of Jim Sakrison, TCC member, former TCC Board of Directors Member, former TCC president and prominent Tucson attorney, “We discriminate because we can!” He is joined in the sentiment by most of the other Board Members who have never allowed the matter of discrimination to even come up for vote by the owners of the Club, the 460 Equity Members.

From my point of view; just because you have the “right” to discriminate, it does not make it right to discriminate. ”I personally believe that upon an honest investigation by the Attorney General, there is no way that TCC could pass the scrutiny of examination as to its “Private” status!

"In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot." ~Mark Twain

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Loretta Hunnicutt

****

Why fight it?

"When powerful people send the message that sex discrimination is no big deal, even at a golf club, it's a short leap to the idea that a little pay discrimination is ok too, not to mention a pat on the butt at work. After all, it's just the girls. They shouldn't be so sensitive about these things." ~ Dr. Martha Burk

"The opera ain't over till the fat lady sings." ~ Ralph Carpenter

When deciding whether or not a complaint of discrimination against Tucson Country Club is worth the time and effort, we considered and ask you to consider few pertinent items. There are bigger issues here that do impact our entire community, not just club members.

Many of the same people who believe that segregated dining and the denial of equal access to women is acceptable are many of the same people who employ and determine the wages of many of Tucson’s residents, including female residents. One could reasonably assume that the Men's Grill policy reflects their view of the value of women.At this time and place, this is not the most pressing issue our communities face, no doubt. More and more children are going to bed hungry. People are losing their businesses and jobs left and right. Our kids need equal access to safe quality public schools and more community involvement in them. Clearly there are more pressing matters and people deserving of our attention. However, discrimination should never be ignored and the effects of it are communitywide.

The deliberate subjugation of women, is simply unacceptable anywhere at any time. We urge people to avoid the trap of blaming the victims. For some it is easy to ignore or trivialize the plight of a few fortunate women, but realize as you marginalize them that you marginalize every person who is the victim of the economic effects of the Club's discriminatory practices and the discrimination it fosters throughout our community.

It is exactly the sort of tacit approval granted to Tucson Country Club by those who claim to be evolved, enlightened, or fair minded in town that leads to the development and acceptance of potentially discriminatory laws. We have essentially told Arizona leadership that they do not need to come up with creative, compassionate, and fair solutions to real problems because we just don't get that worked up about the unfair treatment of other people or we convince ourselves that the victims most definitely only get what they deserve.

We believe that the club is a public accomodation due to the leadership’s decision to rely on nonmember events to survive. If we believed otherwise, we certainly would not request the government's intervention. The decision of private or public is one for the courts, and not for the club or us. However, many non-members in Tucson have enjoyed events at the Club, and the Club has enjoyed that revenue..

"In the face of an obstacle which it is impossible to overcome, stubbornness is stupid." ~Simone de Beauvior

Dr. Martha Burk from the Huffington Post........

One More Black Eye for Arizona

We know Arizona has been in the news lately for it's "hunt-'em-down-and-make-'em-show-their-papers" law aimed at brown people, most of them also poor. Discrimination at its rawest.

Members of the genteel country club set are no doubt holding their noses and trying to ignore the stink the state's action has created around the country. Meanwhile, discrimination of another stripe continues on those hallowed golf greens. Both the Tucson Country Club and the Phoenix Country Club, sites of U.S. Open qualifying rounds this week and next, continue to discriminate against women in tee times and use of club facilities, some 60% of which are reserved for men only.

Yeah, I know they can't actually deport women, so many would say there's no comparison with the racial profiling that's bound to occur with the new anti-immigrant law. But women have been openly gender-profiled, and publicly declared second class citizens by both clubs. And by continuing to discriminate against women and telling the world "we do it because we can," as a former Tucson Country Club president said recently, they send a message that sex discrimination doesn't matter.

So what? It's only a game of golf, after all..... for the rest of the story go to the Huffington Post. I suggest you follow the link. You just might learn something about discrimination in our state laws and on our greens. All female athletes, all women for that matter and the men who value them should applaud Dr. Martha Burk for her efforts. More importantly, send this article to your politicians too.

“There has been resistance from lawyers because the rules contain a cultural change...” ~ Thomas Zlaket

"Your Honor, in an interview with a law publication, you stated that lawyers will resist new rules because they require a cultural change, well the change we are asking for has already been accepted by the surrounding society. The rest of society already thinks it is not okay to discriminate. This will only take a subcultural change." ~ L Hunnicutt"La Sangre se hereda y la virtud se aquista.” ~ Don Quixote

Athletic Arena: Discrimination in the Golf World

2010-03-11T11:46:00.000-08:00

The United States Golf Association
Attention: Mr. James B. Noel

P.O. Box 708
Far Hills, N.J. 07931
August 10, 2010

RE: USGA discrimination policy

Dear Mr. Noel,

Thank you for your response to my letter to Messrs. Fay, Hyler and Anthony.

As is often the case, an answer begets more questions. The USGA's policy of "conducting its championship events only at venues that prohibit unlawful discrimination" is easily understood on one level, but confusing on several others.

The key word in the USGA's policy is "unlawful". We all know that golf clubs may lawfully discriminate in membership practices and policies so long as they remain private clubs. If, however, a club behaves more like a public accommodation than a private club, then those same discriminatory practices and policies become unlawful.

Two prominent country clubs here in Arizona - Phoenix Country Club and Tucson Country Club - have recently faced charges of having unlawfully discriminated against women. Those charges were predicated on the clubs being places of public accommodation. The Arizona Attorney General's office conducted an investigation into Phoenix Country Club and concluded that it, indeed, was operating as a place of public accommodation. That finding ultimately resulted in a settlement agreement between Phoenix Country Club and the Arizona Attorney General in which Phoenix Country Club agreed to eliminate its discriminatory dining practices in perpetuity. The investigation of Tucson Country Club is ongoing.

Given that the USGA continued to hold local US Open qualifiers at both Phoenix Country Club and Tucson Country Club during their very public discrimination controversies, it is fair to question how the USGA determines whether prospective venues "prohibit unlawful discrimination". Does the USGA inquire into a club's policies and practices? If those policies and practices are discriminatory, does the USGA investigate whether the club is truly private?

With respect to the former question, I offer the following paragraph from a USA Today article published several years ago regarding the selection of venues by professional golf tours:

"Although the PGA Championship and U.S. Open are "non-PGA Tour co-sponsored events," respective spokesmen Julius Mason of PGA of America and Marty Parkes of the U.S. Golf Association said their organizations require clubs to contractually "demonstrate" open membership practices and policies.
Parkes also says the USGA often asks for other information, such as copies of by-laws, numbers of women and minority members, policies on tee times and dining areas and the status of women and minorities on the waiting list for membership."

Based on the statements attributable to Mr. Parkes it appears that the USGA does inquire into a club's policies and practices. I must also note that no distinction was made between lawful and unlawful discrimination. While that may be attributable to an editorial decision, one could reasonably conclude and hope after reading that article that the USGA's policy was to avoid clubs that discriminate without regard to the lawfulness of that discrimination.

I have no reason, however, to doubt your recitation of the USGA's policy and must continue to assume that "unlawful" discrimination is what the USGA seeks to uncover and avoid. The first level of inquiry - does the club have discriminatory polices and practices - is necessary either way, after all there must be discrimination for there to be unlawful discrimination.

Which brings us to the latter question: Does the USGA investigate whether a club with discriminatory policies and procedures is truly private? Frankly, I do not see any evidence of that in either of the Arizona cases. To my knowledge, the USGA made no meaningful inquiry concerning the private club status of either Phoenix Country Club or Tucson Country Club. Granted, the Arizona Attorney General's findings were not the final say in the Phoenix Country Club matter, but they were based upon facts uncovered during a lengthy investigation and were not without considerable legal weight.

Based upon the foregoing, it would appear that, absent a court ruling to the contrary, the USGA presumes all clubs claiming to be private are, indeed, private and that their discriminatory polices and practices (to the extent they have any) are therefore lawful. Please let me know if that statement is in any way inaccurate or unfair.

Perhaps we can zero in on the USGA's policy better with the use of a hypothetical. Imagine a club somewhere in the country with an absolutely A+ golf course It also has all of the requisite space and nearby amenities and it wants to host a US Open. The competition guys love the place. It is a private club in every sense of the word. Its name is KKK Golf Links and its policies include everything that name implies. Assuming the golf course and other facilities are indeed suitable, would the USGA reject the club as a championship venue because of the policy you stated? If so, why?

I would be remiss if I failed to take up one other issue raised in your response to me, namely the nature of the USGA's relationship with its member clubs. You stated that "the USGA is the national governing body of the game of golf, not golf clubs." I understand that distinction, but I am not sure it fairly characterizes the nature of the USGA / member club relationship.

Article II of the USGA's Bylaws sets forth certain obligations of the USGA's member clubs. The USGA imposes those obligations as a condition of accepting a club into membership and the club must satisfy those obligations in order to maintain membership. Among them are the obligation to "otherwise conduct itself in a manner that furthers the interests of the Association to promote the best interests and true spirit of the game of golf."

Stated another way, the USGA has an interest in promoting the best interests and true spirit of the game of golf and its member clubs are obligated to conduct themselves in a manner that furthers those interests. Clearly, the powers of the USGA go far beyond merely governing the game.

And just what are "the best interests and true spirit of the game of golf"? I polled a number of life-long golfers and the words they most often used to describe the true spirit of the game were "integrity", "fairness" and "perseverance". One could reasonably assume that the best interests of the game include growing the game and expanding the universe of golfers. So, precisely how does a member club further the expansion of the game and promote integrity and fairness in the game by practicing discrimination?

I eagerly await your reply.

Sincerely,
Loretta Hunnicutt
____________________________

___________________________

Loretta Hunnicutt

SENT VIA EMAIL AND POST
July 15, 2010

The United States Golf Association
Attention: Mr. James B. Hyler Jr., President and Mr. James Anthony, General Counsel
P.O. Box 708
Far Hills, N.J. 07931

RE: USGA discrimination policy

Dear Mr. Hyler and Mr. Anthony,

Please find below a letter I had sent to Mr. David Fay on June 30, 2010; I have yet to receive a response to my simple request for information. I now respectfully request this information from you. I am not represented by legal counsel so there should be no legal or other impediments to a timely reply. I would also like to add a request for a copy of the USGA Bylaws.

Dear Mr. Fay,

I write to you to respectfully request clarification of the USGA policies with regards to gender discrimination.

As you know Tucson Country Club has been under investigation by the Arizona Attorney General’s Office for discrimination against women since October 2009. The club has made no mystery of the fact that it does discriminate, but its stated position to me, other victims and representatives of the Arizona Attorney General’s Office is that it has the right to discriminate as a private club.

In an email to me dated May 3, 2019, you wrote, “As you note, the matter is in the hands of the State’s Attorney General and is – as you note “ongoing”. We will await the outcome of the AG’s investigation with interest.” I do not want to draw any unfair conclusions from your response; however one might conclude that the USGA condones discrimination so long as it has not explicitly been ruled illegal.

Hence, my simple request of a simple answer to a very simple question. Is it the policy of the USGA to associate with organizations that do discriminate, as long as such discrimination has not been deemed illegal by federal, state, and local authorities? If the answer is yes, I do hope that your organization will reconsider its policy, and recognize that discrimination, regardless of the presence or absence of legal rulings, is not only reprehensible, it is damaging to the sport, its fine athletes, and its future popularity.

There are many people who are interested in your response, and as you did not respond to my last letter, I do hope that this time you might take just a moment and meet my request in a timely manner.

Sincerely,
Loretta Hunnicutt

__________________________________

****************

Courtesy of the Women's Sports Foundation
Private Clubs - Private Clubs Hosting Sports Events: The Foundation Position

Whereas the Women's Sports Foundation has adopted the following statements of belief:

Sports for males and females should embrace positive values and respect for others;

Equal opportunity, treatment and benefits in sports participation, sports leadership and sport-related careers should be assured;

Sports and sports related careers should include people of every age, color, gender, national origin, physical disability, race, religion and sexual orientation; and Whereas, the Women's Sports Foundation is strongly opposed to discrimination on the basis of age, color, gender, national origin, physical disability, race, religion and sexual orientation in sport;

Therefore be it resolved that the Women's Sports Foundation go on record as calling for athletes, professionals in sports related careers, sports organizations, spectators and sponsors of sports events to adopt strong non-discrimination positions with regard to the sanctioning of or participation in events or programs sponsored or hosted by organizations or facilities whose policies, practices or actions discriminate on the basis of age, color, gender, national origin, physical disability, race, religion or sexual orientation in sport.

Further be it resolved that athletes, professionals in sports related careers and members of the general public who are members of sports organizations and clubs that have policies, practices, activities or have demonstrated decision-making which exclude individuals or groups from participating in that organization or club on the basis of age, color, gender, national origin, physical disability, race, religion or sexual orientation in sport, immediately call for a formal review and revision of such policies and practices.

************************

NCAA Gender Equity

An athletics program can be considered gender equitable when the participants in both the men's and women's sports programs would accept as fair and equitable the overall program of the other gender. No individual should be discriminated against on the basis of gender, institutionally or nationally, in intercollegiate athletics. NCAA Gender-Equity Task Force

"No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance." Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 to the 1964 Civil Rights Act

****************************

From the NCAA: Understanding Gender Equity

The NCAA is committed to fair treatment of all student athletes and staff and includes as part of its core values:

An inclusive culture that fosters equitable participation for student-athletes and career opportunities for coaches and administrators from diverse backgrounds. The NCAA Constitution includes the following principles:

2.3.1 Compliance with Federal and State Legislation. It is the responsibility of each member institution to comply with federal and state laws regarding gender equity.

The Principle of Nondiscrimination.

The Association shall promote an atmosphere of respect for and sensitivity to the dignity of every person. It is the policy of the Association to refrain from discrimination with respect to its governance, policies, educational programs, activities and employment policies including on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, creed or sexual orientation. It is the responsibility of each institution to determine independently its own policy regarding nondiscrimination.

While the NCAA does not enforce Title IX, the NCAA membership expects all schools to have an active gender equity plan. The plan is meant to guide the institution in evaluating, monitoring and improving its gender equity performance. The membership, in addition to federal reporting requirements, participates in an annual financial and demographics reporting system that includes gender equity data.

____________________________

The USGA has determined that clubs that illegally discriminate may not hold qualifiers.

I am pretty sure that TCC was not going to hold a qualifier any way.....

Click on document for larger view

****

Why fight it?

"When powerful people send the message that sex discrimination is no big deal, even at a golf club, it's a short leap to the idea that a little pay discrimination is ok too, not to mention a pat on the butt at work. After all, it's just the girls. They shouldn't be so sensitive about these things." ~ Dr. Martha Burk

"The opera ain't over till the fat lady sings." ~ Ralph Carpenter

When deciding whether or not a complaint of discrimination against Tucson Country Club is worth the time and effort, we considered and ask you to consider few pertinent items. There are bigger issues here that do impact our entire community, not just club members.

Many of the same people who believe that segregated dining and the denial of equal access to women is acceptable are many of the same people who employ and determine the wages of many of Tucson’s residents, including female residents. One could reasonably assume that the Men's Grill policy reflects their view of the value of women.At this time and place, this is not the most pressing issue our communities face, no doubt. More and more children are going to bed hungry. People are losing their businesses and jobs left and right. Our kids need equal access to safe quality public schools and more community involvement in them. Clearly there are more pressing matters and people deserving of our attention. However, discrimination should never be ignored and the effects of it are communitywide.

The deliberate subjugation of women, is simply unacceptable anywhere at any time. We urge people to avoid the trap of blaming the victims. For some it is easy to ignore or trivialize the plight of a few fortunate women, but realize as you marginalize them that you marginalize every person who is the victim of the economic effects of the Club's discriminatory practices and the discrimination it fosters throughout our community.

It is exactly the sort of tacit approval granted to Tucson Country Club by those who claim to be evolved, enlightened, or fair minded in town that leads to the development and acceptance of potentially discriminatory laws. We have essentially told Arizona leadership that they do not need to come up with creative, compassionate, and fair solutions to real problems because we just don't get that worked up about the unfair treatment of other people or we convince ourselves that the victims most definitely only get what they deserve.

We believe that the club is a public accomodation due to the leadership’s decision to rely on nonmember events to survive. If we believed otherwise, we certainly would not request the government's intervention. The decision of private or public is one for the courts, and not for the club or us. However, many non-members in Tucson have enjoyed events at the Club, and the Club has enjoyed that revenue..

"In the face of an obstacle which it is impossible to overcome, stubbornness is stupid." ~Simone de Beauvior

*****

One More Black Eye for Arizona

We know Arizona has been in the news lately for it's "hunt-'em-down-and-make-'em-show-their-papers" law aimed at brown people, most of them also poor. Discrimination at its rawest.

Members of the genteel country club set are no doubt holding their noses and trying to ignore the stink the state's action has created around the country. Meanwhile, discrimination of another stripe continues on those hallowed golf greens. Both the Tucson Country Club and the Phoenix Country Club, sites of U.S. Open qualifying rounds this week and next, continue to discriminate against women in tee times and use of club facilities, some 60% of which are reserved for men only.

Yeah, I know they can't actually deport women, so many would say there's no comparison with the racial profiling that's bound to occur with the new anti-immigrant law. But women have been openly gender-profiled, and publicly declared second class citizens by both clubs. And by continuing to discriminate against women and telling the world "we do it because we can," as a former Tucson Country Club president said recently, they send a message that sex discrimination doesn't matter.

So what? It's only a game of golf, after all..... for the rest of the story go to the Huffington Post. I suggest you follow the link. You just might learn something about discrimination in our state laws and on our greens. All female athletes, all women for that matter and the men who value them should applaud Dr. Martha Burk for her efforts. More importantly, send this article to your politicians too.

“There has been resistance from lawyers because the rules contain a cultural change...” ~ Thomas Zlaket

"Your Honor, in an interview with a law publication, you stated that lawyers will resist new rules because they require a cultural change, well the change we are asking for has already been accepted by the surrounding society. The rest of society already thinks it is not okay to discriminate. This will only take a subcultural change." ~ L Hunnicutt

Dr. Martha Burk from the Huffington Post........"La Sangre se hereda y la virtud se aquista.” ~ Don Quixote

Country Club Discrimination Legal Issues

2010-03-11T11:44:00.000-08:00

Sunlight is the best disinfectant. ~ Louis Dembitz Brandeis

When first we practice to deceive...~ Sir Walter Scott

Over the past decade, the preferential availability of weekend tee-times for male members has been a frequent source of litigation, perhaps in part because the practice is relatively common. Men's-only dining facilities, an amenity found in many private golf clubs have also sparked litigation in recent years. Today courts appear more likely to rule that private clubs are subject to the anti-discrimination laws of their state. Some of the common practices that the courts site in their rulings are outlined here.

Bear Hill allowed non-members to use its facilities such as the local high school golf team.
*

X Tucson Country Club allows non-members such as the members of University of Arizona Golf Team to use its facilities.
*

Bear Hill allowed non-members to use its facilities such as the Rotary Club,etc.
*
X Tucson Country Club allows non-members such as the business networking groups, use its facilities.
*
Bear Hill advertised the availability of its banquet service to the fee-paying public.
*
X Tucson Country Club advertised the availability of its banquet service and its wedding services to the fee-paying public. The addition to the front of the club was made to allow and accomodate outside revenue generating events. Prior to this addition members were frequently inconvenienced by nonmember revenue generating events.

Bear Hill held public tournaments.
*
X TCC recently held a USGA qualifying tournament which by the tournament rules must accommodate the public, as well as the Arizona Amature Championship, and the Arizona Wildcat Tournament.
*
Southern Trace Country Club was in contravention of Louisiana's anti-discrimination law by virtue of having a men's-only grill.
*
X Tucson Country Club has a men’s-only grill.

Framingham Country Club solicited memberships from the public.
*
X Tucson Country Club placed banners and advertisements for membership that are visible from area not private to Tucson Country Club.

In Daniel v. Paul, 395 U.S. 298 (1969) the court used as one test whether a club is owned and controlled by members.

X Tucson Country Club is owned by members, however members do not control its operations as evidenced by the fact that over 200 members signed a petition to open the "Men's Grill" to all and not only were those members ignored the Women's Advisory Committee was dissolved.

Tucson Country Club not only allowed non-members to use its pool facilities in order to complete a full field for its swim team, it advertised for non-member swim team participants. Additionally, it promoted the use of the pool for the non-member swim team members and disallowed use of the pool by members during its swim team practices.
*
________________________________

In a similar court case from New York, Mill River Country Club was sued by the State Division of Human Rights for alleged religious discrimination in its admissions process. Before determining whether the club violated the state’s anti-discrimination laws, a decision had to be reached regarding the club’s private status.

The Commissioner of the Division of Human Rights decided that the club was a place of public accommodation and stripped the club’s private status protection. Naturally, the club appealed this decision. In a ruling handed down on February 10, 2009, the New York Appellate Court determined that the use of the club by nonmembers and the revenue generated for the club by those nonmembers caused the club to be a place of public accommodation and not a private facility. The club appealed this decision to the state’s highest court. On June 9, 2009, the New York Court of Appeals dismissed the club’s appeal and the Commissioner’s ruling was sustained.

____________________________________________

Phoenix Country Club loses battle over separate grills

The presence of separate men's and women's grills at the Phoenix Country Club violates state statutes barring sex discrimination, according to a ruling this week from the state's Civil Rights Division.

The division launched an investigation after Phoenix Country Club members Logan and Barbara Van Sittert filed a complaint in March 2007 alleging discrimination because of the country club's policy that barred Barbara Van Sittert from entering the Men's Grill.

But the division's investigators found that country club members' ability to host events for non-members in club dining facilities undermines "PCC's position that it is a private club."

After determining that the country club, with its frequent events open to non-members, was a place of public accommodation, the investigators found that the facilities were subject to Arizona's Civil Rights Act and club executives could not enforce policies that engaged in discrimination based on sex.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoenix/articles/2008/06/12/20080612pccdiscriminate0612-ON.html#ixzz0wibQN0en

Discrimination Laws and Country Clubs

From: On the Side of Economic Common Sense
According to an article at thefreelibrary.com :

.........As demonstrated by the forthcoming discussion of recent lawsuits where members challenged the allegedly discriminatory policies of their club, today courts appear more likely to rule that private clubs are subject to the anti-discrimination laws of their state. In fact, in several recent lawsuits where clubs appealed the trial court's ruling that their club policies were discriminatory, they did not even challenge the court's ruling that the club was not a place of public accommodation.

Over the past decade, the preferential availability of weekend tee-times for male members has been a frequent source of litigation, perhaps in part because the practice is relatively common. For example, in 1998, five female members of Bear Hill Golf Club, located in Stoneham, MA, sued the club over its practice of conducting men's tournaments on weekends, while the club held women's tournaments exclusively on weekdays. Plaintiffs, who worked during the week, were unable to participate in the women's tournaments. The court held that Bear Hill was a place of public accommodation under the Massachusetts anti-discrimination law. In reaching this decision, the court noted that the club was not selective in its admission of new members as demonstrated by the fact it had not rejected a single applicant from 1991 to 1994; Bear Hill allowed non-members to use its facilities such as the local high school golf team, the Rotary Club, and it even held public tournaments; and the club advertised the availability of its banquet service to the fee-paying public. Since it was a place of public accommodation, the court ruled that the club was liable to plaintiffs for gender-based discrimination with respect to golf course availability.

The recent dispute between Mary Murray provides another example of a lawsuit regarding weekend tee-times. In 2003, Murray, who was on Framingham's membership waiting list, sued the club alleging the club's rules favored men on the club's waiting list, and, therefore, were contrary to Massachusetts' anti-discrimination law. Framingham's rules dictated that a person who was on the wait list for golf membership could play golf once per calendar month, Monday through Friday. However, the club also allowed these individuals to play in tournaments. Murray argued that because the club held men's tournaments on weekends and women's tournaments on weekdays, Framingham's rules gave men on the wait list preferential treatment. In June of 2005, the court decided that Murray's complaint stated a claim sufficient to send to a jury, and rejected Framingham's motion to dismiss the case. In deciding to leave the question of whether the club was a place of public accommodation up to the jury, the court emphasized that only two applicants had been rejected for membership over the past ten years, the club's website solicited memberships from the public and advertised tournaments that are open to the public, and the club occasionally allowed public functions to be held on its property. Murray and Framingham settled the case on April 19, 2006, the day before trial was scheduled, for $262,000.

Men's-only dining facilities, an amenity found in many private golf clubs, have also sparked litigation in recent years. In 2004, the Louisiana Supreme Court considered the issue of whether Southern Trace Country Club was in contravention of Louisiana's anti-discrimination law by virtue of having a men's-only grill. Southern Trace's clubhouse featured a general dining area known as the "Azalea Grill," a men's-only eating area adjacent to but separated by a hall from the men's locker room known as the "Men's Grille," and a smaller food service area adjacent to but separate from the women's locker room known as the "Ladies' Card Room." The Men's Grille was the only restaurant facility open on Sundays.

On April 11, 2000, four female members of Southern Trace filed suit against the club after one of the plaintiffs and a female guest were denied service by the Men's Grille on a Sunday afternoon. The trial court rejected Southern Trace's contention that, as a private club, it was not subject to Louisiana's anti-discrimination law, noting that the club was owned and managed by for-profit corporations, the history of the club was simply an effort to provide a desired product for a fee to make a profit, and the club facilities were routinely used by non-members. However, the trial court also held that having separate dining facilities for men and women in the vicinity of locker rooms did not constitute discrimination. Rather, these amenities were simply the product of "economic and competitive market factors."

The only issue on appeal was whether Southern Trace committed gender-based discrimination by refusing to serve women in the Men's Grille, because Southern Trace did not contest that it was a place of public accommodation. The court of appeals reversed the trial court, stating that "male preference in a public club can never be an appropriate objective by which to justify discrimination." The Supreme Court finally put the matter to rest when it affirmed the court of appeals decision, reasoning that gender-based segregation in a place of public accommodation was, by definition, a discriminatory practice. The Supreme Court summarized this reasoning by stating: "Louisiana women work side by side with men in the courtrooms, operating rooms and boardrooms. There is no reason.... they should still be excluded from country club dining rooms that are deemed to be public accommodations."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Phoenix Country Club Agrees to Stop Sex-Based Discrimination

STATE OF ARIZONA ANNE TITUS HILBY
DEPARTMENT OF LAW PRESS SECRETARY
1275 W. WASHINGTON STREET
PHONE: (602) 542-8019
PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85007-2926
WWW.AZAG.GOV ANNE.HILBY@AZAG.GOV

(Phoenix, Ariz. – January 21, 2009) Attorney General Terry Goddard today announced the settlement of a landmark lawsuit against the Phoenix Country Club (PCC) in which the club agrees to drop all sex-based discrimination in its dining facilities.The State’s lawsuit, filed last September, alleged that PCC violated the Arizona Civil Rights Act’s public accommodations provision prohibiting sex-based discrimination by refusing to serve women in its Men’s Grill. The suit further alleged that the club retaliated against Logan and Barbara Van Sittert when they voiced opposition to PCC’s segregation policy and filed a charge of discrimination with the Attorney General’s Office.

“During this week of celebrating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the historic inauguration of Barack Obama, we are proud to eliminate one more vestige of discrimination from a bygone era,” Goddard said. “I also want to recognize the courage of Logan and Barbara Van Sittert in bringing this issue forward.”
Under the agreement, upon the reopening of its indoor dining facilities in February when extensive renovations are completed, PCC will open all of its dining facilities, including the Men’s Grill and Women’s Grill, to all members, members’ families and club guests and will not discriminate in providing any dining accommodations, advantages or privileges on the basis of sex.

PCC will also amend its internal rules to reflect this policy change and will send out a notice to its members advising that the club’s dining facilities are, without condition, open to all members, members’ families and guests and that anyone seeking to interfere with this change in policy will be in violation of club rules.
In addition, the agreement prohibits PCC from discriminating against the Van Sitterts for complaining about the sex discrimination in the Grills, for filing a charge of discrimination with the Attorney General’s Office and for assisting the Attorney General with its lawsuit.

The State’s lawsuit alleged that PCC fit the legal definition of a public accommodation. In the agreement, PCC says that it has made over recent months changes to its policies, procedures and practices to operate as a private club. The State accepts PCC’s representation that it has taken steps to operate as a private club upon its planned reopening next month.

In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.

~Martin Luther King~

Court Rules for Woman and Against Public Course

By MARCIA CHAMBERS

Published: April 3, 2010

Elaine Joyce, a champion amateur golfer, made a federal case of being barred from playing in a 2007 men’s tournament at Dennis Pines Golf Course, where she is a longtime member. She sued the town of Dennis, Mass., and others in 2008. Last week, the United States District Court in Boston, in a rare federal ruling involving a town, its public golf course and an accusation centering on sex discrimination, told her she had won.

Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton ruled that a municipality and its public golf course were liable under federal equal-protection laws if they engaged in sex discrimination through policy, conduct or custom.

For the rest of the story visit the New York Times

Whether an entity is a private club or establishment is not determined by a single test.Rather, a “number of variables must be examined in light of the Act’s clear purpose of protecting only the genuine privacy of private clubs whose membership is genuinely selective.” Nesmith v.YMCA, 397 F.2d 96, (4th Cir. 1968)(internal quotations, omissions, and citations omitted). Factors include whether the entity operates for profit, whether it is owned and controlled bymembers, Daniel v. Paul, 395 U.S. 298 (1969), the size of the organization, the extent to which it limits membership, Nesmith, 397 F.2d 96, size of the clubs membership fee, whether the club advertises for membership, Wright v. Salisbury Club, Ltd., 632 F.2d 309, 312-13 (4th Cir. 1980), and whether the club has well-defined membership policies. Nesmith, 397 F.2d at 107. This list of factors is not exhaustive. Although the Supreme Court has not ruled on the issue, the Ninth Circuit held in Jankey v. Twentieth Century Fox Film that the private club exception protectsestablishments that fit within one or more of the twelve categories but are part of a private establishment. 212 F.3d 1159, 1161 (9th Cir. 2000). In Jankey, a commissary on Fox Film’s private movie lot was held to be outside the scope of Title III. Id., at 1160-61.

****

Why fight it?

"When powerful people send the message that sex discrimination is no big deal, even at a golf club, it's a short leap to the idea that a little pay discrimination is ok too, not to mention a pat on the butt at work. After all, it's just the girls. They shouldn't be so sensitive about these things." ~ Dr. Martha Burk

"The opera ain't over till the fat lady sings." ~ Ralph Carpenter

When deciding whether or not a complaint of discrimination against Tucson Country Club is worth the time and effort, we considered and ask you to consider few pertinent items. There are bigger issues here that do impact our entire community, not just club members.

Many of the same people who believe that segregated dining and the denial of equal access to women is acceptable are many of the same people who employ and determine the wages of many of Tucson’s residents, including female residents. One could reasonably assume that the Men's Grill policy reflects their view of the value of women.At this time and place, this is not the most pressing issue our communities face, no doubt. More and more children are going to bed hungry. People are losing their businesses and jobs left and right. Our kids need equal access to safe quality public schools and more community involvement in them. Clearly there are more pressing matters and people deserving of our attention. However, discrimination should never be ignored and the effects of it are communitywide.

The deliberate subjugation of women, is simply unacceptable anywhere at any time. We urge people to avoid the trap of blaming the victims. For some it is easy to ignore or trivialize the plight of a few fortunate women, but realize as you marginalize them that you marginalize every person who is the victim of the economic effects of the Club's discriminatory practices and the discrimination it fosters throughout our community.

It is exactly the sort of tacit approval granted to Tucson Country Club by those who claim to be evolved, enlightened, or fair minded in town that leads to the development and acceptance of potentially discriminatory laws. We have essentially told Arizona leadership that they do not need to come up with creative, compassionate, and fair solutions to real problems because we just don't get that worked up about the unfair treatment of other people or we convince ourselves that the victims most definitely only get what they deserve.

We believe that the club is a public accomodation due to the leadership’s decision to rely on nonmember events to survive. If we believed otherwise, we certainly would not request the government's intervention. The decision of private or public is one for the courts, and not for the club or us. However, many non-members in Tucson have enjoyed events at the Club, and the Club has enjoyed that revenue..

"In the face of an obstacle which it is impossible to overcome, stubbornness is stupid." ~Simone de Beauvior
****

Dr. Martha Burk from the Huffington Post........

One More Black Eye for Arizona

We know Arizona has been in the news lately for it's "hunt-'em-down-and-make-'em-show-their-papers" law aimed at brown people, most of them also poor. Discrimination at its rawest.

Members of the genteel country club set are no doubt holding their noses and trying to ignore the stink the state's action has created around the country. Meanwhile, discrimination of another stripe continues on those hallowed golf greens. Both the Tucson Country Club and the Phoenix Country Club, sites of U.S. Open qualifying rounds this week and next, continue to discriminate against women in tee times and use of club facilities, some 60% of which are reserved for men only.

Yeah, I know they can't actually deport women, so many would say there's no comparison with the racial profiling that's bound to occur with the new anti-immigrant law. But women have been openly gender-profiled, and publicly declared second class citizens by both clubs. And by continuing to discriminate against women and telling the world "we do it because we can," as a former Tucson Country Club president said recently, they send a message that sex discrimination doesn't matter.

So what? It's only a game of golf, after all..... for the rest of the story go to the Huffington Post. I suggest you follow the link. You just might learn something about discrimination in our state laws and on our greens. All female athletes, all women for that matter and the men who value them should applaud Dr. Martha Burk for her efforts. More importantly, send this article to your politicians too.

“There has been resistance from lawyers because the rules contain a cultural change...” ~ Thomas Zlaket

"Your Honor, in an interview with a law publication, you stated that lawyers will resist new rules because they require a cultural change, well the change we are asking for has already been accepted by the surrounding society. The rest of society already thinks it is not okay to discriminate. This will only take a subcultural change." ~ L Hunnicutt"La Sangre se hereda y la virtud se aquista.” ~ Don Quixote

USGA Qualifiers: Another Thorny Golf Issue

2010-03-06T13:05:00.000-08:00

Thorny issue? Sticky subject? A hazard?

If you have spent any time on Arizona golf courses you quickly learn how to identify snakes that bite and cacti that jump. Failure to learn these basics can take all the fun out of the game. Avoiding hazards seems fairly easy much of the time.

Some are asking a few sticky questions, “Are Tucson Country Club and Phoenix Country Club qualified to be sites for USGA qualifiers? The better question is why in a state like Arizona, with so many excellent golf courses both public and private, would the USGA pick two sites with such recent and well-known histories of discrimination?”

The U.S. Golf Association has stated that they “require(s) clubs to contractually "demonstrate" open membership practices and policies”, and that “the USGA often asks for other information, such as copies of by-laws, numbers of women and minority members, policies on tee times and dining areas and the status of women and minorities on the waiting list for membership.”

In a recent conciliation attempt with the Arizona Attorney General and TCC officials, a former TCC president proudly announced that, “we discriminate because we can.” Nothing sticky here.
Whether TCC can discriminate or not is up to debate, whether they do discriminate is not.

"But in the end it's still a game of golf, and if at the end of the day you can't shake hands with your opponents and still be friends, then you've missed the point." ~Payne Stewart

Contact the USGA at membership@usga.org

UPDATE:

USGA: Golf Discrimination and the US Open Qualifying Tournaments

So, I believe that I am to understand that even if a club announces proudly and loudly that, "We discriminate because we can," the USGA is willing to adopt a wait and see attitude on the question of whether a country club discriminates or not.

You read that right. It will not help if you read it again and again or use your spouse's reading glasses instead of yours. I will write it again just in case I have not made my point clear;.... even if a club announces proudly and loudly that, "We discriminate because we can," as TCC's version of Augusta's Hootie, Jim Sakrison did in conciliation with the Arizona Attorney General's Office, it appears that the USGA is willing to adopt a wait and see attitude on the question of whether a country club engages in discriminatory practices or not.

I will ask again the questions I asked of Mr. Fay and the USGA. The choice of TCC and PCC makes no sense, unless of course we are to understand that you simply inquire as to policies and practices, but do nothing as a result of those inquiries? Why in a state with so many wonderful golf courses would the USGA (and the AGA) support the selection of two clubs with past and present discriminatory practices?

I don't understand and I need some help understanding this. I usually don't gamble, it is silly and wasteful, but I'd bet as much as the "boys" do at the club's Jubilee Golf Tournament (is that legal?), that some genius out there has a ready and politic answer for me..... I am just asking....... BTW, if my AGA membership has not yet expired this year, consider it expired.

For a full view of the correspondence go to the Athletic Arena Golf Discrimination Page.
Loretta Hunnicutt

****

Why fight it?

"When powerful people send the message that sex discrimination is no big deal, even at a golf club, it's a short leap to the idea that a little pay discrimination is ok too, not to mention a pat on the butt at work. After all, it's just the girls. They shouldn't be so sensitive about these things." ~ Dr. Martha Burk

When deciding whether or not a complaint of discrimination against Tucson Country Club is worth the time and effort, we considered and ask you to consider few pertinent items. There are bigger issues here that do impact our entire community, not just club members.

Many of the same people who believe that segregated dining and the denial of equal access to women is acceptable are many of the same people who employ and determine the wages of many of Tucson’s residents, including female residents. One could reasonably assume that the Men's Grill policy reflects their view of the value of women.At this time and place, this is not the most pressing issue our communities face, no doubt. More and more children are going to bed hungry. People are losing their businesses and jobs left and right. Our kids need equal access to safe quality public schools and more community involvement in them. Clearly there are more pressing matters and people deserving of our attention. However, discrimination should never be ignored and the effects of it are communitywide.

The deliberate subjugation of women, is simply unacceptable anywhere at any time. We urge people to avoid the trap of blaming the victims. For some it is easy to ignore or trivialize the plight of a few fortunate women, but realize as you marginalize them that you marginalize every person who is the victim of the economic effects of the Club's discriminatory practices and the discrimination it fosters throughout our community.

It is exactly the sort of tacit approval granted to Tucson Country Club by those who claim to be evolved, enlightened, or fair minded in town that leads to the development and acceptance of potentially discriminatory laws. We have essentially told Arizona leadership that they do not need to come up with creative, compassionate, and fair solutions to real problems because we just don't get that worked up about the unfair treatment of other people or we convince ourselves that the victims most definitely only get what they deserve.

We believe that the club is a public accomodation due to the leadership’s decision to rely on nonmember events to survive. If we believed otherwise, we certainly would not request the government's intervention. The decision of private or public is one for the courts, and not for the club or us. However, many non-members in Tucson have enjoyed events at the Club, and the Club has enjoyed that revenue..

"In the face of an obstacle which it is impossible to overcome, stubbornness is stupid." ~Simone de Beauvior

****

One More Black Eye for Arizona

We know Arizona has been in the news lately for it's "hunt-'em-down-and-make-'em-show-their-papers" law aimed at brown people, most of them also poor. Discrimination at its rawest.

Members of the genteel country club set are no doubt holding their noses and trying to ignore the stink the state's action has created around the country. Meanwhile, discrimination of another stripe continues on those hallowed golf greens. Both the Tucson Country Club and the Phoenix Country Club, sites of U.S. Open qualifying rounds this week and next, continue to discriminate against women in tee times and use of club facilities, some 60% of which are reserved for men only.

Yeah, I know they can't actually deport women, so many would say there's no comparison with the racial profiling that's bound to occur with the new anti-immigrant law. But women have been openly gender-profiled, and publicly declared second class citizens by both clubs. And by continuing to discriminate against women and telling the world "we do it because we can," as a former Tucson Country Club president said recently, they send a message that sex discrimination doesn't matter.

So what? It's only a game of golf, after all..... for the rest of the story go to the Huffington Post. I suggest you follow the link. You just might learn something about discrimination in our state laws and on our greens. All female athletes, all women for that matter and the men who value them should applaud Dr. Martha Burk for her efforts. More importantly, send this article to your politicians too.

“There has been resistance from lawyers because the rules contain a cultural change...” ~ Thomas Zlaket

"Your Honor, in an interview with a law publication, you stated that lawyers will resist new rules because they require a cultural change, well the change we are asking for has already been accepted by the surrounding society. The rest of society already thinks it is not okay to discriminate. This will only take a subcultural change." ~ L Hunnicutt
"La Sangre se hereda y la virtud se aquista.” ~ Don Quixote

Excerpt From GOLFWEEK Magazine

2010-02-18T18:51:00.000-08:00

Golf Equity Complaints Focus on Tucson CC Grill
By Bradley S. Klein

"While the golf public focuses on this week's WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in nearby Marana, a showdown has formed on Tucson's east side."

"The issue at Tucson Country Club is lunch - or more precisely, access to it."

"The State Attorney General's Office is investigating two gender-discrimination complaints filed..... Hunnicutt told Golfweek that her concern has to do with access and trade. "There is no comparable eating place for women' since the deal making and networking occur in the grill daily" she said, "In other words, commerce is restricted for women. (for the rest of the story pick up a GOLFWEEK magazine.)

Mr. Klein points out that, "One such event, a local qualifier for the U.S. Open, is set for May 10. The U.S. Golf Association historically has been reluctant to hold its events at venues found to be discriminatory."

To contact the USGA Championship Affairs Committee

908-234-2300
Fax: 908-234-9687

email the USGA at

membership@usga.org
Loretta Hunnicutt

****

Why fight it?

"When powerful people send the message that sex discrimination is no big deal, even at a golf club, it's a short leap to the idea that a little pay discrimination is ok too, not to mention a pat on the butt at work. After all, it's just the girls. They shouldn't be so sensitive about these things." ~ Dr. Martha Burk

"The opera ain't over till the fat lady sings." ~ Ralph Carpenter

When deciding whether or not a complaint of discrimination against Tucson Country Club is worth the time and effort, we considered and ask you to consider few pertinent items. There are bigger issues here that do impact our entire community, not just club members.

Many of the same people who believe that segregated dining and the denial of equal access to women is acceptable are many of the same people who employ and determine the wages of many of Tucson’s residents, including female residents. One could reasonably assume that the Men's Grill policy reflects their view of the value of women.At this time and place, this is not the most pressing issue our communities face, no doubt. More and more children are going to bed hungry. People are losing their businesses and jobs left and right. Our kids need equal access to safe quality public schools and more community involvement in them. Clearly there are more pressing matters and people deserving of our attention. However, discrimination should never be ignored and the effects of it are communitywide.

The deliberate subjugation of women, is simply unacceptable anywhere at any time. We urge people to avoid the trap of blaming the victims. For some it is easy to ignore or trivialize the plight of a few fortunate women, but realize as you marginalize them that you marginalize every person who is the victim of the economic effects of the Club's discriminatory practices and the discrimination it fosters throughout our community.

It is exactly the sort of tacit approval granted to Tucson Country Club by those who claim to be evolved, enlightened, or fair minded in town that leads to the development and acceptance of potentially discriminatory laws. We have essentially told Arizona leadership that they do not need to come up with creative, compassionate, and fair solutions to real problems because we just don't get that worked up about the unfair treatment of other people or we convince ourselves that the victims most definitely only get what they deserve.

We believe that the club is a public accomodation due to the leadership’s decision to rely on nonmember events to survive. If we believed otherwise, we certainly would not request the government's intervention. The decision of private or public is one for the courts, and not for the club or us. However, many non-members in Tucson have enjoyed events at the Club, and the Club has enjoyed that revenue..

"In the face of an obstacle which it is impossible to overcome, stubbornness is stupid." ~Simone de Beauvior
****

Dr. Martha Burk from the Huffington Post........

One More Black Eye for Arizona

We know Arizona has been in the news lately for it's "hunt-'em-down-and-make-'em-show-their-papers" law aimed at brown people, most of them also poor. Discrimination at its rawest.

Members of the genteel country club set are no doubt holding their noses and trying to ignore the stink the state's action has created around the country. Meanwhile, discrimination of another stripe continues on those hallowed golf greens. Both the Tucson Country Club and the Phoenix Country Club, sites of U.S. Open qualifying rounds this week and next, continue to discriminate against women in tee times and use of club facilities, some 60% of which are reserved for men only.

Yeah, I know they can't actually deport women, so many would say there's no comparison with the racial profiling that's bound to occur with the new anti-immigrant law. But women have been openly gender-profiled, and publicly declared second class citizens by both clubs. And by continuing to discriminate against women and telling the world "we do it because we can," as a former Tucson Country Club president said recently, they send a message that sex discrimination doesn't matter.

So what? It's only a game of golf, after all..... for the rest of the story go to the Huffington Post. I suggest you follow the link. You just might learn something about discrimination in our state laws and on our greens. All female athletes, all women for that matter and the men who value them should applaud Dr. Martha Burk for her efforts. More importantly, send this article to your politicians too.

“There has been resistance from lawyers because the rules contain a cultural change...” ~ Thomas Zlaket

"Your Honor, in an interview with a law publication, you stated that lawyers will resist new rules because they require a cultural change, well the change we are asking for has already been accepted by the surrounding society. The rest of society already thinks it is not okay to discriminate. This will only take a subcultural change." ~ L Hunnicutt"La Sangre se hereda y la virtud se aquista.” ~ Don Quixote

The Scramble is On

2010-02-03T12:39:00.000-08:00

The Scramble is on.

No, I don't mean a golf scramble. I do like scrambles though; they always make me feel like I can golf. I don't think those with whom I am paired like me to play in scrambles though, unless they are a set of three bad male golfers. I am then a goddess who gets to play from forward tees.

The scramble taking place right now is in the clubhouse, not on the golf course. The gentlemen of the club are scrambling to act like a private club again. Some little birdie, no I don’t mean the golf score, reminded them that they would have issues if they didn't comply with certain rules that they had long ago opted arrogantly to ignore. So, they have gone into high gear on their mad scramble.

The sages at the club have put up signs on the entrances to the Men's Grill stating that 'No boys under the age of 18 allowed except on Sundays', and they have finally asked members with corporate logo marked cars to park in the overflow lot rather than the member lot. If they were listening to that little birdie, they are also in a panic over the fact that they allowed members to pay for their memberships with company monies. So, the scramble to stop that practice should have started a few days ago.

This scramble takes me back to my childhood. Frequently my parents left for far away parts of the world for some length of time, and there was always a mad scramble to reform within a few hours of their plane's arrival home. I know that most parents are never fooled by kids' scrambles to feign innocence. My parents weren't fooled and they were extremely optimistic and trusting people. I hope that the Attorney General is not fooled either.

The question we keeping asking is whether anyone has any respect for the law? I won't even inquire as to respect for the spirit of the law. The gentlemen and ladies of the club are law makers and stewards of the law, if they don't like the law they should change it. Until then they should follow it. I suppose some should be grateful that now at this late date they have decided to implement policies required of a private club, but the bell has rung and not even a good scramble can unring it.

I must say, after watching the scramble to behave like a private club once again, it would now be the height of absurdity for them to claim ignorance of the law as a defense.

"I don't deserve any credit for turning the other cheek as my tongue is always in it." ~ Flannery O'Connor

"His knees suddenly bent under him, as if an invisible power suddenly overwhelmed him with the weight of his bad conscience; he fell exhausted . . . and cried out, “I’am such a miserable man!”~ Victor Hugo, Les Miserables

Loretta Hunnicutt

****

Why fight it?

"When powerful people send the message that sex discrimination is no big deal, even at a golf club, it's a short leap to the idea that a little pay discrimination is ok too, not to mention a pat on the butt at work. After all, it's just the girls. They shouldn't be so sensitive about these things." ~ Dr. Martha Burk

"The opera ain't over till the fat lady sings." ~ Ralph Carpenter

When deciding whether or not a complaint of discrimination against Tucson Country Club is worth the time and effort, we considered and ask you to consider few pertinent items. There are bigger issues here that do impact our entire community, not just club members.

Many of the same people who believe that segregated dining and the denial of equal access to women is acceptable are many of the same people who employ and determine the wages of many of Tucson’s residents, including female residents. One could reasonably assume that the Men's Grill policy reflects their view of the value of women.At this time and place, this is not the most pressing issue our communities face, no doubt. More and more children are going to bed hungry. People are losing their businesses and jobs left and right. Our kids need equal access to safe quality public schools and more community involvement in them. Clearly there are more pressing matters and people deserving of our attention. However, discrimination should never be ignored and the effects of it are communitywide.

The deliberate subjugation of women, is simply unacceptable anywhere at any time. We urge people to avoid the trap of blaming the victims. For some it is easy to ignore or trivialize the plight of a few fortunate women, but realize as you marginalize them that you marginalize every person who is the victim of the economic effects of the Club's discriminatory practices and the discrimination it fosters throughout our community.

It is exactly the sort of tacit approval granted to Tucson Country Club by those who claim to be evolved, enlightened, or fair minded in town that leads to the development and acceptance of potentially discriminatory laws. We have essentially told Arizona leadership that they do not need to come up with creative, compassionate, and fair solutions to real problems because we just don't get that worked up about the unfair treatment of other people or we convince ourselves that the victims most definitely only get what they deserve.

We believe that the club is a public accomodation due to the leadership’s decision to rely on nonmember events to survive. If we believed otherwise, we certainly would not request the government's intervention. The decision of private or public is one for the courts, and not for the club or us. However, many non-members in Tucson have enjoyed events at the Club, and the Club has enjoyed that revenue..

"In the face of an obstacle which it is impossible to overcome, stubbornness is stupid." ~Simone de Beauvior

****

One More Black Eye for Arizona

We know Arizona has been in the news lately for it's "hunt-'em-down-and-make-'em-show-their-papers" law aimed at brown people, most of them also poor. Discrimination at its rawest.

Members of the genteel country club set are no doubt holding their noses and trying to ignore the stink the state's action has created around the country. Meanwhile, discrimination of another stripe continues on those hallowed golf greens. Both the Tucson Country Club and the Phoenix Country Club, sites of U.S. Open qualifying rounds this week and next, continue to discriminate against women in tee times and use of club facilities, some 60% of which are reserved for men only.

Yeah, I know they can't actually deport women, so many would say there's no comparison with the racial profiling that's bound to occur with the new anti-immigrant law. But women have been openly gender-profiled, and publicly declared second class citizens by both clubs. And by continuing to discriminate against women and telling the world "we do it because we can," as a former Tucson Country Club president said recently, they send a message that sex discrimination doesn't matter.

So what? It's only a game of golf, after all..... for the rest of the story go to the Huffington Post. I suggest you follow the link. You just might learn something about discrimination in our state laws and on our greens. All female athletes, all women for that matter and the men who value them should applaud Dr. Martha Burk for her efforts. More importantly, send this article to your politicians too.

“There has been resistance from lawyers because the rules contain a cultural change...” ~ Thomas Zlaket

"Your Honor, in an interview with a law publication, you stated that lawyers will resist new rules because they require a cultural change, well the change we are asking for has already been accepted by the surrounding society. The rest of society already thinks it is not okay to discriminate. This will only take a subcultural change." ~ L Hunnicutt
"La Sangre se hereda y la virtud se aquista.” ~ Don Quixote

2010-02-02T16:53:00.000-08:00

UPDATE:

Signs have just appeared on doors leading to the Men's Grill; "No boys under the age of 18 allowed except on Sundays." The rumors were only partly true as earlier I wrote that young men under 16 were prohibited. I stand partially corrected.

"I would like to bring you up to date on the current status of the complaints that were filed with the Attorney General against the Tucson Country Club. Although progress has been slow in this case due to the holidays, the Board has asked the Attorney general to conduct additional mediation regarding the complaints and we are currently waiting to hear back fom them. Let me assure you that to date, the Club has not incurred any legal expenses in this matter. In closing, I pledge to keep you informed as additional information becomes available. As always, I thank you for your understanding and support."

We agreed very early on to conciliate with the Club. This action on our part and the Attorney General's Office was very generous in that, conciliation normally occurs only after an organization states their position. We entered conciliation hoping to find a reasonable and inexpensive solution. After declaring that, "We discriminate because we can," the Board engaged in an insulting dog and pony show with lots of smoke and mirrors. They rejected out of hand every no to low cost suggestion we offered. They were disingenuous and condescending. It was a waste of time, and I know for my part, it depleted much of my good will.

I will not agree to enter conciliation again if they are only going to waste my time, with pretty pictures of facilities for "boys" and "girls" they can't afford. The stall tactics disguised as a desire to “mediate” are manipulative and transparent. If they want to be taken seriously, they will have to get serious. My view of them prior to the complaint was that they were silly and sad group marginalized by their own hubris, that view has not changed. Their response to the Attorney General's Office was supposedly due this past Monday, January 11, 2009. We received this letter posted above, January 15, 2009. Maybe it is the mail, but seems like they are lagging behind a bit.

Side note: In our complaint we pointed out the fact that one early Sunday morning, on one of those rare occasions when women could enter the inner sanctum, after dining in an empty Men’s Grill, we were told that from then on, our 6 month old grandson was welcome but our 4 year old granddaughter was not, hence our complaint. That magnificent little girl is not about to grow up in that kind of world, if we have anything to say about it. Rumor has it that the Board in its infinite wisdom has decided that as a result of the aforementioned "encounter of the 18th century kind," only “men” 16 years and up may now spend their idyllic days in the Men's Grill.

So, now children and chattel are forbidden. Brilliant!

"The soul is healed by being with children. ~ Dostoevsky

****

Why Fight it?

"When powerful people send the message that sex discrimination is no big deal, even at a golf club, it's a short leap to the idea that a little pay discrimination is ok too, not to mention a pat on the butt at work. After all, it's just the girls. They shouldn't be so sensitive about these things." ~ Dr. Martha Burk

"The opera ain't over till the fat lady sings." ~ Ralph Carpenter
When deciding whether or not a complaint of discrimination against Tucson Country Club is worth the time and effort, we considered and ask you to consider few pertinent items. There are bigger issues here that do impact our entire community, not just club members.

Many of the same people who believe that segregated dining and the denial of equal access to women is acceptable are many of the same people who employ and determine the wages of many of Tucson’s residents, including female residents. One could reasonably assume that the Men's Grill policy reflects their view of the value of women.At this time and place, this is not the most pressing issue our communities face, no doubt. More and more children are going to bed hungry. People are losing their businesses and jobs left and right. Our kids need equal access to safe quality public schools and more community involvement in them. Clearly there are more pressing matters and people deserving of our attention. However, discrimination should never be ignored and the effects of it are communitywide.

The deliberate subjugation of women, is simply unacceptable anywhere at any time. We urge people to avoid the trap of blaming the victims. For some it is easy to ignore or trivialize the plight of a few fortunate women, but realize as you marginalize them that you marginalize every person who is the victim of the economic effects of the Club's discriminatory practices and the discrimination it fosters throughout our community.

It is exactly the sort of tacit approval granted to Tucson Country Club by those who claim to be evolved, enlightened, or fair minded in town that leads to the development and acceptance of potentially discriminatory laws. We have essentially told Arizona leadership that they do not need to come up with creative, compassionate, and fair solutions to real problems because we just don't get that worked up about the unfair treatment of other people or we convince ourselves that the victims most definitely only get what they deserve.

We believe that the club is a public accomodation due to the leadership’s decision to rely on nonmember events to survive. If we believed otherwise, we certainly would not request the government's intervention. The decision of private or public is one for the courts, and not for the club or us. However, many non-members in Tucson have enjoyed events at the Club, and the Club has enjoyed that revenue.

"In the face of an obstacle which it is impossible to overcome, stubbornness is stupid." ~Simone de Beauvior

****
Dr. Martha Burk from the Huffington Post........

One More Black Eye for Arizona

We know Arizona has been in the news lately for it's "hunt-'em-down-and-make-'em-show-their-papers" law aimed at brown people, most of them also poor. Discrimination at its rawest.

Members of the genteel country club set are no doubt holding their noses and trying to ignore the stink the state's action has created around the country. Meanwhile, discrimination of another stripe continues on those hallowed golf greens. Both the Tucson Country Club and the Phoenix Country Club, sites of U.S. Open qualifying rounds this week and next, continue to discriminate against women in tee times and use of club facilities, some 60% of which are reserved for men only.

Yeah, I know they can't actually deport women, so many would say there's no comparison with the racial profiling that's bound to occur with the new anti-immigrant law. But women have been openly gender-profiled, and publicly declared second class citizens by both clubs. And by continuing to discriminate against women and telling the world "we do it because we can," as a former Tucson Country Club president said recently, they send a message that sex discrimination doesn't matter.

So what? It's only a game of golf, after all..... for the rest of the story go to the Huffington Post. I suggest you follow the link. You just might learn something about discrimination in our state laws and on our greens. All female athletes, all women for that matter and the men who value them should applaud Dr. Martha Burk for her efforts. More importantly, send this article to your politicians too.
“There has been resistance from lawyers because the rules contain a cultural change...” ~ Thomas Zlaket

"Your Honor, in an interview with a law publication, you stated that lawyers will resist new rules because they require a cultural change, well the change we are asking for has already been accepted by the surrounding society. The rest of society already thinks it is not okay to discriminate. This will only take a subcultural change." ~ L Hunnicutt"La Sangre se hereda y la virtud se aquista.” ~ Don Quixote

Changes In Attitudes

2010-01-31T08:07:00.000-08:00

A great article from Club and Resort Business

Mixed Grills with Great Results
by Erin Brereton (editor@clubandresortbusiness.com) January 2008

In the beginning, there were Men’s Grills and Main Grills. Then, as changes in the law led to changes in attitudes, the status of women in clubs was elevated, and memberships and use of club facilities began to skew toward families with younger children.

This quickly carried over into changes in the look and nature of clubs’ food and beverage formats, too. Men’s Grills became less the norm, and Mixed Grills gained in popularity. By including kids’ activities or creating broader menus that are pleasing to all ages, more clubs have been converting traditional, men’s only grills into rooms that can serve as central family gathering places and be more in step with changing times and emerging club cultures.

Designing or renovating a mixed grill so it will appeal to both genders and sometimes kids as well is no easy task, however. But many properties are finding unique and creative ways to re-mix their grill offerings for their now mixed memberships.

for the rest of the article....

Blogger's Note:
The idea that there are still country clubs that cling to their "right" to discriminate is still unbelievable to me. There are those who would rather cling to basic human decency and sound business practices. I have visited on occasion one of the country clubs highlighted in this article; it is very modern but still quite lovely. It feels "traditional", but is not out of touch. That club has always taken steps to meet the demands of membership and the surrounding community, as a result it remains very popular and a credit to its membership.

****

Why Fight it?

"When powerful people send the message that sex discrimination is no big deal, even at a golf club, it's a short leap to the idea that a little pay discrimination is ok too, not to mention a pat on the butt at work. After all, it's just the girls. They shouldn't be so sensitive about these things." ~ Dr. Martha Burk

When deciding whether or not a complaint of discrimination against Tucson Country Club is worth the time and effort, we considered and ask you to consider few pertinent items. There are bigger issues here that do impact our entire community, not just club members.

Many of the same people who believe that segregated dining and the denial of equal access to women is acceptable are many of the same people who employ and determine the wages of many of Tucson’s residents, including female residents. One could reasonably assume that the Men's Grill policy reflects their view of the value of women.At this time and place, this is not the most pressing issue our communities face, no doubt. More and more children are going to bed hungry. People are losing their businesses and jobs left and right. Our kids need equal access to safe quality public schools and more community involvement in them. Clearly there are more pressing matters and people deserving of our attention. However, discrimination should never be ignored and the effects of it are communitywide.

The deliberate subjugation of women, is simply unacceptable anywhere at any time. We urge people to avoid the trap of blaming the victims. For some it is easy to ignore or trivialize the plight of a few fortunate women, but realize as you marginalize them that you marginalize every person who is the victim of the economic effects of the Club's discriminatory practices and the discrimination it fosters throughout our community.

It is exactly the sort of tacit approval granted to Tucson Country Club by those who claim to be evolved, enlightened, or fair minded in town that leads to the development and acceptance of potentially discriminatory laws. We have essentially told Arizona leadership that they do not need to come up with creative, compassionate, and fair solutions to real problems because we just don't get that worked up about the unfair treatment of other people or we convince ourselves that the victims most definitely only get what they deserve.

We believe that the club is a public accomodation due to the leadership’s decision to rely on nonmember events to survive. If we believed otherwise, we certainly would not request the government's intervention. The decision of private or public is one for the courts, and not for the club or us. However, many non-members in Tucson have enjoyed events at the Club, and the Club has enjoyed that revenue.

"In the face of an obstacle which it is impossible to overcome, stubbornness is stupid." ~Simone de Beauvior

****

One More Black Eye for Arizona

We know Arizona has been in the news lately for it's "hunt-'em-down-and-make-'em-show-their-papers" law aimed at brown people, most of them also poor. Discrimination at its rawest.

Members of the genteel country club set are no doubt holding their noses and trying to ignore the stink the state's action has created around the country. Meanwhile, discrimination of another stripe continues on those hallowed golf greens. Both the Tucson Country Club and the Phoenix Country Club, sites of U.S. Open qualifying rounds this week and next, continue to discriminate against women in tee times and use of club facilities, some 60% of which are reserved for men only.

Yeah, I know they can't actually deport women, so many would say there's no comparison with the racial profiling that's bound to occur with the new anti-immigrant law. But women have been openly gender-profiled, and publicly declared second class citizens by both clubs. And by continuing to discriminate against women and telling the world "we do it because we can," as a former Tucson Country Club president said recently, they send a message that sex discrimination doesn't matter.

So what? It's only a game of golf, after all..... for the rest of the story go to the Huffington Post. I suggest you follow the link. You just might learn something about discrimination in our state laws and on our greens. All female athletes, all women for that matter and the men who value them should applaud Dr. Martha Burk for her efforts. More importantly, send this article to your politicians too.

“There has been resistance from lawyers because the rules contain a cultural change...” ~ Thomas Zlaket

"Your Honor, in an interview with a law publication, you stated that lawyers will resist new rules because they require a cultural change, well the change we are asking for has already been accepted by the surrounding society. The rest of society already thinks it is not okay to discriminate. This will only take a subcultural change." ~ L Hunnicutt"La Sangre se hereda y la virtud se aquista.” ~ Don Quixote

I Can't Say I Wasn't Warned

2010-01-14T17:17:00.000-08:00

There are so many aspects of the situation at the club to which we belong that I simply cannot understand. I believe it is the anachronistic nature of the issue that makes it all so unreal.

My Mother was an amazing woman. She was so amazing in fact, that some organization felt that her words were worthy enough to memorialize. There is one quote they missed however, "Oh Sweetie, be very careful, those people are just not very enlightened ....... they are just not civilized.”

I laughed, and assured her that things must have changed…… I was so wrong.

"For that little bird whisper in your ear "That's all very well but wait a year And we will join the big brass band And with our trumpet in our hand We will march in lockstep with the rest." ~Brecht, Mother Courage and Her Children

****

Why Fight it?

"When powerful people send the message that sex discrimination is no big deal, even at a golf club, it's a short leap to the idea that a little pay discrimination is ok too, not to mention a pat on the butt at work. After all, it's just the girls. They shouldn't be so sensitive about these things." ~ Dr. Martha Burk

When deciding whether or not a complaint of discrimination against Tucson Country Club is worth the time and effort, we considered and ask you to consider few pertinent items. There are bigger issues here that do impact our entire community, not just club members.

Many of the same people who believe that segregated dining and the denial of equal access to women is acceptable are many of the same people who employ and determine the wages of many of Tucson’s residents, including female residents. One could reasonably assume that the Men's Grill policy reflects their view of the value of women.At this time and place, this is not the most pressing issue our communities face, no doubt. More and more children are going to bed hungry. People are losing their businesses and jobs left and right. Our kids need equal access to safe quality public schools and more community involvement in them. Clearly there are more pressing matters and people deserving of our attention. However, discrimination should never be ignored and the effects of it are communitywide.

The deliberate subjugation of women, is simply unacceptable anywhere at any time. We urge people to avoid the trap of blaming the victims. For some it is easy to ignore or trivialize the plight of a few fortunate women, but realize as you marginalize them that you marginalize every person who is the victim of the economic effects of the Club's discriminatory practices and the discrimination it fosters throughout our community.

It is exactly the sort of tacit approval granted to Tucson Country Club by those who claim to be evolved, enlightened, or fair minded in town that leads to the development and acceptance of potentially discriminatory laws. We have essentially told Arizona leadership that they do not need to come up with creative, compassionate, and fair solutions to real problems because we just don't get that worked up about the unfair treatment of other people or we convince ourselves that the victims most definitely only get what they deserve.

We believe that the club is a public accomodation due to the leadership’s decision to rely on nonmember events to survive. If we believed otherwise, we certainly would not request the government's intervention. The decision of private or public is one for the courts, and not for the club or us. However, many non-members in Tucson have enjoyed events at the Club, and the Club has enjoyed that revenue.

"In the face of an obstacle which it is impossible to overcome, stubbornness is stupid." ~Simone de Beauvior

****

One More Black Eye for Arizona

We know Arizona has been in the news lately for it's "hunt-'em-down-and-make-'em-show-their-papers" law aimed at brown people, most of them also poor. Discrimination at its rawest.

Members of the genteel country club set are no doubt holding their noses and trying to ignore the stink the state's action has created around the country. Meanwhile, discrimination of another stripe continues on those hallowed golf greens. Both the Tucson Country Club and the Phoenix Country Club, sites of U.S. Open qualifying rounds this week and next, continue to discriminate against women in tee times and use of club facilities, some 60% of which are reserved for men only.

Yeah, I know they can't actually deport women, so many would say there's no comparison with the racial profiling that's bound to occur with the new anti-immigrant law. But women have been openly gender-profiled, and publicly declared second class citizens by both clubs. And by continuing to discriminate against women and telling the world "we do it because we can," as a former Tucson Country Club president said recently, they send a message that sex discrimination doesn't matter.

So what? It's only a game of golf, after all..... for the rest of the story go to the Huffington Post. I suggest you follow the link. You just might learn something about discrimination in our state laws and on our greens. All female athletes, all women for that matter and the men who value them should applaud Dr. Martha Burk for her efforts. More importantly, send this article to your politicians too.

“There has been resistance from lawyers because the rules contain a cultural change...” ~ Thomas Zlaket

"Your Honor, in an interview with a law publication, you stated that lawyers will resist new rules because they require a cultural change, well the change we are asking for has already been accepted by the surrounding society. The rest of society already thinks it is not okay to discriminate. This will only take a subcultural change." ~ L Hunnicutt"La Sangre se hereda y la virtud se aquista.” ~ Don Quixote

Deflect Sexism: Blaming the Victims

2009-12-26T19:57:00.000-08:00

"We are still working to cultivate a talent to deflect sexism and bring about a dialogue for success. We believe more men need to take a more active roll in helping to produce this change internally and hopefully reduce the threat of lawsuit or media involvement."

TCC Women's Advisory Council Chair 2009

How about working to cultivate a talent to REJECT sexism?

Many of the men of the club who were opposed to the Men's Grill felt that they had received mixed messages from those men and women who were attempting to closely control the discussions and actions of all parties involved. The Club's former attorney seemed to be an ethical opponent to the Men's Grill. Word was that he warned the club that a lawsuit was inevitable, but others sent signals to many men that they all might be wrong about the wrongness of segregation. I am not excusing anyone's inaction, just explaining the confusion and lack of clear leadership that led to the inaction.

Many felt that there is reason to believe that the the Club President, paid only lip service to an open grill. Afterall, it was he who pronounced in conciliation that, "we discriminate because we can." Many male opponents to the Men's Grill felt pity for him due to his constant whining about the "grill issue," and held back more vocal, permanent and meaningful opposition due to his assurances that the Board would soon vote to open the Men's Grill. In hindsight, his actions seem to have been nothing but stall tactics, used to allow him to leave the club's Presidency without the unacceptable mark of, "the man who lost the grill."
The idea that a former social worker and leader of the TCC Women's Advisory Council could, in this day and age still claim that women can deflect or attract sexism is the height of unprofessionalism and ignorance. The rest of the civilized world collectively stopped blaming victims a long long time ago. This does not paternalistically assume that women are not responsible for their actions, but that each of us as adults must accept responsibility for OUR actions and not those of others.

In resigning from the Club, we made the statement that despite the Club's insistance, we cannot hide behind a "contract" like so many others have, to absolve us of the guilt of discrimination. Contracts that promote anti-social behavior are unenforceable and well behaved men and women seldom make history.......

Updated:

Why Fight it?

"When powerful people send the message that sex discrimination is no big deal, even at a golf club, it's a short leap to the idea that a little pay discrimination is ok too, not to mention a pat on the butt at work. After all, it's just the girls. They shouldn't be so sensitive about these things." ~ Dr. Martha Burk

When deciding whether or not a complaint of discrimination against Tucson Country Club is worth the time and effort, we considered and ask you to consider few pertinent items. There are bigger issues here that do impact our entire community, not just club members.

Many of the same people who believe that segregated dining and the denial of equal access to women is acceptable are many of the same people who employ and determine the wages of many of Tucson’s residents, including female residents. One could reasonably assume that the Men's Grill policy reflects their view of the value of women.At this time and place, this is not the most pressing issue our communities face, no doubt. More and more children are going to bed hungry. People are losing their businesses and jobs left and right. Our kids need equal access to safe quality public schools and more community involvement in them. Clearly there are more pressing matters and people deserving of our attention. However, discrimination should never be ignored and the effects of it are communitywide.

The deliberate subjugation of women, is simply unacceptable anywhere at any time. We urge people to avoid the trap of blaming the victims. For some it is easy to ignore or trivialize the plight of a few fortunate women, but realize as you marginalize them that you marginalize every person who is the victim of the economic effects of the Club's discriminatory practices and the discrimination it fosters throughout our community.

It is exactly the sort of tacit approval granted to Tucson Country Club by those who claim to be evolved, enlightened, or fair minded in town that leads to the development and acceptance of potentially discriminatory laws. We have essentially told Arizona leadership that they do not need to come up with creative, compassionate, and fair solutions to real problems because we just don't get that worked up about the unfair treatment of other people or we convince ourselves that the victims most definitely only get what they deserve.

We believe that the club is a public accomodation due to the leadership’s decision to rely on nonmember events to survive. If we believed otherwise, we certainly would not request the government's intervention. The decision of private or public is one for the courts, and not for the club or us. However, many non-members in Tucson have enjoyed events at the Club, and the Club has enjoyed that revenue.

"In the face of an obstacle which it is impossible to overcome, stubbornness is stupid." ~Simone de Beauvior

****

One More Black Eye for Arizona

We know Arizona has been in the news lately for it's "hunt-'em-down-and-make-'em-show-their-papers" law aimed at brown people, most of them also poor. Discrimination at its rawest.

Members of the genteel country club set are no doubt holding their noses and trying to ignore the stink the state's action has created around the country. Meanwhile, discrimination of another stripe continues on those hallowed golf greens. Both the Tucson Country Club and the Phoenix Country Club, sites of U.S. Open qualifying rounds this week and next, continue to discriminate against women in tee times and use of club facilities, some 60% of which are reserved for men only.

Yeah, I know they can't actually deport women, so many would say there's no comparison with the racial profiling that's bound to occur with the new anti-immigrant law. But women have been openly gender-profiled, and publicly declared second class citizens by both clubs. And by continuing to discriminate against women and telling the world "we do it because we can," as a former Tucson Country Club president said recently, they send a message that sex discrimination doesn't matter.

So what? It's only a game of golf, after all..... for the rest of the story go to the Huffington Post. I suggest you follow the link. You just might learn something about discrimination in our state laws and on our greens. All female athletes, all women for that matter and the men who value them should applaud Dr. Martha Burk for her efforts. More importantly, send this article to your politicians too.

“There has been resistance from lawyers because the rules contain a cultural change...” ~ Thomas Zlaket

"Your Honor, in an interview with a law publication, you stated that lawyers will resist new rules because they require a cultural change, well the change we are asking for has already been accepted by the surrounding society. The rest of society already thinks it is not okay to discriminate. This will only take a subcultural change." ~ L Hunnicutt"La Sangre se hereda y la virtud se aquista.” ~ Don Quixote

Everyone Has an Opinion

2009-12-14T17:35:00.000-08:00

From the Arizona Daily Star

Letter to the Editors
Tucson, Arizona Published: 12.14.2009

What era is private club living in?
Re: the Dec. 6 story "Elite club is hit with civil-rights complaints."

I had to re-read the date on my Sunday paper. I thought I had stepped back in time when I read the story on Tucson Country Club and its discrimination of women! You have got to be kidding. I cannot believe anyone, anywhere, discriminates for anything, let alone being a woman.

What century is this? Where are the spouses of these men who discriminate? Is this the way they are treated at home too? This discrimination is so the "good old boys" can have a "fraternity" atmosphere. Grow up, guys, or hang out in one of the many bars on restaurant row. Your "fraternity" days are over.

Women should boycott any of the businesses owned by these "good old boys".

Matt Welch, Ph.D.
Tucson

Dear Dr. Welch,

I have asked the same questions about the spouses of some of these men. I cannot fathom what sort of harm this might do to the spouses over time.

I would join you in encouraging women and men to take a visible and economic stand.

***

Boys, it's time to cut out this nonsense

The attempts by the members of Tucson Country Club to frustrate women's equal access to all facilities have as much chance as sweeping back the tide with a broom

Eliminating public events so as to create the illusion of privacy not only will not exempt them, but will financially penalize the club

If this stonewall attitude continues they are going to wind up with government adopting an ordinance barring sexual discrimination in the most elite clubs and will see the club's social events picketed, as well as boycotts against the members' businesses. Instead of maintaining a waiting list, membership will be looked at unfavorably.

In Maine, both the state and the city denied a club a liquor license, holding the applicant to be not a "good citizen."

Interestingly, after the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that Rotary clubs had to take women as members in 1987, women joined and ultimately assumed positions of leadership and helped make the clubs much better

Alan J. Levenson
Retired attorney, SaddleBrooke

Mr. Levinson,

Thank you for making our argument for us. You have touched on every point the Club needs to consider.

***
Boys want to join girls' club, too
I also know what it's like to be discriminated against! Years ago, I wanted to join the Girl Scouts and they rejected my application because I was not of the female gender. After years, we settled on friendly terms.

Sadly, I have waited years for the all-women's private golf club to open so I could send in my pink application.

Clay White
Chief executive officer Oro Valley

Mr. White,

You have conveniently ignored the fact that Curves does not accept money from men. TCC accepts money from women and then denies them equal access.

Where are the letters from women? I do hope the women of this community recognize that while a country club issue may not be relevant to their lives, chauvenism is not acceptable anywhere it is found.

Not one letter from one woman???? Where are we????? I have to laugh every time someone claims that Tucson is the enlightened part of Arizona, but I guess it is all relative.

****

Why Fight it?

"When powerful people send the message that sex discrimination is no big deal, even at a golf club, it's a short leap to the idea that a little pay discrimination is ok too, not to mention a pat on the butt at work. After all, it's just the girls. They shouldn't be so sensitive about these things." ~ Dr. Martha Burk

When deciding whether or not a complaint of discrimination against Tucson Country Club is worth the time and effort, we considered and ask you to consider few pertinent items. There are bigger issues here that do impact our entire community, not just club members.

Many of the same people who believe that segregated dining and the denial of equal access to women is acceptable are many of the same people who employ and determine the wages of many of Tucson’s residents, including female residents. One could reasonably assume that the Men's Grill policy reflects their view of the value of women.At this time and place, this is not the most pressing issue our communities face, no doubt. More and more children are going to bed hungry. People are losing their businesses and jobs left and right. Our kids need equal access to safe quality public schools and more community involvement in them. Clearly there are more pressing matters and people deserving of our attention. However, discrimination should never be ignored and the effects of it are communitywide.

The deliberate subjugation of women, is simply unacceptable anywhere at any time. We urge people to avoid the trap of blaming the victims. For some it is easy to ignore or trivialize the plight of a few fortunate women, but realize as you marginalize them that you marginalize every person who is the victim of the economic effects of the Club's discriminatory practices and the discrimination it fosters throughout our community.

It is exactly the sort of tacit approval granted to Tucson Country Club by those who claim to be evolved, enlightened, or fair minded in town that leads to the development and acceptance of potentially discriminatory laws. We have essentially told Arizona leadership that they do not need to come up with creative, compassionate, and fair solutions to real problems because we just don't get that worked up about the unfair treatment of other people or we convince ourselves that the victims most definitely only get what they deserve.

We believe that the club is a public accomodation due to the leadership’s decision to rely on nonmember events to survive. If we believed otherwise, we certainly would not request the government's intervention. The decision of private or public is one for the courts, and not for the club or us. However, many non-members in Tucson have enjoyed events at the Club, and the Club has enjoyed that revenue.

"In the face of an obstacle which it is impossible to overcome, stubbornness is stupid." ~Simone de Beauvior

****

One More Black Eye for Arizona

We know Arizona has been in the news lately for it's "hunt-'em-down-and-make-'em-show-their-papers" law aimed at brown people, most of them also poor. Discrimination at its rawest.

Members of the genteel country club set are no doubt holding their noses and trying to ignore the stink the state's action has created around the country. Meanwhile, discrimination of another stripe continues on those hallowed golf greens. Both the Tucson Country Club and the Phoenix Country Club, sites of U.S. Open qualifying rounds this week and next, continue to discriminate against women in tee times and use of club facilities, some 60% of which are reserved for men only.

Yeah, I know they can't actually deport women, so many would say there's no comparison with the racial profiling that's bound to occur with the new anti-immigrant law. But women have been openly gender-profiled, and publicly declared second class citizens by both clubs. And by continuing to discriminate against women and telling the world "we do it because we can," as a former Tucson Country Club president said recently, they send a message that sex discrimination doesn't matter.

So what? It's only a game of golf, after all..... for the rest of the story go to the Huffington Post. I suggest you follow the link. You just might learn something about discrimination in our state laws and on our greens. All female athletes, all women for that matter and the men who value them should applaud Dr. Martha Burk for her efforts. More importantly, send this article to your politicians too.

"La Sangre se hereda y la virtud se aquista.” ~ Don Quixote

Update

2009-12-08T12:16:00.000-08:00

“So, let me get this straight. They are going to turn the animals away, so that they can treat the women like animals. What kind of animals are they?”

At the time that we were all awaiting the Board’s decision on the Men’s Grill issue, word had it that an annual party at the club to benefit the animal shelter was at risk. The rumor or threat depending on who and how the story was delivered, was that the Club would need to cancel the publicly attended “Putting on the Dog” event in the future. That’s bad enough. It gets worse. Not only would the Club be forced to turn animals away, it would be forced to turn kids away. We were told that the Club would have to discontinue the use of the facilities by young golfers from the University of Arizona in order to protect it from the whining women of the Club. The guilt campaign had begun. We all know that when you want to scare people into submission you threaten pets and kids. It should work every time.

When the message was delivered by someone who favored the Men’s Grill, it came across as, ‘If those hysterical women and whipped men cared about the animals so much they wouldn’t push the Men’s Grill issue. They are hurting their friends and man’s best friend. They should be ashamed of themselves.’ If the person telling you the story favored an open grill the rendition was, ‘If they valued their private status so much they would just start treating everyone equal and not risk the status or the event. They are hurting this entire community. They should be ashamed of themselves.’

Who really knows if this was a campaign or a legitimate concern?

It is nearly impossible to separate fact from manipulation at the Club, but let’s try. No one has ever wanted the Club to lose its private status, and that is a fact. The fact is that only the leadership of the club and the business decisions they have made have put the private status in jeopardy. This whole situation could have been easily and inexpensively addressed by accepting the fact that we no longer live in a world where it is okay to subjugate women. As a matter of fact, the rest of us have lived in that world awhile now.

UPDATE

Making a Clean Break

2009-12-04T08:53:00.000-08:00

"The earth is so wide, so beautiful, so full of wonderful places....... Don't you see that from every cherry-tree in the orchard, from every leaf and every trunk, men and women are gazing at you? If we're to start living in the present isn't it abundantly clear that we've first got to redeem our past and make a clean break with it? And we can only redeem it by suffering and getting down to real work for a change" ~ Anton Chekov --- The Cherry Orchard

Elite club is hit with civil-rights complaints

2 allege Tucson Country Club is bastion of men-only policies

By Tim Steller and Rhonda Bodfield Arizona Daily Star

Tucson Country Club promotes itself as a place "where history and tradition meet the future," but some members say the club still hasn't caught up with the present.Two members have filed civil-rights complaints with the Arizona Attorney General's Office, saying the club discriminates against women by having a "men's grill," men-only tee times and membership policies that favor men.By making their complaints, Nena Ashton and John Hunnicutt became the first to take a decades-old internal conflict outside the gates of the elite local club.The complaints were underlined by the recent experience a prominent local businesswoman said she had at the club.

About two months ago, Lisa Lovallo, the vice president in charge of the local Cox Communications office, was ejected from the men's grill after playing a round of golf at the club, she said.The conflict has higher stakes for those involved than outsiders to the country-club scene may realize. Taking the issue outside the club means raising animosities that can spoil the social and business benefits of belonging to a club that includes many well-known local families.Thomas Zlaket, the former chief justice of the Arizona Supreme Court and a recent member of the club's board, is representing Tucson Country Club in the dispute.

For the rest of the story........http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/320267

The Phoenix Country Club, the Men’s Grill, and Rusty Brown
By Sarah Fenske Published on March 17, 2009

Rusty Brown isn't your typical civil rights hero.

For starters, he's a white male. He's also a lawyer and a really good golfer: a six-time tournament champion at the Phoenix Country Club. (His handicap is a plus-2 — which tends to elicit gasps of envy from people who know about golf.)

So you're probably thinking Rusty Brown is your classic rich white male asshole, right?

Wrong.

Rusty Brown — golfer, lawyer, privileged white dude — is the sacrificial lamb in a very odd, very nasty battle.

For nearly three years, the Phoenix Country Club has roiled with tension over demands that it desegregate its casual-dining facilities. As recently as 2008, there was a Men's Grill and a much inferior Women's Grill at the PCC — and gender rules were strictly enforced at the door.

Brown thought that was wrong, and said so.

Eventually, his views were vindicated by no less than Attorney General Terry Goddard, whose office forced the club to open the Men's Grill to women. But Brown still got screwed.

Never mind that certain other club members acted like total jerks during the Men's Grill controversy — vandalizing the golf course, peeing into a complainant's locker, sending nasty e-mails — and never suffered punishment. Never mind that all Brown did was advocate, reasonably, for change. He was still booted from the club where he played golf for 18 years.

And here's the ultimate insult: Even though Brown paid roughly $50,000 for his stock in the club, the club sent him a refund of just $450 when it expelled him.

The Arizona Attorney General's Office recently found "reasonable cause" that Brown was a victim of unlawful retaliation.

You think?

Brown didn't want to talk to me about any of this. Believe it or not, I've been pestering him to go on the record since his expulsion last July. He's been reluctant because he's genuinely embarrassed to be complaining about his former country club at a time when hard-working Americans are losing their jobs.

But I kept after him, especially after I learned of the attorney general's determination in January that he'd been illegally retaliated against. The story intrigued me. I'm used to dealing with whistleblowers who are outsiders; Brown was the ultimate insider. And unlike most others who pushed for desegregated dining, Brown had no personal stake. He was already "in" at the better grill; his wife, a physician, doesn't hang out at the club.

And, as Brown confirmed when we finally sat down last week, he hardly knew the couple who originally complained to the AG, Logan and Barbara Van Sittert. He'd never met Barbara; he knew Logan well enough only to say "hi" on the golf course.

But Brown had his convictions. So when the Van Sitterts started raising hell, Brown's first thought was, "It's about time."

For the rest of the story................http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2009-03-19/news/the-phoeinx-country-club-the-men-s-grill-and-rusty-brown

****

Why fight it?

"When powerful people send the message that sex discrimination is no big deal, even at a golf club, it's a short leap to the idea that a little pay discrimination is ok too, not to mention a pat on the butt at work. After all, it's just the girls. They shouldn't be so sensitive about these things." ~ Dr. Martha Burk

"The opera ain't over till the fat lady sings." ~ Ralph Carpenter

When deciding whether or not a complaint of discrimination against Tucson Country Club is worth the time and effort, we considered and ask you to consider few pertinent items. There are bigger issues here that do impact our entire community, not just club members.

Many of the same people who believe that segregated dining and the denial of equal access to women is acceptable are many of the same people who employ and determine the wages of many of Tucson’s residents, including female residents. One could reasonably assume that the Men's Grill policy reflects their view of the value of women.At this time and place, this is not the most pressing issue our communities face, no doubt. More and more children are going to bed hungry. People are losing their businesses and jobs left and right. Our kids need equal access to safe quality public schools and more community involvement in them. Clearly there are more pressing matters and people deserving of our attention. However, discrimination should never be ignored and the effects of it are communitywide.

The deliberate subjugation of women, is simply unacceptable anywhere at any time. We urge people to avoid the trap of blaming the victims. For some it is easy to ignore or trivialize the plight of a few fortunate women, but realize as you marginalize them that you marginalize every person who is the victim of the economic effects of the Club's discriminatory practices and the discrimination it fosters throughout our community.

It is exactly the sort of tacit approval granted to Tucson Country Club by those who claim to be evolved, enlightened, or fair minded in town that leads to the development and acceptance of potentially discriminatory laws. We have essentially told Arizona leadership that they do not need to come up with creative, compassionate, and fair solutions to real problems because we just don't get that worked up about the unfair treatment of other people or we convince ourselves that the victims most definitely only get what they deserve.

We believe that the club is a public accomodation due to the leadership’s decision to rely on nonmember events to survive. If we believed otherwise, we certainly would not request the government's intervention. The decision of private or public is one for the courts, and not for the club or us. However, many non-members in Tucson have enjoyed events at the Club, and the Club has enjoyed that revenue..

"In the face of an obstacle which it is impossible to overcome, stubbornness is stupid." ~Simone de Beauvior

****

One More Black Eye for Arizona

We know Arizona has been in the news lately for it's "hunt-'em-down-and-make-'em-show-their-papers" law aimed at brown people, most of them also poor. Discrimination at its rawest.

Members of the genteel country club set are no doubt holding their noses and trying to ignore the stink the state's action has created around the country. Meanwhile, discrimination of another stripe continues on those hallowed golf greens. Both the Tucson Country Club and the Phoenix Country Club, sites of U.S. Open qualifying rounds this week and next, continue to discriminate against women in tee times and use of club facilities, some 60% of which are reserved for men only.

Yeah, I know they can't actually deport women, so many would say there's no comparison with the racial profiling that's bound to occur with the new anti-immigrant law. But women have been openly gender-profiled, and publicly declared second class citizens by both clubs. And by continuing to discriminate against women and telling the world "we do it because we can," as a former Tucson Country Club president said recently, they send a message that sex discrimination doesn't matter.

So what? It's only a game of golf, after all..... for the rest of the story go to the Huffington Post. I suggest you follow the link. You just might learn something about discrimination in our state laws and on our greens. All female athletes, all women for that matter and the men who value them should applaud Dr. Martha Burk for her efforts. More importantly, send this article to your politicians too.

“There has been resistance from lawyers because the rules contain a cultural change...” ~ Thomas Zlaket

"Your Honor, in an interview with a law publication, you stated that lawyers will resist new rules because they require a cultural change, well the change we are asking for has already been accepted by the surrounding society. The rest of society already thinks it is not okay to discriminate. This will only take a subcultural change." ~ L Hunnicutt

Dr. Martha Burk from the Huffington Post........"La Sangre se hereda y la virtud se aquista.” ~ Don Quixote

Thought for the day.....

2009-12-04T07:00:00.000-08:00

"He was born on third base and thought he hit a triple."

Ann Richards

****

Why Fight it?

"When powerful people send the message that sex discrimination is no big deal, even at a golf club, it's a short leap to the idea that a little pay discrimination is ok too, not to mention a pat on the butt at work. After all, it's just the girls. They shouldn't be so sensitive about these things." ~ Dr. Martha Burk

When deciding whether or not a complaint of discrimination against Tucson Country Club is worth the time and effort, we considered and ask you to consider few pertinent items. There are bigger issues here that do impact our entire community, not just club members.

Many of the same people who believe that segregated dining and the denial of equal access to women is acceptable are many of the same people who employ and determine the wages of many of Tucson’s residents, including female residents. One could reasonably assume that the Men's Grill policy reflects their view of the value of women.At this time and place, this is not the most pressing issue our communities face, no doubt. More and more children are going to bed hungry. People are losing their businesses and jobs left and right. Our kids need equal access to safe quality public schools and more community involvement in them. Clearly there are more pressing matters and people deserving of our attention. However, discrimination should never be ignored and the effects of it are communitywide.

The deliberate subjugation of women, is simply unacceptable anywhere at any time. We urge people to avoid the trap of blaming the victims. For some it is easy to ignore or trivialize the plight of a few fortunate women, but realize as you marginalize them that you marginalize every person who is the victim of the economic effects of the Club's discriminatory practices and the discrimination it fosters throughout our community.

It is exactly the sort of tacit approval granted to Tucson by those who claim to be evolved, enlightened, or fair minded in town that leads to the development and acceptance of potentially discriminatory laws. We have essentially told Arizona leadership that they do not need to come up with creative, compassionate, and fair solutions to real problems because we just don't get that worked up about the unfair treatment of other people or we convince ourselves that the victims most definitely only get what they deserve.

We believe that the club is a public accomodation due to the leadership’s decision to rely on nonmember events to survive. If we believed otherwise, we certainly would not request the government's intervention. The decision of private or public is one for the courts, and not for the club or us. However, many non-members in Tucson have enjoyed events at the Club, and the Club has enjoyed that revenue.

"In the face of an obstacle which it is impossible to overcome, stubbornness is stupid." ~Simone de Beauvior

****

Dr. Martha Burk from the Huffington Post........Country Club

One More Black Eye for Arizona

We know Arizona has been in the news lately for it's "hunt-'em-down-and-make-'em-show-their-papers" law aimed at brown people, most of them also poor. Discrimination at its rawest.

Members of the genteel country club set are no doubt holding their noses and trying to ignore the stink the state's action has created around the country. Meanwhile, discrimination of another stripe continues on those hallowed golf greens. Both the Tucson Country Club and the Phoenix Country Club, sites of U.S. Open qualifying rounds this week and next, continue to discriminate against women in tee times and use of club facilities, some 60% of which are reserved for men only.

Yeah, I know they can't actually deport women, so many would say there's no comparison with the racial profiling that's bound to occur with the new anti-immigrant law. But women have been openly gender-profiled, and publicly declared second class citizens by both clubs. And by continuing to discriminate against women and telling the world "we do it because we can," as a former Tucson Country Club president said recently, they send a message that sex discrimination doesn't matter.

So what? It's only a game of golf, after all..... for the rest of the story go to the Huffington Post. I suggest you follow the link. You just might learn something about discrimination in our state laws and on our greens. All female athletes, all women for that matter and the men who value them should applaud Dr. Martha Burk for her efforts. More importantly, send this article to your politicians too.

“There has been resistance from lawyers because the rules contain a cultural change...” ~ Thomas Zlaket

"Your Honor, in an interview with a law publication, you stated that lawyers will resist new rules because they require a cultural change, well the change we are asking for has already been accepted by the surrounding society. The rest of society already thinks it is not okay to discriminate. This will only take a subcultural change." ~ L Hunnicutt

"La Sangre se hereda y la virtud se aquista.” ~ Don Quixote

Kafka Rudely Interrupted

2009-12-02T21:26:00.000-08:00

Personal notes.........

"......That is very well put, said Candide, but we must go and work our garden."
Candide ---- Voltaire

I try very hard to avoid conversations, as they invariably devolve into wonk talk, so I write streams of consciousness and proceed to make no sense at all.

Ever since I returned to my hometown, I have tried to live a life based on the words of Candide and in strict accordance with the Serenity Prayer, adding in the whole Chief Joseph thing, "I will fight no more forever." I really wanted to try living the life of those who go blythly along with nary a care or deep thought, and a golf handicap.

Previously my life was spent taking care of an amazing son and involved in one social or political cause after another. Frequently I did not have dogs in the fight, but someone had to step up, and my folks raised me with the silly antiquated concepts of social responsibility, doing the right thing no matter the cost, and when that didn't work they appealed to vanity ---- noblesse oblige. At considerable personal cost, I fought hard against intolerance and ignorance for what seemed an eternity. I was ready for a break.

Prior to being asked to sign a petition, I don't recall even knowing that there was a MEN's Grill. I just really didn't pay much attention to the "club." This will shock some who can't exist outside the club, but it just wasn't my thing. I wanted to golf. As my husband always says, "golf is just a good way to ruin a nice walk in the park." We loved ruining a nice walk in the park everyday after work.

When I first got word of the club's tussle with the women, it hurt a little to do it, as it was so contrary to my nature, but I avoided their club meetings and tried to restrict my involvement to writing a few letters. I think it was the smugness with which they dismissed the petition from over two hundred members that just forced my husband and I right over the edge. We had enough. We tried to accept the things we knew we couldn't change, and no one can change some of these neanderthals. However, they left us with little choice.

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference."
A really smart human being

Last night's notes, head swimming.....

“As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect”

The Metamorphosis --- Franz Kafka

When nondescript man #2 struck the ever so sagacious pose and said something that sounded like, 'This is the root of the problem, over the years the issues have morphed,' I could not shake the thought of Gregor the salesman/giant beetle from my silly simple head. I sat there shaking my head not at the rest of his words, but the thought of Kafka’s beetle/cockroach. Coming too close to an analysis of the bourgeois as the beetle, I stopped quickly when I reminded myself that I am simply not qualified to engage in any level of literary analysis.

If you aren’t qualified to enter the Men’s Grill you surely are not qualified to discuss Kafka. Get real I thought to myself, go out tomorrow and buy a People magazine first thing. Finished, snap out of it, rejoin the surreal discussion.

When nondescript man #1 declared something along the lines of ‘We are a private club, and we discriminate because we can,’ the tone was set. Okie dokie, all righty then, no need to talk any more, I guess. I almost always guess wrong, darn it and I was wrong again. So we were going to talk and talk, and talk then posture, and posture, and posture until such a time as we were taught a lesson and fully understood the wrong headedness of our position. I think we are unteachable. They think so too. What would you expect, we are women, you know.

I wrote the above while my head was still spinning from the encounter. The encounter was so surreal and disturbing. The words coming out of peoples' mouths were unbelievable.

You know you don't stand a chance when the people with whom you are to engage in dialogue bring out fancy foamcore boards with soothing pastel renditions of their future "plans." They are not going to talk to change. They committed to their position a long long time ago, and they are just talking to you to give you and the public the impression that you stood a chance. Stall the peons one more time, impugn their motives and character, hire the nastiest lawyers money will buy, and eventually all will be well. Our civilization intact, thanks to the hard work of these self-sacrificing brilliant ---- or in my opinion ------ nondescript men.

P.S. I have recently discovered that my husband's comment about golf being a ruined walk in the park was not an original thought.

****

Why Fight it?

"When powerful people send the message that sex discrimination is no big deal, even at a golf club, it's a short leap to the idea that a little pay discrimination is ok too, not to mention a pat on the butt at work. After all, it's just the girls. They shouldn't be so sensitive about these things." ~ Dr. Martha Burk

When deciding whether or not a complaint of discrimination against Tucson Country Club is worth the time and effort, we considered and ask you to consider few pertinent items. There are bigger issues here that do impact our entire community, not just club members.

Many of the same people who believe that segregated dining and the denial of equal access to women is acceptable are many of the same people who employ and determine the wages of many of Tucson’s residents, including female residents. One could reasonably assume that the Men's Grill policy reflects their view of the value of women.At this time and place, this is not the most pressing issue our communities face, no doubt. More and more children are going to bed hungry. People are losing their businesses and jobs left and right. Our kids need equal access to safe quality public schools and more community involvement in them. Clearly there are more pressing matters and people deserving of our attention. However, discrimination should never be ignored and the effects of it are communitywide.

The deliberate subjugation of women, is simply unacceptable anywhere at any time. We urge people to avoid the trap of blaming the victims. For some it is easy to ignore or trivialize the plight of a few fortunate women, but realize as you marginalize them that you marginalize every person who is the victim of the economic effects of the Club's discriminatory practices and the discrimination it fosters throughout our community.

It is exactly the sort of tacit approval granted to Tucson by those who claim to be evolved, enlightened, or fair minded in town that leads to the development and acceptance of potentially discriminatory laws. We have essentially told Arizona leadership that they do not need to come up with creative, compassionate, and fair solutions to real problems because we just don't get that worked up about the unfair treatment of other people or we convince ourselves that the victims most definitely only get what they deserve.

We believe that the club is a public accomodation due to the leadership’s decision to rely on nonmember events to survive. If we believed otherwise, we certainly would not request the government's intervention. The decision of private or is one for the courts, and not for the club or us. However, many non-members in Tucson have enjoyed events at the Club, and the Club has enjoyed that revenue.

"In the face of an obstacle which it is impossible to overcome, stubbornness is stupid." ~Simone de Beauvior

****

Dr. Martha Burk from the Huffington Post........One More Black Eye for Arizona

We know Arizona has been in the news lately for it's "hunt-'em-down-and-make-'em-show-their-papers" law aimed at brown people, most of them also poor. Discrimination at its rawest.

Members of the genteel country club set are no doubt holding their noses and trying to ignore the stink the state's action has created around the country. Meanwhile, discrimination of another stripe continues on those hallowed golf greens. Both the Tucson Country Club and the Phoenix Country Club, sites of U.S. Open qualifying rounds this week and next, continue to discriminate against women in tee times and use of club facilities, some 60% of which are reserved for men only.

Yeah, I know they can't actually deport women, so many would say there's no comparison with the racial profiling that's bound to occur with the new anti-immigrant law. But women have been openly gender-profiled, and publicly declared second class citizens by both clubs. And by continuing to discriminate against women and telling the world "we do it because we can," as a former Tucson Country Club president said recently, they send a message that sex discrimination doesn't matter.

So what? It's only a game of golf, after all..... for the rest of the story go to the Huffington Post. I suggest you follow the link. You just might learn something about discrimination in our state laws and on our greens. All female athletes, all women for that matter and the men who value them should applaud Dr. Martha Burk for her efforts. More importantly, send this article to your politicians too.

“There has been resistance from lawyers because the rules contain a cultural change...” ~ Thomas Zlaket

"Your Honor, in an interview with a law publication, you stated that lawyers will resist new rules because they require a cultural change, well the change we are asking for has already been accepted by the surrounding society. The rest of society already thinks it is not okay to discriminate. This will only take a subcultural change." ~ L Hunnicutt

"La Sangre se hereda y la virtud se aquista.” ~ Don Quixote

In Our Book

2009-12-01T19:23:00.000-08:00

“He found that he could look back upon the brass and bombast of his earlier gospels and see them truly. He was gleeful when he discovered that he now despised them. With the conviction came a store of assurance. He felt a quiet manhood, nonassertive but of sturdy and strong blood…..He was a man.”

-----The Red Badge of Courage

It’s been said that the past few presidents of our club have wanted to integrate the Men’s Grill, but just can’t seem to get the support or votes of their fellow board members. We don’t buy that at all. If it is true, then they are simply the least effective human beings I have ever known. It's been said that the past few presidents of the club have not wanted to be the goat that lost the Men’s Grill. We have no doubt about that at all.

Presidential term after presidential term the subject of the Men’s Grill has been the bane of each president’s existence. Scrambling to excuse themselves from the big boy version of hot potato, they stall or bully in the hopes that eventually the membership will either tire of the subject or the real radicals will flee in revulsion.

When we first started writing letters and voicing complaints about the situation I received a "friendly" note from a member in which I was admonished that, "We are still working to cultivate a talent to deflect sexism and bring about a dialogue for success. We believe more men need to take a more active roll in helping to produce this change internally and hopefully reduce the threat of lawsuit or media involvement."

"Cultivate a talent to deflect sexism," hmmm, golly gee, gosh darn. I cannot imagine what those words are supposed to mean. I didn't know that one could attract sexism, and I am pleasantly surprised to discover that one can deflect it. However, it is not the sexism that is deflected in the end. What are deflected are the complaints, the "dialogues" about sexism. The strategy works like this; distract to deflect. Come up with politically correct sounding words strung together in meaningless phrases in such a way that the pretty little lambs are so busy trying to decipher the meaning that they are too distracted to “bring about a dialogue.” Was that clear? Or are you busy deciphering?

The general population in the year 2009 would not view the elimination of segregation as a negative. There are pockets around the country where integration of any type is still considered the work of the devil, they are small pockets filled with loose change. It is unfathomable to imagine that the person under whose watch the Men's Grill is segregated would be considered the “loser” unless of course he is leading a group of individuals who do not have all their teeth in their heads, all fingers on their hands, and revel in banjo music, not that there is anything wrong with those things, of course.

Do we want to be associated with a club where looking back on past attitudes to find them despicable is a sign of failure, where accepting the verdict of the vast majority of your members is considered weak, and destroying the value of membership to keep the right to destroy it makes economic sense? Who would judge the guy who integrates the facilities and gives women equal access to the services for which they pay a loser? We don’t know who those judges would be, but that leader would be a man.

Why Fight it?

"When powerful people send the message that sex discrimination is no big deal, even at a golf club, it's a short leap to the idea that a little pay discrimination is ok too, not to mention a pat on the butt at work. After all, it's just the girls. They shouldn't be so sensitive about these things." ~ Dr. Martha Burk

When deciding whether or not a complaint of discrimination against Tucson Country Club is worth the time and effort, we considered and ask you to consider few pertinent items. There are bigger issues here that do impact our entire community, not just club members.

Many of the same people who believe that segregated dining and the denial of equal access to women is acceptable are many of the same people who employ and determine the wages of many of Tucson’s residents, including female residents. One could reasonably assume that the Men's Grill policy reflects their view of the value of women.At this time and place, this is not the most pressing issue our communities face, no doubt. More and more children are going to bed hungry. People are losing their businesses and jobs left and right. Our kids need equal access to safe quality public schools and more community involvement in them. Clearly there are more pressing matters and people deserving of our attention. However, discrimination should never be ignored and the effects of it are communitywide.

The deliberate subjugation of women, is simply unacceptable anywhere at any time. We urge people to avoid the trap of blaming the victims. For some it is easy to ignore or trivialize the plight of a few fortunate women, but realize as you marginalize them that you marginalize every person who is the victim of the economic effects of the Club's discriminatory practices and the discrimination it fosters throughout our community.

It is exactly the sort of tacit approval granted to Tucson by those who claim to be evolved, enlightened, or fair minded in town that leads to the development and acceptance of potentially discriminatory laws. We have essentially told Arizona leadership that they do not need to come up with creative, compassionate, and fair solutions to real problems because we just don't get that worked up about the unfair treatment of other people or we convince ourselves that the victims most definitely only get what they deserve.

We believe that the club is a public accomodation due to the leadership’s decision to rely on nonmember events to survive. If we believed otherwise, we certainly would not request the government's intervention. The decision of private or is one for the courts, and not for the club or us. However, many non-members in Tucson have enjoyed events at the Club, and the Club has enjoyed that revenue.

"In the face of an obstacle which it is impossible to overcome, stubbornness is stupid." ~Simone de Beauvior

****

Dr. Martha Burk from the Huffington Post........One More Black Eye for Arizona

We know Arizona has been in the news lately for it's "hunt-'em-down-and-make-'em-show-their-papers" law aimed at brown people, most of them also poor. Discrimination at its rawest.

Members of the genteel country club set are no doubt holding their noses and trying to ignore the stink the state's action has created around the country. Meanwhile, discrimination of another stripe continues on those hallowed golf greens. Both the Tucson Country Club and the Phoenix Country Club, sites of U.S. Open qualifying rounds this week and next, continue to discriminate against women in tee times and use of club facilities, some 60% of which are reserved for men only.

Yeah, I know they can't actually deport women, so many would say there's no comparison with the racial profiling that's bound to occur with the new anti-immigrant law. But women have been openly gender-profiled, and publicly declared second class citizens by both clubs. And by continuing to discriminate against women and telling the world "we do it because we can," as a former Tucson Country Club president said recently, they send a message that sex discrimination doesn't matter.

So what? It's only a game of golf, after all..... for the rest of the story go to the Huffington Post. I suggest you follow the link. You just might learn something about discrimination in our state laws and on our greens. All female athletes, all women for that matter and the men who value them should applaud Dr. Martha Burk for her efforts. More importantly, send this article to your politicians too.

“There has been resistance from lawyers because the rules contain a cultural change...” ~ Thomas Zlaket

"Your Honor, in an interview with a law publication, you stated that lawyers will resist new rules because they require a cultural change, well the change we are asking for has already been accepted by the surrounding society. The rest of society already thinks it is not okay to discriminate. This will only take a subcultural change." ~ L Hunnicutt

"La Sangre se hereda y la virtud se aquista.” ~ Don Quixote

We started thinking………

2009-11-25T19:06:00.000-08:00

That is almost never a good thing.

The more defenses we hear of the men’s grill phenomenon, the creepier the whole concept gets. To watch a forty something year old explain to you, hands flailing, and in a shrill panicked voice that the Men’s Grill must remain the Men’s Grill because it has always been the Men’s Grill is just creepy. Then the women start defending it, and the creepiness is too much.

Stories of grown women hysterically calling other grown women in the middle of the night because as a result of their training to always accommodate, they thoughtlessly signed a petition to put an end to the Men’s Grill, but realize now after talking to their husbands just what a betrayal to the club that reckless act was, are just creepy.

Do these womblike clubs protect their denizens from the real world so completely that they have no idea what the norm is? It is as if they can’t comprehend that the majority of us do not and would not dream of segregated eating facilities. Devoid of unpleasant sights and sounds, the environs provide for their comfort and development, and defend them from the same environmental forces that promote evolutionary change. I am sorry, but the idea of adults in the womb is just creepy, dead on descriptive but really, really creepy. We might be grateful that they work so hard to isolate if that idea wasn't so creepy in itself.

The Men’s Grill is a tradition to some, and a nasty vile habit to others. To those of us who venture out every now and then, the traditions we keep are more…. you know…. more useful, functional, or some how worth our time and energy. I will leave a discussion of functionalism for another day.

What is so remarkable about the Men's Grill "tradition" is that it is ONLY a tradition. Much like many towns with sundown laws, the laws were not codified, they were understood. The penalty only implied, the rules communicated in whispered advisories or "kindly" warnings.

It is easy to understand why folks didn’t dare ignore the sun down laws. Fear for your physical safety will prevent most prohibited behaviors. If you’ve got two brain cells to rub together, you would probably choose to live to fight another day or in another way. Despite the paleolithic attitudes that justified discrimination for some, those who were the subjects of prejudice had far more than two brain cells to rub together. Often times they had far more brain cells to rub together than those who made the unwritten rules.

Makes you wonder if they remained unwritten because whoever could conceive them in the first place couldn’t write. Just a thought, I’m just asking……….

Of course for some modern day country clubs, the rules are unwritten so that they can change to accommodate those important enough to be accommodated. For example, if a family had an event that tied up every ballroom and dining area, the Men’s Grill could be open to women and men who were not invited to the event, but needed dining space during that one exceptional event. It would then revert to the Men’s Grill until such a time, as another important group needed a little bending of the rules.

Anyhoo, what then could explain the behavior of a bunch of supposedly well-educated well-heeled folks of superior power, who would submit themselves to unwritten rules without physical consequences, if they thought those rules were unfair or at least outdated? One could suppose that the social and financial loss that could result from not following the herd might be prohibitive. I wonder where we would be right now if some men and women in history had allowed the threat of inconvenient tee times, loss of an account or two, or being shunned during a mixer prevent them from taking a principled stand?

The actions of those who challenge men’s grills cannot be compared to freedom riders or anyone like them, if for no other reason among many other reasons, than the consequences are just silly. That being said, the people who wanted to preserve this tradition, played on the best qualities of their fellow members; their loyalty and spirit of cooperation and community. When that didn't work, they just intimidated them.

We just started thinking...............

****

Why Fight it?

"When powerful people send the message that sex discrimination is no big deal, even at a golf club, it's a short leap to the idea that a little pay discrimination is ok too, not to mention a pat on the butt at work. After all, it's just the girls. They shouldn't be so sensitive about these things." ~ Dr. Martha Burk

When deciding whether or not a complaint of discrimination against Tucson Country Club is worth the time and effort, we considered and ask you to consider few pertinent items. There are bigger issues here that do impact our entire community, not just club members.

Many of the same people who believe that segregated dining and the denial of equal access to women is acceptable are many of the same people who employ and determine the wages of many of Tucson’s residents, including female residents. One could reasonably assume that the Men's Grill policy reflects their view of the value of women.At this time and place, this is not the most pressing issue our communities face, no doubt. More and more children are going to bed hungry. People are losing their businesses and jobs left and right. Our kids need equal access to safe quality public schools and more community involvement in them. Clearly there are more pressing matters and people deserving of our attention. However, discrimination should never be ignored and the effects of it are communitywide.

The deliberate subjugation of women, is simply unacceptable anywhere at any time. We urge people to avoid the trap of blaming the victims. For some it is easy to ignore or trivialize the plight of a few fortunate women, but realize as you marginalize them that you marginalize every person who is the victim of the economic effects of the Club's discriminatory practices and the discrimination it fosters throughout our community.

It is exactly the sort of tacit approval granted to Tucson by those who claim to be evolved, enlightened, or fair minded in town that leads to the development and acceptance of potentially discriminatory laws. We have essentially told Arizona leadership that they do not need to come up with creative, compassionate, and fair solutions to real problems because we just don't get that worked up about the unfair treatment of other people or we convince ourselves that the victims most definitely only get what they deserve.

We believe that the club is a public accomodation due to the leadership’s decision to rely on nonmember events to survive. If we believed otherwise, we certainly would not request the government's intervention. The decision of private or is one for the courts, and not for the club or us. However, many non-members in Tucson have enjoyed events at the Club, and the Club has enjoyed that revenue.

"In the face of an obstacle which it is impossible to overcome, stubbornness is stupid." ~Simone de Beauvior

****

Dr. Martha Burk from the Huffington Post........One More Black Eye for Arizona

We know Arizona has been in the news lately for it's "hunt-'em-down-and-make-'em-show-their-papers" law aimed at brown people, most of them also poor. Discrimination at its rawest.

Members of the genteel country club set are no doubt holding their noses and trying to ignore the stink the state's action has created around the country. Meanwhile, discrimination of another stripe continues on those hallowed golf greens. Both the Tucson Country Club and the Phoenix Country Club, sites of U.S. Open qualifying rounds this week and next, continue to discriminate against women in tee times and use of club facilities, some 60% of which are reserved for men only.

Yeah, I know they can't actually deport women, so many would say there's no comparison with the racial profiling that's bound to occur with the new anti-immigrant law. But women have been openly gender-profiled, and publicly declared second class citizens by both clubs. And by continuing to discriminate against women and telling the world "we do it because we can," as a former Tucson Country Club president said recently, they send a message that sex discrimination doesn't matter.

So what? It's only a game of golf, after all..... for the rest of the story go to the Huffington Post. I suggest you follow the link. You just might learn something about discrimination in our state laws and on our greens. All female athletes, all women for that matter and the men who value them should applaud Dr. Martha Burk for her efforts. More importantly, send this article to your politicians too.
“There has been resistance from lawyers because the rules contain a cultural change...” ~ Thomas Zlaket

"Your Honor, in an interview with a law publication, you stated that lawyers will resist new rules because they require a cultural change, well the change we are asking for has already been accepted by the surrounding society. The rest of society already thinks it is not okay to discriminate. This will only take a subcultural change." ~ L Hunnicutt

"La Sangre se hereda y la virtud se aquista.” ~ Don Quixote

One more time.......... ad naseum if need be

2009-11-25T12:46:00.000-08:00

While a majority of club members support ending old discriminatory practices, a small group seems dedicated to the belief that they have the right keep the ladies off the grass and out of their hangout.

Over two hundred members signed a petition to change the Men's Grill to an open grill. How can just a few individuals keep a fine organization from progressing? The few members of this club with these prehistoric positions have fought in every way available to them.

To paraphrase Rusty Brown, the discrimination of women is not a fine tradition, it is just a very bad habit.

One member writes us...... continued

2009-11-23T20:43:00.000-08:00

Previously: First Installment

Second Installment

What goes through the young bride’s mind? I don’t know. I can’t even imagine. I do know what would have gone through mine, and I know with some certainty it would have sounded something like this, “You have got to be joking. I will not be excused, and there is no excuse for a Men’ Grill.” I can write that now, in this time and place, but for women like my Mom, it might not have been so reflexive and absolute. No, that’s wrong. For women like my Mom it would have been reflexive but beautifully executed. The recipient would have preferred to be executed rather than endure my Mother’s silent scorn. Unfortunately for so many other young brides in my Mother’s generation, they would have demurely excused themselves. What did they learn about their value and their place?

What goes through the mind of the twelve year old boy who watches as a woman is asked to leave the Men's Grill? Do all women suddenly lose some status subliminally for him? Does he take that vision throughout his life and apply it to his friends, girlfriends, employees, and employers? Does he learn to sit idly but gentlemanly with his linen napkin on his lap while injustice occurs? What are we teaching him?

How does a twelve year old witness to discrimination, process this exchange? In one minute he encountered every discomfort of dissonance imaginable. He watched as his admired teachers, doctors, nurses, counselors, coaches and providers became less important, less credible, and less safe. The discomfort is fleeting. The loss of faith can be life long; the damage incalculable.

What about the twenty something waiter who was assigned the task of telling the woman that although he is very sorry, she must leave the Men’s Grill? The young man is working his way through school, prides himself on his principles, and just wants to get through another shift and back to the library so that some day he can belong to a “club”. He is sent out to do the dirty work of a bunch of thuggish Neanderthals, and their lackey club manager/henchman who take satisfaction in reminding anyone and everyone that they are in charge. Don’t you forget it.

That kid won’t forget it, and every time he has to talk to his Mom, his girlfriend, his friends, study partners, and fellow workers, he might feel the sting of shame. It is not his shame, or it shouldn’t be anyway. It is the shame of the guys who won’t take it, won’t own it, and remind him daily that that is why he gets the big bucks. I know it is cliché, but here goes, they are chauvinistic pigs, and it is his job to serve up the slop. The sting remains, the damage incalculable.

To be continued…………

2009-11-23T15:15:00.000-08:00

Previously posted..........

I asked them ever so politely and with the utmost respect, “If I wear a burqa can I enter the MEN’S Grill?” They didn’t respond. I wrote a few letters, attempting humor in some, and all sobriety in others. They didn’t respond. They were the small child who believes that when an object disappears from their sight, the object ceases to exist. “Hurry, cover your eyes, Gentleman, and she will vaporize.”

I am happily married to a man who not only knows women exist, but he recognizes that their existence enhances his. He never fights my battles for me. He tends to get just a little testy on those rare occasions, three times so far to be exact, when men come to him about his wife’s unruly behavior. He has rejected counseling by those men who tell him that he needs to get control of the little woman and have a talk with her about this comment or that action she took that they found to be hysterical, unreasonable, unkind, the product of hormonal insanity that must be quickly medicated away.

Then there are those other guys; the ones who know how to treat women. They know where those women belong and when they should be heard. Then there are still other men who respect women, value their opinion and presence, but just not quite enough to take a principled stand because what would the other boys think? “For goodness sake, Ethel, we will loose our friends. All of your girlfriends won’t be there for you any more, and besides you don’t really want to be around all those stinky swearing farting men do you?”The men are not the only players in this game. You do know that the women either passively or actively participate in this, right?

Forty years, thirty years, twenty years, ten years, a week ago some woman agreed to play along. You never know how much choice they had in entering the agreement, but it happened. Can you imagine what went through the mind of the young bride of an up and coming doctor, lawyer, and entrepreneur when in the course of their tour of the “Club” the tour guide asked her if the “gentlemen” could be excused as they came upon the Men’s Grill for inspection? I can’t, and when I try, my head starts to hurt. But here goes.

TO BE CONTINUED.................

What goes through the mind of the twelve year old boy who watches a woman asked to leave the the Men's Grill? Do all women suddenly lose some status subliminaly for him? Does he take that vision throughout his life and apply it to his friends, girlfriends, employees, and employers? Does he learn to sit idly but gentlemanly with his linen napkin on his lap while injustice occurs? What are we teaching him?

How does a twelve year old witness to discrimination process this exchange. In one minute he encountered every discomfort of dissonance. He watched as his teachers, doctors, nurses, counselors, coaches and providers become less important, less credible, less safe. The discomfort is fleeting. The loss of faith can be life long. The damage untold, incalculable.

Vast Majority of Members Oppose Men Only Grill

2009-11-22T12:42:00.000-08:00

TCC is one club that is experiencing the growing pains of evolution. While a majority of members support ending old discriminatory practices, a small group seems dedicated to the belief that they have the right keep the ladies off the grass and out of their hangout.

Over two hundred members signed a petition to change the Men's Grill to an open grill. How can just a few individuals keep a fine organization such as TCC from progressing? The few members of this club with these prehistoric positions have fought in every way available to them.

What gives this mysogynistic minority the right to devalue the reputation of the club and thus the value of membership? To paraphrase Rusty Brown, the discrimination of women is not a fine TCC tradition, it is just a very bad habit. What is your view? We would like to know..........

******

When deciding whether or not a complaint of discrimination against Tucson Country Club is worth the time and effort, we considered and ask you to consider few pertinent items. There are bigger issues here that do impact our entire community, not just club members.

Many of the same people who believe that segregated dining and the denial of equal access to women is acceptable are many of the same people who employ and determine the wages of many of Tucson’s residents, including female residents. One could reasonably assume that the Men's Grill policy reflects their view of the value of women.At this time and place, this is not the most pressing issue our communities face, no doubt. More and more children are going to bed hungry. People are losing their businesses and jobs left and right. Our kids need equal access to safe quality public schools and more community involvement in them. Clearly there are more pressing matters and people deserving of our attention. However, discrimination should never be ignored and the effects of it are communitywide.

The deliberate subjugation of women, is simply unacceptable anywhere at any time. We urge people to avoid the trap of blaming the victims. For some it is easy to ignore or trivialize the plight of a few fortunate women, but realize as you marginalize them that you marginalize every person who is the victim of the economic effects of the Club's discriminatory practices and the discrimination it fosters throughout our community.

It is exactly the sort of tacit approval granted to Tucson Country Club by those who claim to be evolved, enlightened, or fair minded in town that leads to the development and acceptance of potentially discriminatory laws. We have essentially told Arizona leadership that they do not need to come up with creative, compassionate, and fair solutions to real problems because we just don't get that worked up about the unfair treatment of other people or we convince ourselves that the victims most definitely only get what they deserve.

We believe that the club is a public accomodation due to the leadership’s decision to rely on nonmember events to survive. If we believed otherwise, we certainly would not request the government's intervention. The decision of private or public is one for the courts, and not for the club or us. However, many non-members in Tucson have enjoyed events at the Club, and the Club has enjoyed that revenue.

"In the face of an obstacle which it is impossible to overcome, stubbornness is stupid." ~Simone de Beauvior

Taken from the blog "Country Clubs Still Discriminate"

2009-11-21T13:46:00.000-08:00

Ladies, Please Keep Off the Grass

You read it here, in a blog for goodness sake, written in the year 2009. Women must keep off the grass.

Had the boys NOT managed their clubs in the same fashion as AIG, they would have held onto the long tradition of discrimination at least a few more years. Now, they find themselves in the same boat as our bailed out bank buddies, autonomy manifested in Wall Street conferences in Florence and las Vegas go the way of prime tee times, burping, farting, and swearing in the MEN's Grill. When you survive on the public and the income from their events rather than membership fees and dues alone, you must play by the same rules as the peons.

I know, I understand, it is just so unfair. After all, you only had a few swim clubs use the new pool, and the school golf teams were uninvited as soon as you knew they might screw up your "private" status, what is a poor guy supposed to do, you ask?

You might start with the acceptance that you lost your privilege to discriminate as soon as you screwed up the course so badly, that members fled in haste. I have heard that acceptance is the first step in recovery, so how 'bout you come to terms with the fact that there are far more impressive courses available. It is tough, but there is life outside of the bubble and some of the courses in town do not have sand traps that flood daily. Some courses don't need to paint their fairways.

Brace yourself; the next statement will shock you. You may have had to resort to holding public events because, now get ready..... are you ready? Membership might have fallen, I'm just saying,..... it might have decreased, here we go..... because women,... now I told you this will hurt, but be strong,.... women will no longer agree to using their households' funds for services they can't use. Silly creatures. Gotta love 'em, but boy do they aggravate. They now expect to get something for their hard earned money.

What has this world come to? Civilization is lost. I tell ya, do you hear the sucking sound? We are circling the drain when men have to share their grills with girls.

One club member reminds us.........

2009-11-19T06:20:00.000-08:00

One club that is experiencing the growing pains of evolution, is comprised mostly of people opposed to the archaic Men's Grill practice. Over two hundred members signed a petition to change the Men's Grill to an open grill.

A select few men, who seem to be convinced that they can turn their domain into the Augusta of the west fight tooth and nail against the majority and seem to win over and over again. In my opinion, and this is ONLY MY OPINION, the majority are paying for the delusions of a few. These "Clan of the Bear Cave" members need to come to terms with reality.

Their club will never be and should never be an Augusta equivalent. If you want Augusta, move to Georgia. Our community is a modern desert haven where golf can be played all year round, and traditions of prejudice and discrimination were never really firmly established in the first place.

Another Commentor writes...

2009-11-18T13:02:00.000-08:00

"I heard that the member dignitaries have just decided to be served outside where the women eat when they are not dressed for the dining rooms. It is their lame protest. Now, if they took their lounge chairs and sat down blocking the doors of the Men's Grill THAT would be protest. Being served outside in the Fall weather in Tucson doesn't amount to a sit in."

One poster writes...

2009-11-17T08:55:00.000-08:00

"Excuse me but do you realize how demeaning and derogatory it is to those Neanderthals to be associated with the club … next thing you’ll be telling me is it is so easy to join XXX even a caveman could do it! How insensitive!

The Law:

2009-11-17T05:55:00.000-08:00

On the Side of Economic Common Sense

According to an article at thefreelibrary.com :

.........As demonstrated by the forthcoming discussion of recent lawsuits where members challenged the allegedly discriminatory policies of their club, today courts appear more likely to rule that private clubs are subject to the anti-discrimination laws of their state. In fact, in several recent lawsuits where clubs appealed the trial court's ruling that their club policies were discriminatory, they did not even challenge the court's ruling that the club was not a place of public accommodation.

Over the past decade, the preferential availability of weekend tee-times for male members has been a frequent source of litigation, perhaps in part because the practice is relatively common. For example, in 1998, five female members of Bear Hill Golf Club, located in Stoneham, MA, sued the club over its practice of conducting men's tournaments on weekends, while the club held women's tournaments exclusively on weekdays. Plaintiffs, who worked during the week, were unable to participate in the women's tournaments. The court held that Bear Hill was a place of public accommodation under the Massachusetts anti-discrimination law. In reaching this decision, the court noted that the club was not selective in its admission of new members as demonstrated by the fact it had not rejected a single applicant from 1991 to 1994; Bear Hill allowed non-members to use its facilities such as the local high school golf team, the Rotary Club, and it even held public tournaments; and the club advertised the availability of its banquet service to the fee-paying public. Since it was a place of public accommodation, the court ruled that the club was liable to plaintiffs for gender-based discrimination with respect to golf course availability.

The recent dispute between Mary Murray provides another example of a lawsuit regarding weekend tee-times. In 2003, Murray, who was on Framingham's membership waiting list, sued the club alleging the club's rules favored men on the club's waiting list, and, therefore, were contrary to Massachusetts' anti-discrimination law. Framingham's rules dictated that a person who was on the wait list for golf membership could play golf once per calendar month, Monday through Friday. However, the club also allowed these individuals to play in tournaments. Murray argued that because the club held men's tournaments on weekends and women's tournaments on weekdays, Framingham's rules gave men on the wait list preferential treatment. In June of 2005, the court decided that Murray's complaint stated a claim sufficient to send to a jury, and rejected Framingham's motion to dismiss the case. In deciding to leave the question of whether the club was a place of public accommodation up to the jury, the court emphasized that only two applicants had been rejected for membership over the past ten years, the club's website solicited memberships from the public and advertised tournaments that are open to the public, and the club occasionally allowed public functions to be held on its property. Murray and Framingham settled the case on April 19, 2006, the day before trial was scheduled, for $262,000.

Men's-only dining facilities, an amenity found in many private golf clubs, have also sparked litigation in recent years. In 2004, the Louisiana Supreme Court considered the issue of whether Southern Trace Country Club was in contravention of Louisiana's anti-discrimination law by virtue of having a men's-only grill. Southern Trace's clubhouse featured a general dining area known as the "Azalea Grill," a men's-only eating area adjacent to but separated by a hall from the men's locker room known as the "Men's Grille," and a smaller food service area adjacent to but separate from the women's locker room known as the "Ladies' Card Room." The Men's Grille was the only restaurant facility open on Sundays.

On April 11, 2000, four female members of Southern Trace filed suit against the club after one of the plaintiffs and a female guest were denied service by the Men's Grille on a Sunday afternoon. The trial court rejected Southern Trace's contention that, as a private club, it was not subject to Louisiana's anti-discrimination law, noting that the club was owned and managed by for-profit corporations, the history of the club was simply an effort to provide a desired product for a fee to make a profit, and the club facilities were routinely used by non-members. However, the trial court also held that having separate dining facilities for men and women in the vicinity of locker rooms did not constitute discrimination. Rather, these amenities were simply the product of "economic and competitive market factors."

The only issue on appeal was whether Southern Trace committed gender-based discrimination by refusing to serve women in the Men's Grille, because Southern Trace did not contest that it was a place of public accommodation. The court of appeals reversed the trial court, stating that "male preference in a public club can never be an appropriate objective by which to justify discrimination." The Supreme Court finally put the matter to rest when it affirmed the court of appeals decision, reasoning that gender-based segregation in a place of public accommodation was, by definition, a discriminatory practice. The Supreme Court summarized this reasoning by stating: "Louisiana women work side by side with men in the courtrooms, operating rooms and boardrooms. There is no reason.... they should still be excluded from country club dining rooms that are deemed to be public accommodations."

TCC the Place Where 20th Century Prices and Attitudes Still Exist

2009-11-15T11:35:00.000-08:00

So, what should the new slogan for these clubs be? How about, "The place where 20th century prices and attitudes still exist. Come visit us and live in the past."
Power brokers/members make polite but ineffective attempts to change discrimination policies. This much "power" should have be able to do more to put a stop to this discrimination.There are people who have all the power, time, and money to change these practices.These powers that be have been able to keep their clubs exempt from the same taxes and restrictions the rest of us abide, but they are not powerful enough to bring their clubs into the 21st century. Now, the value of clubs' membership appears to have fallen to prices early century prices, not this last one, the one before....

At least someone had the guts to come forward.....

2009-11-14T18:16:00.000-08:00

The most common excuse for doing nothing but pay lip service was that any action would devalue membership. One member asked, "How can we hurt our friends that way? If anyone finds out, or if someone files suit our friends will suffer" all in the same breath that they talked of how demeaning it has been over the years to fight over the Men's Girll. The sad truth is that their discriminatory practices may have driven the value of membership down. Who knows? One club President bragged in a recent news letter, something to the effect that he couldn't believe just how cheap it was to become a member of his club. One member states that he bought his membership for approximately $20,000 and now they are selling for around $5000. The stewards of this asset do not seem to have done a very responsible job.

Has your membership has lost its value due to discriminatory practices?

Some made a half hearted try..... but failed

2009-11-14T16:36:00.001-08:00

The most common reason for doing nothing was that any action would devalue membership. One member asked, "How can we hurt our friends that way? If anyone finds out, or if someone files suit our friends will suffer." The sad truth is that their lame excuses have driven the value of membership down. One club President bragged in a recent news letter, something to the effect that he couldn't believe just how cheap it was to become a member of his club. The stewards of this asset sure have not done a very responsible job.
Meanwhile membership values fall through the floor. Let us know if your membership has lost its value due to discriminatory practices........

One member writes us...............

2009-11-14T16:26:00.000-08:00

I asked them ever so politely and with the utmost respect, “If I wear a burqa can I enter the MEN’S Grill?” They didn’t respond. I wrote a few letters, attempting humor in some, and all sobriety in others. They didn’t respond. They were the small child who believes that when an object disappears from their sight, the object ceases to exist. “Hurry, cover your eyes, Gentleman, and she will vaporize.”

I am happily married to a man who not only knows women exist, but he recognizes that their existence enhances his. He never fights my battles for me. He tends to get just a little testy on those rare occasions, three times so far to be exact, when men come to him about his wife’s unruly behavior. He has rejected counseling by those men who tell him that he needs to get control of the little woman and have a talk with her about this comment or that action she took that they found to be hysterical, unreasonable, unkind, the product of hormonal insanity that must be quickly medicated away.

Then there are those other guys; the ones who know how to treat women. They know where those women belong and when they should be heard. Then there are still other men who respect women, value their opinion and presence, but just not quite enough to take a principled stand because what would the other boys think? “For goodness sake, Ethel, we will loose our friends. All of your girlfriends won’t be there for you any more, and besides you don’t really want to be around all those stinky swearing farting men do you?”

The men are not the only players in this game. You do know that the women either passively or actively participate in this, right? Forty years, thirty years, twenty years, ten years, a week ago some woman agreed to play along. You never know how much choice they had in entering the agreement, but it happened. Can you imagine what went through the mind of the young bride of an up and coming doctor, lawyer, and entrepreneur when in the course of their tour of the “Club” the tour guide asked her if the “gentlemen” could be excused as they came upon the Men’s Grill for inspection? I can’t, and when I try, my head starts to hurt. But here goes.

TO BE CONTINUED.................

Not so much has changed...........

2009-11-14T13:29:00.000-08:00

Golfer Wade Morris says he's a victim of religious discrimination
By Jill Painter, Staff Writer 02/09/2011 07:38:56 PM PST

SUNLAND - Five women stood on the sidewalk just outside Angeles National Golf Club on Wednesday morning with rally signs and Israeli flags.

One sign read: "Where's Wade Morris?"

The small group was protesting the absence of golfer Morris, a former driving range manager at Angeles National, from the PGA Tour qualifying event there for the Northern Trust Open.

Angeles National was one of the Southern California courses where golfers had the opportunity to play in a qualifier for next week's professional event at Riviera Country Club.

Brenda Morris, Wade's mother, held the sign questioning his whereabouts. Last year, Morris - who is Jewish - filed a discrimination complaint against Angeles National before the qualifying tournament. His attorney, Ann Hull, said he was told he could not play at the course, which was used as a qualifying event by the PGA.

For the rest of the story click here.

“In the end antiblack, antifemale, and all forms of discrimination are equivalent to the same thing - antihumanism.” ~ Shirley Chisholm

“Prejudice, not being founded on reason, cannot be removed by argument” ~ Samuel Johnson

_________________________

Elaine Joyce wins golf discrimination suit

Elaine Joyce, champion amateur golfer has been awarded $15,000 by a jury in the federal discrimination suit she filed because she was denied a chance to play in a men’s tournament at a public course. Joyce has a single-digit handicap and has won multiple tournaments.

Her goal wasn’t financial, but ending gender discrimination at public courses. However, the golf world is minimizing the importance of her victory in their continuing attempt to marginalize women in the sport. They are focusing on the monetary award amount which was much less than she sought.

It was a major victory for women in the sport. Joyce sued the town of Dennis after she was told she couldn’t partner with her father in a 2007 men’s tournament at the Dennis Pines Golf Course.

_________________________________

University of Minnesota discrimination lawsuit: Harris resigns, women give testimony

Gopher’s Golf Director Resigns Amid Lawsuit
CBS Minnesota

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The golf director at the University of Minnesota accused of firing a coach because she’s lesbian is resigning. The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports John Harris is leaving effective July 1.
For the rest of the article click here.

In suit by lesbian U golf coach, claims of bias are met with denials
By Brian Murphy 07/01/2011

Two University of Minnesota women's golfers have testified that swing instructor Ernie Rose told them last fall that former golf director John Harris considered sexual orientation when hiring assistant coach Kathryn Brenny and prohibited her from staying with the team on the road after learning she was lesbian - an accusation Rose and Harris explicitly deny. For the rest of the article click here.

Many of the same people who believe that segregated dining and the denial of equal access to women is acceptable are many of the same people who employ and determine the wages of many of people, including females. One could reasonably assume that segregated dining reflects their view of the value of women.At this time and place, this is not the most pressing issue our communities face, no doubt. More and more children are going to bed hungry. People are losing their businesses and jobs left and right. Our kids need equal access to safe quality public schools and more community involvement in them. Clearly there are more pressing matters and people deserving of our attention. However, discrimination should never be ignored and the effects of it are communitywide.

The deliberate subjugation of women, is simply unacceptable anywhere at any time. We urge people to avoid the trap of blaming the victims. For some it is easy to ignore or trivialize the plight of a few fortunate women, but realize as you marginalize them that you marginalize every person who is the victim of the economic effects of the Club's discriminatory practices and the discrimination it fosters throughout our community.

It is exactly the sort of tacit approval granted to gentlemen at country clubs by those who claim to be evolved, enlightened, or fair minded in town that leads to the development and acceptance of potentially discriminatory laws.

"In the face of an obstacle which it is impossible to overcome, stubbornness is stupid." ~Simone de Beauvior

2009-10-16T22:45:00.001-07:00

Tell us your discrimination story

Everyone has heard a story or two about Men's Grills and the treatment of men and women who don't abide by the rules. Sooner or later these incidents take a toll and damage the value of memberships. Let's be honest here, everyone knows the little secret called Men's Grills. You might not be able to end the rumor mills, but you can end the practices that feed them.