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FreeRepublic , LLC PO BOX 9771 FRESNO, CA 93794
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Posted on 04/11/2003 6:18:33 PM PDT by buzzyboop
About half of Americans oppose the Augusta National Golf Club's policy excluding women from membership, while one-fifth support the policy, according to a new ESPN.com SportsNation poll.
In a scientific poll of 715 American adults commissioned by ESPN.com's SportsNation and conducted by Markitecture of Norwalk, Conn., 48 percent said they oppose the policy and 21 percent said they favor the policy. Another 31 percent indicated neither support for nor opposition to the policy. Almost three in five Americans said they were aware of the policy.
Support for Augusta National's policy is stronger among men: only 34 percent of men oppose the policy, while 31 percent support it. Yet 46 percent of men agree that Augusta National should allow women to become full-fledged members of the club, while only 29 percent disagree.
Among women, 60 percent oppose the policy, while 12 percent are in favor.
Opposition to Augusta National's policy has softened in the past seven months. In an ESPN/Markitecture poll conducted in Sept., 61 percent of Americans opposed the policy and only 12 percent were in favor.
More than half believe that Augusta National will someday allow women as members, with 51 percent of men and 58 percent of women saying Augusta National will eventually succumb to pressure to change its policy.
Likewise, slightly more than half of those surveyed agree with the statement, "Excluding women from membership at Augusta National is just as offensive as the club's former policy of excluding blacks as members."
The poll was conducted by telephone among a nationally representative sample of the U.S. population and has a 4 percent margin of error.
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FreeRepublic , LLC PO BOX 9771 FRESNO, CA 93794
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It is in the breaking news sidebar! |
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I don't believe that for a minit.
LOL! When did you start believing the Media? Augusta National does not have a "policy" of excluding women. As a private club the members are allowed to invite anyone they wish to become a member. It's call the right of free association.
48 percent oppose the policy 21 percent favor the policy 31 percent don't care
That's a minority that oppose the policy -- 48%. A majority of 52% do not oppose the policy.
This reminds me of the time when a man sued Hooters because they wouldn't allow men waitresses.
They should admit Ann Coulter and Phyllis Schafly. THAT'LL SHUT the Helen Thomases up.
Who Cares?
It appears that ESPN has chosen a route of rendering itself irrelevant by focusing on that which is irrelevant. "Birds of a feather flock together", so to speak.
The founders knew that the intent of the constitutional republic they founded was to protect the minority from the majority.
Most people think socialism is abhorrent. Too bad America has been progressing toward socialism for the last ninety years. Most people think the Klu Klux Klan (KKK) is abhorrent. Something like eighty percent of Americans think the War in Iraq is right and a good thing. Meaning a minority think the war is wrong and an even smaller minority speak out against the war. "I damn well might not agree with what you say but I will fight for your right to say it." Ironic, yet nonetheless true.
Still, a constitutional republic means tolerating minority views and practices that a majority may find abhorrent. Whether Martha Burk and the cause she crusades for has a minority or majority of people in agreement or think them abhorrent is irrelevant.
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