Free Republic

A funny thing happened in the small town of Augusta, Georgia on Sunday evening. For the first time ever, a Japanese golfer won the prestigious Masters golf tournament. And the thousands of fans in attendance gave a full-throated roaring ovation. And this occurred in Georgia. But, wait. I thought Georgia was a horribly racist hell-hole. That is, if I believed the mainstream media. For the past few weeks, we have been inundated with non-stop media coverage of the overt racism that apparently runs rampant in Georgia. First, we were told that a Georgia man recently went on an anti-Asian murder...

Imagine being Martha Burk today. Imagine owing the Ku Klux Klan a thank-you note, or maybe even a modest gift.The KKK did Burk a remarkable favor this week by applying for a permit to demonstrate in support of Augusta National, the private golf club that hosts the annual Masters tournament. The Klan did more to embarrass Augusta president Hootie Johnson and inflame passion about this issue than Burk could with a million letters to corporate sponsors, TV networks and Augusta members.So maybe Burk should send a fresh batch of white sheets to wear when the Klansmen arrive at Augusta next...

At the moment, I am locking horns with a poster on another recreational forum on the issue of affirmative action, and I need some references. I particularly need information/stats on the growth of the black middle class and the success of asian immigrant groups. Stats on success/failure of minorities in higher education would also be appreciated. AND, if anyone knows anything about the membership of the club where the Masters will be held, please let me know that too. This poster claims they are all rich, white conservatives, a claim I very much doubt.

<p>PHILADELPHIA The Augusta National Golf Club's refusal to admit women before the Masters tournament next April has galvanized men from coast to coast and outraged women's groups. The private club in Augusta, Ga., finds itself in the midst of a very public dispute: Even The New York Times weighed in on Monday in an editorial that argued that Tiger Woods should skip the Masters and two top CEOs should resign their memberships if the club remains all-male. Rarely have so few done so much to divide so many.</p>

AUGUSTA, Ga., Nov. 16 — Dusty Avery has a big, beautiful house, but no one to party in it. By this point last year, Mrs. Avery, the wife of a rich dentist, had rented her home for thousands of dollars to Coca-Cola to use during the Masters golf tournament in April. Executives feasted in her dining room, smoked on her patio and, at the end of the night, crashed in her bedroom. But this year, there are no takers. No soft-drink suits. Nobody. "We don't need the money like a lot of people do," Mrs. Avery said as she passed...