Nick Gillespie Talks Augusta National, The Master's, IBM & Sexism

I was on CNN's Erin Burnett OutFront to talk about whether the club hosting the Master's golf tournament should open its door to women members. Our writeup:

Should Augusta National golf club, which hosts the Master's, give IBM CEO Ginni Rometty an honorary membership? Big Blue is the chief sponsor of the event and each of Rometty's four predecessors got a green jacket. But the club refuses to allow women as members.

Reason's NIck Gillespie discusses the legality and wisdom of sexism with OutFront host Erin Burnett. Air Date: April 4, 2012.

About 6 minutes.

Comments

[Res Publica Americana]

By law? Absolutely not. Would I if I were them? Yeah. Liberals wouldn't see a problem with forcing the club into accepting women.

[sarcasmic]

[Pound. Head. On. Desk.]

Your best comment yet!

[Randian]

He should really go out on top.

[sarcasmic]

Didn't you like write a book or something?

[Night Elf Mohawk]

I'm sure the people who want Augusta National to let in women also want Bryn Mawr and Curves to let in men.

[Mr. FIFY]

Was just going to say the same thing, Elf. However, Team Blue doesn't see things that way... logically, that is.

BTW, I went to a local Curves, and asked why I couldn't join. The looks I got could have killed.

[WTF]

Because women are a designated victim group while men are designated as oppressors, so to leftists it's perfectly logical to hold a double standard.

[Res Publica Americana]

Sarah Palin's a successful woman, but because she doesn't passionately suck the cock of progressivist depravity and its degenerate adherents, she's a fucking retard, a self-hater (the same way a Jewish Nazi would be), HAHHAHAHAHAH ACCENT HAHAHAHAHAHAH ACCENT HAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHA GO BACK TO ALABAMA OR WHEREVERR UR FROM LOLOLOL, and should be disregarded as a loopy racist and a homophobe.

[Res Publica Americana]

As just one example, of course.

Black non-progressives are self-hating race-traitors, too.

[AnnieO]

The women who want to join Augusta don't give a crap about the golf. They want to be in on the political and financial power brokering that goes on there.

[WTF]

So? It's a private club - freedom of association, and all that.

[Copernicus]

Really,

You think Bill Gates and Warren Buffett need a club where they can plot their control of the world?

And I'm sure the Illuminati have a standing reservation at Sunday's brunch buffet.

These guys are members because what else are you going to do with $6billion? And it's a great place to get away from the wife for a day.

I've never been, but I have a feeling nothing much happens there.

I've read an account that of the 300 members, 75% live far from Augusta and the club is hardly used. These are wealthy busy guys with lots on their agenda and it doesn't include sitting around sipping mint juleps.

[Mr. FIFY]

There already is a club like that, Copernicus... it's called "The Oval Office".

[sarcasmic]

I tried to say something to that effect, but my comment disappeared into the void.

[Pound. Head. On. Desk.]

Oh...I...er...uh...hey...but...

Look, DFW tornado!

[Mr. FIFY]

Not that I would join Curves, or even work out... it's just the principle of the thing.

[sarcasmic]

Liberals have no principles.

Make an argument about A wanting to get into a B only club, they'll give a different answer depending on who A and B are.

[Mr. FIFY]

Oh, WE have principles... Team Blue does not. They just have Grievances.

[Pound. Head. On. Desk.]

Not that I would join Curves, or even work out... it's just the principle of the thing.

Too bad I'm not into fat chicks. With their bad body images they would make easy targets have a lot of relationship potential.

[Mr. FIFY]

Depends on how they're shaped. Some of the hottest chicks I've dated, were heavy-ish.

Scrawny chicks who look like heroin addicts... meh.

[Masturbatin' Pete]

I'm sure the people who want Augusta National to let in women also want Bryn Mawr and Curves to let in men.

I went to a college where Bryn Mawr girls went to party, and let me tell you: Bryn Mawr girls have no trouble letting in men.

[Pound. Head. On. Desk.]

That's different from college girls everywhere, how?

[wareagle]

seems the decision rests with IBM. I've not seen if Rometty cares much one way or the other.

[Copernicus]

Nick,
C'mon. Why start out correctly and then spout bullshit about "People should...." and "Augusta National should...".

How's this:

"People shouldn't give a flying fuck about Augusta National"

"People shouldn't even want to be members at a club with a bunch of billionaire assholes."

"People shouldn't want to spend a million dollars on such a stupid thing as an Augusta National membership, especially not a woman as intelligent as the CEO of IBM"

and,

"I (Nick Gillespie) shouldn't give an opinion about a private activity because it diminishes my libertarian cred. I should be as apathetic about this as I am about my theology."

[Night Elf Mohawk]

So you're giving your opinion on Gillespie's giving his opinion?

[Copernicus]

Exactly. You see, I disagree with Nick's analysis and feel it is inconsistent with his previously stated views about private activity.

But I am disagreeing with the content of his opinion, not that he has one.

[Randian]

"I (Nick Gillespie) shouldn't give an opinion about a private activity because it diminishes my libertarian cred. I should be as apathetic about this as I am about my theology."

I had no idea libertarianism meant you had to shut your brain off. Are you sure you aren't a Democrat?

[Copernicus]

Think about Obama's recent faus pax re the Supreme court.

Were people shocked that he had an opinion about the Constitution? No.

Were people shocked at the content of his opinion? Yes.

Same for Nick and I in this case.

That's all.

[Copernicus]

Next time I will preface my remarks with "Nick, you ignorant slut..." to make it more clear.

BTW, Nick is by far my favorite at Reason. He's a good kid. It just breaks my heart......

[Night Elf Mohawk]

Well, if Gillespie previously stated that he thought it was illegitimate to have an opinion on private action, or even to take private action against those holding opinions with which he disagreed -- while fully supporting the idea that they had the right to hold those opinions -- I can see why you would have a problem with what he said on Burnett's show.

[Copernicus]

I bet Nick would rather have said:

"I don't care anything about about Augusta National or what sex the CEO of IBM is. I can't imagine anyone caring"

It would be the best representation of libertarianism.

But he won't be invited on many shows if he keeps that up because it is controversial enough.

[Copernicus]

sorry, "because it ISN'T controversial enough"

[Bill Dalasio]

It would be the best representation of libertarianism.

That doesn't strike me as necessarily true. Libertarianism strikes me less as not having an opinion about the non-coercive actions of others as about recognizing their rights to those actions when you disagree with them. It's less the mark of a libertarian to favor the legalization of pot and prostitution when you smoke nightly and see an escort weekly than when you never partake of either vice. It's less the mark of a libertarian to favor recognition of Second Ammendment rights when you're an avid hunter and gun collector than when you've never owned a gun.

[Copernicus]

Fine, but so many of the intrusions by the Man into affairs which aren't "his" business started with someone being "offended" and creating an emotional response, not a "REASONable" response.

As libertarians, I think we can't say "who cares" enough about stuff like this. Maybe if it said enough it will catch on that it isn't necessary to have an opinion or take a side about everything.

If more of life fell into the "who cares" file, we'd all have a smoother trip.

[Bill Dalasio]

Still can't agree. If I think a behavior is venal, stupid, and arrogant, I don't see why I should be restrained from acknowledging it as such. What I should be restrained from doing, so long as the behavior isn't violating anyone's rights, is getting a gun and telling them they must change their behavior. Personally, I don't find the behavior of Augusta National particularly wrong. At least no more so than Curves or Bryn Mawr. But, if I did, I wouldn't see anything particularly unlibertarian about saying I think that they're behaving badly. This notion that libertarians are somehow disallowed judgement of the actions of others ultimately seems to give in on the premise of the statists: If you don't like something, it should be illegal. If you're okay with it being legal, you're okay with it.

[Copernicus]

Fine,

but Nick suggested people should boycott IBM.

Sure, that's always an option for expressing yourself, but why encourage it over something so trivial?

Do we want a Hatfield and McCoy boycott war as we perpetually disagree about something/everything?

People use the phrase "agree to disagree". I would prefer in most cases to say "let's agree that it is trivial, pass the pretzels".

[Zeb]

I think people should do certain things. It really isn't much to me if they do or not in most cases, but I think people shouldn't do lots of things that should nonetheless be legal and are none of my business.

I don't give a fuck about Augusta National, but I can see why people who care about major golf tournaments might.

[Formerly Almanian]

Nick, OT callback - The Adam's Apple (AKA "Anne Coulter") PWNED you on "RedEye" earlier this week. I was shocked.

But the sexual tension was palpable. You had makeup sex after the show, didn't you?

*fistbump*

[mr simple]

I wonder why they don't post that video.

[Groovus Maximus]

Doesn't fit with the narrative. Besides, NG has swanky Cosmo invites at stake here, hence the position he takes here.

[Copernicus]

Ditto,

but think how cool this kind of statement is:

"I love golf. The Masters is a great golf tournament. Augusta is an incredible golf course. And yet I still don't give a fuck about the membership policy at Augusta national. I have a life."

[Randian]

I now find myself in mild agreement with Copernicus, in that this is letting the President set the agenda with stupid nonsense. Why is the President talking about a private golf club? Geez, shut up already.

[sloopyinca]

My take yesterday, FWIW.

[Evil Otto]

Don't say it, RC.