Progressive Ideology

[youthathletics]

That type of 'news' is what is filling the vacuum of Trump. Trump was the newsmakers cash-cow....now, they are searching high and low to replace it.

[cradleandshoot]

That type of 'news' is what is filling the vacuum of Trump. Trump was the newsmakers cash-cow....now, they are searching high and low to replace it.

Every Sunday I still read our local FLP fish wrapper that is suppose to be a newspaper. The kid in me always goes to the comics first. Gary Trudeau has a hard on for the Dumpster that is never ending. It has been 6 months post Dump era and he still won't let his anger go. I'm waiting to see if he ever starts poking fun at Biden. You are correct, the Dems are going to get as many miles as they can beating down on the Dumpster.

[seacoaster]

That type of 'news' is what is filling the vacuum of Trump. Trump was the newsmakers cash-cow....now, they are searching high and low to replace it.

Every Sunday I still read our local FLP fish wrapper that is suppose to be a newspaper. The kid in me always goes to the comics first. Gary Trudeau has a hard on for the Dumpster that is never ending. It has been 6 months post Dump era and he still won't let his anger go. I'm waiting to see if he ever starts poking fun at Biden. You are correct, the Dems are going to get as many miles as they can beating down on the Dumpster.

As long as Trump positions himself as the functional head of the GOP, and as long as GOP members of Congress lick his bunioned feet, he will be newsworthy.

[MDlaxfan76]

That type of 'news' is what is filling the vacuum of Trump. Trump was the newsmakers cash-cow....now, they are searching high and low to replace it.

Mostly low, as our troll provides several times each day.

[cradleandshoot]

That type of 'news' is what is filling the vacuum of Trump. Trump was the newsmakers cash-cow....now, they are searching high and low to replace it.

Every Sunday I still read our local FLP fish wrapper that is suppose to be a newspaper. The kid in me always goes to the comics first. Gary Trudeau has a hard on for the Dumpster that is never ending. It has been 6 months post Dump era and he still won't let his anger go. I'm waiting to see if he ever starts poking fun at Biden. You are correct, the Dems are going to get as many miles as they can beating down on the Dumpster.

As long as Trump positions himself as the functional head of the GOP, and as long as GOP members of Congress lick his bunioned feet, he will be newsworthy.

IMO this is a conundrum for Republicans. Love or hate the dumpster he found a way to get 74 million people to vote for him. I don't understand the blind loyalty to a person who is such an arrogant, pompous jerk. That is the minefield the anti trump Republicans have to navigate. When the Cheney family starts being portrayed by some of the folks on this forum as heroes. Holy moly that is uncharted territory.

[seacoaster]

That type of 'news' is what is filling the vacuum of Trump. Trump was the newsmakers cash-cow....now, they are searching high and low to replace it.

Every Sunday I still read our local FLP fish wrapper that is suppose to be a newspaper. The kid in me always goes to the comics first. Gary Trudeau has a hard on for the Dumpster that is never ending. It has been 6 months post Dump era and he still won't let his anger go. I'm waiting to see if he ever starts poking fun at Biden. You are correct, the Dems are going to get as many miles as they can beating down on the Dumpster.

As long as Trump positions himself as the functional head of the GOP, and as long as GOP members of Congress lick his bunioned feet, he will be newsworthy.

IMO this is a conundrum for Republicans. Love or hate the dumpster he found a way to get 74 million people to vote for him. I don't understand the blind loyalty to a person who is such an arrogant, pompous jerk. That is the minefield the anti trump Republicans have to navigate. When the Cheney family starts being portrayed by some of the folks on this forum as heroes. Holy moly that is uncharted territory.

I don't consider the Cheneys "heroes," don't like their politics or policy preferences, and don't like much of what -- pardon the expression -- "Dick" got us into while he was the acting President for eight years. I do acknowledge that a person who, still identifying as a "Republican," values democracy and therefore refutes the Big Lie (you know, because 82,000,000 is more than 74,000,000) deserves some credit for doing it, and at some personal and professional cost.

[MDlaxfan76]

That type of 'news' is what is filling the vacuum of Trump. Trump was the newsmakers cash-cow....now, they are searching high and low to replace it.

Every Sunday I still read our local FLP fish wrapper that is suppose to be a newspaper. The kid in me always goes to the comics first. Gary Trudeau has a hard on for the Dumpster that is never ending. It has been 6 months post Dump era and he still won't let his anger go. I'm waiting to see if he ever starts poking fun at Biden. You are correct, the Dems are going to get as many miles as they can beating down on the Dumpster.

As long as Trump positions himself as the functional head of the GOP, and as long as GOP members of Congress lick his bunioned feet, he will be newsworthy.

Unfortunately, that's very much the case.

Didn't have to be.
The GOP had a rather ideal opportunity to separate themselves from Trump after Jan 6, but they chose to go the other way.

[Peter Brown]

I know this will come as a huge shock to anyone who has crossed paths with this Democratic hypocrite (sorry to be redundant), but Shelley Whitehouse’s membership in an all white, no black, no Jew beach club has raised its head yet again.

https://nypost.com/2021/06/21/sheldon-w ... hite-club/

Will national media run cover for ol’ Shel again, by asking him to display his mastery of TDS in hopes of avoiding the elephant in the room, or will local reporters like this reporter force Shel to divorce his wife in favor of being a senator with all the trappings of fake adulation?!

https://twitter.com/trumpjew2/status/14 ... 19368?s=21

Oh the horror.

Once again we discover an actual racist who is always wailing about structural racism. And of course, not that this should surprise a single soul, he’s a Democrat.

[Matnum PI]

...And of course, not that this should surprise a single soul, he’s a Democrat.

Got it. Because the only racists are the people who point a finger at racists and Democrats point a finger at racism in larger numbers than Republicans so... Democrats are racists! I'm starting to get it! But hang on... Aren't you repeatedly pointing a finger at the finger-pointing, Democrat racists? Uh-oh...

[Peter Brown]

...And of course, not that this should surprise a single soul, he’s a Democrat.

Got it. Because the only racists are the people who point a finger at racists and Democrats point a finger at racism in larger numbers than Republicans so... Democrats are racists! I'm starting to get it! But hang on... Aren't you repeatedly pointing a finger at the finger-pointing, Democrat racists? Uh-oh...

No comment on the actual instance raised in my post? You’re good with Shelley?

[MDlaxfan76]

...And of course, not that this should surprise a single soul, he’s a Democrat.

Got it. Because the only racists are the people who point a finger at racists and Democrats point a finger at racism in larger numbers than Republicans so... Democrats are racists! I'm starting to get it! But hang on... Aren't you repeatedly pointing a finger at the finger-pointing, Democrat racists? Uh-oh...

No comment on the actual instance raised in my post? You’re good with Shelley?

I'll comment. He should be ashamed of his response.
First, because the club's policies evidently (let's assume accurate for now) remain racist even in 2021.
Second, because as a 'practicing politician' he should know better.

That said, let's see the outrage at all the GOP members of such clubs.

I do understand how one could be a member of such a club for some period of time and actually work to change such policies. For instance, when I joined the Maryland Club back while still in college in 1979, I challenged my dad, who was a member, as to how I could do so given no African American members and no women. IMO, institutions like these perpetuate various forms of systemic bigotry given their role in the social and particularly economic constructs of the "good ole boy" network. He said that I should see it as a challenge to work from within. I said I'd give it a chance. One of the Club's first Jewish members proposed me.

My age cohort who were lawyers with potential political aspirations, R or D, would not join, and others dropped when it became evident that they would be in management ranks of diverse firms or companies.

Took nearly a decade, but we broke through on the race issue, with my high school classmate and close friend being the second such member the following year. Still sparse representation, but no longer a barrier.

Women were a far more intractable challenge. Despite all of my efforts, I found myself very much in the minority on admission of women. We did manage to extend privileges, though not membership, to wives and to make the club far less sexist in its various programming, but too many of the members wanted a 'safe' place to be away from the gals...and by and large their wives went along...this became self-selecting, as those who were more sensitive to such issues simply did not join or resigned.

That said, my father wanted my son to join as well, which he did in 2016 along with a couple of his close friends, HS classmates and lax teammates. Suffice it to say they are more liberal in their views than the prior generation.

A year and half ago, recognizing that my two new hips, though functional, were unlikely to allow me to return to the squash courts where I had competed for several decades, and fed-up with the continued resistance to women as members, I finally resigned...and wrote a letter explaining.

The club changed its policy to admit women last year.

[cradleandshoot]

That type of 'news' is what is filling the vacuum of Trump. Trump was the newsmakers cash-cow....now, they are searching high and low to replace it.

Every Sunday I still read our local FLP fish wrapper that is suppose to be a newspaper. The kid in me always goes to the comics first. Gary Trudeau has a hard on for the Dumpster that is never ending. It has been 6 months post Dump era and he still won't let his anger go. I'm waiting to see if he ever starts poking fun at Biden. You are correct, the Dems are going to get as many miles as they can beating down on the Dumpster.

As long as Trump positions himself as the functional head of the GOP, and as long as GOP members of Congress lick his bunioned feet, he will be newsworthy.

IMO this is a conundrum for Republicans. Love or hate the dumpster he found a way to get 74 million people to vote for him. I don't understand the blind loyalty to a person who is such an arrogant, pompous jerk. That is the minefield the anti trump Republicans have to navigate. When the Cheney family starts being portrayed by some of the folks on this forum as heroes. Holy moly that is uncharted territory.

I don't consider the Cheneys "heroes," don't like their politics or policy preferences, and don't like much of what -- pardon the expression -- "Dick" got us into while he was the acting President for eight years. I do acknowledge that a person who, still identifying as a "Republican," values democracy and therefore refutes the Big Lie (you know, because 82,000,000 is more than 74,000,000) deserves some credit for doing it, and at some personal and professional cost.

I read recently that the estimate is 6 to 8 million of those votes for Biden were R votes against Trump. Another big chunk of Rs simply passed on voting for POTUS. The point is whoever the next R candidate is has he/she's work cut out for them. If that candidate thinks they need to kiss the dumpsters ring, they are sadly mistaken. I think and hope that the dumpsters legal issues will have him preoccupied with staying out of jail.

[Matnum PI]

No comment on the actual instance raised in my post? You’re good with Shelley?

I'll comment. He should be ashamed of his response.

FWIW, I responded within a different thread:
"That there's an individual Democrat politician who is a hypocrite isn't so interesting to me. Most every politician is. That you believe the people pointing a finger at racism are really the only racists, that, to me, is amazing."

[cradleandshoot]

That type of 'news' is what is filling the vacuum of Trump. Trump was the newsmakers cash-cow....now, they are searching high and low to replace it.

Every Sunday I still read our local FLP fish wrapper that is suppose to be a newspaper. The kid in me always goes to the comics first. Gary Trudeau has a hard on for the Dumpster that is never ending. It has been 6 months post Dump era and he still won't let his anger go. I'm waiting to see if he ever starts poking fun at Biden. You are correct, the Dems are going to get as many miles as they can beating down on the Dumpster.

As long as Trump positions himself as the functional head of the GOP, and as long as GOP members of Congress lick his bunioned feet, he will be newsworthy.

IMO this is a conundrum for Republicans. Love or hate the dumpster he found a way to get 74 million people to vote for him. I don't understand the blind loyalty to a person who is such an arrogant, pompous jerk. That is the minefield the anti trump Republicans have to navigate. When the Cheney family starts being portrayed by some of the folks on this forum as heroes. Holy moly that is uncharted territory.

I don't consider the Cheneys "heroes," don't like their politics or policy preferences, and don't like much of what -- pardon the expression -- "Dick" got us into while he was the acting President for eight years. I do acknowledge that a person who, still identifying as a "Republican," values democracy and therefore refutes the Big Lie (you know, because 82,000,000 is more than 74,000,000) deserves some credit for doing it, and at some personal and professional cost.

They certainly are not being painted as the loathsome creatures of maybe 8 years ago. Being a dumpster hater can get you some temporary street cred among some Democrats.

[Peter Brown]

...And of course, not that this should surprise a single soul, he’s a Democrat.

Got it. Because the only racists are the people who point a finger at racists and Democrats point a finger at racism in larger numbers than Republicans so... Democrats are racists! I'm starting to get it! But hang on... Aren't you repeatedly pointing a finger at the finger-pointing, Democrat racists? Uh-oh...

No comment on the actual instance raised in my post? You’re good with Shelley?

I'll comment. He should be ashamed of his response.
First, because the club's policies evidently (let's assume accurate for now) remain racist even in 2021.
Second, because as a 'practicing politician' he should know better.

That said, let's see the outrage at all the GOP members of such clubs.

I do understand how one could be a member of such a club for some period of time and actually work to change such policies. For instance, when I joined the Maryland Club back while still in college in 1979, I challenged my dad, who was a member, as to how I could do so given no African American members and no women. IMO, institutions like these perpetuate various forms of systemic bigotry given their role in the social and particularly economic constructs of the "good ole boy" network. He said that I should see it as a challenge to work from within. I said I'd give it a chance. One of the Club's first Jewish members proposed me.

My age cohort who were lawyers with potential political aspirations, R or D, would not join, and others dropped when it became evident that they would be in management ranks of diverse firms or companies.

Took nearly a decade, but we broke through on the race issue, with my high school classmate and close friend being the second such member the following year. Still sparse representation, but no longer a barrier.

Women were a far more intractable challenge. Despite all of my efforts, I found myself very much in the minority on admission of women. We did manage to extend privileges, though not membership, to wives and to make the club far less sexist in its various programming, but too many of the members wanted a 'safe' place to be away from the gals...and by and large their wives went along...this became self-selecting, as those who were more sensitive to such issues simply did not join or resigned.

That said, my father wanted my son to join as well, which he did in 2016 along with a couple of his close friends, HS classmates and lax teammates. Suffice it to say they are more liberal in their views than the prior generation.

A year and half ago, recognizing that my two new hips, though functional, were unlikely to allow me to return to the squash courts where I had competed for several decades, and fed-up with the continued resistance to women as members, I finally resigned...and wrote a letter explaining.

The club changed its policy to admit women last year.

You were brave enough to reply, but I still have questions and comments.

Why would you have joined in the first place if you were so opposed to the exclusionary membership policies in 1979? Why not just go play squash at a public facility?

Secondly, your resignation seems like was made easier by not being able to enjoy the facilities, less because the club still has almost no black members and no women. Or at the very least, you waited 30 years to make a noisy sendoff (which I’m sure your fellow club members weren’t too enamored with) only when you were no longer able to play squash.

And by the way, many women don’t want to belong to men’s clubs anyway, so why push that issue other than to annoy your friends?

Finally, if your son belongs, if I read that correctly, is he also guilty of what you accuse the club of being guilty of?

Anyway, I think people make too much of these private clubs. They have lost so much influence and power over the years. I’m interested in Whitehouse because I happen to know how much of a phony he is, and I have been amused that people treat him seriously.

[MDlaxfan76]

...And of course, not that this should surprise a single soul, he’s a Democrat.

Got it. Because the only racists are the people who point a finger at racists and Democrats point a finger at racism in larger numbers than Republicans so... Democrats are racists! I'm starting to get it! But hang on... Aren't you repeatedly pointing a finger at the finger-pointing, Democrat racists? Uh-oh...

No comment on the actual instance raised in my post? You’re good with Shelley?

I'll comment. He should be ashamed of his response.
First, because the club's policies evidently (let's assume accurate for now) remain racist even in 2021.
Second, because as a 'practicing politician' he should know better.

That said, let's see the outrage at all the GOP members of such clubs.

I do understand how one could be a member of such a club for some period of time and actually work to change such policies. For instance, when I joined the Maryland Club back while still in college in 1979, I challenged my dad, who was a member, as to how I could do so given no African American members and no women. IMO, institutions like these perpetuate various forms of systemic bigotry given their role in the social and particularly economic constructs of the "good ole boy" network. He said that I should see it as a challenge to work from within. I said I'd give it a chance. One of the Club's first Jewish members proposed me.

My age cohort who were lawyers with potential political aspirations, R or D, would not join, and others dropped when it became evident that they would be in management ranks of diverse firms or companies.

Took nearly a decade, but we broke through on the race issue, with my high school classmate and close friend being the second such member the following year. Still sparse representation, but no longer a barrier.

Women were a far more intractable challenge. Despite all of my efforts, I found myself very much in the minority on admission of women. We did manage to extend privileges, though not membership, to wives and to make the club far less sexist in its various programming, but too many of the members wanted a 'safe' place to be away from the gals...and by and large their wives went along...this became self-selecting, as those who were more sensitive to such issues simply did not join or resigned.

That said, my father wanted my son to join as well, which he did in 2016 along with a couple of his close friends, HS classmates and lax teammates. Suffice it to say they are more liberal in their views than the prior generation.

A year and half ago, recognizing that my two new hips, though functional, were unlikely to allow me to return to the squash courts where I had competed for several decades, and fed-up with the continued resistance to women as members, I finally resigned...and wrote a letter explaining.

The club changed its policy to admit women last year.

You were brave enough to reply, but I still have questions and comments.

Why would you have joined in the first place if you were so opposed to the exclusionary membership policies in 1979? Why not just go play squash at a public facility?

Secondly, your resignation seems like was made easier by not being able to enjoy the facilities, less because the club still has almost no black members and no women. Or at the very least, you waited 30 years to make a noisy sendoff (which I’m sure your fellow club members weren’t too enamored with) only when you were no longer able to play squash.

And by the way, many women don’t want to belong to men’s clubs anyway, so why push that issue other than to annoy your friends?

Finally, if your son belongs, if I read that correctly, is he also guilty of what you accuse the club of being guilty of?

Anyway, I think people make too much of these private clubs. They have lost so much influence and power over the years. I’m interested in Whitehouse because I happen to know how much of a phony he is, and I have been amused that people treat him seriously.

Talk about twisting yourself in knots to pee on others.

I explained quite clearly that I thought I could have an impact from within the power structure.
I did on race.

Far less impact on gender, though I continued to push the issue and small moves were made...eventually, I think I did actually have some impact...losing a 40 year member over this issue was undoubtedly not what they wanted. And I'm sure I was not alone.

And no, there wasn't a great public facility in town for squash, though some years later one opened and I played there frequently. It's now shutting down. The best doubles competition continued to be at the MD Club.

And my son's generation has a chance to continue to reshape the Club as they see fit. He's been living and working overseas these past couple of years, so has been infrequently there, but he's used a couple of the correspondence clubs abroad.

Many women, mostly professional women, did object, and quite strenuously, often through litigation. In nearly every major city in the world, these specific sorts of clubs now have both women and men members...the MD Club was very much an anachronism. My wife, no shrinking violet, Dartmouth and Harvard Business School, etc supported my efforts to change the Club.

My point about Whitehouse is that unless he's been very active in getting that club to change its policies, no way he can defend being a member.

[cradleandshoot]

...And of course, not that this should surprise a single soul, he’s a Democrat.

Got it. Because the only racists are the people who point a finger at racists and Democrats point a finger at racism in larger numbers than Republicans so... Democrats are racists! I'm starting to get it! But hang on... Aren't you repeatedly pointing a finger at the finger-pointing, Democrat racists? Uh-oh...

No comment on the actual instance raised in my post? You’re good with Shelley?

I'll comment. He should be ashamed of his response.
First, because the club's policies evidently (let's assume accurate for now) remain racist even in 2021.
Second, because as a 'practicing politician' he should know better.

That said, let's see the outrage at all the GOP members of such clubs.

I do understand how one could be a member of such a club for some period of time and actually work to change such policies. For instance, when I joined the Maryland Club back while still in college in 1979, I challenged my dad, who was a member, as to how I could do so given no African American members and no women. IMO, institutions like these perpetuate various forms of systemic bigotry given their role in the social and particularly economic constructs of the "good ole boy" network. He said that I should see it as a challenge to work from within. I said I'd give it a chance. One of the Club's first Jewish members proposed me.

My age cohort who were lawyers with potential political aspirations, R or D, would not join, and others dropped when it became evident that they would be in management ranks of diverse firms or companies.

Took nearly a decade, but we broke through on the race issue, with my high school classmate and close friend being the second such member the following year. Still sparse representation, but no longer a barrier.

Women were a far more intractable challenge. Despite all of my efforts, I found myself very much in the minority on admission of women. We did manage to extend privileges, though not membership, to wives and to make the club far less sexist in its various programming, but too many of the members wanted a 'safe' place to be away from the gals...and by and large their wives went along...this became self-selecting, as those who were more sensitive to such issues simply did not join or resigned.

That said, my father wanted my son to join as well, which he did in 2016 along with a couple of his close friends, HS classmates and lax teammates. Suffice it to say they are more liberal in their views than the prior generation.

A year and half ago, recognizing that my two new hips, though functional, were unlikely to allow me to return to the squash courts where I had competed for several decades, and fed-up with the continued resistance to women as members, I finally resigned...and wrote a letter explaining.

The club changed its policy to admit women last year.

You were brave enough to reply, but I still have questions and comments.

Why would you have joined in the first place if you were so opposed to the exclusionary membership policies in 1979? Why not just go play squash at a public facility?

Secondly, your resignation seems like was made easier by not being able to enjoy the facilities, less because the club still has almost no black members and no women. Or at the very least, you waited 30 years to make a noisy sendoff (which I’m sure your fellow club members weren’t too enamored with) only when you were no longer able to play squash.

And by the way, many women don’t want to belong to men’s clubs anyway, so why push that issue other than to annoy your friends?

Finally, if your son belongs, if I read that correctly, is he also guilty of what you accuse the club of being guilty of?

Anyway, I think people make too much of these private clubs. They have lost so much influence and power over the years. I’m interested in Whitehouse because I happen to know how much of a phony he is, and I have been amused that people treat him seriously.

Talk about twisting yourself in knots to pee on others.

I explained quite clearly that I thought I could have an impact from within the power structure.
I did on race.

Far less impact on gender, though I continued to push the issue and small moves were made...eventually, I think I did actually have some impact...losing a 40 year member over this issue was undoubtedly not what they wanted. And I'm sure I was not alone.

And no, there wasn't a great public facility in town for squash, though some years later one opened and I played there frequently. It's now shutting down. The best doubles competition continued to be at the MD Club.

And my son's generation has a chance to continue to reshape the Club as they see fit. He's been living and working overseas these past couple of years, so has been infrequently there, but he's used a couple of the correspondence clubs abroad.

Many women, mostly professional women, did object, and quite strenuously, often through litigation. In nearly every major city in the world, these specific sorts of clubs now have both women and men members...the MD Club was very much an anachronism. My wife, no shrinking violet, Dartmouth and Harvard Business School, etc supported my efforts to change the Club.

My point about Whitehouse is that unless he's been very active in getting that club to change its policies, no way he can defend being a member.

All I can think about right now is that famous line from Groucho Marx.. paraphrasing.. I could never belong to any club that would have me as a member..

[Peter Brown]

...And of course, not that this should surprise a single soul, he’s a Democrat.

Got it. Because the only racists are the people who point a finger at racists and Democrats point a finger at racism in larger numbers than Republicans so... Democrats are racists! I'm starting to get it! But hang on... Aren't you repeatedly pointing a finger at the finger-pointing, Democrat racists? Uh-oh...

No comment on the actual instance raised in my post? You’re good with Shelley?

I'll comment. He should be ashamed of his response.
First, because the club's policies evidently (let's assume accurate for now) remain racist even in 2021.
Second, because as a 'practicing politician' he should know better.

That said, let's see the outrage at all the GOP members of such clubs.

I do understand how one could be a member of such a club for some period of time and actually work to change such policies. For instance, when I joined the Maryland Club back while still in college in 1979, I challenged my dad, who was a member, as to how I could do so given no African American members and no women. IMO, institutions like these perpetuate various forms of systemic bigotry given their role in the social and particularly economic constructs of the "good ole boy" network. He said that I should see it as a challenge to work from within. I said I'd give it a chance. One of the Club's first Jewish members proposed me.

My age cohort who were lawyers with potential political aspirations, R or D, would not join, and others dropped when it became evident that they would be in management ranks of diverse firms or companies.

Took nearly a decade, but we broke through on the race issue, with my high school classmate and close friend being the second such member the following year. Still sparse representation, but no longer a barrier.

Women were a far more intractable challenge. Despite all of my efforts, I found myself very much in the minority on admission of women. We did manage to extend privileges, though not membership, to wives and to make the club far less sexist in its various programming, but too many of the members wanted a 'safe' place to be away from the gals...and by and large their wives went along...this became self-selecting, as those who were more sensitive to such issues simply did not join or resigned.

That said, my father wanted my son to join as well, which he did in 2016 along with a couple of his close friends, HS classmates and lax teammates. Suffice it to say they are more liberal in their views than the prior generation.

A year and half ago, recognizing that my two new hips, though functional, were unlikely to allow me to return to the squash courts where I had competed for several decades, and fed-up with the continued resistance to women as members, I finally resigned...and wrote a letter explaining.

The club changed its policy to admit women last year.

You were brave enough to reply, but I still have questions and comments.

Why would you have joined in the first place if you were so opposed to the exclusionary membership policies in 1979? Why not just go play squash at a public facility?

Secondly, your resignation seems like was made easier by not being able to enjoy the facilities, less because the club still has almost no black members and no women. Or at the very least, you waited 30 years to make a noisy sendoff (which I’m sure your fellow club members weren’t too enamored with) only when you were no longer able to play squash.

And by the way, many women don’t want to belong to men’s clubs anyway, so why push that issue other than to annoy your friends?

Finally, if your son belongs, if I read that correctly, is he also guilty of what you accuse the club of being guilty of?

Anyway, I think people make too much of these private clubs. They have lost so much influence and power over the years. I’m interested in Whitehouse because I happen to know how much of a phony he is, and I have been amused that people treat him seriously.

Talk about twisting yourself in knots to pee on others.

I explained quite clearly that I thought I could have an impact from within the power structure.
I did on race.

Far less impact on gender, though I continued to push the issue and small moves were made...eventually, I think I did actually have some impact...losing a 40 year member over this issue was undoubtedly not what they wanted. And I'm sure I was not alone.

And no, there wasn't a great public facility in town for squash, though some years later one opened and I played there frequently. It's now shutting down. The best doubles competition continued to be at the MD Club.

And my son's generation has a chance to continue to reshape the Club as they see fit. He's been living and working overseas these past couple of years, so has been infrequently there, but he's used a couple of the correspondence clubs abroad.

Many women, mostly professional women, did object, and quite strenuously, often through litigation. In nearly every major city in the world, these specific sorts of clubs now have both women and men members...the MD Club was very much an anachronism. My wife, no shrinking violet, Dartmouth and Harvard Business School, etc supported my efforts to change the Club.

My point about Whitehouse is that unless he's been very active in getting that club to change its policies, no way he can defend being a member.

Fair enough. And I appreciate the reply.

I’m not a member of any club like the one you are referring to.

On your last point, I can guarantee Shelley hasn’t done nor said one thing about Bailey’s membership policy. His wife is the third largest shareholder and that crowd is ridiculously incestuous. Interesting side note: Whitehouse and his wife, and Tucker Carlson and his wife, all attended the same boarding school in Newport. In fact, both couples married at the same on-campus chapel.

[MDlaxfan76]

...And of course, not that this should surprise a single soul, he’s a Democrat.

Got it. Because the only racists are the people who point a finger at racists and Democrats point a finger at racism in larger numbers than Republicans so... Democrats are racists! I'm starting to get it! But hang on... Aren't you repeatedly pointing a finger at the finger-pointing, Democrat racists? Uh-oh...

No comment on the actual instance raised in my post? You’re good with Shelley?

I'll comment. He should be ashamed of his response.
First, because the club's policies evidently (let's assume accurate for now) remain racist even in 2021.
Second, because as a 'practicing politician' he should know better.

That said, let's see the outrage at all the GOP members of such clubs.

I do understand how one could be a member of such a club for some period of time and actually work to change such policies. For instance, when I joined the Maryland Club back while still in college in 1979, I challenged my dad, who was a member, as to how I could do so given no African American members and no women. IMO, institutions like these perpetuate various forms of systemic bigotry given their role in the social and particularly economic constructs of the "good ole boy" network. He said that I should see it as a challenge to work from within. I said I'd give it a chance. One of the Club's first Jewish members proposed me.

My age cohort who were lawyers with potential political aspirations, R or D, would not join, and others dropped when it became evident that they would be in management ranks of diverse firms or companies.

Took nearly a decade, but we broke through on the race issue, with my high school classmate and close friend being the second such member the following year. Still sparse representation, but no longer a barrier.

Women were a far more intractable challenge. Despite all of my efforts, I found myself very much in the minority on admission of women. We did manage to extend privileges, though not membership, to wives and to make the club far less sexist in its various programming, but too many of the members wanted a 'safe' place to be away from the gals...and by and large their wives went along...this became self-selecting, as those who were more sensitive to such issues simply did not join or resigned.

That said, my father wanted my son to join as well, which he did in 2016 along with a couple of his close friends, HS classmates and lax teammates. Suffice it to say they are more liberal in their views than the prior generation.

A year and half ago, recognizing that my two new hips, though functional, were unlikely to allow me to return to the squash courts where I had competed for several decades, and fed-up with the continued resistance to women as members, I finally resigned...and wrote a letter explaining.

The club changed its policy to admit women last year.

You were brave enough to reply, but I still have questions and comments.

Why would you have joined in the first place if you were so opposed to the exclusionary membership policies in 1979? Why not just go play squash at a public facility?

Secondly, your resignation seems like was made easier by not being able to enjoy the facilities, less because the club still has almost no black members and no women. Or at the very least, you waited 30 years to make a noisy sendoff (which I’m sure your fellow club members weren’t too enamored with) only when you were no longer able to play squash.

And by the way, many women don’t want to belong to men’s clubs anyway, so why push that issue other than to annoy your friends?

Finally, if your son belongs, if I read that correctly, is he also guilty of what you accuse the club of being guilty of?

Anyway, I think people make too much of these private clubs. They have lost so much influence and power over the years. I’m interested in Whitehouse because I happen to know how much of a phony he is, and I have been amused that people treat him seriously.

Talk about twisting yourself in knots to pee on others.

I explained quite clearly that I thought I could have an impact from within the power structure.
I did on race.

Far less impact on gender, though I continued to push the issue and small moves were made...eventually, I think I did actually have some impact...losing a 40 year member over this issue was undoubtedly not what they wanted. And I'm sure I was not alone.

And no, there wasn't a great public facility in town for squash, though some years later one opened and I played there frequently. It's now shutting down. The best doubles competition continued to be at the MD Club.

And my son's generation has a chance to continue to reshape the Club as they see fit. He's been living and working overseas these past couple of years, so has been infrequently there, but he's used a couple of the correspondence clubs abroad.

Many women, mostly professional women, did object, and quite strenuously, often through litigation. In nearly every major city in the world, these specific sorts of clubs now have both women and men members...the MD Club was very much an anachronism. My wife, no shrinking violet, Dartmouth and Harvard Business School, etc supported my efforts to change the Club.

My point about Whitehouse is that unless he's been very active in getting that club to change its policies, no way he can defend being a member.

Fair enough. And I appreciate the reply.

I’m not a member of any club like the one you are referring to.

On your last point, I can guarantee Shelley hasn’t done nor said one thing about Bailey’s membership policy. His wife is the third largest shareholder and that crowd is ridiculously incestuous. Interesting side note: Whitehouse and his wife, and Tucker Carlson and his wife, all attended the same boarding school in Newport. In fact, both couples married at the same on-campus chapel.

I don't think you can 'guarantee' anything, but doesn't sound like he's put any weight into it.

[Matnum PI]

I explained quite clearly that I thought I could have an impact from within the power structure.

I ask this as a sincere question, not as an attack: Is it possible that you say this as a rationalization? There are tangible benefits to being a member of a club of this ilk and, maybe, these benefits were a, so to speak, bribe to convince you to be a member. Along the same lines, there was a similar club near me where I was raised as a boy and... I wouldn't want to be associated with the name of this Country Club. Everyone knew their policies and, at least for me, their policies were the first thing I would think of when i heard the Country club's name and... I wouldn't want to be associated with this? Do you feel the same about this club? Third and final question, with so many people within the club that don't share your values, why hang out with them? Did seeing them disgust you? Again, none of these questions are meant as an attack. More a curiosity.