AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Masters do not like sports.
Fred Ridley, chairman of the Augusta National Golf Club, gave his annual State of the Masters speech on Monday, and at the end of an opening statement that included references to the beauty of the course and the announcement of a new video game, Ridley focused on a local issue that received national attention: a new election law in Georgia.
When it comes to golf, Ridley rides a ride right in the middle of the fairway. He did not reject the law, but the fact that he addressed it on the grounds of Augusta National and on the eve of the masters is important in itself.
“I believe, like everyone in our organization, that the right to vote is fundamental in our democratic society,” Ridley said.
He then presented a single sentence which, if analyzed – and it will be analyzed, will anger and encourage both sides in the fight over the new voting law: ‘No one may be harmed by the exercise of the right [to vote], and it is critical that all citizens have confidence in the electoral process. ‘
Georgia Election Law: Origins and Controversy
Georgia has voted reliably in both but two presidential elections since 1964. But in November, the state cast key ballots in Democrat Joe Biden’s victory over Donald Trump. Nine weeks later, two Democratic Senate challengers unleashed Republican opponents. The trio of groundbreaking defeats, combined with the fact that Trump has pursued discredited and discredited claims of widespread electoral fraud, has shaken the state’s Republican leadership. Their response was to propose, develop and quickly adopt a comprehensive bill to regulate the future elections in Georgia.
Critics of the bill argue that the law is based on refuting conspiracy theories and unfairly targeting minorities through actions such as removing polling stations and reviewing state oversight of elections. Supporters of the law say it’s a way to protect the integrity of the election, and that Georgia is an easier state to vote in than New York or Biden’s home state of Delaware.
Augusta National takes the middle ground
As in most cases when an entity chooses a middle course, Augusta National’s position is unlikely to satisfy either side. Critics of the voting law will surely want Ridley to take a more definitive stance in favor of suffrage, while those who want to keep their sport and politics separate will not be happy that Augusta National touches on the subject at all, soft way.
One aspect of the Georgia controversy over which Ridley left no gray area: the idea of a boycott. In the wake of the MLB’s decision to move the All-Star Game out of Atlanta, activists and special interest groups began calling on the Masters to withdraw from Georgia (a literal impossibility; the Masters are the heart of the club itself) or for ESPN and CBS to boycott the event coverage and the PGA Tour to strip the Masters of its status.
“Boycotts and other sanctions have been called for,” Ridley said. “Unfortunately, those actions often carry the greatest burdens for the most vulnerable in our society. And in this case, it includes our friends and neighbors here in Augusta, which is at the heart of the positive difference we are trying to make.”
Earlier in the speech, Ridley promoted the multi-million dollar investment that ANGC made in Augusta’s underprivileged neighborhoods through the establishment of a community center and other efforts.
‘Let the democratic process work’
When he is pressured, Ridley refuses to take a stand on the law itself in any way.
“I’m not going to talk about the specific laws, but … I think there’s a resolution, and I think the resolution will be based on people working together and talking and having a constructive dialogue, because that’s the way it is. on which our democratic society works, ‘he said. “We want to encourage people to speak, to communicate, to make the democratic process work. And hopefully these fundamental principles that I have said can be so important to us, and I think everyone in this room can be reached. “
During the early part of Masters Week, players were asked about their perspective on Georgia law and the right to vote. Some have refused to go deeper and claim they do not know the specific laws. But others responded with messages of general support, if not specific condemnation.
“I want to vote and have a good democracy, and I chose to live in this country because I believe this country is the best country in the world,” Rory McIlroy said on Tuesday. “America is the land of opportunity, and that’s the American dream. You work hard; you are rewarded.”
It’s not much, but it’s a strong change for a sport that often draws heat due to the lack of diversity and the slow response to societal change. The controversy over Georgia’s electoral legislation does not go away. But here in Georgia, the Masters will continue … even if it’s a little more political lead than usual.
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Jay Busbee is an author of Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter at @jaybusbee or contact him at [email protected].
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