Don't Forget, It's Ok To Discriminate! Right..

So, now Republicans and the media have found a new sensational issue to focus on regarding Supreme Court nominee Sotomayor. It seems that her participation in an all women club, The Belizean Grove, is considered to be a violation of judicial ethics. Not knowing all the facts, I disagree.

And here is why, even though I do not know the mission of this organization. My disagreement is because of a pretty simple question, really. According to their written mission statement, what group of people does this organization serve?

If the written mission statement for Belizean Grove clearly states that it exists for all women, then the answer should be obvious.

If it states that it exists for everyone and in practice excludes men, then the group is discriminating.

In other words: the bottom line is about who the group states that it serves. It discriminates when it excludes within the population served. For me, the answer to this type of question is simple: look to a group's written mission statement. I do not know the mission of Belizean Group, but it helps to have learned that the group appears to serve women and may exist in response to the all-male Bohemian club.

From an article which appeared in the New York Times:

The Belizean Grove bills itself as women’s answer to the 130-year-old all-male Bohemian Club in California. The men’s club owns a 2,500-acre camping area in Northern California called the Grove.

I cannot help but notice the irony here. Wasn't it about ten years ago that conservatives rallied behind the Boy Scouts, an organization whose stated mission appears to serve an entire group and publicly excludes gays within that group? Let us not forget that the Supreme Court sanctioned their discrimination. Funny that their website is not clear about eligibility.

Ironic and definitely not surprising that conservatives are now crying discrimination.

At any rate: once again the media and conservatives are focusing on one side of the issue. Very few people are talking about the all male Bohemian Club. I wonder why..?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/20/us/politics/20grove.html?ref=politics