Rules Set for Protest at Augusta

The field is muddy, a sunken spot out of sight and sound of Augusta National Golf Club. A city truck spread gravel along the edges so buses would have a place to drop protesters without the sinking of either bus or protesters.

Richmond County Sheriff Ronald Strength delivered a stern lecture to representatives of groups who plan to patrol the field today from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. No microphones or speakers, but bullhorns are OK. Handing out leaflets -- fine. Selling souvenirs, not fine. Speaking to supporters, fine. Taunting other protesters, not fine.

About three miles away, Martha Burk sat at the dining-room table in an antebellum Southern home, in a graceful neighborhood of dogwood trees and brick houses with large front porches. Cameras were set up in the living room as Burk posed, holding a green baseball cap with the word “Hootie” on the bill in gold letters. Hootie, was once Burk’s nickname. Green and gold are the colors of the Masters golf tournament.

Burk seemed tired Friday. Her lawyers were still arguing with Strength about the no-speakers edict.

“We spent $1,200 to rent speakers and a mike,” Burk said. “Understand that our budget for the entire year is $300,000.”

One of Burk’s aides came in to say that Strength had agreed to let the group put up their speakers and do a test this morning. Strength would determine if the volume was too high. Too high for what?

“He said it might disturb the golfers,” Burk said. She smiled, wanly.

The big protest that Burk and her National Council of Women’s Organizations has been planning for almost nine months has arrived. Burk had hoped to have picketers in front of the main gate of Augusta National today at the Masters. She wants to point out that Augusta National, host of the Masters, has no women among its 300 members.

“This is going to be the most eventful non-event of the year,” said sheriff’s Capt. Ray Myers, who will head security for the protests. He said he expected only about 150 people to show up, even though permits for 900 protesters representing various groups have been issued.

After noticing a line in a story during the 2002 Masters about the lack of female members, Burk wrote a letter to Augusta National Chairman Hootie Johnson, suggesting it would be a good thing for this all-male club to add a woman before the 2003 tournament. Johnson made the letter public and said he would not be threatened “at the point of a bayonet” to change the club’s makeup.

Since then, Burk and Johnson have squabbled in public.

The city of Augusta passed an ordinance, giving Strength wide latitude in deciding where protesters could picket the tournament. When Strength decided no permits would be issued for protests in front of the club’s gate, Burk filed a lawsuit. Her request to have the city ordinance ruled a violation of 1st Amendment rights was rejected Wednesday.

On Friday, Burk was still making a halfhearted attempt to negotiate with Strength for the right to march groups of four or fewer protesters in front of the gate.

“The sheriff has told us that he will not allow even one person in front of the gate,” Burk said. “He said anyone approaching the gate would be declared as illegal. Since I do not have a plan to be arrested and since my issue is not about restrictive or anti-1st Amendment behavior in the city of Augusta, I’m inclined to say we will not be in front of the gate. We’ll stick to the pit.”

“The pit” is how Burk refers to the five-acre field half a mile from the club where Strength will allow protesters to gather. Strength has cited safety concerns because of severe congestion on Washington Road in front of the club as the reason for moving the protests. Burk was more concerned with the lack of parking for potential protesters and the possibility that she and other speakers would be limited to using bullhorns.

Burk applied for a permit to allow 200 protesters to gather but said Friday that she did not expect that many. She also said she did not expect to be back next year.

“I don’t think it will be necessary,” Burk said.

And if there were still no female Augusta National members, would Burk be back at the pit in 2004?

“It would depend on who the members were,” Burk said. “It would depend on too many things to think about right now or to allow me to give an answer.”