Lynne Cheney Visits Exclusive Dallas Country Club That Has Long Record Of Racial Discrimination
Lynne Cheney Visits Exclusive Dallas Country Club That Has Long Record Of Racial Discrimination
Last Friday, around the time her husband was giving a speech in Dallas, Lynne Cheney “made a visit to the Dallas Country Club for a signing event to promote her new memoir, Blue Skies, No Fences.” The club, which was founded in 1896, is a “haven for whites” and bills itself as a “traditional,” “family oriented social club.”
It also didn’t have any African-American members until at least as recently as June 2007.
In February 2007, controversy erupted in the Dallas Mayoral race after it was reported that two of the candidates were members of the club, which at the time had no black members and was in the process of rejecting former Clinton administration USEC board member Kneeland Youngblood:
The criticism came after The Dallas Morning News reported Wednesday that the membership application of prominent businessman Kneeland Youngblood, who stands to become the first black member of the club, had stalled. Members who declined to be identified said the reason for the delay was his involvement with the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow/PUSH Coalition.
The Dallas Morning News reported in June that Youngblood’s application was still “held up.”
An employee of the country club confirmed to ThinkProgress that Youngblood is not a member, but said the club had accepted its first African-American member, a man named Ray Robinson, at some point between June 2007 and today.
Cheney’s appearance at the traditionally exclusive club came in the same week that her husband visited a hunting lodge in upstate New York that hangs the Confederate flag.
UPDATE: A video look inside the Dallas Country Club, courtesy of TP reader Michael.
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well, gosh, and we would be surprised by this because…?
And, yes, I do take it personally
November 5th, 2007 at 3:21 pmIn other news, civil unrest in Pakistan… and in spite of the obvious democratic issues at hand, I find myself oddly conflicted by this description of events:
SLAMABAD, Pakistan – Police fired tear gas and clubbed thousands of lawyers protesting President Gen. Pervez Musharraf’s decision to impose emergency rule, as Western allies threatened to review aid to the troubled Muslim nation. Opposition groups put the number of arrests at 3,500, although the government reported half that.
Yes, there is evil afoot, but who can’t help but think of Shakespeare…?
November 5th, 2007 at 3:26 pmWonder if the Cheneys’ lesbian daughter is welcome at this “exclusive club”…?
November 5th, 2007 at 3:28 pmIs anyone surprised. Dick and Lynn Chaney are racist from way back. That’s why Mr. Chaney is against anything that helps children or the poor, because he thinks it’s helping blacks/minorities. People like them are racist and proud of it. They don’t openly say it, but you can look at them and see it written all over their faces.
November 5th, 2007 at 3:30 pm“Yes, there is evil afoot, but who can’t help but think of Shakespeare…?”
Comment by Bush is a four letter word
Yeah, lawyers in one of the poorest countries in the world are just like ours, and should all be killed.
Sheesh!
November 5th, 2007 at 3:30 pmOh no, I wonder if they know the Cheney’s are related to Barack Obama.
November 5th, 2007 at 3:31 pmI gave Cheney a pass on the Confederate flag at the hunting lodge because the flag was in a location that Cheney’s party could easily have missed. Unless the hunting lodge included their flag in their literature, flew it right at the entrance to their establishment, or had generated a loud controversy over it, Cheney could easily have been ignorant of it.
However, I find it difficult to believe that Lynne Cheney could have been unaware of the racial discrimination pattern with the Dallas Country Club. If she was, somebody on her staff should have clued her in. Unlike a Conferderate flag stuck in a garage, race discrimination has a tendency to be known, especially after a widely publicized controversy on that subject as recently as this year.
Is anybody else raising their eyebrows that supporting the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition is grounds for rejection in this club?
November 5th, 2007 at 3:31 pm“…to promote her new memoir, Blue Skies, White Faces, No Fences.â€
she’s a dick a too!
November 5th, 2007 at 3:33 pmIs anybody else raising their eyebrows that supporting the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition is grounds for rejection in this club?
Comment by missmolly — November 5, 2007 @ 3:31 pm
Perhaps you should reconsider your position on the confederate flag thingy.
November 5th, 2007 at 3:36 pmYou know generally I’m willing to give “clubs” the benefit of the doubt when it comes to this sort of behavior. I mean after all it is the year 2007 and affluent golfers come in all colors.
But…come on… there are no affluent black golfers in Dallas?
dubya tee eff
November 5th, 2007 at 3:37 pmTi’s been about fifty years since I lived in Dallas, but at that time the only blacks or latinos allowed pass the gates were either mowing or hauling out garbage. I wonder if Gonzo has finagled a membership?
November 5th, 2007 at 3:40 pmYeah, lawyers in one of the poorest countries in the world are just like ours, and should all be killed.
Sheesh!
Sympathy for lawyers is pretty effing low on my list of priorities. Finding a sliver of humor in a dark time ranks significantly higher.
November 5th, 2007 at 3:48 pmwhat a club!
November 5th, 2007 at 3:50 pmClubs have prerogatives to be exclusive. Lynne Cheney has the prerogative to join such exclusive clubs. Either way, the effects of racism have been overstated for too long now. Wonder why attempts by Lynne Cheney to be open and liberal in interacting with who she chooses riles folks.
November 5th, 2007 at 3:57 pmShe’s as much a lunatic as her husband.
November 5th, 2007 at 4:09 pmNow that’s down right White of them – and real Family Values too. Because we all know Black people can’t have Family Values. /snark
(s)hits thinks racism has been overstated – look moron, you have never been Black or anything else but the privleged White Bread life. Unless you walk a mile in their shoes, you don’t know Jack (s)hit.
Buck Fush
November 5th, 2007 at 4:09 pmman, the trolls are really phoning it in today.
November 5th, 2007 at 4:10 pmI wonder if she gifted the country club with a Darth Cheney statuette.
November 5th, 2007 at 4:18 pmHits – Ah, a racist pig on line with us. I remember growing up in the 50’s and hearing that same sort of talk from a bunch of racist pigs like you. I am sorry, but I know exactly how the system works. I belonged to the right clubs. Made it easier in finding jobs with other companies and law firms. We had integrated clubs so that it did not hurt the blacks. However, this is in the deep south and we know exactly what it means and what you are.
November 5th, 2007 at 4:22 pmUnless you walk a mile in their shoes, you don’t know Jack (s)hit.
Buck Fush
Comment by Buckie Boy — November 5, 2007 @ 4:09 pm
Aw, don’t pick on poor hits.
He’s handicapped… lysdexic, ya know.
November 5th, 2007 at 4:24 pmIs anybody else raising their eyebrows that supporting the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition is grounds for rejection in this club?
Comment by missmolly — November 5, 2007 @ 3:31 pm
Perhaps you should reconsider your position on the confederate flag thingy.
Comment by Lefty Patriot — November 5, 2007 @ 3:36 pm
I just flew yesterday back to the east coast from a trip out of town to the west coast, and my body still hasn’t quite recovered even though I have tried to solve the problem with huge quantities of caffeine today. So please forgive me if I see your answer as a non-sequitur, or if I am missing your point.
I didn’t give any position on the Confederate flag itself, just where it was located — and comparing that to the history of racial discrimination of the Dallas Country Club.
It’s possible that you are seeing some kind of double standard if I support accepting someone for supporting Rainbow/PUSH Coalition but if I don’t support accepting someone for flying a Confederate flag.
It’s true that I think Rainbow/PUSH Coalition is a worthwhile organization that does good things for communities, and I also see the Confederate battle flag (the stars and bars) as an incredibly divisive symbol that means rebellion, racism, and hatred to many people.
That said, I would not bar anybody from a GOLF CLUB because of their political views or because of their love for the Confederate flag. I wouldn’t support flying the stars and bars at the golf club, but if the member wanted to keep one in his garage, I wouldn’t support him being blackballed for that reason.
Ditto for the guy who’s involved with Rainbow/PUSH Coalition. This should make no difference in his eligibility, just as it shouldn’t make any difference if he was a member of Rotary or the local Lion’s Club. Now, if he wanted to conduct Rainbow/PUSH events at the clubhouse, circulate literature on the premises, or exhort members to sign petitions of any kind, that’s another matter. I’m sure the country club has rules and guidelines about those things and apply them equally across the board — or if not, they should.
And here’s another thought. A private club can discriminate against anyone it wishes. After all, it’s a free country. However, I will call any organization “racist” when they practice racial discrimination (including black against white as well as white against black), and I will criticize anyone who appears to support that practice by visiting such an organization.
November 5th, 2007 at 4:24 pmShe’s as much a lunatic as her husband.
Comment by jerseyboyblue — November 5, 2007 @ 4:09 pm
Lady Mcbeth?
November 5th, 2007 at 4:25 pmWell shits, to be truthful I’m kind of selective about what clubs I belong to as well. And I wouldn’t belong to any club that would let in white trash like you. Call be bigoted if you must but I just cannot abide idiots like you.
November 5th, 2007 at 4:30 pmAw, don’t pick on poor hits.
He’s handicapped… lysdexic, ya know.
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity — November 5, 2007 @ 4:24 pm
Oh I thought shits was limpdicktic.
November 5th, 2007 at 4:31 pmI’m sure she doesn’t realize that there are country clubs where everyone is not the of same color or economic class.
November 5th, 2007 at 4:46 pmDon’t you love the way that conservative scum always believe that because something is legal it is also right. Yes, it is legal for a private club to discriminate. However, it does not make it right. It is even less right for the wife of the Vice President of the United States to hold a public event at such a club. It provides the perfect example of the scum that all Republicans have become.
November 5th, 2007 at 4:48 pmshe drinks blood.
November 5th, 2007 at 4:48 pmshe drinks blood.
Comment by old_hack — November 5, 2007 @ 4:48 pm
And I’m sure that the country club had it on tap for her visit.
November 5th, 2007 at 4:53 pmFrankly, I could care less what Lynn Cheney does. Surprise that she went to this country club? I don’t expect decent behavior from these people…so what’s the big story?!? Far more important things happening right now in this country and the world. Martial law in Pakistan comes to mind. The situation in the middle east continuing to spiral completely out of control comes to mind. A possible/probable attack on Iran by the end of Bush’s term…maybe even before the 2008 election, comes to mind.
November 5th, 2007 at 4:58 pmWhy is it that these people only appear in front of ‘canned’ GOP or government employee audience and need to travel between appearances in a missile proof limo?
November 5th, 2007 at 5:20 pmComment by TCDon — November 5, 2007 @ 5:29 pm
A single star in the state flag of Arkansas is a far cry from the Confederate battle flag. Did you take a look at the Arkansas flag itself? I think the design was a good way of acknowledging history without perpetuating a symbol that causes pain to many people.
http://www.50states.com/flag/arflag.htm
As far as Confederate Flag Day goes, most southern states have days and/or events to commemorate the Confederacy, and remember the Confederate casualties in the Civil War. Not just Arkansas.
Commemorating one’s history one day a year isn’t in the same league as fighting for the right to fly the stars and bars all year round on government buildings. And it’s not anywhere close to supporting hate groups who have co-opted this flag to symbolize their own agenda.
Love Hillary or hate Hillary — but try to form your opinion based on something more substantial than her failure to condemn the flag of the state where she served as First Lady.
November 5th, 2007 at 5:50 pmComment by TCDon — November 5, 2007 @ 5:29 pm
One of these days you will learn that the “Clinton did it too” BS goes over around here like a lead balloon.
But then again, you have been told this many times, so maybe you will never learn…..
November 5th, 2007 at 5:52 pmActually, dear *dear* TCDon – we’d truly rather you’d just STFU.
November 5th, 2007 at 6:55 pmbut, what does that picture have to do with the story?
glad it’s not a head shot, but, why ANY pic, if not one related…
November 5th, 2007 at 7:37 pm.
You don’t think a cheney would be caught in the same room as the minorities they loathe, do you?
I see we have a resident conservanazi true believer in the forum.
It’s nice to have a village idiot around.
Remember this, if all else fails to distract thinkers from topics, conservanazi true believers will resort to “the Clintons did this, the Clintons did that”. To the conservanazi republikan true believer wingnuts, the Clintons are the most powerful political family in the whole danged world.
Buck Fush.
“When Fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in a flag carrying a cross.” Sinclair Lewis
November 5th, 2007 at 8:13 pmWhat bullcrap. The club once didn’t accept blacks, and now it does. Yet people are still supposed to shy away?
Comment by O. Bigfoot — November 5, 2007 @ 10:17 pm
If the club truly accepts blacks as members, that’s fine — regardless of their past.
But there’s some doubt about that when they have only found ONE black person “worthy” of membership (back in the civil rights days of the 60’s we used to call that “tokenism”), and any black person who is involved with the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, a respected charitable organization, is barred from membership.
Why? A black person can’t be involved in “black” worthy causes? Or association with anything having to do with Jesse Jackson makes a person just a little too “black”?
This still smells like racism to me.
November 5th, 2007 at 10:57 pmClubs have prerogatives to be exclusive. Lynne Cheney has the prerogative to join such exclusive clubs. Either way, the effects of racism have been overstated for too long now. Wonder why attempts by Lynne Cheney to be open and liberal in interacting with who she chooses riles folks. — Hits
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You’re correct in your statement that Lynne Cheney is entitled to associate with whomever she wants. However, as Aesop wrote in days gone by, “birds of a feather flock together” — other people are likewise entitled to use the company she chooses to keep as a criteria by which to evaluate her as a person, because human beings are by and large more inclined to associate with people with whom they have an affinity of some kind than with people with whom they have nothing in common. If Lynne chooses to associate with people who have a reputation for being prejudiced, she has every right to do that — but then, she shouldn’t be surprised if other people suspect her of sharing the same attitudes as those with whom she chooses to keep company. As the old saying goes…lie down with dogs, get up with fleas.
Aren’t conservatives always the ones who talk about taking responsibility and accepting the consequences for one’s actions? Funny how so many of them apparently think that only applies to other people…
November 6th, 2007 at 1:34 amEither way, the effects of racism have been overstated for too long now. — Hits
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I take it, then, that you wouldn’t have considered this recent incident to be worth reporting…
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/09/12/national/main3253257.shtml
What happened to this woman is not something that anyone in his or her right mind would wish even on their worst enemy — and it’s proof that racism is still alive and well in this country.
November 6th, 2007 at 2:21 am