# White only prom **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 1, 2003, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-only-prom/172443 "2003-05-01T18:53:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-only-prom/172443/21 "2003-05-01T21:51:39Z")
The thing the most frustrating to me is: > [@](#): > > Posey plans to attend both proms. > > “I had some white friends who were not going to the other (inclusive) prom,” she said. “I wanted to have time with everybody. I’ll have a lot of (black) friends there, too. A lot more of the seniors are going to be at the mixed one.” It’s sad that this person who seems to be on the “good” side still cannot take a stand against the white only prom by not going. Being at a party with friends is more important than standing up to blatant hatred and racism. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-only-prom/172443/22 "2003-05-01T21:55:11Z")
**RickJay** et al: I understand your point about it being private, but I think that what we have here is privatization of what is usually a government function, the high school prom (perhaps a bit of a stretch here, but don’t underestimate the importance to many people of prom). So, it’s kind of as if a town used a private postal service who then segregated in some way. Yeah, it’s private so it’s ok, but it’s something that traditionally has been a “right” provided by the government. Just another way to look at it. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-only-prom/172443/23 "2003-05-01T22:17:11Z")
It’s stupid because the tradition–which was stupid to begin with–was successfully broken last year. The kids planning this party were mere freshmen when the last segregated prom took place. They’re longing for olden days that they didn’t even experience. The white-only prom was tolerable when there was a black-only prom, because the segregation was mutual (albeit stupid). But in this situation, the segregation is one-sided. You have a group of people who think they’re “special” and then you have everyone else. The people in the former faction are trying to break up the school’s quest for unity. The seniors are obviously unified, as evident by their courageous behavior the previous year. The juniors who want to segregate aren’t being respectful of this fact. This bothers me… > [@](#): > > This year, a small number of white juniors decided they wanted a separate prom. If you want a private, exclusive party, send out invitations to your friends and allow your friends to invite people. But don’t broadcast your little party out in the open so that feelings get hurt. That’s rude. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-only-prom/172443/24 "2003-05-01T22:32:57Z")
Shockingly, [this](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&ncid=519&e=4&u=/ap/20030501/ap_on_re_us/separate_proms_2) type of crap still goes on in this country. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-only-prom/172443/25 "2003-05-01T22:37:08Z")
“Hooray for living in the 21st century!” != sue them Hooked on Phonics. Learn it, live it, love it. ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-only-prom/172443/26 "2003-05-01T22:39:46Z")
Good Lord. Anyone in Georgia give a shit about their image? ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-only-prom/172443/27 "2003-05-01T22:44:47Z")
I wonder if Spelman College, also in Atlanta, is planning on having some ‘integrated’ events. ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-only-prom/172443/28 "2003-05-01T22:44:55Z")
Just FYI, there’s already an [active Pit thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=181123) on this. The linked article is different, but it’s the same reprehensible story. What century is this? ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-only-prom/172443/29 "2003-05-01T22:45:18Z")
Having a separte prom does not mean that these people are racist or backward. It just means that they don’t like the others music, clothes, dances, etc. ---
**Author:** ![SylverOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SylverOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SylverOne)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-only-prom/172443/30 "2003-05-01T22:47:48Z")
Not to joke about something so sad, but my inital thought when I read the thread title was, “Where the hell are they gonna get that many white tuxedos and prom dresses?” :smack: It is sad to think that this is a new generation of young people being infected by the ignorance of their parents. I’m going to hide under a rock somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![SouthernSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@SouthernSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SouthernSky)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-only-prom/172443/31 "2003-05-01T22:49:38Z")
Jeez. I’m a transplant from the north, and I’ve never heard of such a thing. Glad I don’t live in Albany. How can people do that to kids, anyway? There are stupid people everywhere. I don’t think we have a monopoly on that. ---
**Author:** ![SylverOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SylverOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SylverOne)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-only-prom/172443/32 "2003-05-01T22:51:24Z")
Having re-read my post, I’m wondering to myself if it is a good thing or a bad thing that I didn’t immediately recognize that “white only” had anything to do with race. It wasn’t until I opened the link that I understood the true nature of this OP. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-only-prom/172443/33 "2003-05-01T22:52:44Z")
> [@](#): > > It just means that they don’t like the others music, clothes, dances, etc. Because ALL black people only like one kind of music, one kind of style, and one kind of dance, right? Because it’s IMPOSSIBLE that a black person enjoys the kind of music that a white person does, right? ---
**Author:** ![Blackeyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f6c823/32.png) [@Blackeyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackeyes)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-only-prom/172443/34 "2003-05-01T22:53:14Z")
:rolleyes: Grow up, guys. You don’t think no one was going to mention a legal response to the party? Someone usually does, and **Fin\_man** was just bringing that up before they would. Watch your fingers too. I know this is the Pit, but BEHAVE once in a while. Fin\_man, your “nut sack” comment was too much; and Miller, you just became rude too quick in the thread. Even us racist southerners grow up with an appreciation for politeness and manners. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-only-prom/172443/35 "2003-05-01T22:57:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fin\_man \* > \*\* > **Lamia** , how do you propose getting the students to “not put their energy into organizing a major segregated social event”? \*\* I do not propose anything. It’s not my business to explain to some kids in a town far, far from here that it is the 21st century and we now know that African-Americans are not subhuman beasts unfit to attend respectable social events with white people. I have a difficult time understanding why such an explanation should even be necessary in this day and age. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-only-prom/172443/36 "2003-05-01T23:03:13Z")
> [@](#): > > Having a separte prom does not mean that these people are racist or backward. It just means that they don’t like the others music, clothes, dances, etc. I fail to see how music, clothes, or style of dance relates to skin color. If one group wanted to sponsor a private prom based upon rap music that would most likely be attended mostly by blacks, that’s all right and not racist. If another group wanted a “Country/Western” themed prom, that would be acceptable and not racist. As long as they aren’t going to take one look at a person trying to enter, judging them just on their skin color, and say “get the fuck out, blackie”, it’s perfectly ok what kind of food or music they want served at the function. ---
**Author:** ![Creative\_Munster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/919ad9/32.png) [@Creative\_Munster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Creative_Munster)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-only-prom/172443/37 "2003-05-01T23:08:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SPOOFE \* > \*\*Because ALL black people only like one kind of music, one kind of style, and one kind of dance, right? Because it’s IMPOSSIBLE that a black person enjoys the kind of music that a white person does, right? \*\* Not a matter of it being impossible. Strictly a matter of it being extremely unlikely. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Gui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@El\_Gui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Gui)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-only-prom/172443/38 "2003-05-01T23:13:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RandMcnally \* > \*\*Having a separte prom . . . just means that they don’t like the others music, clothes, dances, etc. \*\* And you know this how? And to repeat what **Garfield226** brought up, what is the deal with having a black class president and a white class president? I can understand how the “prom” being organized for whites is a private event without any school involvement, but I wonder how school officials justify the black and white president thing? ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-only-prom/172443/39 "2003-05-01T23:15:11Z")
Am I the only geek who looked at this post and said “Write Only PROM – well, that _is_ dumb.”? ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-only-prom/172443/40 "2003-05-01T23:17:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Creative\_Munster \* > \*\*Not a matter of it being impossible. Strictly a matter of it being extremely unlikely. \*\* wtf? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-only-prom/172443.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-only-prom/172443.md?page=3)