sulamith, it’s predominately black in that it’s 53% black. Which is not really “predominately” anything. At least, not enough so that you could say black students weld all the power, or that white students necessarily feel stigmatized.
I went to a high school (in Georgia, albeit in the Yankee-influenced state capital) that was 60% black, 40% white. Black kids dominated most of the sports and other extracurricular events, not because they were racist or mean but because the white kids were afraid of being a minority. My senior year in high school, it was a big deal when a handful of white girls joined the cheerleading squad. Previous to that, it had been almost an all-black thing. No one had been keeping them out. They just perceived themselves as having been kept out, when this wasn’t the case. Most of the adminstrators and teachers were white, and most of the school’s PTA leadership was white. And in other areas of the school, like drama, the yearbook staff, and certain sports like tennis and soccer, the white kids dominated.
It is possible that dynamics like this are far more common than the situation you grew up with, particularly in schools where the balance of the races is closer to 50:50.
Spelman does not exclude students on the basis of race, you moron. I have no idea where you could possibly have gotten the idea that they do, other than some strange fever dream. Bad enough that you’re bashing Spelman without knowing anything about the school, but you’re ignoring the numerous careful explanations here about how your beliefs about the school and its policies are wrong.
You are not only ignorant, you are clinging to your ignorance like a life preserver.
I don’t doubt the existence of your exclusion, sulamith. I know people of all colors can be cruel and racist. But I doubt that such one-sidedness could occur in a school that is practically split down the middle, race-wise.
The other thing, sulasmith, is that presumably you guys would have invited any black friends to your prom, not proudly advertised it as “white only”. And to reiterate, the black kids who messed with you guys were horribly wrong. That doesn’t make this right.
Yes, I agree it doesn’t make this right. Those numbers, what was it, 438 total with 232 blacks does look much better than what I remember, so yes, maybe they are knuckle-dragging troglodytes, as there plenty of those to go around, too.
It is a very complicated issue, and I guess my whole point was that it isn’t always the white kids who are the villians. Racism does come in all colors, you know.
That’s why I live in Savannah. We have a very diverse population of Jewish, Catholic, gay, bikers, gullah, pretty much anything you want, and I love it!
When kids, both white and black, grow up never knowing anyone who isn’t protestant and straight, it causes alot of wierd thoguht processes.
Shoot, in my town, if you were a Mehtodist, you were downright radical.
I’m rasing my kids far away from the cotton and peanut fields of middle South Georgia. The ground is fertile there, but the minds are closed.
On both sides.
Thanks, for at least listening to a different angle!
Yes, but in this particular case I think the white kids (or rather certain white kids) are the “villains”, not because they are white but because they are the ones throwing a segregated party. If there were a black-only prom and a white-only prom (as apparently was the case in past years at this school) it might be difficult to tell which group was at fault, but if there is an integrated prom and a white-only prom then the case seems much clearer.
Brutus, you are truly starting to irritate me. You don’t understand the history of HBCUs or their current policies. Your analogy doesn’t work, Now maybe you have a point, that “black-oriented” events are as troubling as “white-oriented” events. I don’t agree, but that’s my opinion. But you need to make that point WITHOUT bringing Spelman, Morehouse, Howard, or Hampton into it. Okay?
And god bless whoever pointed out that segregation and racism isn’t confined to the South. Jesus christ, wake up and look around. Or just get in your car and drive. I’ll bet less than 50 miles in any direction, you can find people who are bigoted and unelightened. Fuck the car, some of you could find them in less than a 50 foot radius.
Thank you, sulasmith for sharing your story. That’s really sad. I’ve always believed that racism is a two way street, but usually get bashed whenever I dare to mention it. It’s true that the most important ingredient in racism is power, but in isolated situations such as you school experience, the black students had the power.
I’m sorry that a bunch of posters here decided to completely ignore your lengthy and personal story because it didn’t fit in to their indignant rantings. We’ve got a lot of “selective readers” on this board. :rolleyes: On the other hand, I went back and read the article again and the school population itself is split roughly fifty-fifty, not the county. So unfortunately, as disturbing as your story is, it’s not really relevent, in this particular case.
And Brutus, do you look back and actually read your posts? Because they’re shockingly ignorant. Spelman doesn’t practice racial discrimination. Anyone can apply and get accepted. They choose not to. Would you want to apply to a predominantly female, black school? Didn’t think so. Just admit defeat and quit being a moron. Sheesh.
I find that hard to believe. But then again, from your previous statements, I find it hard to believe that very many people, black or white, would want to be friends with someone who has such a narrow viewpoint. Of course, you probably don’t have this type of discussion with them so they might not know your true feelings on the topic.
All Randy did was express his views on the topic in an honest matter. Seems to me that if people don’t necessarily agree with your viewpoint on a particular subject, they are ignorant and/or racist by your standards.
Tell me who is being close minded here. If someone doesn’t tow the line and agree with everything a liberal says, they are apparantly in your view evil nasty biggots.
I personally don’t find it hard to believe that a larger percentage of blacks listen to rap and hip hop than do a percentage of whites. So go ahead and add me to your hate group. You close minded, simple minded bitch.
CM-
I’m a bitch, perhaps, but simple minded, never. I don’t hate “Randy.” just his closedminded viewpoint. Just because someone is against rampant racism does not make them a liberal.
“Hip-hop is one of the fastest-growing music genres in the United States, accounting for $1.84 billion in sales last year out of a $14.3 billion total for the U.S. recording industry, according to industry statistics. Interestingly, nearly 70 percent of those sales are to white suburban youth, a striking transformation considering rap music’s beginnings.”
If “none” of Randy’s white friends listen to hip hop, and “all” of his black friends listen to nothing but hip hop–then I’d say Randy’s friends are the exception to the rule.
A misleading statistic. Whites still outnumber blacks in this country by a wide margin. So even though 70% of the sales are to white suburban youth doesn’t mean that a larger percentage of whites listen to hip hop than the percentage of blacks who listen to it.
But hey, I don’t want to get into an argument about hip hop music and who does or doesn’t listen to it. I know that white kids listen to it. Even though I don’t care for either it or rap.
The point of my post was that you dismissed Randy’s posts as being “narrow minded” aka "racist. I felt this was unfair and you needed to be called on it.
Typical. If it’s something you don’t agree with, and I’m not bitching about racism and suffering from white guilt, it’s ignorance. That deserves a definite “Fuck You”.
Dude, you’re a fucking idiot. The rest of us are discussing the topic rationally. I say that your buddy is narrow minded, so you decide I am a “closed minded, simple minded, bitch” and also a liberal. Way to make some assumptions.
I don’t “suffer from white guilt” but I do see evidence of racism every day in news stories such as these and in comments such as yours and your buddy’s. Informed and educated people realize that racism is a huge problem in this country despite the fact that we are in the year 2003 and it should be unheard of. If you can’t see that, then I don’t know what to tell you. Read a newspaper, do some research, you’ll see that racism is alive and well, especially in the south.
I’ll grant you this because it’s probably true. That’s not what Rand said, though.
Your response that it’s extremely unlikely that a black person will enjoy the same type of music that a white person would enjoy is probably what aroused such ire. I know that’s what did it for me.