"White Graduates Only" Class Reunion Party

[Hotwire]

Really, people? It's 2012. The whole segregation thing was shot down decades ago!

Graduates from the St. Martinville, La., Senior High School Class of 1973 decided that after nearly 40 years, they would stop holding segregated class reunions, but a letter announcing the change included an after party for "white graduates only."


Michael Kreamer, who is the principal of the Louisiana school, said the letter was brought to his attention on Friday morning.


"It's disappointing to see something like this," he said. "The school was really not involved at all in it."


On Sept. 21, a reception will be held at the school, followed by the homecoming football game, which the letter notes all graduates are welcome to attend.


After the game, "white graduates only" are invited to a classmate's home and are encouraged to bring a "food dish to share."


Liza Chance, one of the organizers of the event, told ABC affiliate KATC the group had originally planned to have separate parties again this year, but then changed their minds, and that the old plans were sent prematurely.


"I don't understand why this went the way it did," she said.

http://news.yahoo.com/class-reunion...nly-party-223601169--abc-news-topstories.html

 

[Manic]

Really, people? It's 2012. The whole segregation thing was shot down decades ago!

But it's the class of 73. They were around during the days of integration. Some of them probably didn't like it back then, and you can't wipe willful racism away from some people.

 

[Hobgoblin]

...Wow.

 

[Kelly]

Well integration back in the early 70's was forced on both black and white communities, it was not the most well thought out plan....my parents moved me later on from Dallas schools that were having major racial problems because of the forced integration to a school in Canton that had been integrated from its beginnings.....not forced, and it was a good move. Those people that were graduating back then have not so good memories of that.

I'm not saying the letter was ok....its not OK AT ALL.....but some feelings are hard to bury....even though they should have been buried long ago.

It is sad that this type of thing still goes on...but unfortunately it does.

 

[TinkTonks]

But it's the class of 73. They were around during the days of integration. Some of them probably didn't like it back then, and you can't wipe willful racism away from some people.

This.

I live in an area full of people who grew up in the 50's and 60's, and they still have this type of mentality. My friend's mother grew up in a town that didn't have anything but white people in it the whole time she grew up. She never even saw a black person till she was an adult, and therefore says she is a little leery of them. No particular reason, never had anything happen to her. It's just that the idea is "foreign" to her.

Once people are set in their ways, you aren't going to change their minds.


That being said, I do hate to read these stories. I remember reading one about this couple in Mississippi. They wanted to get married in their church, but the congregation wouldn't let them because the couple was black....

 

[Midnyte_Sun]

They used to 'ship' black kids from the inner city to our school in the far off county. And that was in the 90's. It's still an ongoing process.

 

[Kelly]

And its not a good process....

I understand that ALL children need a good, solid, education...but the integration processed used in the 70's is not, IMO, the way to do it.

 

[Beanjuice]

But it's the class of 73. They were around during the days of integration. Some of them probably didn't like it back then, and you can't wipe willful racism away from some people.

....That doesn't make it ok....I'm sure they've adjusted to all the other changes that have happened since then. You would think by now they would have grown up a little and learned something about life. Sure racism is alive and well, but its not as commonplace as it was in 73. They have no right to have their own reunion or be more important or special than anyone else.

 

[Kelly]

....That doesn't make it ok....I'm sure they've adjusted to all the other changes that have happened since then. You would think by now they would have grown up a little and learned something about life. Sure racism is alive and well, but its not as commonplace as it was in 73. They have no right to have their own reunion or be more important or special than anyone else.

Actually they do have that right....IF IT WASN'T going to be held at the HS. But according to the article it was going to be at the HS.

That doesn't make it the right thing to do.....but they do have that right, they wanted to do something off campus on their own. Stupid, but they could do that....

 

[C. Lee]

....That doesn't make it ok....I'm sure they've adjusted to all the other changes that have happened since then. You would think by now they would have grown up a little and learned something about life. Sure racism is alive and well, but its not as commonplace as it was in 73. They have no right to have their own reunion or be more important or special than anyone else.

SO you are saying (re-read the original post that explains what is happening)....that after the official reunion....a group of people can not get together and have a party with the people they want to?

 

[The Guard]

This isn't really okay, but I don't really see this as any different than a "Cool kids only" graduation party.

Its just a different type of bias. I don't see why they can't organize their own party.

 

[terry78]

It sounds pretty *******ish, that's basically it. No laws or anything considering it's not sanctioned by the government or anything. Now if some black classmate wanted to crash it, there might be some beef.

 

[Kelly]

It sounds pretty *******ish, that's basically it. No laws or anything considering it's not sanctioned by the government or anything. Now if some black classmate wanted to crash it, there might be some beef.

I don't think they could do it at the High School itself, which is where it was going to be held...if the school allowed it, it would be government sanctioned.

 

[Gold Samurai]

Right. The "Whites only party" at someone's house would be no different from some radical group holding their own party at their house.

It's in their rights to hold whatever they want AFTER the official one.

-Orgy
-Tupperware
-Fantasy football
-Dungeons and Dragons

It's all allowed.

 

[terry78]

Nowadays though stuff like that is done more due to the principle of the thing as opposed to some firm belief. They all know how something like that is viewed, but they just chose to do it as a middle finger.

 

[Kelly]

I don't understand this part of it...

Liza Chance, one of the organizers of the event, told ABC affiliate KATC the group had originally planned to have separate parties again this year, but then changed their minds, and that the old plans were sent prematurely.


"I don't understand why this went the way it did," she said.

What way did she think it would go?????? even to think about it, and then change their minds.....the fact that it was even thought about takes us back 40 years....

 

[Thundercrack85]

Well it makes sense. What did people think happened to all the racists in the South?

 

[chaseter]

Just wait...in 30 years these old racist buttholes will be festering in the ground and racism will likely be nearly extinct. I think it is largely gone but in a few decades it will be next to nothing. Our generation are largely not racist (20-30 year olds). The previous generation lived through the civil rights so they may still harbor some feelings.

 

[Manic]

Just wait...in 30 years these old racist buttholes will be festering in the ground and racism will likely be nearly extinct. I think it is largely gone but in a few decades it will be next to nothing. Our generation are largely not racist (20-30 year olds). The previous generation lived through the civil rights so they may still harbor some feelings.

Things will be much better in 30 years, but let's not be too naive here.

 

[bullets]

Racism gets past on from generation to generation. I'm sure it will die down considerably but it might always be there. There's also different excuses for it.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Skipping a few generations, it generally goes...

"Greatest Generation" born between 1900 and 1925.

Then came the "Silent Generation" born between 1925 and 1945.

Followed by the Baby Boomers (between 1945 and early 1960's).

Then came Generation X (early 1960's to late 1970's) and Generation Y (early 1980's to late 1990's). There's some debate where X starts, and where Y starts.

Generation X is the first generation to grow up in a time period where racism was seen as a bad thing.

 

[Kelly]

Just wait...in 30 years these old racist buttholes will be festering in the ground and racism will likely be nearly extinct. I think it is largely gone but in a few decades it will be next to nothing. Our generation are largely not racist (20-30 year olds). The previous generation lived through the civil rights so they may still harbor some feelings.

No it has just changed...in inner city schools, its not necessarily a white/black thing anymore it is now black/Hispanic....some of our worst fights today in the high schools are between black students and Hispanic students....

 

[Lasirius]

Wow, can't believe they're serious about the "white graduates only". What a bunch of jerks.

 

[terry78]

We learn this **** from our parents for the most part. If they drill into your head from day one how these guys act like this or these guys don't, you'll start to believe it until you either experience something different or change your own mind. Mind you, every race has their own stereotype that some of them do adhere to, but gotta use your own judgment.

 

[Thundercrack85]

I'd disagree there. I didn't know racism until I went to school.

One of the few things you actually do learn about in schools.

Unless of course, you're raised by a bigot.