THE SO-CALLED “WHITE PROM” The most important aspect to this story is that it was NOT a school function. When we hear about “proms” we all have a mindset of some school-sponsored dance to celebrate the end of the school year. That was not the case with this dance. It was a private function neither endorsed nor promoted by the school.
I’m told that Taylor County High School hasn’t had an official school prom in decades. One reason, there’s simply no school facility in which to hold such an event. Officials tell me that there’s a gym there, but students aren’t that anxious to play basketball in it, let alone have a dance. The students prefer to drive from Butler, Georgia to Americus or to Columbus for their events.
O’Reilly made quite a deal last night of saying that the “prom” was sanctioned by the school because the students discussed plans and arrangements with each other while at school. So, that’s what it takes to make an event a “school event?” Does that mean that every date between a boy and a girl arranged at a school is a school event? Is the school then responsible for whatever happens during that date? Is it incumbent upon the school administrators to issue a statement on whether or not they approve or disapprove of this particular couple going out together? If students plan to get together at some fast food joint after school, is this gathering then a school event? Should the school make sure that all minority groups are represented at the Dairy Queen?
What would O’Reilly have the school do? Should they tell the students they can’t have their dance? Should they suspend students who go to the party? Should they dictate that these students invite some minority students or face disciplinary action? Now that’s just what we need, isn’t it? How many people are going to stand for a government school telling students that if they’re going to have a private property away from school grounds the school must have the opportunity to pass on the invitation list. As I said to O’Reilly last night, “What part of freedom of association don’t you understand?”
Across America during the coming months – in fact, just this weekend! – there are going to be thousands of private parties held in homes, hotel ballrooms, public parks and shower stalls that are going to be all-white, all-black, all-Hispanic, all-nerd, all-jock, all-gay and all-freak. It is not the place of the government, through government schools, to tell these kids who they can and cannot associate with off-campus.
AND JUST WHY DID O’REILLY CALL ME A “VICIOUS SON OF A BITCH? There must be some reason why Bill O’Reilly has made such an issue of this private dance in a small rural county of Georgia. It simply isn’t an issue anywhere in this country except on The O’Reilly Factor. Wayne Smith, the Superintendent of the Taylor County schools has not received one single complaint from a black student or the parent of a black student complaining that a group of white students had a private party they called a “prom.”
So, what is O’Reilly’s motivation? Why is he hammering a story that so few people really care about? Perhaps the motivation goes back to April 12th of this year. O’Reilly was emceeing an event sponsored by the Best Friends Foundation. This foundation, to which O’Reilly has donated tens of thousands of dollars, provides services to young children to assist them in their decision-making abilities. Good cause.
There was a group of young black children called The Best Men who were supposed to perform on stage. When the time came for their act they were nowhere to be found. O’Reilly is reported to have said “Does anyone know where the Best Men are? I hope they’re not in the parking lot stealing our hubcaps.” Oops.
Now O’Reilly says that the stories about his comment are “fallacious.” I haven’t heard his explanation, but he’s taking heat from several quarters, including Joe Scarborough on rival MSNBC.
So, I merely said that the so-called white prom issue wasn’t an issue anywhere except on his show, and “one might suspect that you’re running to this to give you some cover, maybe, for this alleged hubcap episode that happened at your fundraiser.” To which O’Reilly responded, “You know, you’re a vicious son of a bitch.”
Conclusion? I struck a raw nerve.
Look, people like O’Reilly have consultants and publicists they run to when there’s a fire to be put out. It wouldn’t surprise me a bit if some publicist said “Look, Bill. Find some racial issue and come down hard on the side of a minority. You need to shore up your credibility here.