by Robel Wondimu ‘13

On February 7, Mississippi legally ratified the Thirteenth Amendment which officially outlawed slavery in the state. It’s obvious that this was a technical oversight when filing paperwork, which makes it understandable. What I can’t wrap my head around is the fact that segregated social events still exist.  In early April, it came to light that Wilcox County High School in Georgia still has a segregated prom, which  isn’t school sponsored but privately funded by hateful parents.

I assumed there are some things still segregated, like Klansmen rallies, but this prom was far-fetched and sounded like the setup to a sketch-comedy act. It really is ridiculous to think that even in 21st Century America, parents selfishly and blindly guide their children towards bigotry.

What continues to add to the absurdity is that Governor Nathan Deal refused to condemn this and opted instead to remain neutral, because why would Georgia’s governor want to offend bigots? On the side of the righteous, Georgia’s Republican House Majority Whip offered vocal support for an integrated prom and refused to legitimize the segregated one. It’s unfortunate that even in 2013 ignorance and contempt still facilitate hateful things like segregation.