Debutante balls are just get-togethers of 40/50-something parents and their friends, with their children as the centers of attention. Yes, the one I was involved in (in Greenville) was all-white, but if the racial exclusivity had ever been brought to the organizers’ attention, they would gladly have reached out to diverse members of the community to take part, as the all-white nature of my debutante group was certainly not intentional, and racial considerations played no role in who took part. (There are African-American debutante groups as well.)

How many boards of directors in which Democrats serve are all-white as well? How many churches where Democrats are members are all-white? Would I ever connect that racial exclusivity to racist views by Democrats? Of course not.

This is a very well written argument

Yall just can’t stand the fact that the group, excuse me, culture of people that are members of Forest Lake, attend the annual Camellia Ball, and get up every sunday and go to the First Presbetyrian Church do what they do! I say culture because it is. This is what Southern Aristocrats do! Its 2009 and yet they continue on what their parents parents parents parents parents have been doing! Why? Because they have pride, class, and respect for who they are and where they come from….some traits the average American lacks these days!

Are they rich? Yep the majority are. Are they snobs? Ha yes but not nearly as much as yall would like to slanderize. Are they Republicans? Yep the majority are, and yes a few of them hold seats in the states political offices, and yes others are lobbyists and big business owners and all are naturaly politically influential. Are they racist? Hmmm the older generation shows their dark side on occasion but like I said this is 2009 so the answer is no they are not.

Back to my point. I would be jealous to if after a long Monday (politicaly dominating speaking) I was fortunate enough to go out to the socially elite club I am a member of and play a few holes with my best friends before coming back to my beautiful home that night. Oh I would really be jealous if that Friday night I was fortunate enough to escort my beautiful daughter to that same club and allow her to make her debut with all the young, intelligent, and most certain promising future bachelors of the Ball.

But…What would make me most jealous of all would to have the opportunity to attend a very nice historic church in downtown Columbia. And thank God for all he has blessed me with because I know how blessed I am. Haha and then go back to the club again for a charming sunday brunch!

You damn democrats!!! Always playing the race card! Its sick! Any of yall ever been to Forest Lake? The entire club staff has got to be around 90% African-American. And that ain’t no slave labor either! They applied and got the job and they love it! Why? Because everybody they serve is friendly. Everybody they serve calls them by their first name! Hold on, this story will blow yalls mind. An old man just passed away recently he was the man in charge of the bag room at the pro shop. 33 years of service to Forest Lake, the building was just renamed after him and a plaque was put up in his honor. Get this, a member paid the tuitions for his three daughters every year they attended college. The man was black and all the members loved him! This is the best part, the hardest job at Forest Lake would have to be the golf course maintence crew. Everyday consant raking, grass cutting, ect… what you people would call “plantation labor”. The head greenskeeper is white, and the staff is well…mostly white too. Call me a liar please because those are facts!

In conclusion im disgusted with the actions of Mark Sanford, and honestly don’t have a high opinion of any of our gubernatorial candidates. I along with you people want whats best for our State. But quit this shallow attack on the GOP involving their private lives and affiliations because it really comes off as envious.

I look forward with great interest the barage of responses im sure to get from my comment!

Yes, Virginia, there are all-black debutante balls. I’ve never heard or read of a white girl make her debut at all-white balls. Cities with a large Hispanic population have their own debutantes, too.

So demographics and history regarding debutante balls may imply one thing, the bottom line is . . . . . it’s not a discriminatory practice. It’s preference. Why would a 19 year old black girl want to debut at a predominantly white affair? And why would a white girl want to debut a predominantly black or hispanic ball? But because we’re in the South, people automatically assume is a racial issue, going back to the days of slavery.

As for membership at Forest Lake or any other P-R-I-V-A-T-E club, whether, if a black man truly, truly wanted to become a member and he met the requirements for membership, in this day and age, I don’t think he could be prevented from being admitted.

Most people don’t want to be “the odd man out”. My daughters didn’t want to go to an all-male school. My sons didn’t want to go to an all-girls school. If I were Jewish, I wouldn’t want to go to Catholic school. It can be applied to many circumstances

I wonder what would happen if a white college freshman wanted to rush for an all-black fraternity? It gives new meaning to the phrase “being blackballed”. I understand there are still racial issues and injustices, but for this to be pushed to the forefront as having any merit is ridiculous.

No problem if you want to perpetuate your bogus whiteness which is a skin color not a heritage or culture as you claim. But, not when you are running for GOP leadership and claiming to represent different people.