As President Barack Obama addresses the country with the conviction and power of a great leader, most American people feel proud of how far the United States has progressed toward an accepting society. Unfortunately, the reality is that this sense of progression is only an illusion by which people of urban areas are blinded. While many enjoy living and traveling in the enterprising cities of America, the rest of the country is not as far in its progression. Surprisingly, many states in the U.S. do not condone racial integration or marriage equality.
An article was recently released in the Los Angeles Times about the first racially integrated prom in Wilcox County, Georgia, an under-funded school with 4-day school weeks. Wilcox County High School does not have the means to organize a prom and has always held invite-only proms organized by volunteer parents. After excluding the African American adolescents from these events for years, the WCHS students finally organized the first interracial prom.
“We sit in class together; we sing in choir together,” said Stephanie Sinnott, student organizer of this year’s prom, to the Los Angeles Times. “Why can’t we go to prom together?”
Despite the fact that segregation was outlawed over 40 years ago, the citizens of Wilcox County and other similar towns have not yet fully digested the concept of racial equality. Though this serious discrepancy among different regions in the country is not always due to hatred toward minorities, this is a harsh truth that many progressive thinkers of urban areas may find hard to believe.
“When I heard of the Wilcox County High School story, I could not believe how ignorant people can be,” said freshman Daria Gershkovitch. “It is unbelievable there are still people who think that way today.”
In addition, marriage is something that anyone should be allowed to publicly and legally experience. However, a vast amount of U.S. citizens oppose marriage equality. According to a CNN survey held in March, 53 percent of American adults support same-gender marriage, while 47 percent do not. Although support for gay marriage currently holds the majority, the opposition’s numbers follow closely behind. Ideas of the more progressive areas are commonly challenged, which leads only to further inequality, discrimination and hatred within the U.S. Organizations such as the Westboro Baptist Church continue to protest same-sex marriage through violent and vulgar attacks.
Much of this information may come as a shock. America in its entirety is not as revolutionary as a diverse urban conglomerate such as L.A. However, recognizing the country’s current status regarding equality is a necessary step toward further progression. Moreover, while the development of the U.S. is not as far as many care to believe, the advancements American citizens achieved certainly predict that they will not rest until they gain sexual, racial and social equality for all
