I have long known of the atmosphere that Marc Barnes tries to present at Dream (“Bourgie Nights,” 7/26). I also have known that he does not let his DJs play go-go. I also have never been to Dream, and never will go, until his mind-set changes. For Barnes to prohibit go-go in his club is a slap in the face to all go-go-loving citizens of D.C. These citizens not only include the brothers and sisters of our deprived public-housing projects and ghettos, but also college-educated, well-paid people such as myself—the type of person who has made something of himself in spite of the stereotypical attitudes, such as those of Marc Barnes, that most apply to black youths raised in D.C. and also those who are go-go club patrons.

My friends and I have been to many go-gos. Never once have we been in a fight—never once have we tried to even start one. Instead, we party all night, only sitting down during the intermission, if there is one, and spending hundreds of dollars on liquor between us. When the bands play, I take a quick look around, and I never see anyone sitting down—the music is too inhibiting. And people such as myself are not in the minority, as you might think; most who come to the shows come for the party and the music. The only reason Dream has not had a major incident is not because of the go-go-less playlist of the DJs, but the extreme security and dress code—which go-go clubs never have.

Second, about the music they do play at Dream: It’s the regular DJ lineup for D.C.—only excluding go-go—basically consisting of rap/hiphop, R&B, reggae, golden oldies, and house. The latter four genres are fine, but rap/hiphop is no better than go-go at portraying a positive image of my brothers and sisters, nor do its current stars come from any place other than the ghetto (or so they claim). So I ask, would you prohibit rap in New York? Heck no, you wouldn’t! D.C. go-go clubs are not the first clubs to have problems with fights or violence; nor will they be the last.

I do agree with Barnes on treating people as people, with a nice club, food, and tight security, and when this is done at go-go clubs—clubs with live go-go nights or just a DJ throwing go-go in the mix—the unwelcome activities are usually kept to a minimum.

Finally, the buppies (I am so glad I don’t fall in that category; I will do anything to stay out of it): Yes, there is a group of young black professionals who have a lot of disposable income, to buy cars bigger than their apartments, clothes made by people who don’t even want most of them wearing them, and champagne marked up 100 percent, and they do so only because they have been spoiled and don’t invest. Personally, the stars such as the ones mentioned in the article who drop by Dream do not excite me at all—rappers who call my sisters “bitches” and “hos” and my brothers “niggers,” athletes who are so self-centered as not to ever do anything that is not self-promoting, and models-turned-actors who cannot act. But I guess when the music

is not great, you need gimmicks to keep a crowd.

As for Marc Barnes and the buppies who attend Dream, “People are not remembered for what they do for themselves, but instead what they do for others.”

I could go on forever. Anyway, I enjoy your articles, even the one I am writing about.

Southeast