We’ve all been there; we have a party, baby shower, bar-b-que and the all time favorite, a wedding. Whether it’s an evite or invite, the same rules apply when those magical four letters appear. Please R.S.V.P.
Or as the French say répondez s’il vous plait, which translate to “please respond.”
Simply put if you are invited to an event the polite thing to do is to let the host know if you will or will not attend and how many guest you will bring. There are not many situations which call for R.S.V.P at funerals unless of course you are an international singer and actress who name happens to be Whitney Houston. Social networking, blogs, media, radio, barber shops and beauty salons went haywire last Saturday when the late Whitney Houston’s ex-husband and father to her daughter abruptly left her Home-going Service. After much speculation of whether or not he was actually invited. Rumors started that he was asked to leave, he was not allowed to sit with the family, his crew was not allowed to stay, Whitney rose and asked him to leave(not really) but the gossip was wild. Here is what Bobby Brown said in a statement late Saturday night:
“My children and I were invited to the funeral of my ex-wife Whitney Houston,” he said, referring to his three kids from previous relationships Landon, 26, La’princia, 21, Robert Jr., 20, plus Cassius, his two-year-old with fiancée Alicia Etheridge. “We were seated by security and then subsequently asked to move on three separate occasions. I fail to understand why security treated my family this way and continue to ask us and no one else to move. Security then prevented me from attempting to see my daughter Bobbi Kristina. In light of the events, I gave a kiss to the casket of my ex-wife and departed as I refused to create a scene. My children are completely distraught over the events. This was a day to honor Whitney. I doubt Whitney would have wanted this to occur. I will continue to pay my respects to my ex-wife the best way I know how.”
Okay, there is no dispute that Bobby left the funeral freely. That is where my issue lies. I think that no matter what Bobby should have stayed to morally support his daughter on what was by far one of the hardest days of her young life. At the age of 27 I buried my father; I don’t think it was any easier of a burden than it was for 18-year-old Bobbi Kristina. I do know that having the other parent (my mom) and my grandma there made it a tad bit easier. It’s a weird feeling, but the moment I knew my father was deceased I immediately wanted my mother near and my parents separated before Whitney’s first record was released.
According to Pastor of New Hope Baptist Church, Whitney’s home church where the service took place Bobby was always invited despite news reports that the Houston family wanted him to stay away. Joe A. Clark appeared on Good Morning America Monday morning (I watched) this is what he said in a nutshell. According to Clark, Bobby and two guests had seats in the family section, but Bobby showed up with nine or ten. Bobby was told that he and his two guests could sit in the family section and seats would be found elsewhere for his other guests. Bobby didn’t agree with that arrangement and left. Clark also said that when Bobby and his guests arrived the family (including Cissy Houston and Bobbi Kris) was still in the fellowship hall and had yet come into the church. Clark said Bobby and his guest being seated in the family section before the rest of the family arrived would have caused lots of confusion.
I do applaud Bobby for not causing a scene, but I would give him a standing ovation if he had simply put his ego aside for the day.
Putting his ego aside would’ve been him and the two guests sitting in the family section as originally planned and the rest of the guest (who were mostly his kids and brother) sit elsewhere. Communication is the key to everything; Bobby should have simply requested in the very beginning that he would bring more than two guests. I agree that his kids should have been there, Whitney was in their lives a long time and Bobbi Kris is their sister. However, the way it was handled was all wrong and caused unnecessary drama.
I pray that Bobby and Bobbi Kris can move past this and that Bobby learn a valuable lesson. Because of his ego he wasn’t there when his daughter needed him most. Does that make him a bad father? No! Just makes him human, we all have acted in the heat of the moment and look back wishing we could change it.
Of course we can’t, but we can learn from it and move forward.
This piece is dedicated to all the people who ignore those four important letters on invitations. 
Pieces of Cobb 
Bobby said he did try and see Bobbi Christina but security wouldn’t allow him to. You’re right. He should have stayed. And he should have made it clear how many people he was bringing. But they could have treated him with a little more respect.
From what was said on Frank and Wanda show this morning by Whitney Houston’s lawyer there were somethings that he agreed to do and Bobby decided that he wanted to do what he wanted to do. It is a shame though really because like you said he should have been there for his daughter and he should have put his ego to the side.
Sometimes we feel entitled to things because of circumstances but we need to put ourselves in other people’s shoes and do what’s right.