For way too long, Philadelphia has just been cold retarded when it comes to race relations. (Seriously, try re-reading Buzz Bissinger's "A Prayer for the City" -- depressingly little has changed.) So it's not a terrible surprise that when a group of black and brown children visited a suburban swim club, the swim club's white members freaked out.
According to an NBC 10 report, at least one of the Northeast-based Creative Steps Day Camp campers said they heard a white club member asking what "all these black kids" were doing there. So far just hearsay, and this corner of Pa. enjoys a particularly vivid history of exaggerated racial claims on all sides. But then the club's president, John Duesler, goes ahead and says this in a statement:
"There was concern that a lot of kids would change the complexion... and the atmosphere of the club."
That is either a most unfortunate choice of words or a brutally honest confession. Thanks to underdevelopment and that pesky brain drain Philly seems stuck in the 80s, segregation-wise. And all of our local ethnic groups are really awesome at living up to their worst stereotypes. Still, Valley Swim Club: the No Coloreds in the Pool thing, really?? Brave.
[NBC10]
Comments
Really? The monkey pic and "the nobama" are related to this story? It's disgusting, says a lot about the author (as well as her use of the word "retarded") and the examiner should not have allowed it.
<i>The monkey pic and "the nobama" are related to this story?</i>
As another example of public racism, it seems relevant. Obviously it does not reflect the writer's views.
The swim club has every right to keep out who they want. People join swim clubs and pay mucho $$$ to get away from filthy people. That's the truth.
@Anita
I didn't know that black and brown people were filthy. Thanks for letting us know what kind of trash you really are.
Nice monkey nobama picture, keep the racism thing on par for the day.
I can't believe that blatant racism still exists in 2009. All of these people should be ashamed of themselves. Especially anybody who defends it. Racists go to hell.
GET REAL...
this was a whole ENTIRE summer CAMP FULL OF KIDS, who wanted (and admittedly paid) to use this pool as their 'CAMP' pool for the summer...
The greedy club manager sold them access without CONSULTING the actual club members who are full time members..
This pool can comfortably hold MAYBE 30-40 people, providing their is NO GOOFING AROUND or Horseplay..
The black summer camp was SIXTY FIVE KIDS alone, before even ONE actual club members kid got into the pool.
The club manager, who should be fired for selling a pool-only access to the facility, to A ENTIRE SUMMER CAMP FULL OF KIDS, thus deprived the actual camp members of access to the facilites they bought memberships to use..
how is a club member supposed to get into the pool WITH 65 KIDS already splashing around in pool that can hold approx 50 people TOPS, at one time?.. these kids went nuts, and engaged in out-of-control horseplay when they got in our pool, so everyone else fled from it at that point..
OK ENOUGH WITH THE RACISM GARBAGE- LETS DO THE MATH ON THIS-
A full-size regulation OLYMPIC SIZE POOL IS 658,000 gallons
the Valley View pool is 110,000 gallons, approx six times smaller than ONE olympic pool.
A Olympic pool, at 658,000 gallons has a MAXIMUM OCCUPANCY OF 250 PEOPLE..
since the valley view pool is SIX times SMALLER THAN A OLYMPIC POOL, divide the maximum capacity of a olympic pool- 250 people, times '6' =
you get a maximum capacity adjusted for size at the Valley Swim small pool of 41.6 SWIMMERS MAXIMUM AT ONE TIME...
SO.. for the entire group of campers to use this 110,000 gallon pool only approx 2/3 of them could fit in the pool at any ONE TIME, as just their camper class alone exceeds the maximum capacity of the pool by nearly 1/3..
the membership should never have been sold to a group of a size that ALONE maxes out the capacity of the pool, and cannot itself even untilize the pool at one time.. that is w
Great job Valley Swim Club. Finally someone standing up for their rights regardless of who they make angry. Maybe it WAS because the kids were black. So what? I moved way out of the city to get away from trouble causing blacks so my wife and kids could live a safer life. I have several wonderful black neighbors that have done the same thing. It's not the white folk's fault that black people commit the vast majority of crime. It's not the white folk's fault that I can't walk around downtown at night. It's not Valley Swim Club's fault that they're nervous about letting 60 black kids swim in their pool. Take responsibility for yourselves black people and maybe we can live happily together. Otherwise, eff you. I hope all 60 kids feel like crap now. Maybe it will make them strive to be moral productive citizens like my black neighbors and all the other law abiding citizens. Or maybe when they hear the word "racist" spewed from the mouths of their elders, they'll grow up hating whites?
What exactly is a "colored"? This is the type of thread, that clearly illustrates that RACISM is "alive and well". I will be copying all the comments, to send to The Huffington Post. If the swimming club is proud of what they just accomplished, why is their WEBSITE CLOSED?
To Logical:
A "racist" ALWAYS says, "I have black friends" - your LOGIC went out of the window as soon as you LIED about having wonderful BLACK neighbors. Would you enlighten us - where do you get your crime statistics? I'd love to know where you reside - if I EVER get a call to your residence, trust me - I will NOT "Serve and Protect" your racist, arrogant
property or self. I guarantee, you are a ReTHUG that cheats on his wife, aren't you?
While you POINT your lily white finger at other races, REMEMBER you are the MINORITY.
To Craig
You wish I was lying. I have several incredibly friendly black neighbors who think exactly like I do. They make a very good living because they payed attention in school and chose NOT to sell drugs or rob people everyday. They want the best for their kids just like us whities. They are fed up with a-holes like you who support the revolving door mentality. I understand that it may be hard for you to believe that there are decent black people in the world but guess what you joke, there are. What you need to remember is that YOU are the minority and dont worry big bad Craig, we can all protect ourselves without the help of dirt like you. Go here and read if you have an attention span long enough. www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htm
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