Whites Only Pool In Philadelphia

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by lowkey on July 13, 2009 at 11:35am

Oops, looks like this topic hit a veinwith a couple people and we've got two threads going.

Great background here but also checkout Darkness33 post: Racism in a pool club.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by lowkey on July 13, 2009 at 12:17pm

From CNN:

(CNN) -- A suburban Philadelphia swim club has invited children from a largely minority day-care center to come back after a June reversal that fueled allegations of racism against the club, a spokeswoman said Sunday.

The development came during a hastily called Sunday afternoon meeting of the Valley Club in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania. Club members voted overwhelmingly to try to work things out with the day-care center, which accused some swim club members of making racist comments to black and Hispanic children contracted to use the pool, said Bernice Duesler, the club director's wife.

Duesler said the club canceled its contract with the Creative Steps day-care because of safety, crowding and noise concerns, not racism.

"As long as we can work out safety issues, we'd like to have them back," she told CNN.

She said the club has been subpoenaed by the state Human Rights Commission, which has begun a fact-finding investigation, "and the legal advice was to try to get together with these camps, " Duesler added.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jay "Brick" B. on July 13, 2009 at 5:03pm

I wonder what happened to the person running the club. Being a Public Relations/Poli Sci major, Ethics minor, I was interested in this from the beginning. What people in the position such as the person who made the statement fail to realize when they speak without thinking is that, as an employee or representative of any organization, group, or business, is that when you say anything at all, people assume it is the opinion and statement of the entire establishment.

It was also a point of interest in me, since it happened less than 75 miles from me, in a place that is called "The City of Brotherly Love" and was a haven for slaves in colonial times. With a reputation like that I found a bit of dark humor in what the club said simply because not only did they forget what country they're in, but their location in it.

I have a feeling the story wouldn't have spread nearly as far if it happened in some place like South Carolina, or Arkansas, where bigotry and racism is just a day to day thing, sadly.

Considering all of what happened at the club, Id be surprised if he still had a job.

Thanks for the update lowkey, and the info on the other thread.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by David Felton on July 21, 2009 at 4:25pm

While I find it saddening to think of the kids being turned away, I think that the pool should be allowed to entertain only white guests. I hope those people come to understand that while there are colored people that are a discredit to their race, The same could be said of Caucasians, Asians, Native Americans, Etc, and that fear or hate of another person because of skin-color is absolutely pitiful. [Also: I'm from Arkansas, And I take some offense to that, Racism isn't something very big here from what I've seen, In fact, If you ever get the chance, Go to Eureka Springs, The people there will FLIP if you make racist comments.]

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jay "Brick" B. on July 21, 2009 at 5:05pm

I'm sorry if its offensive but when I spent a year in Arkadelphia, that's what I saw.

And as for a "Its ok for a whites only pool to exist" then what was the civil war movement about?

A whites only pool perpetuates the idea that its ok to separate people based solely on race.

If these kids didnt pay and the pool was doing it out of charity then changed their minds is one thing, but they paid, and filled out a contract with the pool. Then were turned away due to race.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by David Felton on July 21, 2009 at 5:11pm

The Civil War itself was about money. And no, It perpetrates the idea that in America, You're free to do what you want with your business; Sure, It's pitiful that they'd be afraid of blacks, It's racist; But what do you really do when you tell them: 'You can't do this, We're shutting you down.'? You oppress them for their ideology, And that's morally wrong.

I definitely agree that the whole thing was wrong, But fighting them is wrong too, People must learn to peacefully coexist if we're to continue survival on this planet.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jay "Brick" B. on July 21, 2009 at 5:30pm

I meant the civil rights movement not the civil war.

Theres a difference between fighting with guns and bombs, and fighting with words and non violent actions.

“I never worry about action, but only about inaction”
-WInston Churchill

“Just as iron rusts from disuse, even so does inaction spoil the intellect.”
-Da Vinci

“There are risks and costs to a program of action, but they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction”
-JFK

“Non-violence is not inaction. It is not discussion. It is not for the timid or weak... Non-violence is hard work. It is the willingness to sacrifice. It is the patience to win.”
-Cesar Chavez

“Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph.”
Haile Selasse

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jay "Brick" B. on July 21, 2009 at 5:37pm

This is the reason that Utopia can never exist. Its not a matter of going against people who think differently its about going against people whos actions threaten the ideal and very way of life we all strive for.

I do not agree with the KKK, but its their right to practice their stuff. By standing aside and allowing it, I condone it. For they threaten my very way of life and they threaten the world I wish to leave for my children.

This goes for all groups that wish to speak of hate, and segregation in all forms. If they rise up against me they will find the wolf in the darkness standing outside their door.

I would also like to point you to some of the things Edmund Burke said.

"When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle."

"A state without the means of some change is without the means of its conservation."

And Tolstoy:

"All that it takes for evil to prevail is for good men to stand by and do nothing."

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by lowkey on July 21, 2009 at 9:34pm

I tend to agree with David here. As bad as racism is and as much as we should expose it to laugh at the ignorance, the solution can be worse than the disease. Freedom of association is an important right.

The dangers of forced political correctness are the dangers of indoctrination and forced conformity.

When you try to suppress the hate, you don't make it go away. You just make it go a little further underground and eventually it's below most people's notice. At that stage you can't fight it because so many won't even admit it still exists. Far better to let the crazies feel comfortable enough to let their guard down. Then we can simple respond with rational counter points and if those don't work, laughter is always good too

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jay "Brick" B. on July 21, 2009 at 9:40pm

Its not about political correctness its about equality, and social justice, for all people of all races, creeds, and sexual orientations.

When women wanted to vote, did they just sit and wait and hope that they would be allowed that right? No, they fought.

When black people werent allowed to ride in the front of buses, or go to the same theatres, or even drink from the same water fountains, did they sit and hope it went and changed? No, they fought.

What you both preach is an apathetic tactic. Apathy begets apathy.

Freedom of association is regressive, and leads to predjudice within groups. It causes these groups to become xenophobic. We as a country are xenophobic enough without endorsing it more and more.

If things like this continue to happen, whats next? We're back in 1942, where only have the people in the country have rights.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by David Felton on July 22, 2009 at 1:47am

There's a difference in being denied the right to vote, Or being allowed to use public water and being allowed to only allow white people to pay for your services, A HUGE difference.

These people were prejudiced before there was a pool that only they could use.

We aren't encouraging them to be prejudiced by letting them have their private pool, We're sending a message, One of love. We have to solve our problems lovingly, Carefully, Not with hate and force. Think on it brother, Even if it scares you, Even if you hate it, Remember that those emotions will only bring you down to their level, Their level of hate and fear. Our job isn't to get rid of them, It's to show them they're wrong, To give them the love.

Tell me, If I wanted, Could I not allow colored people in my home? Yes I could, And it wouldn't be a crime legally, I say the same should apply to those folks playing clubhouse, Let them be silly about it.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jay "Brick" B. on July 22, 2009 at 5:40pm

You're missing the point of this:

They paid for the right to use the pool $1900

They signed a contract with the establishment.

They didnt have an issue, until they arrived.

That would be like you buying my house over the phone, and going through all the paperwork via fax, and then after I've already gotten your money and you've made all the plans to move into the house, when we finally do meet, I decide I dont like you because you're white, and break the contract.

• ▶ Reply

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• Next ›
• Page