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Philadelphia-Area Swim Club Accused of Racial Discrimination
Fox News ^ | July 09, 2009

Posted on 07/09/2009 6:02:00 PM PDT by brwnsuga

A private swim club in suburban Philadelphia allegedly discriminated against minority children from a city day camp, denying the campers re-entry amid claims of racism, camp officials claim. Alethea Wright, executive director of Creative Steps Inc., told MyFOXPhilly.com that the camp's check for $1,950 was returned after just one 90-minute session on June 29 at the Valley Club in Huntingdon Valley.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: discrimmination; philadelphia; racism; swimclub

1 posted on 07/09/2009 6:02:01 PM PDT by brwnsuga
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To: brwnsuga

Not very nice.


2 posted on 07/09/2009 6:02:53 PM PDT by brwnsuga (Proud, BLACK, Beautiful, Conservative!!!)
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To: brwnsuga
Please help me get this straight.

--a camp for minority children, presumably poor and state or charity funded. There aren't any poor white children in that area who need help with camp?

--If the children had been ousted because they were too white, i.e. not open to minorities, would that have been racism?

No, never mind. What in h#!! was I thinking?

vaudine

3 posted on 07/09/2009 6:06:48 PM PDT by vaudine
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To: brwnsuga

Sounds like a trial run to me.


4 posted on 07/09/2009 6:06:54 PM PDT by Paperdoll ( Hunter/Palin or Palin/Hunter in 2012!)
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To: brwnsuga

Do I understand this right that the camp even *paid* to use the swimming pool and were then denied? The only way that makes sense to me is if the swimmers were causing more damage to the property than their check was worth. I presume that wasn’t the case.


5 posted on 07/09/2009 6:07:07 PM PDT by OrangeHoof (YES WE CAN have a Depression.)
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To: brwnsuga
Read this thread for the truth.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2289088/posts

6 posted on 07/09/2009 6:08:37 PM PDT by Ben Mugged (Unions are the storm troopers of socialism.)
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To: vaudine

Still, not very nice.


7 posted on 07/09/2009 6:21:38 PM PDT by brwnsuga (Proud, BLACK, Beautiful, Conservative!!!)
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To: brwnsuga

Another later article says that they cancelled ALL of the summer camp contracts, because the existing members got mad about all the kids running around the place.


8 posted on 07/09/2009 6:24:23 PM PDT by CharlesWayneCT
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To: brwnsuga

What really happened:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2289088/posts


9 posted on 07/09/2009 6:50:06 PM PDT by Morgana (Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers. ---- - Alfred Lord Tennyson)
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To: brwnsuga

we elected a black president. there is no racism anymore.

people are telling you to go because they flat out don’t want you there.

get over it.


10 posted on 07/09/2009 6:56:29 PM PDT by sten
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To: Morgana

Thanks for the link.
It’s always funny when Democrat media lies are exposed.


11 posted on 07/09/2009 6:57:57 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: brwnsuga
Our local swimming pool closed several years ago because it was overwhelmed with kids who were supposed to be accompanied but were often dumped off for the afternoon. They caused a lot of damage and the pool was just shut down by city because it really needed too much updating. When I went, I worried it was so crowded someone would drown before anyone knew they were in trouble.

In this case, it seems members complained, so they seem to have dismissed all contracts. A shame for the kids. But I still do not like the cry of racism. That has become the be all and end all of too many situations.

There IS racism on both sides, and we need to get over it if the Rev.Al's and Jesse's of the world, and the Obama's will ever let us.

Frankly, I doubt it--too lucrative for them personally.

vaudine

12 posted on 07/09/2009 7:05:02 PM PDT by vaudine
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To: brwnsuga

To show you how skewed against white people things are in this country, this Philly “discrimination” case was all over the front page of CNN.com most of the day today, while the story about the white family in Ohio attacked by about 50 black goblins screaming “This is a black world!” wasn’t worth of mention. The Ohio case was a physical attack on a family watching fireworks in a park with the result being that the father had to spend time in the hospital. A clear hate crime.

When is this crap going to stop?? I am so sick of it, I could just scream. When are whites going to stop letting themselves be run over by the media and start protesting this type of blatant bias in more *forceful* ways? I’ve had it. And I know I’m not the only white person in this country who feels this way. It’s about to hit the fan.


13 posted on 07/09/2009 7:25:53 PM PDT by MGMSwordsman
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To: MGMSwordsman

I, for one, will not swim in a pool with black people.

On the other hand, I won’t swim in a pool with WHITE people, either.


14 posted on 07/09/2009 7:36:51 PM PDT by The Antiyuppie ("When small men cast long shadows, then it is very late in the day.")
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To: Lancey Howard

I was the first person to post anything about this story. I did not believe it was because the kids were black I figured the kids screwed up or something. I have known pools in my area that have closed for that reason. (and copper theft). Kids just do not behave like they ought to these days and you get this. Oh wait...the democrats have destroyed the family unit...the mother and father...that is why....oh gee.....too bad....

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2288574/posts


15 posted on 07/09/2009 7:38:58 PM PDT by Morgana (Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers. ---- - Alfred Lord Tennyson)
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To: The Antiyuppie
Would you swim with these dudes??? Blue men group Pictures, Images and Photos
16 posted on 07/09/2009 7:47:09 PM PDT by Morgana (Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers. ---- - Alfred Lord Tennyson)
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To: vaudine

You have a point there...I never thought of that.....”here aren’t any poor white children in that area who need help with camp?” It later came out that this pool dropped all “day cares” and “day camps” due to being over crowded. I never even thought of that, however, is there any day camps in that area for poor whites? Interesting point you brought up. A few churches in our area offer VBS for the kids but that is it, no pools.


17 posted on 07/09/2009 7:56:54 PM PDT by Morgana (Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers. ---- - Alfred Lord Tennyson)
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To: vaudine

“a camp for minority children, presumably poor and state or charity funded. There aren’t any poor white children in that area who need help with camp?”

Why do you assume these children are poor? The article says they were from a city day camp. There is no mention of charity or the children being poor.


18 posted on 07/09/2009 8:26:48 PM PDT by ga medic
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To: ga medic
Perhaps I just inferred poor from the comments about minority, and racism.

Most of the paid camps take both/all races.

I have been programmed to hear minority/racism and think underprivileged. Add the circumstances, and it is almost a given.

vaudine

19 posted on 07/09/2009 9:33:23 PM PDT by vaudine
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To: vaudine

Racism, coming from anyone, is a sin. And one would think that after all these years that everyone would have risen above skin color or nationality, but it always rears its ugly head.


20 posted on 07/10/2009 4:46:04 AM PDT by brwnsuga (Proud, BLACK, Beautiful, Conservative!!!)
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To: CharlesWayneCT

Ok, I’m going to admit it. I HATE it when the day care/camp kids come to the base pool. Yes, they are black for the most part, but that’s not why I hate it. They just aren’t used to following rules unless someone stays on their back all the time, and their keepers just don’t, can’t.
Also I really do not like the way the keepers talk to the kids either! Rude, meanly sometimes, etc
Also they are rude themselves. The adults won’t move when you try to walk, using the pool steps, they don’t try to accommodate others in the pool at all.
And I’ve seen them hawk into a pool. ugh.
I go to the other pool now.


21 posted on 07/10/2009 5:54:10 AM PDT by Shimmer1 (Navy blue)
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To: vaudine

I am sure this day camp takes all races. It is a PAID camp, and is located in a minority area. I don’t see any reason to assume that these children are poor or that the camp is a charity. Granted that these camps are usually used as day care, so the parent(s) are most likely working. They are probably not wealthy people, but assuming they are all poor is unfair.

The racism issue probably wouldn’t have been such a big deal if the Director of the pool hadn’t complained that these kids “changed the complexion of the pool”. Whether that is what he meant or not, it sure makes one think that the race of these children was a factor.


22 posted on 07/10/2009 9:55:49 AM PDT by ga medic
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To: brwnsuga

If the kids were behaving like monsters, it’s going to be hard to prove that there was racial motivation behind the complaints. If someone came flat out and said something about not liking black kids at the facility, that’s another story.


23 posted on 07/10/2009 12:56:39 PM PDT by dbwz (DISSENT IS PATRIOTIC)
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To: CharlesWayneCT

that’s called CYA, they had to or it would look like they were being racists...duh.


24 posted on 07/10/2009 7:10:27 PM PDT by brwnsuga (Proud, BLACK, Beautiful, Conservative!!!)
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To: dbwz

Why would anyone assume that the kids were behaving like monsters. I saw an interview with a few of the children and they seemed well spoken and well-behaved. I think it is a little naive to assume that this is the only reason that they would be denied. There are really racists still out there, black and white. People get really uncomfortable when you mention it. And some white Freepers always fall back on the Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, media bias thing. Somewhere there are still white bigots. And I will freely admit there are black ones too.


25 posted on 07/10/2009 7:13:57 PM PDT by brwnsuga (Proud, BLACK, Beautiful, Conservative!!!)
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To: ga medic; vaudine

I will answer that for you, Vaudine assumes that all black children are poor, which I can assure her is not the case. I black folks who range from poor to very wealthy. One should never assume.


26 posted on 07/10/2009 7:23:40 PM PDT by brwnsuga (Proud, BLACK, Beautiful, Conservative!!!)
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To: brwnsuga
I guess I would like to think that maybe people have gotten a little bit further beyond the racial reasons and might focus on improvements that are needed in other aspects of humanity. Unfortunately, I'm well aware that racism and bigotry still exist, and I'm of the opinion that you're more likely to find it in large urban areas like Philadelphia. So it's entirely possible in my mind that a bunch of white folks at a pool club in Philly didn't like the idea of having to share the facility with black kids. I really hope that's not the case, but we have an article here that leaves more questions than it answers when you look at it from a purely factual standpoint.

I hope if there are follow-up reports that you'll post them.

27 posted on 07/11/2009 9:39:09 AM PDT by dbwz (DISSENT IS PATRIOTIC)
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To: ga medic

It had nothing to do with race.That said they should have honored the contracts.Shame for the kids but other area pools have jumped in to offer pools to the kids.


28 posted on 07/11/2009 9:47:14 AM PDT by fatima (Free hugs today :).)
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To: Morgana

Thanks for the link and the info. I’ve always lived in and around the Philadelphia area. IMHO, all the ruckus surrounding this story is out of control.


29 posted on 07/12/2009 11:53:31 PM PDT by Tired of Taxes (Dad, I will always think of you.)
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To: brwnsuga

I’ve always lived in the Philadelphia area. Indeed, there really are racists, both white and black, just as you say. But, the swim club knew the camp was “multi-ethnic” when it entered into a contract with it.

Maybe swim club members complained for racial reasons when the camp arrived, but we don’t know for sure. Even if it’s proven that they did, that doesn’t mean the club cancelled the contract for that specific reason.

Now, the families of the children have filed a lawsuit. I think they’re teaching their children a terrible lesson.

My children are homeschooled, so we’ve had to deal with not being permitted to join various homeschool organizations for many different reasons (for example, religious requirements). When my eldest son would complain, I always pointed out: “Everyone can’t join everything. Private groups/clubs have a right to be exclusive. If we cannot join something, we don’t have to pay the membership dues, and we’re free to use that money elsewhere.”

If my children were among these campers, I would’ve said, “People are ridiculous, aren’t they? But, well, now you’ll have the chance to swim somewhere else.”

Once, I enrolled my family into a group, only to overhear the leaders badmouthing us later. My regret was that we’d invested money and time over two years, and I trusted those people around my children. I would’ve preferred they didn’t admit us in the first place, instead of smiling at us, taking our money, and then whispering behind our backs. I would’ve been happy with a refund.

The camp spent a day swimming and then received a full refund from the swim club. I understand them bringing attention to the issue, but not a lawsuit. These parents are looking to capitalize on the story.


30 posted on 07/13/2009 12:36:07 AM PDT by Tired of Taxes (Dad, I will always think of you.)
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