Posted on 04/07/2012 2:43:19 PM PDT by the scotsman
'A month ago, six African-American teenagers drowned in a single incident in Louisiana, prompting soul-searching about why so many young black Americans can't swim.
When 15-year-old DeKendrix Warner accidentally stepped into deeper water while wading in the Red River in Shreveport, he panicked.
JaTavious Warner, 17, Takeitha Warner, 13, JaMarcus Warner, 14, Litrelle Stewart, 18, Latevin Stewart, 15, and LaDarius Stewart, 17, rushed to help him and each other.
None of them could swim. All six drowned. DeKendrix was rescued by a passer-by.
Maude Warner, mother of three of the victims, and the other adults present also couldn't swim.
The US has almost 3,500 accidental drownings every year, almost 10 a day. But according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the fatal drowning rate of African-American children aged five-14 is three times that of white children.
A recent study sponsored by USA Swimming uncovered equally stark statistics. Just under 70% of African-American children surveyed said they had no or low ability to swim. Low ability merely meant they were able to splash around in the shallow end. A further 12% said they could swim but had "taught themselves".
The study found 58% of Hispanic children had no or low swimming ability. For white children, the figure was only 42%.
"It is an epidemic that is almost going unnoticed," says Sue Anderson, director of programmes and services at USA Swimming.
The swimming body would like all children to be taught to swim.
"We would like it to be like seatbelts and bicycle helmets," says Ms Anderson.
But the situation in the US can vary hugely even within a single state.'
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
Bush’s fault.
As DemoRat voters they will vote more often when dead, so it is not necessary for them to swim.
Black Republicans all swim just fine.
It takes caring parents with the time and desire to take their kids to the YMCA or other pool for lessons.
You have none of this in the black community anymore. Their mothers are sitting around watching TV while their 5 kids by different men are running wild in the streets.
We made sure to spend the time and money making sure our 3 boys knew how to swim. It is time consuming but caring parents do it.
All blacks, or just the ones in poverty? Swimming lessons cost money. I wouldn’t say too much, or everyone else will be picking up the tab for this as well.
Maybe the reason black men can’t swim, is the same reason white men can’t jump. /S
Obviously, there is RACISM at work here. And lets not even talk about why African Americans don’t ski.
What about the Eskimo-Americans? Transgender-Americans? Wetback-Americans?
Yes.
Because parents who are really interested in their child’s ability to survive the real world will teach the child to survive or have someone equally qualified to teach the child. I learned to swim in the Mississippi River, (MN/WI) and being able to swim against that current would tire you out. Now however, people who live on government handouts for generations have no clue how to survive or even what basic survival skills are needed.
A swimming instructor once told me that blacks have denser bones making them sinkers thus having more trouble learning to swim. Don’t know if it’s true but in my experience most blacks do not swim well, if at all.
Any Black Man or Woman to ever join the USN will learn to swim
As for me, it was the Boy Scouts....Swimming & Lifesaving Merit Badges, plus the Mile Swim Patch. Very worthwhile, as I now love boating/yachting and knowing how makes it a little more enjoyable. Besides, learning how, you know, "It's one less thing", as Forrest Gump said.
This is not news, it happened august of 2010 see link:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2563575/posts?page=57
Cuz white people own the swimming pools? Dunno but it’s gotta be racism somehow.
For reparations we should probably give each black person a Jet Ski.
All kids should learn to swim.
I used to hear why blacks don`t swim is they don`t float
very well....whatever
Been donating blood for 30 years or so,Seen about 5 blacks
donating in that time span.Never saw a black doing Apheresis
25 gallon donor here
I learned to swim from a friend who could. In turn, I helped another to learn. All at a public (cheap) pool.
Perhaps on the coast, but inland there are croc’s to consider....
When I was in my teens I worked as a lifeguard on an Army base. Part of our job was to do “drown proofing” with the soldiers. Almost every black guy would go straight to the bottom like a rock and end up trying to crawl up on your head when you brought them back up LOL!! In general they seem to have very little body fat so part of the problem was they had zero buoyancy. I think a lot of it comes from exposure and being comfortable in water. What a tragedy for the mom to lose 3 children. Can’t imagine.
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