Posted on 08/02/2010 8:20:12 PM PDT by My Favorite Headache
The bodies of four teenagers were pulled from a Louisiana river Monday while authorities continued to search for two more feared drowned, the Shreveport Times reported.
A group of teenagers -- aged between 14 and 18 -- had been in the Red River in Shreveport for about 10 minutes, according to family members who witnessed the drownings.
It was understood the youths, who did not know how to swim, were wading in the river when the bottom of the river fell away underneath them in a sudden drop.
Shreveport TV station KSLA-TV reported that Cindy Chadwick, Public Information Office for Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office, said six teenagers in total are believed to have drowned.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
I’ve seen it with my own eyes. I’ve held people (one hand on the small of the back) up in the water and verbally walked them through all the steps (1. arms over the head, 2. fingertips out of the water, 3. knees bent 90 degrees, 4. maximum amount of air in lungs, and 5. holding breath). Some people can’t float.
I’ve got a kid who doesn’t float well. His is mostly really low BMI. He has to really arch his back and have the water nearly touching his eyes, but he can pass a float test. Barely. Thankfully he’s a natural in water so that makes up for his difficulty floating. I’ve asked several black friends over the years (swimming used to be a big part of my life) and they were mostly of the same mindset: many black people can’t swim.
Thank you for the link. It is beyond my comprehension why you would take a bunch of kids that don’t know how to swim and let them get in the river, especially when you don’t know how to swim and can’t assist if something bad happens.
Right after you do that, why don't you ask them why many black parents don't teach their children how to swim. Then tell them about this tragic story where 15 black people stood on the bank helplessly and watched as 6 of their family members drown.
I cannot float for the life of me...I've tried it thousands of times. I just sink...Good thing I am a strong swimmer.
Now my oldest girl floats like a cork. In fact when she swims it looks like half her body is out of the water...LOL!!
You are correct.....
Here's why. Oppressive life threatening heat! You'll do anything to cool off.
In Little Rock yesterday we had 106 degrees here in Arkansas with heat indexes of 119. Today will be the same. We pray our air conditioning units can stand the strain. If not, we'll head up to the Lake.
Now, imagine being poor and living in Shreveport with no air-conditioning and the lure of a cool lake to take a refreshing dip into.
Five boys and one girl were on a sand bar and it gave way. It was a terrible, horrible tragedy beyond words.
Well, don't get in unless you know how to swim and don't let the kids who can't swim go in either. That is common sense.
"Now, imagine being poor and living in Shreveport with no air-conditioning and the lure of a cool lake to take a refreshing dip into."
I missed the parts of the article that described the homes of these 3 families as being poor or without air conditioning.
BTW, My mother never learned how to swim as a child and therefore never taught me or my brother how to swim. My father was at sea in the Navy most of my formative years. I guess you'll have to blame my grandparents...who are white! D@mn honkies.
The bill was $400 last month with the thermo at 80 and ceiling fans and box fans supplementing. Temp is currently 104 with a heat index of 128. I can't even take a cold shower because the water coming out the tap is lukewarm. lol
Why do you continue to make weird remarks with regard to race? First you're going to remind some "BLACK" lifeguards (emphasis was yours) that most black kids are not taught to swim, and now you're referring to your grandparents in slurs.
If you have some other explanation as to why so many more blacks that whites have easily avoidable drowning accidents, come on with it ... otherwise, please don't post any further bizarre comments in my direction.
Thank you.
Who lets a child who can’t swim go into a river much less 6 of them??? Running water and the inability to swim...a stupid combination.
And you are mistaken. I was sarcastically commenting that I should remind the black lifeguards that they aren't supposed to know how to swim because according to some folks, that's gospel truth.
It's unfortunate that some people can't acknowledge a story like this without resorting to racist stereotypes that attempt to show some superiority in other groups.
This story is tragic because two families suffered terrible losses with multiple children dying. Those children didn't die because they were swimming while black. Those children died because they did not know how to swim and as far as I know, not knowing how to swim and being white or brown or blue doesn't give anyone an advantage on the survivability of that situation.
I would like it if people kept their racist comments to themselves but I'm sure there's a lesson in patience for me here, somewhere and I just failed it miserably. :D
There is nothing racist about it ... I am attributing no superiority of my race over someone else's.
You are free to disagree, but get off the race card.
am always curious about people who haven’t learned to swim.
Why can’t you swim? Is it because you didn’t have the opportunity to take lessons? Why don’t you learn now?
I have no idea.....I am 72 years old and cannot swim. I can and do waterski but I wear a life jacket. I have three sonsm all of whom are certified lifeguards, I lived on a lake property from my sophomore year in high school until I got married. All my friends loved my lake home, BUT all of them had to wear proper life equipment when they went in my boat or on my waterskis. I have no fear of the water, I just can’t stay on top of it!!!!
Very interesting. Obviously you are not afraid of the water.
Have you tried taking lessons? ( Just curious.)
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