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 ...
This is often considered a racist question and should not be. It is easily observable and should be addressed. It is nothing but tragic that such a large percentage of blacks (at least American blacks) don’t swim - it is horrible how many more drownings they endure, and I don’t understand the reason for it.
It seems to me it can’t be helped until it is acknowledged, and there is nothing racist about it.
If there is a racial disparity that puts a minority on the disfavorable side of the disparity, there is only one answer: White racism.
With all of the public pools out there, I never imagined it would ever be a problem.
Or..White folks are evolving back into fish../s
OK, you're not getting me this time!!! It's satire right???
They're not equating lack of interest in learning to swim with racism are they?
Same reason they can’t read; they’re too cool to be bothered learning anything.
Teach kids how to cross the street and teach them to swim. With mine, I was more concerned that they learn to swim than almost anything. It only takes a minute or so and it’s over.
Maybe because, uh, they don’t know how to?!
Dunno about this. Percentages might be right but I surfed with and competed with black guys , even had a guy shape me a board. One guy was 6’-7” and used to be on the Lakers bench back in the 60’s. Couldn’t surf all that well but he sure loved the ocean. I suppose this has to do with not many blacks living near the ocean unless it’s Africa.
Does anyone else read stories like this and feel like they fell down a rabbit hole, and the country has turned into an insane asylum?
No webbed toes?
The answer is simple. Every kid and every parent I’ve ever known learned to swim from their parents or their parent’s appointee. We learned as small children because we were taught. It’s not rocket science, but parents must treat it as a rite of parenthood to teach their children to swim, or to have someone else teach them.
If a culture other than mine doesn’t feel that way then let them reap the results like men. Take the good with the bad. It is what it is and that’s all there is to it.
I don't know why that is, but it's true. My girlfriend isn't even African American - she's Ethiopian and she grew up in a very wealthy family who had a pool and lived right on the beach and still can't swim for squat.
We swamp yankees learned by being launched off thirty feed of rope swing and being given the choice of drowning or swimming back to shore. It's probably considered a crime nowadays.
The call themselves “cats” and with few exceptions such as the Van, cats can’t swim.
Next question!
I’m sure Sharpton, Jackson and co. will find an answer that can be linked to racism.
My daughter swam competitively for five years at a Y in Queens. It was a very integrated community, as was the Y, but out of 45 team members there was only one black Many of the black kids and teens in the Y would marvel at the swim team, particularly the young one’s ability to stay up in the deep end during a break, have conversations, and act as matter of factly as if they were standing in the park.
I think they don’t want to be bothered with swimming. Do Africans swim in Africa? It seems they run well and jump but don’t loiter in the water much, or maybe they do and it’s not reported?
“Do Africans swim in Africa?”
All the time.
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