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Why don't black Americans swim?
BBC News ^ | 7th April 2012 | Finlo Rohrer

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 ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; US: Louisiana; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: swimming
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To: Squawk 8888

Hey Squawk...no doubt the lessons in Canada are free or close to it! What DOESN’T the poor taxpayer foot the bill for up here? I wasn’t sure how far along the happy handout trail America has come - they aren’t as bad as us. Their tax freedom day is still in April, IIRC.


301 posted on 04/08/2012 4:20:26 AM PDT by JudyinCanada
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To: Sirius Lee

What’s a “swamp yankee”? A carpetbagger who moved to Louisiana? Or someone from south Jersey?


302 posted on 04/08/2012 8:13:40 AM PDT by Defiant (If there are infinite parallel universes, why Lord, am I living in the one with Obama as President?)
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To: the scotsman
"It is an epidemic that is almost going unnoticed," says Sue Anderson, director of programmes and services at USA Swimming.

Translation: Ms Anderson would like to see a billion dollar plus US Government Program to teach black children to swim. Since all these little chilrens could be Obama's son/daughter, it is only proper. It is racist to suggest that parents should ensure their children can swim.

303 posted on 04/08/2012 8:23:23 AM PDT by Gaffer
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To: Gaffer

There are so many losers who always look to create well-intended programs using OPM (other peoples’ money). Keep your socialist hands out of my wallet... you parasitic dregs!


304 posted on 04/08/2012 8:36:50 AM PDT by ogen hal (First amendment or reeducation camp?)
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To: ogen hal

They really aren’t “losers” per se....they are trying to get a bite of that giveaway apple, in the name of the chilrun.


305 posted on 04/08/2012 8:38:50 AM PDT by Gaffer
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To: the scotsman
"No greater love...."

Tragic that they could not swim but incredibly brave to wade in to try and save a friend or sibling whiloe knowing they could not swim.

But the non swimming thing is nothing new. 40 years ago in basic the number of black recruits who couldn't be drown proofed was amazingly high.

306 posted on 04/08/2012 8:45:44 AM PDT by jwalsh07
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To: Persevero
"Utter nonsense, read some responses. There is something either physiological or cultural going on. I am not pandering for heaven’s sake."

I have read the responses,and I fully understand that. You said it must be addressed, it must be acknowledged, and something should be done about it. My point is---by whom? Black people are not stupid. They know they will drown if they get in the water and can't swim. You can't force them to do something about it.

307 posted on 04/08/2012 9:32:29 AM PDT by CatherineofAragon (I can haz Romney's defeat?)
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To: Traveler59
"Now however, people who live on government handouts for generations have no clue how to survive or even what basic survival skills are needed."

Worked with an engineer in MA who moved into a house with a fireplace. He came in one morning and told how he had bought three logs, tried them, and returned them to the convenience store because they didn't work..

He used up a whole box of safety matches -- holding them under the logs -- and the darn things just refused to light! (Obviously, he had never heard or thought of the concept of kindling...)

I don't think race had anything to do with it (this fellow just happened to be black). More likely, it was having grown up in a totally urban environment.

However, it may be cultural: out here in the piney woods, we had wiener roasts for our granddaughters' birthdays (their choice) -- and none of their (small town/rural) black friends or their parents had ever cooked anything over an open fire before. So we invited their parents to stay and join in -- and we all had a great time...

308 posted on 04/08/2012 10:45:23 AM PDT by TXnMA ("Allah": Satan's current alias...)
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To: TXnMA

Your comments ring true. I just spent a week in Wash DC.
If society continues to break down, there are millions of folks who are totally unprepared to sustain themselves in any manner.


309 posted on 04/08/2012 10:50:58 AM PDT by nascarnation
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To: the scotsman

I can swim and I surf!


310 posted on 04/08/2012 10:53:31 AM PDT by ForAmerica (Conservative Christian Black Man!)
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To: CatherineofAragon

” My point is-—by whom?”

By everyone, in the sense that everyone should be allowed to acknowledge it as truth instead of pretending like it is a racist notion.

I’d venture to say that lifeguards and etc. should be allowed to act on that knowledge, swim instructors, p.e. teachers, camp leaders, Scout leaders, Red Cross folks... whoever (voluntarily) would like to deal with it. Most importantly, black people as they work towards making themselves and their children water safe.

I am not recommending any government program. Just an end to the p.c. stupidity that may indeed be resulting in the drownings and near drownings. People expect that black folks swim at the same rate as whites or other, and take action or not based on those assumptions. They shouldn’t.


311 posted on 04/08/2012 6:23:25 PM PDT by Persevero (Homeschooling for Excellence since 1992)
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To: Finny

Ice hockey too.


312 posted on 04/08/2012 6:30:51 PM PDT by Mears (Alcohol. Tobacco. Firearms. What's not to like?)
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To: Persevero

Make sure a child has swimming lessons, either formally or through the family, requires higher end parenting skills. The black community sadly, has a larger crossection that does not have that level or parenting ability.

My four black children swim like fish.


313 posted on 04/08/2012 6:40:58 PM PDT by Chickensoup (In the 20th century 200 million people were killed by their own governments.)
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To: keats5
My three kids are “sinkers.” They’re all adopted and all Asian. They also have no fat.

I never could teach any of them to float the way my mom taught me.

Video here.

314 posted on 04/08/2012 6:50:01 PM PDT by cynwoody
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To: Persevero

Most of us went swimming with our parents when we were young - and later they dragged us to swimming lessons.

Same with reading... white parents read to their children more - have books in the home - take kids to ‘lessons’ of all types.

Most black parents don’t.


315 posted on 04/08/2012 7:05:50 PM PDT by GOPJ (Hoodies - because you can't kill a security camera for snitchin' - - freeper tacticalogic)
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To: YankeeReb
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?

All the time. Things were so different not that many years ago.

316 posted on 04/08/2012 10:39:17 PM PDT by Patriotic1 (Dic mihi solum facta, domina - Just the facts, ma'am)
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To: cynwoody

What a funny video.

My kids all swim better than Mao, that’s for sure!


317 posted on 04/09/2012 9:35:33 AM PDT by keats5 (Not all of us are hypnotized.)
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; ColdOne; Convert from ECUSA; ...

Thanks the scotsman.
...six African-American teenagers drowned in a single incident in Louisiana...
See, global warming causing the sealevel to rise by 1000 feet is RACIST. /s


318 posted on 04/15/2012 6:53:25 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (FReepathon 2Q time -- https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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