Private Pool Club Kicks Out Minority Kids Who Might "Change The Complexion" (VIDEO)

A potentially upsetting story coming out of Philadelphia: a group of 60 young campers, many of them minorities, were told to leave a private swimming club apparently because of their race.

Some of the disheartening details:

"When the minority children got in the pool all of the Caucasian children immediately exited the pool," Horace Gibson, parent of a day camp child, wrote in an email. "The pool attendants came and told the black children that they did not allow minorities in the club and needed the children to leave immediately."

The Creative Steps Day Camp's membership was suspended by the swimming club and the money they paid to join was refunded.

Watch a report from NBC Philadelphia.

Comments

[BBC9nch]

Please, it happens all the time, usually w.hites find a sneakier way to do it that's all. This is a reality for most minorities, then we're are accused of whining or crying victim when we have the nerve to speak up about it. It happens in housing, employment, lending (both business and personal), healthcare and everything else in between. I'm sick of wh.ites acting like they are "shocked" to find this out. I don't believe you're shocked, you're in denial because to recognize the truth is to admit the unfair advantage that most whi.tes have.

[Disuberence]

I don't think whites trips the automated moderating.

[BBC9nch]

depends on the blog

[amorvincitomnia]

Just because people think it's unacceptable doesn't mean they're in denial. I don't care if it happens every day it's wrong and it pisses me off.

[Sean 6399]

I estimate that 90% of the private scholarship funds in the U.S. discriminate against white men, and deny any opportunity to apply for these scholarships, solely on the basis of skin color and/or gender. A good example is the Gates foundation, funded by the famous Bill and Melinda Gates of Microsoft fame. Their scholarship program, like so many others, invites women and minorities to apply. White men are invited to take a hike.

Seems to me it's exactly the same kind of discrimination as exhibited by the private swimming pool in this article, but I don't hear anyone demanding Bill Gates be punished for racism.

[Disuberence]

Please. I'm a white man. You're just not looking hard enough.


I filled out a form and was eligible for 1500 scholarships worth $103,348 bucks all together.


I qualified for some because I am a white man.
I qualified for some because of my Irish heritage.
I qualified for some because of my desired major.
I qualified for some because I am gay.
I qualified for some because I kept good grades all through high school.


You're not looking hard enough.

[Disuberence]

I realize that adding bucks at the end is a bit... redundant, I'm tired, forgive me.

[Megan97401]

Exactly.

Or if you're poor like me you qualify for Pell and other grants and subsidized loans. I'm white, too.

[czs5056]

could you please tell me about the scholarships for being Irish, and a white man? Please and thank you.

[phoenix12]

You aren't serious, are you? I'm white, and I understand perfectly well that certain foundations, charities, and scholarships are there to offer assistance to under-privileged or under-represented groups of people. Your foolish criticism is like wanting to offer some financial assistance program for white men to become elected to the office of President of the United States -- even though every US President up until Obama has been white! Oh, us poor white men, we have it SO HARD, and we're SO UNDER-REPRESENTED in society and careers! Give me a break! Scholarships are often designed to target their assistance to certain populations who are, for whatever reasons, under-represented in the field or institution that the scholarship is providing assistance for. If a school's population is overwhelmingly white, with an under-representation of other ethnic groups, you don't say, "Gee, we really need to get even more white people in here!"

[aquarius2001]

That was so well said!!!!! Thank you.

You hit the nail on the head! The "intent" of the Civil Rights Act and later, affiirmative action plans was to ensure that groups that were (are) historically "UNDER-REPRESENTED" have an equal opportunity to advanvce beyond jobs that lead no-where. To give these groups an opportunity to share in the American Dream. Legally, Affirmative Action plans are only "mandated" for those Public institutions who accept government funds and/or contractors who provide goods/services for the government. However, many private firms may implement their own affirmative action plans if they feel that historically their industry has excluded these protected groups (groups covered by the Civil Rights Act...minorities/women).

[PamperedHousecat]

Heck Sean, you can get a scholarship for being left-handed. Maybe you're not looking hard enough.
Stop whining.

[KMan1]

What a silly and dishonest argument. A white male crying about how unfair it all is while blaming non-white males for their woes is just laughable. This is like you having access to all the slices on a pie minus one slice. Why are you crying over that one slice? Have you no freaking shame?

By the way, there are many opportunities out there for EVERYONE including white males. I suggest you go look for them just like everyone else.

[Sean 6399]

Sure sounds offensive, but if it's truly a private club (i.e. no taxpayer support), then they should be free to admit or deny any person for any reason.

[ZimboDude]

I have been telling people about people like you. I am not shocked. I am vindicated.

[Sean 6399]

Yeah there still one or two of us around who believe in the value of individual liberty. Crazy, isn't it?

[ndnd]

This idea is obsolete and losing ground in many progressive countries. The fact that a business entity is private does not "liberate" it from adhering to labor, competition and environmental standards. Hopefully, we are not too far from realizing that an establishment polluting our society with the spreading of racism is not that different from one polluting the air we breathe and the water we drink.

[phoenix12]

Laws against discrimination don't just apply to "taxpayer supported" organizations.

[aquarius2001]

Only if mandated as a remedy (penalty) from the court after a finding of discrimination/civil rights violation has been committed by the defendant (i.e. the "private club")

[aquarius2001]

Sorry, I meant to say "Affirmative Action" plans are mandated as a remedy.

You're right, (partially right). Businesses cannot discriminate in their employment practices (hiring, promoting, firing, etc).

[Sean 6399]

No, apparently they only apply when some "protected class" of people is allegedly discriminated against. When historically black universities exclude white people nobody bats an eye. The very notion of a university claiming to be a "historically white institution" would instantly mobilize an army of Al Sharpton's screaming bloody murder.

[kinoptikation]

Is there a way to close them down legally?

[KillBillV2]

Ign0rance is the Ultimate S-I-N.

[eastjame]

what a weird statement.
ignorance is not a sin. it is a sin when you do something that you KNOW is wrong.

if anything, ignorance is innocence. for example, a childs innocence is due to its ignorance. or a primitive tribe believing in crazy myths and magic is ignorance, but could never be called sinful.

[NotARhetoricalQuestion]

It all depends on how willful the ignorance is...

[LiamR]

This is incredible. I absolutely cannot believe something like this could happen in the 21st century. It's wonderful that others are stepping forward to provide these kids with a place to swim, but this discrimination cannot be ignored. If it is, then racism is being allowed to regenerate like a very ugly virus.

[simplelivingmama]

This is an outrage! Racism is well and alive. I hope this blows up to me a huge story and the private club gets shut down.

[Smirk]

Treading Water posted this link: http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Campers-Complexion-No-Problem-for-New-Pool.html

A private school, Girard College, has offered their pool to the campers and Sen. Arlen Specter is planning to launch an investigation of the discrimination claim. Kudos to the school and the senator.

[totalliberal]

I was travelling south one year, too Florida. My brothers two kids were with me. In Georgia we booked into a motel with swimming pool. When the kids settled in they put on bathing suites on and rushed for the pool. It was in the late 60,s and a sign designated the pool as white only. His kids, part Eskimo, (Inuit) were a little dark and were happily splashing in the pool when a life-guard approached me. "Where are you coming from", he asked. "Vermont", I replied. "Oh" , he replied. "They are part Eskimo", I explained, knowing what he was all about.
With that he walked away shaking his head, very confused, not knowing whether he should hate Eskimos.

[Chaucea]

How utterly shameful that some things just don't change in this country. :-(

[GiveUsFree]

It's 2009 and still we have to deal with this nonsense.

[madHenry]

I got your City of Brotherly Love right here!

[IggyMop]

But I thought America got over race? They elected Obama. That's what everyone said.

[WowJones]

SHHH!!!!!T

[johnr49]

Not true - have you forgotten the racist calls at the Sarah Palin rallies?

[lovethesinner]

(from philly.com)
"The Creative Steps Day Camp paid more than $1900 to The Valley Swim Club. The Valley Swim Club is a private club that advertises open membership."

So, this isn't just a racial discrimination case, this is actually a case of FRAUD. (I believe this particular kind of con is called "bait and switch")

It doesn't matter if they gave the money back, they ADVERTISED a product and then the product wasn't there.

I'm just suggesting that apart from a federal case, there should be a civil case and charges should be brought to remove their business license.

[kimarley]

Sad. Disgusting. Venomous. I hope those kids have a blessed summer, in spite of this atrocity. This needs to reach the national media. CNN? MSNBC? Guys, where are you? I hope everyone boycotts that swimming pool.

We need to "FLOOD" them with "WAVES" of protest! Perhaps, only then we can "WASH" the prejudicial mentalities from their psyche.