Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Summertime, and The Livin' AIN'T Easy....

If you're a black day camper in Northeast Philly.

I just got a link to an article from a friend that makes me livid.
More than 60 campers were turned away from a private swim club in Philadelphia this week. Apparently, the private club, which advertises open membership (for a fee, which the camp paid so that the kids could use the pool), aren't so open after all.

The kids were immediately ushered away from the pool, and the club offered a refund.

“There was concern that a lot of kids would change the complexion … and the atmosphere of the club,” John Duesler, President of The Valley Swim Club said in a statement.

What. the. fuck?! Seriously, he said that. You know how evil black children can be, with their brownness, need for fun, decreased use of sunblock, and enjoyment of splashing.

It's this kind of behavior that reminds us that we have so much farther to go. I think there's this idea that, because Barack Obama is our president, that racism "is over." Clearly, this is not the case. And this is not some tiny backwoods town down South--this is up north, where I came to be free in the first damn place! This is enough to make Sojourner cry. This proves that, despite who a majority of us elected, he is still seen as the exception to the racist rules that still govern the US.

What do YOU think?

You can also see reader comments to the article here.

4 comments:

JJS III said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Bernie said...

there are plenty like this

http://www.ohio.com/news/50172282.html

Sojourner (You Can't Handle the) Truth said...

Gregory, what are indicating with this link? If you're saying that there are acts of racism taking place every day, perpetuated by all races, then I agree. If this link is meant to show that there are "plenty like this," are you saying that black youth are indeed dangerous and should be separated from white people and spaces that are created for them?

what about young children in a summer camp that planned to and paid to attend the club in advance? children who, as far as we can see, were not threatening or violent.

just wanted to be clear on what you wanted me and other readers to get from this link, no antagonism intended.

Bernie said...

Just wanted to be clear..Antagonism taken