Yesterday I was alerted to an unfortunate situation in Philadelphia. A group of kids at a day camp purchased membership to a swim club so that they could swim once a week. When they got there they were told that minorities aren't allowed in the pool and were kicked out. The club refunded their money and the manager made a statement saying that he was afraid the black kids would "change the complexion and atmosphere" of the club. Read more here.
Now... private clubs have the right to restrict their membership. However, that doesn't mean they should exclude minorities. And it certainly doesn't mean it's ok for their official statement to confirm their outright racist policies. It's outrageous that these kids were confronted with racism so blatant so early in life. (Melissa Harris Lacewell has an excellent piece on The Nation about this...) In this "post racial" society we're supposed to believe that this kind of racism doesn't exist. Of course, most of us know better.
To exercise your right to protest this crap, email the club at info@thevalleyclub.com or call them at 215-947-0700. If you're in Philly, go visit, picket, or protest: 22 Tomlinson Rd. Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006. Also, worry not. The kids now have somewhere to swim thanks to Girard College offering their pool to the group. (Read.)
Anyone with a brain can tell this is wrong. Where are those so-called black "leaders" who have charged themselves with the task of coming to our aid when this kind of thing happens? They are noticeably quiet in all this. I'm surprised Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson haven't said anything about this. I guess Jesse is busy laughing and joking with Joe Jackson and Al is preoccupied consoling folks by telling them Michael Jackson wasn't strange at all. And Michael Eric Dyson isn't publishing a book about this as we speak? You mean Tavis Smiley isn't planning to "get on the bus" and take his "Soul Patrol" up there and argue with the pool manager about Aretha being better than Beyonce? You. are. kidding.
Not that I look to these gentlemen to point out injustice, but these are the types of things they should speak out about. I can do without the photo ops and oddly timely books and pointless tv shows. Not that they speak for me, but Jesse and Al are two of the most visible and vocal black people in the country, but they have nothing to say when something is actually unjust.
They see something big and jump all over it to capitalize on it. Michael Eric Dyson wrote a book and taught a class on Tupac without ever having met him. And... Hurricane Katrina hit in August of 2005. Come Hell or High Water was in stores in January of 2006. It seems that Jesse and Al would rather be apart of the sensationalism surrounding the Jacksons and be in with them than offer thoughtful and prepared words of consolation. Tavis and his cohorts would rather attack Barack Obama, not because he has failed to honor some of his campaign promises, but because they haven't been invited to the White House so Obama can kiss their asses.
Perhaps these kids in Philly aren't big enough for "our" black "leaders." There's no catchy name for them yet. No one on CNN is looking to debate about them. It was a bad week for something like this to happen with MJ's memorial and all... Anyway. I'm done. Someone put out an APB. Or... no... don't... with a group like this, they could actually be pulling a Sanford. Let's just wait and see how it all pans out...
I hope this isn't a surprise to you? They're attention whores, plain and simple. I'm sure if it got more coverage in the news, they'd be right there. Sometimes when they run to something, I kind of think they do more of a disservice than a service (so did Obama, lol). It may be stupid and naive, but I always look and treat people equally so I don't look to/for black leaders (or any kind of leader) or organization like the NAACP(which they do some good, but the idea of place is beyond wrong), but to the people, all people.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, I forgot mention, as far as the original incident with the pool goes. I think that was a HORRIBLE thing what the pool did, but I actually think (and this is probably the conservative in me talking) they have the right to run that pool however they want to and if they don't want black people there then that's their prerogative. People shouldn't write them or call them or go there and protest. Let the market decide their fate, if people still want to go there after this incident then let them go or if people find it offensive and want to take their business elsewhere then that's okay too.
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