Too little, too late for the Valley Club

Valley Club steps in a big pile of sh*t, and now wants 65 kids they harmed, to wash their shoes off

THAT'S not how this works.

"race, taste. and History finally overcome....and you ain't there"
by Tony Kushner

---

by: peteyPornpig @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 14:16:09 PM CDT

A report on NBC over the weekend

said that Valley was "working to find a way" to readmit the kids.  What "way" would there be, other than simply readmitting them?  Do they have to "work to find a way" to admit white kids to their pool too?

Cynic, n.  A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be.  
-Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary

---

by: QScribe @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 14:23:17 PM CDT

And I'm sure that $1950 fee would be charged back to the camp as well...

Although I love Alethea Wright's statement: she's calling their bluff, and raising it.

I'm surprised noone on the swim club side has tried to throw money at the problem to make it "go away."

Dollars to donuts that if the camp WERE to take the club up on their offer, they'd suddenly find themselves with a totally vacant pool, as most of the members would mysteriously be absent.

---

by: lyonside @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 14:33:58 PM CDT

If they found a vacant pool

that would solve the crowding issue Valley Club claimed was their reason for the original expulsion.  But, it wouldn't solve the issue of it's members bigotry.  And you can be assured the pool would be drained, scrubbed, disinfected and filled with clean water before the bigoted whites would allow their children back in the pool.  I certainly hope Creative Steps Camp is successful with their proposed lawsuit.

---

by: Guy in SF @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 14:41:55 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Former members?

I would love to know how many of the current members have taken the decent step and either resigned, or threatened resignation if the racists aren't booted.

But to your other point, it is interesting that safety was the alleged concern, but now it's fine (what, are they going to limit how many colored kids get to be in the pool at once?). The offer pretty much negates the safety issue, making the club's position even more untenable.

There is a furious battle in the dkos comments on a similar thread, with many people insisting that the camp should go back for the "teachable moment." As if we should sent kids to a known hostile environment just to make a point. I think that's bull - that swim club does not deserve the right to swim with the inner city kids.  

---

by: CPT_Doom @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 15:12:57 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Just to clarify...

>many people insisting that the camp should go back for the "teachable moment." As if we should sent kids to a known hostile environment just to make a point. I think that's bull - that swim club does not deserve the right to swim with the inner city kids.  

I agree, I'm really really tired of the minority party (no matter the "ism") having to bear the burden of educating the majority. The majority who are allies should be educating the majority, in collaboration with minorities.

But "Northeast Philly" really isn't necessarily the "inner city" in the typical sense (i.e. monolithically poor urban blighted, etc.). The "center" of PHiladelphia is not "inner city" either, really - it's ritzy - that designation is for the outer parts of Philly where the factories and older industries were/are.

What I mean is - there's a perception out there that "black" and "Philadelphia limits" = poor, "urban" and "inner city." It could be true, or could not be true - Philly is really an economically mixed city.

---

by: lyonside @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 18:45:05 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Re: former members

>I would love to know how many of the current members have taken the decent step and either resigned, or threatened resignation if the racists aren't booted.

When the story first broke on the local NBC affiliate, I waded through the comments. There were a few people claiming to be members of the club who were appalled and were canceling their membership. Of course they did not use their names, so that's impossible to tell.

Problem is, there were just as many (or more) anonymous racists claiming that they would also cancel their membership because of the controversy and because they didn't think the club should be rented to "those people" in the first place.

So, imagining that both types of resignations are taking place, I can easily see a family or individual who is anti-racist NOT wanting to be lumped in with the racists or those just leaving to avoid the subsequent publicity or just social embarassment: "You belong to THAT club?".  

---

by: lyonside @ Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 09:12:42 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

How rude!

They never did respond to my e-mail asking them if they would allow the U.S. President to use their swimming pool.

:p

---

by: Eshto @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 14:36:17 PM CDT

Oh, you silly little goose

Obama is one of the "good" coloreds, not like those inner city kids.

There was a similar thing in Nazi Germany, before the death camps really got rolling -- some Jews were "good Jews," tolerated for their scientific or artistic ability.

I would like to force the racist parents to sit down to lunch with the parents of the kids they discriminated against -- so they'd have to confront the fact that they're dealing with human beings, just like themselves.

---

by: dewdrop_world @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 15:02:35 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Tongue FIRMLY in cheek on my last comment, btw

That's their cognitive dissonance, not mine.

I'm just sad for the kids -- a chance for some innocent childhood fun, ruined by some parents with their heads up their butts.

---

by: dewdrop_world @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 15:05:17 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Hm.

Well I did ask whether his being half white would let him, though I know that's not exactly what you're talking about.

---

by: Eshto @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 15:26:13 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

seriously

not one person lost their job?
not even a token "bad apple"?

---

by: grover nerdkissed @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 15:56:56 PM CDT

Alethea Wright rules!

LOVE her comment--can just see it: "Unless the pool's bigger..." < blink blink > Good for her! Sue 'em into the ground--it's exactly what they've got coming. As for "teachable moment"--huh??? It's not right to make those kids try & teach the bigots; they should be allowed to be kids enjoying their summer. Tho' I suspect some of the bigoted adults could do with a "teachable moment" upside their heads...which hopefully a big fat All-American lawsuit will provide. I can't wait, frankly. Sometimes schafenfruede is TOTALLY justified!

---

by: hardcorps80204 @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 17:51:58 PM CDT

I can't help but wonder...

I can't help but wonder if it might be a good lesson to the kids to accept the invitation, to teach them that if anyone ever tells them that they can't go somewhere or do something just because of the color of their skin, that it's bullsh!t, and yes they can.

Which is not to say that should be the extent of the swim club's restitution!

---

by: cbear @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 18:31:41 PM CDT

At the same time, though, I wouldn't want to be there...

The camp has to take all or none of the campers in the group, but individual children, especially those who personally heard the comments or picked up on the nonverbal attitudes, have said that they don't want to go back.

What might be a nice gesture, however, is the swim club offer individual memberships to campers and their families for the rest of the season, so they can choose to go or not go, based on their own comfort levels and whether they feel like being on display.

---

by: lyonside @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 18:57:55 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

no

the "teachable moment" concept forces the kids into the role of "magical negroes"

eff that!

---

by: grover nerdkissed @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 19:43:26 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I still favor huge demonstrations which drive down the club's property value

Then a wealthy African American buys the place ten cents on the dollar.
Adding Insult to Injury....best teachable moment

"race, taste. and History finally overcome....and you ain't there"
by Tony Kushner

---

by: peteyPornpig @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 21:51:31 PM CDT