SOCIAL COMMENTARY 1: A 'WHITE'S ONLY POOL' in 2009

What: [a Poem]
Who: [by Imhotep K.]


Title: [SEGREGATION Reigns in AMERICA]

America, America, America!
Segregation and Segregation,
It's nothing but a whole lot of Segregation
and FEAR and Segregation
and it is
and it is
and
it is
and...
...it is nothing
but a whole lot of segregation

O, America!
O, and How can this even be and happen
in the year 2009 in the so called Home of the Brave and Land of the Free and
How can this be?

and O, America the Beautiful and the most civilized
Of all nations!
And what a backward Country indeed!

And Segregation reigns Supreme in the Home of the Brave and...
It looks like SEGREGATION Never truly ENDED, after all
And it is Segregation upon Segregation and Segregation
And It is ALL Nothing but a whole lot SEGREGATION
And this is nothing but BROWN versus the Board
Of Education and this this the Board
Of Education versus Brown
All over again
and Again
and Again
And
Segregation
And it is all
Nothing but a
Whole of Hate and Ignorance
And ignorance
And it is a whole
Lot Segregation and
It is Segregation and it is
And a Whole lot of Segregation
and O America, the Civilized Country
and it is America the land of the Free
and the Brave and the land of Segregation

And this is
SAD and this is
and this is
really Sad
that in the
Year two thousand
and NINE SWIMMING POOLS are segregated and
and 60 Black kids can not swim at the same pool as so called WHITE kids and this is SAD and this is pathetic
and this is, however, not
SURPRISING and this is
nothing but a whole of
SEGREGATION!!

[by Imhotep K.]

Thank you.
{Please help spread the word.}


[FIND MORE Information ABOUT This INCIDENCE, Below]
Thank you for publicly condemning the Valley Swim Club and calling on the Justice Department to investigate. You're helping to show that people across the country are united against racial discrimination, and ensuring that the federal government does its job.

The more of us that stand up, the stronger our voice will be. Will you take a moment and invite your friends and family to add their voice as well?

Below you will find a brief letter you can send. Personalize it as you wish or write your own, but please send it along right away. Also, please only contact people who you know personally. Spam will hurt the effort.

You can cut and paste the text below into an email message:

Dear friends,

Two weeks ago outside Philadelphia, sixty-five children from a summer camp tried to go swimming at a club their camp had a contract to use. Evidently, the club didn't know the kids were largely Black.

When the campers entered the pool, White parents took their kids out of the water, and the swimming club's staff asked the campers to leave. The next day, the club told the summer camp that their membership would be canceled and that they would refund their money. When asked why, the club's leader said the "kids would change the complexion ... and the atmosphere of the club."

A "Whites only" pool in 2009 should not be tolerated. The club's actions appear to be a violation of section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act. Whether or not any laws were violated, a "Whites only" pool should be something every American condemns.

I've just joined ColorOfChange.org in doing exactly that -- will you join me, and email your friends and family asking them to do the same? We're also calling on the Department of Justice to evaluate suing the facility under federal law. It takes just a moment to do both, here:

http://www.colorofchange.org/swim/?id=2116-393785

Obama is President but that doesn't mean that suddenly all is fine when it comes to race in America. This is a vivid reminder of what we know still lies beneath the surface.

We all know stories like this one -- similar incidents play out quietly every day in different communities across the country. The difference in this case is that folks got caught and there was a contract in place that makes for a potentially illegal act.

Standing up now isn't just about making things right for these kids in Philadelphia or bringing consequences to this swim club (called the Valley Swim Club). It's about creating a climate of accountability everywhere. If we can publicly shame the Valley Swim Club and hold them accountable for this incident, it will make others think twice before engaging in this kind of discrimination.

Please join me in condemning the Valley Swim Club's blatant discrimination and calling on the Justice Department to investigate whether they violated civil rights laws. And please ask your friends and family to do the same.

http://www.colorofchange.org/swim/?id=2116-393785

Thanks.

Here are some links to more info:

"Pool Boots Kids Who Might 'Change the Complexion,'" NBC Philadelphia, 07-08-09
http://bit.ly/90Zyr

"60 Black Kids Booted from Philly Pool For Being Black -- Speak Out," Jill Tubman at Jack and Jill Politics, 07-08-09
http://bit.ly/GkJTs

"Valley Swim Club: Day Two," Adam B at Daily Kos, 07-08-09
http://bit.ly/qbpSA

"Section 1981 Summary," Employment Law Information Network
http://www.elinfonet.com/1981sum.php