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July 10, 2009

Racism Swim Club PR FAIL

Today in Fear of a Black Planet: The memberships of "dozens of minority children" were cancelled at a private swim club in Huntingdon Valley PA when it was discovered when they were, in fact, probably not white people.

According to the camp who had purchased the memberships (see the AP report above) the memberships of 65 minority children were refunded a few days after a group of them appeared at The Valley Club. The children had reported hearing comments deemed probably racist.

The operant explanation currently is that the sheer numbers of children having a good time were a potential safety hazared. Earlier though, the president of the board of directors of the club mentioned that the number of children would "change the complexion" of the club.

Swinging the passive voice (a/k/a "the bomb shelter of the scoundrel")into action, the president said that his earlier statement was a "terrible choice of words".

Oh, yes, we suppose it was. Terrible choice of words. Indeed. Yes, mistakes were made, the check's in the mail … we've heard it all before.

Right now I think the real thing to do would be to not come up with a lame, passive mea-semi-culpa and sunshine about "safety concerns" and make some real amends.

Complexion problems are awful touchy.

But at least one safety concern was addressed: at least when they go to the swim club, the gentle members of The Valley Club will be absolutely safe from children who aren't white.

Well, for the meantime anyway.

Posted by The Chinuk at July 10, 2009 07:58 PM