Why is race a factor?

**triggerhappy2005** · 08-04-10, 08:02 AM

What a tragedy.

**Fovezer** · 08-04-10, 09:13 AM

Originally Posted by deputyfestus

That's the point I have been trying to make when the tease about the drownings was made it came across as 6 teens drown in La. river not about African-Americans are less likely to know how to swim because........ and then oh by the way while were on the subject of African-Americans not having access to facilities to learn to swim 6 teens drown in La. river. The AP report is closer to how it should of been written sans the access to facilities part. Here's an example of how I think it should have been wrote ... Blue plane airlines model type Z28 crashed into mountain side overnight rescuers searching crash site report no survivors and are attempting to recover black boxes further details as they arrive. In a related story XYZ new's has discovered that Z28 models of blue plane airlines have less access to maintenance facilities resulting in a 60% higher rate of fatal crashes etc...... Two different stories but related in the fact that they involve flying. I'm interested in the details of the plane crash. I don't know maybe I just don't have the ability to explain what I think the story is about to you or you just see it differently and like the added stats and whatnot. I'm looking for meat and taters not meat ,taters,lettuce and tomato salad with French dressing.

Ok, I see what happened and why we weren't on the same wavelength. You started talking about drowning rates and then changed the subject to talk about those 6 teens that drowned and posted a different story.

As for your plane analogy, the fact that the planes receive less maintenance is absolutely relevant to the story. It could very well be a key reason why the plane crashed, so it is important, especially if that one airline's planes are crashing at a higher rate. Same thing here. While not directly related to the story, it is important information to note that African-Americans drown at higher rates. They do the same thing when they mention crime rates in a city in a story about a specific crime. There is nothing nefarious here and you are making a big deal out of nothing by focusing all your attention on race.

**flame** · 08-04-10, 09:17 AM

some wild comparisons here...

Flying a plane? Skinning a deer? I see swimming as a life skill, not some random hobby. This is life or death. I understand not having the facilities, but at least take the kids somewhere and teach them to tread water. I think maybe we should incorporate it into the public school system. In life how valuable is kickball? How valuable is knowing how to swim? One teaches you to pick the fat kid last, the other teaches you a skill that might save your life. If as a society people are not learning valuable skills that is where the school system should pick up. We have incorporated sex ed, why not swimming.

My liberal moment of the day... now thats enough of that shit

**triggerhappy2005** · 08-04-10, 09:25 AM

Originally Posted by flame

some wild comparisons here...

Flying a plane? Skinning a deer? I see swimming as a life skill, not some random hobby. This is life or death. I understand not having the facilities, but at least take the kids somewhere and teach them to tread water. I think maybe we should incorporate it into the public school system. In life how valuable is kickball? How valuable is knowing how to swim? One teaches you to pick the fat kid last, the other teaches you a skill that might save your life. If as a society people are not learning valuable skills that is where the school system should pick up. We have incorporated sex ed, why not swimming.

My liberal moment of the day... now thats enough of that shit

Sounds like big gubment telling us how to live our lives.

**flame** · 08-04-10, 09:27 AM

no worse than anything else we already have...

I would think of it as a safety lesson. Such as requiring a "safety" drivers license.

**Thorsen** · 08-04-10, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by triggerhappy2005

Sounds like big gubment telling us how to live our lives.

No it doesn't, don't be ridiculous.

I don't see why people are getting all bent out of shape by this. It's just another example of socio-economic disparities between groups. Although honestly I still believe it would be a LOT more constructive to stop dividing by "race" and start dividing by income brackets.

Also, just a quick confession, I don't know how to swim or tread water. So if I'm ever boating with you, please give me a nice big life vest thanks.

**DJ Ms. White** · 08-04-10, 09:38 AM

Thorsen, to tread water, you just stand up straight in the water and kick your legs back and forth.

**Kanati** · 08-04-10, 09:48 AM

Thorsen... You. Are. Fired.

I was taught to swim when I was about 5 or 6. Traumatically. And effectively.

"C'mon! We're going to the lake, son!"

"yay!"

<we get there>

"You get to learn how to swim!"

"WTF!?"

<picks me up>

"SERIOUSLY! WTF!?!?"

<throws me in>

"WHAAAA <glub glub> THE FUUUUU <glub glub>"

Aaaaand over the course of the next couple hours I learned how to swim.

**Alundil** · 08-04-10, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by Kanati8869

Thorsen... You. Are. Fired.

I was taught to swim when I was about 5 or 6. Traumatically. And effectively.

"C'mon! We're going to the lake, son!"

"yay!"

<we get there>

"You get to learn how to swim!"

"WTF!?"

<picks me up>

"SERIOUSLY! WTF!?!?"

<throws me in>

"WHAAAA <glub glub> THE FUUUUU <glub glub>"

Aaaaand over the course of the next couple hours I learned how to swim.

^ This. Had me chuckling. And remembering my own "lessons." Though, to be fair I needed the lessons badly as I jumped into an Aunt's pool when I was two.....and sank. Thankfully mom and dad were close by and Dad was a lifeguard.

**Hocus Pocus** · 08-04-10, 10:02 AM

Then if you divide income levels what do you find? Race! Let’s be more oblivious to the main point of these articles and these threads it’s most definitely a race issue. Swimming at a young age is a luxury and it depends on many things like income level, location, easy access to a pool etc etc.. Some of you use an example like "oooooooooooooh well take them to a bayou or a lake" Seriously? If you or your kid can't swim in a pool you want to take them to something like that? So then when the kid drowns or something happens you can turn around and blame the parents. It's always the parents fault right? It's so easy to place the blame on people but few fail to look at the bigger picture. Black people cant swim because many dont have access to pools, because their parents didn't swim, because their parents parents didn't swim. Why is this so hard to believe? Then you say hmmmm I wonder why their parents didn't swim so you start looking further and further back. You find its and economic and race issue how can we deny that? The article IMO is about why this happening and what causes this. To me, so many of you are close minded and you get mad at the media for creating things like this yet you copy paste it so quick. Obviously we enjoy controversy or the media wouldn’t make it duhh.

BTW

I'm part black and I know how to swim, had my own pool too go figure.

/rant