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Complexion-Conscious Philadephia Swim Club Suddenly Embracing Ethnic Diversity
It's Not Always Progressive in Philadelphia

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ambitious
07/13/09

In reply to Complexion-Conscious Philadephia Swim Club Suddenly Embracing Ethnic Diversity
Sounds like a trap.
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flossy
07/13/09

In reply to Complexion-Conscious Philadephia Swim Club Suddenly Embracing Ethnic Diversity
"We just feel so awful about this whole mix-up," Mr. Duesler continued. "So bad, in fact, that we've gone ahead and built a special entrance, changing room and water fountains just for these kids. It's very important to us that they get to enjoy the Valley Club experience free of what some more cynical observers might call 'racial tension,' which is why I think they will enjoy having the coveted 4:00 - 6:00 AM swimming slot all to themselves."
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Aaron Altman
07/13/09

In reply to Complexion-Conscious Philadephia Swim Club Suddenly Embracing Ethnic Diversity
John G. Duesler Sr. must be so proud.
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i'm a bottle
07/13/09

In reply to Complexion-Conscious Philadephia Swim Club Suddenly Embracing Ethnic Diversity
Hopefully their entreaties are backed up with three years of waived fees.
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i'm a bottle
07/13/09

@i'm a bottle: And ice cream!
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unclevanya
07/13/09

In reply to Complexion-Conscious Philadephia Swim Club Suddenly Embracing Ethnic Diversity
They should accept the invitation to return, and then discreetly instruct all the kids to pee in the pool and run like hell.
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momof3wildkids
07/13/09

@unclevanya: I'm thinking baby ruth.
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raincoaster
07/13/09

In reply to Complexion-Conscious Philadephia Swim Club Suddenly Embracing Ethnic Diversity
Isn't the day camp about half over now?
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CherylRhesus
07/10/09

In reply to It's Not Always Progressive in Philadelphia
I would like to see a statement too because it sounds all too obviously outrageous. However, I was just watching Niteline, and at the end, they reported the club's president as having made the statement in the above article. "There was concern that a lot of kids would change the complexion..."

So....I guess it's true?
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MissNormaDesmond
07/10/09

@CherylRhesus: Everyone seems to be going on a statement Duesler supposedly made to someone at the local NBC affiliate, but I've looked around the web and there's nothing in print posted anywhere. I'm pretty suspicious of the motivations of the club's membership, but I think there's a real possibility that Duesler's being made the fall guy when in fact he may be the person who most wanted to see the campers stay.
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kimberlydebarge
07/09/09

In reply to It's Not Always Progressive in Philadelphia
Well, since their website is down, here's the number from Google's cache: 215-947-0700

Their voicemail message says they have "plenty of different membership options available." I wonder if they have membership options for black people?
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CaptainFantastic
07/09/09

@kimberlydebarge: Janitorial Membership.
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gawkimo
07/09/09

In reply to It's Not Always Progressive in Philadelphia
Where are the Black Panthers when you need them?
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Solomon Grundy
07/09/09

In reply to It's Not Always Progressive in Philadelphia
Good journalists would have fact-checked some of the more sensationalized facts in this thinly-reported story (like, please clarify this insane, ellipsis-ed quote about changing the complexion, for example). But hey who cares about journalism, the top blogs are doing an AWESOME job.
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purn
07/09/09

@Solomon Grundy

"There was concern that a lot of kids would change the complexion ..... and the atmosphere of the club,"

in your wildest dreams, as you being a good journalist, what the ph could make that statement not offensive?

i don't think the cajun boy would say he's a "TOP BLOG" - he's dealing with what he's got -its after business hours, and he has a bunch of ph'in info pointing to a bunch of philly phanatics being phanatically racist
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Solomon Grundy
07/09/09

@purn: Has anybody reporting on this seen an actual copy of this alleged "statement," or are they relying on secondhand reports about it? Has the president of the club been called to verify he said anything of that sort? Maybe he has, maybe he stands by it, maybe he hasn't, maybe it was uttered in the fever dreams of some intern at a Philly NBC affiliate. God only knows, since nobody involved has been doing the minimal work of journalism. And that's not even touching on the magic that can be accomplished with a well-placed ellipsis.

@easternsike: To you, I say, go fuck yourself. Your attitude of "if you publicly defend the minimal civil liberties of those sloppily accused of grotesque crimes, you must be guilty of that crime as well" is one of the worst aspects of the popular American tradition, going back to the Salem witch trials.
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easternsike
07/09/09

@Solomon Grundy: You're a complete psycho, take an ativan.
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MissNormaDesmond
07/09/09

@easternsike: No, I'd say his point was pretty well taken. If you look at this story, it appears that no one has seen the supposed statement, and also that the camp director had said that she didn't feel Duesler was responsible for the reaction of the club members. So it is a little fishy. I still think that there was probably racism involved, but it doesn't look like Duesler is the unapologetic racist he's being made out to be.
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purn
07/16/09

@Solomon Grundy: i've since heard the reporting was a bit off - still, throwing batteries at santa? thats mean
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OrneryBabe
07/08/09

In reply to It's Not Always Progressive in Philadelphia
I wonder how old those kids are. I feel terrible for them. God, what a damn shame. It's summer, kids just want to swim and have fun. Way to fuck up their self-esteem there, assholes.

And yes, let's hope there's a lawsuit. My guess is that the club would try to settle asap. Even if what the kids could recover is limited, the bad publicity for the club would probably lead them to a offer a quick settlement. That'll learn 'em.
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Colonel Mustard
07/08/09

@OrneryBabe: I'm all for bad publicity. The club deserves to go broke for this bullshit, but before they do I want them dragged through every inch of mud between Philadelphia and San Diego.
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dissentingopinion
07/08/09

In reply to It's Not Always Progressive in Philadelphia
I know they are private club, but is it legal to openly discriminate based on race?
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Trulymadlyme
07/08/09

@dissentingopinion: It's illegal.
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Mymoustache
07/08/09

@Trulymadlyme: You sure about that?
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Trulymadlyme
07/08/09

@Mymoustache: Yes.

[en.wikipedia.org]
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Cheruth
07/08/09

@dissentingopinion: If its a private club than its perfectly legal. In fact, lots of clubs discriminate on race, gender and sexual orientation. I know of a few very wealthy areas that have 2 country clubs one that refuses to allow african americans and one that will.

[www.oyez.org]

But, public establishments (open to anyone) can not discriminate. I don't think this really should qualify as a private club. If they have open pool admissions where the only real criteria is that you pay a the fee that isn't really the same thing as private membership. Its basically a limited gym membership. I think its possible to argue that its not a genuine private institution.
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Awesome X
07/08/09

@Cheruth: Interesting. So is it illegal to discriminate against racist assholes? Because if I were excessively wealthy (as opposed to barely holding on to my low-paying media job) I'd open the best damn pool in Philadelphia and deny every one of these racist assholes at the door, and when their kids cried because they couldn't swim in my awesome pool I'd tell them to blame their racist asshole parents for being racist assholes.
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If_I_Had_a_Poodle
07/09/09

@Cheruth: jooz too
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92BuickLeSabre
07/08/09

In reply to It's Not Always Progressive in Philadelphia
God the south makes me angry.
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seyswho
07/08/09

In reply to It's Not Always Progressive in Philadelphia
Why are these people not suing? Especially after that public statement, it seems like it would be a slam dunk.
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Trulymadlyme
07/08/09

@seyswho: @MattyMcboy: They can but they can't recovery anything aside from basically being able to swim in a place that doesn't want you there. I guess they could try to get the names of its members and shame them for associating with such racists. That would be worthwhile, I guess.
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Bobby Big Wheel
07/08/09

In reply to It's Not Always Progressive in Philadelphia
White Philadelphians are a dignified lot don't want their reputation impugned.

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Bobby Big Wheel
07/08/09

@Bobby Big Wheel: Just draw an "and" onto your computer screen so that makes sense.
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MissNormaDesmond
07/09/09

@Bobby Big Wheel: In all fairness, he's probably a poor, so they wouldn't like him, either.
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