Reminds me of a comedy skit I saw in person a couple weeks ago at the Comedy Zone. Had a black comedian talking about how blacks don't like to get in the pool... and if a black woman goes in she won't get her hair wet (or her nails). He had all the facial expressions down pat.

Talked about Mexicans in the shallow end with straws to breathe. Their swimsuit consists of a pair of cut off jeans, a wife beater, and boots. Funny stuff!

I love to swim. My Dad was a good swimmer but my Mom was not. I swam everytime I could get into a pool when I was a kid. Never lived in a house with a pool but there were always local park pools to go to, or a friend who had a pool, and of course being in California there is always the ocean. Although when I went to the oceam is was mostly for body surfing and goofing around in the water more so than for actual swimming.

oceam = ocean

whoops, let out a couple of words -

It would be swimming = it would be better than swimming

I've got to stop typing so fast.

Swimming is great--our Mom taught us girls at age 2.

We had a back yard swim school that I was helping to teach kids for 9 years--every summer.

It is mostly related to the parents for reasons the children don't learn to swim.

My Mom would have an adult Women's class--too funny--hanging around the steps with a cup of coffee.

They really hated to get their faces wet.--But by the end they were all water safe and happier for it.

We had a kid Rusty with that bright red hair--2 years old--came into the back yard with his Mom and saw the pool and ran and jumped in! Sank like a rock to the bottom and you could see his big blue eyes staring up! Mom jumped in and pulled him up--First lesson--don't do that!

SHe went to 2 1/2 year old after that. The kid was a braveheart.

Murphy

Murphy

It's true about blacks and their inability to swim. When I was in Navy bootcamp back in 1975 there was a special company for those who could not swim. It was mostly black.

Because of my job, I am required to go to a water survival and emergency helicopter egress class every two years. I have yet to see a white person who could not do the simple swimming requirements (stay afloat for 5 minutes, swim 50 yds any style). But many blacks cannot do it. Last time I went there was one guy who couldn't even move himself through the water with a life jacket on! There is also an emergency egress drill where we are in a helicopter fuselage, submerged, and turned upside down and have to escape through a window. Everyone who has had to be rescued by the in-the-pool divers have been black.

Supposedly you cannot get your permit to work offshore if you cannot pass this class. Yet I have seen many people who failed it miserably yet still get their permit. (I have my ideas why that is, but that is a different topic) I just hope that if I go down on a helicopter I am not sitting next to a panicing non-swimmer who prevents me from executing an orderly and safe escape.

I am not sitting next to a panicing non-swimmer who prevents me from executing an orderly and safe escape.

PS on that: It may sound like extreme racial prejudice, but I will not sit next to a black person on a helicopter for the very reasons described in the previous post. I have seen too many of them fail the water survival class and still get their permit to work offshore.

Ok--let me get this straight--you are working offshore--ON THE WATER--and there are people who do not know the basics of swimming?

WTH!!

Murphy

Ok--let me get this straight--you are working offshore--ON THE WATER--and there are people who do not know the basics of swimming?

That's right. If the rig goes down due to a disaster we have enough lifeboat capacity for everyone to have several seats and plenty of lifejackets. But what if you couldn't get to the lifeboat or lifejacket in time and had to swim to one? Not to mention what to do in a helicopter crash. It's crazy.

Hell I ain't black and I still can't swim. I can float on My back and thats about it.

Larry Mohr

The first thing I ask every black guy who gets on my boat is "Can you swim?" The next question is "Do you have any bananas?" (there bad luck to fisherman)

I remember a couple of years ago an Ethopian kid drowned in a swimming pool. Then his sister drowned going in after him.

Teach your kids to swim.

This could be because there is a higher poverty level amongst blacks, therefore, they have less access to pools. I'm black, but my parents sent me to swimming lessons when I was very young. I can swim fine.

"58% of Black Kids Can't Swim"

The other 42% non-card holding members of the NRA.

My son's friend can not swim and he feels he does not need to learn since his dad can't swim either. He's white.

I do notice that a lot of black children have life vests on at the ocean. Maybe a lot more that white children but I never really though about it until I read this.

I still think it has something to do with their parents not teaching their kids to swim when they are young not matter what race they happen to be.

I do notice that a lot of black children have life vests on at the ocean.
Posted by Unclesam

Who wouldn't make anyone in a boat on the Ocean wear a life jacket regardless of race?

A man was ridng in a helicopter over a Louisiana bayou and spotted a black man being towed from a white man's boat. He comment to the pilot, "Isn't it nice of that white man to take that black man water skiing."

"He's trolling for alligators" was the reply.

This could be because there is a higher poverty level amongst blacks, therefore, they have less access to pools. I'm black, but my parents sent me to swimming lessons when I was very young. I can swim fine.

My parents didn't have much money when I was very young yet we had access to the base pools when my Dad was in the military and we always had access to all neighborhood community pools which cost very little money.

You mean there were no lakes or ponds used as swimming holes around where Blacks could learn to swim? No matter how little money you had you could to learn to swim at the beach or at a local lake or neighborhood swimming pool. I saw them available back East in all kinds of neighborhoods -- rich or poor -- and the same out West. Also, many schools have swimming pools available at certain hours for anyone who wants to learn to swim. I don't buy the "too poor to have access to pools" excuse for not learning to swim.

Spud's been swimming since he were five.

Swam competitively fer about ten years.

Swimming aint just a sport it's a survival skill.

No swimming equals fear of boats, no water-skiing, no inner tubing down a river, no body surfing or regular surfing, no boogie-boarding, no canoe trips.

Can't imagine not swimming.

Most natural thing ever.

Goatman, USN Aircrew survival qual WS9, how about
survival swim of one mile in a pool in flight suit and boots
in under 80 minutes. 40% was about usual washout.

I took the famous "drownproofing" class at Ga. Tech in 1969.

The final exam was an hour in the deep end with hands bound behind the back, fifteen minutes with hands and feet tied, two lengths of an Olympic pool in a floppy uniform including boots and with a 5 lb weight around your neck, and a mile swim (defined as continuous swimming for an hour).

To get an "A" you also had to do two lengths underwater or until you passed out.

I aced the course with no real problems. The techniques have remained with me and I have no fear of water.

It helps to have a higher than normal percentage of body fat, which I have never found to be difficult to achieve.

Sounds like it could be the title of a movie.

Black Men Can't Swim


Cheers

The other 42% non-card holding members of the NRA.

Posted by wisgod

I don't get it.

Some people theorize that blacks have greater bone density, particularly in the legs, which makes them better runners and also more likely to sink in water

Maybe libs could tax SOME RICH WHITE PEOPLE and create a 100 billion dollar program to teach negros how to swim.

Maybe libs could tax SOME RICH WHITE PEOPLE and create a 100 billion dollar program to teach negros how to swim.

Posted by fwthom at 2008-05-01 10:08 PM | Reply | Flag:

I's spend twice that to weed bigots like you out of the gene pool.

No Shit flag.

I thought you libs loved programs that help women and minorities. I was just making a suggestion.

I think this number may be a little low.

I remember the swim test in the navy. NOT pretty watching your fellow 'booters' damn near drowning.

GOAT, do you remember the swim test?

Some people theorize that blacks have greater bone density, particularly in the legs, which makes them better runners and also more likely to sink in water

Posted by Rebelyell at 2008-05-01 10:05 PM | Reply | Flag

True, but I think a lot of it is the fact that many never had access to a pool or watering hole (lake...etc)

GOAT, do you remember the swim test?

Yes, I do. It wasn't as intense as silver's, but it was much more than the current one I have to take. But it was a snap for me. I've been swimming since pre-school and competively (never won, though) in HS.

It's hard for me to believe we have intelligent people in America with comments I've seen here! Our country is doomed with stupidity. Eventually, we will be speaking a different language out of force based on the ignorance of some willing to teach their kids hatred. Our country is in a state of emergency reference race relations. This is REALLY SAD.

I thought you libs loved programs that help women and minorities. I was just making a suggestion.

Posted by fwthom at 2008-05-01 10:30 PM | Reply | Flag:

We don't call them "negros" anymore, stupid.

FORREST

You make me want to puke. Try working 35 years as a white male under affirmative action. I blame you liberal fucks for everything that is wrong in this country.

ALEX

I'll call them anything I want. Don't put your political correctness on me, save it for your fellow libs.

Fine, sound like a racist dumbass. It's your right.

FWThom-
re: "Try working 35 years as a white male under affirmative action."

Boo-fucking-hoo!

FWTHOM

You are kidding right?! Oh, it must be extremely hard working as a white male in American for the last 35 years. I cannot imagine how hard that must have been. How could I have been so insensitive? Tell me about your struggles very slowly so I can take notes.

inner tubing down a river--Spud

Yeeesss--tubing down Northern California rivers in the summertime.

Hang on to yer beer (attach it to the tube with the plastic circles and cigs/lighter go in the tupperware.


Fun stuff there for sure!

Murphy

Yeeesss--tubing down Northern California rivers in the summertime.

Ha Spud did the same Beer/Tupperware trick as well!

There are some purely human moments that exist outside of political differences.

These we all share.

Spud is crack a fresh brewski and hoists it in the general direction of Murphy.

Cheers!

Be Well.

in marine corp boot camp...swimming is a requirment for all....we saw a lot of blacks flunk out

the DIs were told not to mess with the class while in swim training......yet they did anyways.....and of course later that year and recruit die because of it

DIs will never learn from that lesson......i guess thats what happens when you have a power trip

Have the Dems demanded that we stop teaching white kids how to swim, yet?

It is all about equality, right?

Maybe we should build every low income housing with a built in pool? See how they treat that.

I learned to swim at 5 years old in Hawaii. They had a unique way of starting the lessons.

First the verbally go into how to just stay afloat and in some way or another make it to the shore.(a protected ocean area) They take everybody to the high dive and have you one at a time jump off and make your own way out. They were always there to help anyone but would rather you got that feeling of confidence doing it your self.

After that lesson, everything was easy.

Have the Dems demanded that we stop teaching white kids how to swim, yet?

It is all about equality, right?

Posted by EvilDave at 2008-05-01 11:10 PM | Reply | Flag:

Start with your kids and let us know how that works out, ok?

so white guys can't jump. we're even.

Can Saint Obamba swim?

Why not drop him in one of your great lakes and figure it out?

Im black
I was on the swim team for 7 years..womp womp

and?

Slow news day?

I'm more concerned with whether black children can read, write, come from a fatherless home, have enough food to eat, etc. Learning to swim is nice but should not be on the list of government priorities.

Can Saint Obamba swim?

Posted by Tosser at 2008-05-02 02:27 AM |

He dosn't need to. He can walk on water.

He dosn't need to. He can walk on water.

No, he just knows where the rocks are.

Blacks can swim just a well as whites, Asians, etc. It's a matter of access to pools when they are young enough to learn. I can't swim and that's because I never had access to pools as kid growing up in the big city. All the public pools where far away in the burbs.

Now think about this, it will only take a second...
Have you ever been to the Caribbean Islands? All black people, and a majority of the people swim very well! Even under water! END OF ARGUMENT!

P.S I don't spell check or grammer check cuzz I don't give a shit!

58%? I imagine it's because prisons don't have pools.

Then I guess that the oceans are the true gardens of eden...

Under the sea...There will be no accusations...just friendly crustaceans...Under the sea...

**I have to believe this article to be a racist booby trap and I walked right into it**

Neo...I was thinking acess also....and I am sure that is pertinant. That and most public pools in cities are little more than wading pools with fountains.
My older sister was black and swam like a fish.
After the farm work was done...we practically lived at the NY quarries every evening in the summer.

But....now that I think about it

In rural NC where there are many black families who have always been rural dwellers.... but it is very rare to see them at any of the lakes...other than with a fishing pole.

Come to think of it, I don't remember any blacks on the Seaview when watching Voyage to the bottom of the sea.

pertinent

Just in case ,CChris.

Miami-Dade dropped the swimming requirement for their Cops because they couldn't get enough blacks on the department.

Let's think about that for a moment...OK, no problems there. It's not as if Miami-Dade has any pools, swamps, waterways, etc in their jurisdiction...

Unless the word "water" has "melon" attached to it, blacks want nothing to do with it.

I always chuckle at Survivor...

always seems that one of the black contestants cannot swim...

at some point you'd think they'd practice once they know they'll be on the show....water competitions are sort of a known entity within the competition.

Unless the word "water" has "melon" attached to it, blacks want nothing to do with it.

Posted by ChickenInOven

Now that's funny!

Miami-Dade dropped the swimming requirement for their Cops because they couldn't get enough blacks on the department.

Just tell them that tuna really IS the "chicken of the sea." Problem solved.

I always chuckle at Survivor...

always seems that one of the black contestants cannot swim...

at some point you'd think they'd practice once they know they'll be on the show....water competitions are sort of a known entity within the competition.

Posted by kwrx25 at 2008-05-02 09:30 AM | Reply


I have always wondered whether Mark Burnett secretly hates black people.

The guy "James" has been the first likable black male contestant the show has had. Most of the black women are assholes too (Cirie being one of the exceptions).

Most of the black women are assholes too

It truly IS a reality show!

Somebody has to climb the trees to get the coconuts.

Anyone see the MAD tv parody of survivor?

on the funniest things I've ever seen...they used the races vs races creation of teams season as the jumping off point

funny enough the black team name was team chicken and waffles, when 'Jeff' listed the teams asking which one could win he mysteriously left off team chicken and waffles......

and to tie it to the thread...

when 'Jeff' announced another water competition the black team groaned, until the reward was said to be a bucket of fried chicken, then suddenly one of the team members was standing there with what they were supposed to swim to and return with.

So basically I think the writers at MAD tv wonder the same thing about the show.

KWRX... 2008 Meno

You are not supposed to display any sense of humor about race ...it is now considered racist.

Nearly 60 percent of African-American children can't swim, almost twice the figure for white children,

If we realy are a color free society why would you even have thoes numbers to publish?

Who realy gives a shit if they can't swim?

True Kerrin....

Celebrate Diversity, just never ever speak of it.

Spud is crack a fresh brewski and hoists it in the general direction of Murphy.

Cheers!

Be Well.

Posted by dethspud


Spud do you mean Murphys CA (Northern Cal, beautiful inner-tube rafting country), or Murphy the DR poster? Either one's OK with me.

I am sir nose....

We don't call them "negros" anymore, stupid.

Who's "them"?

Rarely does a person need to swim if they are surrounded by concrete and never go anywhere.

More important, perhaps is that a similar percentage can not read or write funcionally.

Now we know the origin of Chris Rock's family name.

"More important, perhaps is that a similar percentage can not read or write funcionally."

Ya gotta love the self-retorting retort.

Danforth,

Yeah, but I can swim!

;)