Why must people try to make this a racial issue. It all comes down to opportunity. I have posted before that there are many whites that don't have access to these activities to like swimming , golf, snow skiing etc. Why is defined by skin color. When I lived in Florida it didn't matter what color you were most everyone could swim because there was a pool on every block or lake or the ocean. It didn't matter the amount of money anyone had they had access. As I moved north that opportunity for all has changed. To state: "Maybe the "No Blacks Allowed" signs that barred an entire generation from public pools have created a cultural barrier that is not easily overcome." is crazy. Those demeaning and idiotic signs were everywhere in this nation. Segregation happened at everything not just swimming pools but yet other activities have not been affected. I think it is great what he is doing by teaching water saftey because it is needed by all. Don't narrow your scope so much that you are putting labels on everyone. We are all one.

JM, no one is putting labels on anyone. The fact is that African-American???s are three times more likely to drown than whites and 60 percent of African-American children do not know how to swim. For whatever reason, minorities haven???t had the same water-safety education as whites. Ignoring the need in this community does nothing to solve the problem. As an aside, it???s dumb and offensive to suggest that raising these issues somehow means that I disagree with the fact that ???we???re all one.??? It???s not an issue of ???labeling;??? it???s an issue of making certain that all people (regardless of race) know how to handle themselves in the water.

Even Jones comments on the whole point of my post is that it is about opportunity and not race. "...if you go to the Caribbean, it's unheard of for people not to know how to swim. If you go to Africa, black people do know how to swim." My point is that we focus to much on labels of a color instead of the true issues of does the high school they attend have swimming, do they live in an urban setting without pools, a cool climate that doesn't have access to outdoor water activities, the list goes on. I totally agree with "It???s not an issue of ???labeling;??? it???s an issue of making certain that all people (regardless of race) know how to handle themselves in the water." But the whole post is how minorities can't swim. It's not about water saftey for all. The comment in your post though that is not factual is the biggest blow to me is "Maybe the "No Blacks Allowed" signs that barred an entire generation from public pools have created a cultural barrier that is not easily overcome." There are no facts to support this, those signs were everywhere.

The Centers for Disease Control and prevention even states:

Factors such as the physical environment (e.g., access to swimming pools)

Not to mention their study is a web based study that is completely voluntary of participation. That leaves some holes in the amount of accuracy.

Also stated in this study though is:

"Black children ages 1 through 4 years had a lower drowning rate than white children, largely because drownings in that age group typically occur in residential swimming pools, which are not as accessible to minority children in the United States."

So obviously there is less exposure.

I am not in favor of ignoring the the problem of water saftey but where is the problem? A minority that has access to water activities while growing up or a youth (regardless of race)who does not?

And yes everyone is putting labels on everyone that is why here in the US you are asked what Race you are for just about every job application. I am not questioning you but the system.

Whether its cause is from institutional racism, or just general lack of resources, the truth is that a disproportionate level of minorities are not educated on water safety.

You can't tell a minority living with the vestiges of racism and segregation that it doesn't matter how long ago it happened or other people who don't know how to swim. To do so diminishes the factual and implied effects that we all must acknowledge and work towards healing.

Its disproportionate becausewe are focused on color and not an area. Take the geographical location and find everyone in the same economic resource status then report what the numbers are. I doubt it would be that much off. You can bend and twist numbers to reflect anything you want. Jarrett how is not working to healing to try and state the facts that we are Americans not bound by some color but a group as whole. Why must we always focus on the differences? I am lost to that fact. I agree some terrible things happened in this country and some things I saw first hand growing up and the segregation. But we most move forward as a people instead of dwell on the past. Be a part of change instead a carier of ill will.