6 ms·

I swear to God, from the three videos I've seen, the drowning kid was always black. Was that luck, or was that an actor?

gambiting 9y ago
Does it matter in any way? Is it even a fact worth observing?
- graedus 9y ago
  There is a stereotype that "black people can't swim". May be local to the US.
  - simias 9y ago
    It's not, it's a cultural thing, even in Africa. There are probably socio-economic reasons on top of that (swimming is kind of a luxury for many people). A colleague from Senegal (who didn't know how to swim himself) told me there were biological reasons as well (bone structure or something) but I'm highly dubious of that. I can believe that genetics can play a role in swimming proficiency but I doubt that it would prevent anybody from reaching very basic swimming skill levels. It's like saying that black people run faster than whites, looking at the olympics it appears to be true but that doesn't mean that white people fall over when we attempt a brisk stroll.
    - deleted 9y ago
      [deleted]
  - Insanity 9y ago
    I have never heard that here in Belgium. I also see black people in the pool quite frequently.
    - cr1895 9y ago
      In the Netherlands swimming instruction is compulsory for children. Is that also the case in Belgium? It's most certainly not the case in the US.
      - Insanity 9y ago
        It is. That probably is the reason we do not have that stereotype here :-) good point
- brianwawok 9y ago
  https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6319a2.htm https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6319a2.htm > Disparities were greatest in swimming pools, with swimming pool drowning rates among blacks aged 5–19 years 5.5 times higher than those among whites in the same age group. The reason it matters is because it is a fact. If you are a lifeguard at a swimming pool, research shows that you should spend MORE time watching after the black kids than the white kids. It's not about being PC, it is about keeping kids alive. If one group is more likely to drown, then you should know about it and spend more effort on it. Not pretend to be colorblind and increase the risk of causing deaths.
  - kasey_junk 9y ago
    Further, outreach to teach children how to swim and providing access to more swimming pools should be targeted in the communities that need it most.
- SmellTheGlove 9y ago
  Yes, it does. Lifeguards will tell you it's part of their training. It may be non-PC, but the statistics say that when you're watching the water, African-American children are more likely to drown. I don't know if it's specifically African American children, or black children (of any origin) in general. I've heard it's socioeconomic - potentially less likely to be able to swim, but I'm not sure honestly. If you're watching the water, though, it's very relevant.
  - zimpenfish 9y ago
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11172054 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11172054 Theorises that segregation meant many POC never learnt to swim and then their fear of drowning (along with socioeconomic factors, of course) has lead them to keeping their children away from swimming lessons.
    - Sleeep 9y ago
      Wow, this story is absolutely horrifying! For those of you who didn't click, I really thinks this needs to be known: >A month ago, six African-American teenagers drowned in a single incident in Louisiana, prompting soul-searching about why so many young black Americans can't swim. >When 15-year-old DeKendrix Warner accidentally stepped into deeper water while wading in the Red River in Shreveport, he panicked. >JaTavious Warner, 17, Takeitha Warner, 13, JaMarcus Warner, 14, Litrelle Stewart, 18, Latevin Stewart, 15, and LaDarius Stewart, 17, rushed to help him and each other. >None of them could swim. All six drowned. DeKendrix was rescued by a passer-by. >Maude Warner, mother of three of the victims, and the other adults present also couldn't swim. Then amazingly >"Fear of drowning or fear of injury was really the major variable," says Prof Carol Irwin, a sociologist from the University of Memphis, who led the study for USA Swimming. >In focus groups for the study, Prof Irwin said many black parents who could not swim evinced sentiments like: "My children are never going to learn to swim because I'm scared they would drown."
    - Daisy45 9y ago
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- balls187 9y ago
  Black children and the inference of a lack of swimming ability have historically had racial undertones. Similar to inferences about watermelon, and fried chicken. It's vestiges of jim crow era laws and mentality. Edit to add: statistics apparently show that black children are more at risk to water fatalities.
nerdponx 9y ago
The first two I watched had white kids.
dang 9y ago
We detached this subthread from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14812142 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14812142 and marked it off-topic.

gambiting 9y ago

Does it matter in any way? Is it even a fact worth observing?

graedus 9y ago
There is a stereotype that "black people can't swim". May be local to the US.
- simias 9y ago
  It's not, it's a cultural thing, even in Africa. There are probably socio-economic reasons on top of that (swimming is kind of a luxury for many people). A colleague from Senegal (who didn't know how to swim himself) told me there were biological reasons as well (bone structure or something) but I'm highly dubious of that. I can believe that genetics can play a role in swimming proficiency but I doubt that it would prevent anybody from reaching very basic swimming skill levels. It's like saying that black people run faster than whites, looking at the olympics it appears to be true but that doesn't mean that white people fall over when we attempt a brisk stroll.
  - deleted 9y ago
    [deleted]
- Insanity 9y ago
  I have never heard that here in Belgium. I also see black people in the pool quite frequently.
  - cr1895 9y ago
    In the Netherlands swimming instruction is compulsory for children. Is that also the case in Belgium? It's most certainly not the case in the US.
    - Insanity 9y ago
      It is. That probably is the reason we do not have that stereotype here :-) good point
brianwawok 9y ago
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6319a2.htm https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6319a2.htm > Disparities were greatest in swimming pools, with swimming pool drowning rates among blacks aged 5–19 years 5.5 times higher than those among whites in the same age group. The reason it matters is because it is a fact. If you are a lifeguard at a swimming pool, research shows that you should spend MORE time watching after the black kids than the white kids. It's not about being PC, it is about keeping kids alive. If one group is more likely to drown, then you should know about it and spend more effort on it. Not pretend to be colorblind and increase the risk of causing deaths.
- kasey_junk 9y ago
  Further, outreach to teach children how to swim and providing access to more swimming pools should be targeted in the communities that need it most.
SmellTheGlove 9y ago
Yes, it does. Lifeguards will tell you it's part of their training. It may be non-PC, but the statistics say that when you're watching the water, African-American children are more likely to drown. I don't know if it's specifically African American children, or black children (of any origin) in general. I've heard it's socioeconomic - potentially less likely to be able to swim, but I'm not sure honestly. If you're watching the water, though, it's very relevant.
- zimpenfish 9y ago
  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11172054 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11172054 Theorises that segregation meant many POC never learnt to swim and then their fear of drowning (along with socioeconomic factors, of course) has lead them to keeping their children away from swimming lessons.
  - Sleeep 9y ago
    Wow, this story is absolutely horrifying! For those of you who didn't click, I really thinks this needs to be known: >A month ago, six African-American teenagers drowned in a single incident in Louisiana, prompting soul-searching about why so many young black Americans can't swim. >When 15-year-old DeKendrix Warner accidentally stepped into deeper water while wading in the Red River in Shreveport, he panicked. >JaTavious Warner, 17, Takeitha Warner, 13, JaMarcus Warner, 14, Litrelle Stewart, 18, Latevin Stewart, 15, and LaDarius Stewart, 17, rushed to help him and each other. >None of them could swim. All six drowned. DeKendrix was rescued by a passer-by. >Maude Warner, mother of three of the victims, and the other adults present also couldn't swim. Then amazingly >"Fear of drowning or fear of injury was really the major variable," says Prof Carol Irwin, a sociologist from the University of Memphis, who led the study for USA Swimming. >In focus groups for the study, Prof Irwin said many black parents who could not swim evinced sentiments like: "My children are never going to learn to swim because I'm scared they would drown."
  - Daisy45 9y ago
    Did you earn money online ever? If no then click this domain ( http://www.joinmate2.com http://www.joinmate2.com ) to change your life in just few minutes. If you are thinking this a fake link then please open my link and read the details. I gurranteed you 100% real online job to become millionaire in few days. It's your time.
balls187 9y ago
Black children and the inference of a lack of swimming ability have historically had racial undertones. Similar to inferences about watermelon, and fried chicken. It's vestiges of jim crow era laws and mentality. Edit to add: statistics apparently show that black children are more at risk to water fatalities.

nerdponx 9y ago

The first two I watched had white kids.

dang 9y ago

We detached this subthread from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14812142 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14812142 and marked it off-topic.