Huntingdon Valley Swim Club Vs. Camper Kids
Letter To The Editor by Andrea Lawful-Trainer:
On Saturday July 18, I went to visit the protests that were taking place in front of the Huntingdon Valley Swim Club. While I had heard several reports on what took place that fateful day a few weeks ago, my intentions were to sit and listen to just what was going on before forming an opinion if any at all.
As I was approaching the intersection, a woman who I later found out was of Jewish Descent, stopped her car in front of me and inquired where I was going. After being told, she said that she was proud to see the parents out there because she lived in the community for over 40 years and neither her, nor her children, were ever welcomed at the swim club. With tears in her eyes, she said she was with them in spirit and wished us all well. After introductions were made to all present, I grabbed a sign and sat to see what would transpire along with ask some pertinent questions of the parents present.
Five hours and several conversations later, I was struck not only by the intense emotion on display but the fact that no one seemed to have solutions regarding the children and the desired outcomes expected. A mom walked out of the club several times trying to generate a conversation with the hope of getting both parties at the table and having a discussion that would lead, I believed to greater understanding about issues of inclusion and diversity while having the children swim together and feel safe doing so.
I admired that mother who came on behalf of her own children as she was hurt that anyone could make children feel unwanted and was adamant that if the parents came together for the sake of the children then some of the damage could be reversed. I could not have agreed with her more but found myself in the minority as hurt clouded any judgments by some of the folks present.
The President of the Club came out at one point to make amends and while the protesters were respectful, no one spoke with him other than a gentleman and me. Several people drove by hurling expletives that bear not repeating but made it clear that people of color were not wanted at the club while many others honked their horns in solidarity of the protesters.
As a parent of children who in their young lives have already experienced uncomfortable periods of ignorance and hatefulness, it is my desire to see that those who wish to come to the table of conciliation, be able to do so as nothing good can come from an eye for an eye. Should there be some consequences for the things that took place that day and stripped the innocence from those young children? Certainly. What concerns me at this point is the children will be forgotten in the process as lawyers, lawsuits and finger pointing takes precedence which would be the true tragedy in the end.
Editors Note:
Actor Tyler Perry is paying for the day camp’s 65 children to go to Disney World.
“I want them to know that for every act of evil that a few people will throw at you, there are millions more who will do something kind for them,” Perry wrote in a release.
