The PG Pool is racist [MD]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The choices are simple.

1. Acknowledge and fix the situation.

2. Keep denying it and continue to meltdown on DCUM as people rightly call you out.

Looks like I’m going to need to keep tapping on the sign.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The choices are simple.

1. Acknowledge and fix the situation.

2. Keep denying it and continue to meltdown on DCUM as people rightly call you out.

What is your solution to fix the situation? Limiting new membership to only POC is the only way I can think of

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone even identified the problem here? Other than that there's a waitlist?

If you want to feign ignorance that’s your business. But when the topic is racism it makes you racist.

You're racist.
How?
You're racist for asking.

No. You are racist for pretending that the mountains of evidence of racism don’t exist. What’s the problem again? Hmmm…

In this case mountains of evidence of current racism in regards to pool membership of the PG Pool simply don't exist. And none have been provided. Until that happens, well, you're going to be met with this response, like it or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They should revamp their waitlist and make it a requirement to not just put your name, phone and email, but list your race/ethnicity and your zip code. Send out a mass email telling everyone currently on the list to update their info on the wait list if they wish to remain on the waitlist. Then they can move all of the POC to the top of the list so that new memberships that open up go to POC, and also prioritize nearby zip codes. That's really the only way to get more diversity since with the current system they have no way of knowing anything at all about who they offer memberships to besides their names and contact info.

But you do understand how ridiculous that sounds, right? I'm am brown, global brown, and I'd never want to provide my race TO JOIN A POOL.

I get you, but I can't think of any other way to get more diversity at the pool. What other solutions could there be?

PP, personally if truly anyone can join and it is welcoming to diversity, I think that's all that needs to happen. I just want to feel welcome in spaces. I'm not interested in initiatives to get more people of a certain color.

[Anonymous]

You guys all keep fighting over this crap and watch the US fall deeper into a theocracy. This is the stuff that seriously makes people turn and vote GOP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The choices are simple.

1. Acknowledge and fix the situation.

2. Keep denying it and continue to meltdown on DCUM as people rightly call you out.

What is your solution to fix the situation? Limiting new membership to only POC is the only way I can think of

But then the white Mt. Rainier residents languishing on the waitlist would whine, woe is me!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You guys all keep fighting over this crap and watch the US fall deeper into a theocracy. This is the stuff that seriously makes people turn and vote GOP.

It’s manufactured drama, but sure, there always stupid people who will flock to a different political party over manufactured drama.

[Anonymous]

all complaints should include your race and (most importantly) waitlist number, thx

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They should revamp their waitlist and make it a requirement to not just put your name, phone and email, but list your race/ethnicity and your zip code. Send out a mass email telling everyone currently on the list to update their info on the wait list if they wish to remain on the waitlist. Then they can move all of the POC to the top of the list so that new memberships that open up go to POC, and also prioritize nearby zip codes. That's really the only way to get more diversity since with the current system they have no way of knowing anything at all about who they offer memberships to besides their names and contact info.

But you do understand how ridiculous that sounds, right? I'm am brown, global brown, and I'd never want to provide my race TO JOIN A POOL.

I get you, but I can't think of any other way to get more diversity at the pool. What other solutions could there be?

We have to do something because we are depriving too many poc of the opportunity to swim with white peoples, which is crippling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The choices are simple.

1. Acknowledge and fix the situation.

2. Keep denying it and continue to meltdown on DCUM as people rightly call you out.

What is your solution to fix the situation? Limiting new membership to only POC is the only way I can think of

But then the white Mt. Rainier residents languishing on the waitlist would whine, woe is me!

As a white person hopelessly low on the waitlist, I will whine no matter what.

There are three things going on here.

One is the pool, like other private clubs, has a legacy of racism. Thoughtful people (not on dcum obviously) have made constructive suggestions about how the pool can continue to combat that legacy. Maybe they'll do some of them, idk.

Two is that a few trolls in the neighborhood love to feel self-righteous and the pool is just their flavor of the week. Clearly some of them have discovered that dcum is unmoderated and they can have more "fun" than on the listserv. See also: Pride Day.

Three is that many of the neighbors are so far down the waitlist that we just hate the pool for existing and will always feel a little schadenfreude when it is unhappy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They should revamp their waitlist and make it a requirement to not just put your name, phone and email, but list your race/ethnicity and your zip code. Send out a mass email telling everyone currently on the list to update their info on the wait list if they wish to remain on the waitlist. Then they can move all of the POC to the top of the list so that new memberships that open up go to POC, and also prioritize nearby zip codes. That's really the only way to get more diversity since with the current system they have no way of knowing anything at all about who they offer memberships to besides their names and contact info.

But you do understand how ridiculous that sounds, right? I'm am brown, global brown, and I'd never want to provide my race TO JOIN A POOL.

On the one hand, that’s a healthy response. On the other, understand, at least on an intellectual level, that the tradition of suburban community pools and schools developed solely to prevent POC from swimming in pools and doing math problems and even shopping in close proximity to kids who were not POC. It does, indeed, sound ridiculous. It’s also a very persistent, far-reaching, often traumatic legacy. If, from your perspective as a “global brown” person, you have suggestions re: better ways to address these issues, I’m sure that will be of interest to at least some of us.
DP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Umm. It’s not a county pool. Anyone can sign up to join. I understand the racist history from 50+ years ago, but there are no legacy memberships handed down. Are there no publicly available county pools in the area? We live in DC and used to go to the indoor splash park in PG when our kids were little, paying the nonresident fees.

The pool is on public land.

It is not on public land.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think some of these pro-racist pool responses are contradictory:

1.) PG Pool is a community pool and DC/MoCo are part of the community, too!

2.) PG Pool is a private pool and the community should just leave us alone to let in who want.

3.) It's diverse and a large number of members are from the community!

4.) We don't track demographics or zip codes of members.


The weighting by zip code on the existing waitlist seems like the most reasonable solution for this pool to not be accused of racism going forward.

Weighting by zip code is its own form of discrimination. Why are people that live nearby so much more worthy to enjoy the pool than those that don't live in the blessed zip codes?

[Anonymous]

The PG pool was well ahead of the times in acknowledging its racist past back in 2015. Current members and guests who are POC and multiracial families find the pool to be welcoming and inclusive. I think you’re barking up the wrong tree in this particular case.

Implementing a zip code requirement is an imperfect solution in my opinion, as it opens the door to fraud. I remember the idea of a proximity preference for DC charter schools was floated a few years ago. That actually creates the same potential for affluent residents to purchase their way in to a desirable catchment and reduces the benefit of a citywide school. And what about POC who have been languishing on the list for years and might wait even longer so white neighbors can get in?

Regardless, as a member since 2010, I will support the pool’s efforts to increase diversity, whatever form that takes. Despite what a PP claims, I have no wish to turn the pool into some crazy whites only resource. I thought a time stamped waitlist was pretty equitable, but maybe there are other solutions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They should revamp their waitlist and make it a requirement to not just put your name, phone and email, but list your race/ethnicity and your zip code. Send out a mass email telling everyone currently on the list to update their info on the wait list if they wish to remain on the waitlist. Then they can move all of the POC to the top of the list so that new memberships that open up go to POC, and also prioritize nearby zip codes. That's really the only way to get more diversity since with the current system they have no way of knowing anything at all about who they offer memberships to besides their names and contact info.

But you do understand how ridiculous that sounds, right? I'm am brown, global brown, and I'd never want to provide my race TO JOIN A POOL.

I heard the pool is considering this and all waitlisted people are to provide a 23 and me DNA sample, and their place on the waitlist will be determined based on their DNA results. The more historically oppressed your DNA profile is, the further you move up the list. For example, someone with 80% Native American DNA and 20% European DNA would be placed higher than someone with 80% Aftrican DNA and 20% European DNA, however, someone with 80% Native American DNA and 20% African DNA would be immediately accepted and given a ten year free membership, but ONLY IF their geo tracking data provided by their cell phone reveals that they spent at least 75% of their evenings in Mt. Rainier over the previous year, indicating that they are residents of this blessed space. In addition, personal stories of suffering and oppression can be submitted in case waitlist tie breakers are needed.