An hours-long rally in Montgomery County drew protesters from across Philadelphia and surrounding areas to condemn the decision of a suburban swim club to revoke the temporary membership of a group of minority day-camp kids.
Amy Goldman, a member who was at the pool June 29 when more than 60 Creative Steps Day Campers came, said that she thought the club was inclusive to everybody.
"The kids were well-behaved and have every right to be here," she said. "It's shameful."
The Valley Club in Huntingdon Valley has come under harsh criticism and drawn national media attention since it broke a contract with the Northeast Philly day camp, whose kids are mostly black and Hispanic, after some white members complained.
Campers overheard members make racist remarks, and two days later, the organization refunded the group $1,950.
It released a statement that said that the kids had changed the "complexion" and "atmosphere" of the club. But in a statement posted yesterday on its Web site, the club says it "is deeply troubled by the recent allegations of racism, which are completely untrue."
The statement read that the facility is not equipped to handle a group of that size.
But Goldman saw it differently.
"The pool was half-empty that day," she said last night outside the club's gate as a line of protesters chanted and raised signs.
Some participants organized yesterday's event via social-networking sites, including Marc Steir, 53, who created a Facebook group that has nearly 200 members.
"We thought this blatant, obnoxious racism shouldn't stand," he said, a megaphone dangling from his left shoulder.
"These kids should know that they [Valley Club] don't speak for all people, for all white people. This is an aberrant thing."
Some participants have called for the club to issue an apology, while others, like Kelbin Carolina, 55, of Mount Airy, said they should cease to operate.
"This place needs to be shut down until it's opened to everyone," he said.
Carolina said that before the protest he was on a conference call with members of the NAACP and other groups, who said they may take legal action.
U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa., said he is looking into the matter and that the state Human Relations Commission is investigating.
Police in marked cruisers parked across the street kept a watchful eye on them.
Later in the evening, there were about 20 people as national and local media outlets broadcast their chants of "Jim Crow Swims Here!" as they strode back and forth in front of the gate that had been closed by early afternoon.
Goldman's boyfriend, Walter Pokish, a single father of four, said he had enrolled his children at the swim club two years ago after another nearby club declined their membership because he is Jewish.
Turns out, he said, Valley Club is no different.
"We thought it was more open-minded," he said last night. "This is about the children and no child should have been hurt over this. How can I be comfortable sending my kids here when all kids can't be here?"
Michael Quintero-Moore, 52, of Mount Airy, said he's sad that children now have to deal with the treatment he thought was long gone.
"This happened to me 35 years ago when I got kicked out of an exclusive swim club," he said.
"I can't believe I'm doing this type of protest in 2009." *
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