‘Super racist’ pool safety poster prompts Red Cross apology

[Eugene]

Source: Washington Post

‘Super racist’ pool safety poster prompts Red Cross apology

By Peter Holley June 27 at 3:55 PM

When Margaret Sawyer first noticed the Red Cross safety poster at a pool in Salida, Colo., she thought she was looking at an unfortunate relic of the past.

When she saw it a second time at an entirely different pool in the central Colorado town, she was shocked, according to NBC affiliate KUSA.

“I saw this one, and I just kept thinking, ‘It looks like they’re trying to do something here that shows all kids together of all different backgrounds, but they’re clearly not hitting the mark,’” she said.

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The poster — titled “Be Cool, Follow The Rules” — depicts various children playing at the pool. But white children are labeled as behaving in a “cool” way while children of color who are depicted defying pool rules are labeled “not cool.”

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The Red Cross apologized for the “Be Cool” posters in a statement that was posted online Monday:

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Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/06/27/super-racist-pool-safety-poster-prompts-red-cross-apology/

[yeoman6987]

1. At least they got the guy in the glasses as not cool

Good idea but needs redone. They will fix it.

[WillowTree]

2. As often as not, I think people are finding racism where it doesn't exist.

This isn't one of those times. What in the WORLD were they thinking??!!!

[840high]

10. I'm so tired of this.

[brush]

3. That couldn't be any more racist. Every uncool thing being done in that poster is by a POC.

This poster had to be conceived by an art director, his/her idea approved by an editor, rendered by an illustrator, and a second ok given the final rendering by the art director and the editor — and no one saw anything wrong with it.

A-fu_king-mazing.

This is what happens when there is no diversity in hiring. A person of color anywhere in that chain of approval would have caught the glaring racism in that ill-conceived idea and that poster would have newer gotten near a printer.

[SheilaT]

4. The not cool guy in the sunglasses doesn't look like a POC to me.

And there are two kids shown running and not cool.

Granted, the only two cool kids are white. So let's just paint one of the brown, lighten the skin of one of the not cool kids, and we have color equality. Would that work?

Although then the complaint will no doubt arise that there are clearly no Asians, no Native Americans, no diversity of religious groups.

[brush]

6. Looks like a Latino to me, as does one of the running kids.

I don't get the point of your post. Don't see the obvious bigotry in that poster?

Are you defending that no one in that chain of approval saw the blatant racism?

Why do you thing the Red Cross apologized after it was pointed out to them?

[SheilaT]

21. I think that whoever made the poster

showed different shades of skin in an attempt to be inclusive, and managed, probably out of sheer ignorance, to not be thinking when different sorts of behavior were shown.

And while I'm not particularly bothered, by it, since a lot of people are, then it should be changed. However, because it's showing "cool" and "not cool" behavior, someone somewhere is still going to be offended by it. A simple list of what is okay and what isn't would be better. Or, use penguins or puppies to demonstrate what's cool and not cool. Just use generic puppies, not different breeds because if, say a doberman is shown doing something not cool, then the doberman lovers will all get exercised about how their favorite breed is being unfairly maligned.

I'll have to say when I first looked at the poster, and saw the not cool arrow pointed to the kid in the middle of the picture, I thought perhaps this poster was so old that it was depicting a Whites Only swimming pool, then realized that wasn't the case. I still can't tell what that kid is doing wrong.

[smirkymonkey]

7. I'm lilly white and I can clearly see the racism

in that poster. It's glaring!

[840high]

11. Put your glasses on.

[brush]

13. Put yours on. I see black and Latinos only committing the uncool acts.

And are you defending an obviously racist poster?

[840high]

15. I did not find that racist. I had my

glasses on.

[brush]

16. You're about the only one that didn't. Sure you're on the right site?

[840high]

20. Why? PC

I'm plenty smart - I focus on important things - that poster had a mixture of colors. 'nite

[mwrguy]

5. classic, casual display of white supremacy

[Nye Bevan]

8. Just replace it with this classic sign. No racial problems here:

[glennward]

9. Wow!! nt

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

12. PETA should complain about the whistle blowing talking whale next

No one is concerned it's out of the water and apparently flying.

[tallahasseedem]

14. ROFL!

Be careful what you wish for!

[reflection]

22. Always nice to laugh out loud

while taking in my first cup of coffee. Thanks.

[Rex]

19. What is with all the heightened security? And who sticks those stupid floaters in a fountain?

At least the girl on the left is cool for hogging up all the board time. Of course it is not cool to drink pepsi brand product at pool only coca cola brand is cool. Those poor kids are diving into 2 feet of water! Not cool! What is with the splash of water? That stupid whale drank it! Not cool!