Lane 9 News Archive: All White People Look the Same to Me

All White People Look the Same to Me -- September 18, 2009

By Jeff Commings, The Morning Swim Show associate producer, originally posted on SwimmingWorld.TV

CHICAGO, Illinois, September 18. ALL black people do not look alike.

And, if you see a black man with a swimmer build at a swimming-related function, do not immediately deduce that the man you are looking at can be no other person than Cullen Jones.

I offer this advice because I am a black man with a swimmer build. I am presently at a swimming-related function at the United States Aquatic Sports Convention. And I am not Cullen Jones.

But in the past week, six people have believed otherwise.

The first time this happened was at the American Swimming Coaches Association's world clinic last week. A woman came to the Swimming World booth to look at some of the instructional books and DVDs we sell. After flipping through a book, she handed it to me and asked, "Would you be willing to sign this?"

My perplexed look immediately threw her off. I wondered why someone would want my autograph. I was on a few USA Swimming national teams and achieved some high honors in the sport in the 1990s, but I hadn't been asked for an autograph in more than a decade.

After I unfurled my brow, the woman backpedaled. "You are Cullen Jones, right?" My blood pressure spiked quickly. I gritted my teeth, smiled and said, "No." She didn't look extremely embarrassed.

A much-revered coach in the annals of world swimming came to the booth a while later. This coach had recruited me to go to his university, and even among the hundreds of kids he once tried to recruit, I figured he must remember me, right?

"I went to the clinic you did in Philadelphia and really liked it," he said. My brow furled again. I have never been to Philadelphia in my life. He turned to a colleague and continued to admonish me on the way I handled the inner-city kids who came to the clinic and called me one of the most elegant freestylers in the pool. I am a breaststroker, not a freestyler. And so it struck me that this coach also thought I was Cullen Jones.

Out of respect for the coach, I kept quiet.

The last person to call me Cullen at the ASCA clinic did a triple take as she walked by me at the Swimming World booth. She asked if I was going to be a part of the demonstration clinic with the other Olympians later in the day.

"I've never been to the Olympics," I told her gently as I dug the fingernails of my right hand into my palm.

"Weren't you on that relay last year?"

"If you're referring to the third swimmer on the men's 400 free relay in Beijing, that was Cullen Jones, not me."

"Oh. OK. Do you know if Cullen is going to be here?"

"I have no idea. I haven't heard any news about that."

"OK, thanks."

It isn't racism, but it's just as bad.

Last night during the opening reception at the USAS convention, three people approached our Swimming World area in a two-hour timespan, saw me and said without hesitation, "You're Cullen Jones, right?" One of them started to walk away after I dashed their hopes of meeting an Olympian, but came back to apologize and told me she didn't mean to make it seem like she was being stereotypical.

I should be flattered that people think I am the Olympic gold medalist. But I am not flattered, because if my skin were pink instead of brown, no one would walk up to me and say: "It's so nice to meet you, Michael Phelps."

I am not flattered, because it makes me believe people are under the thought process that the history of blacks in swimming contains only the name Cullen Jones. To date, no one has mistaken me for Anthony Ervin, Sabir Muhammad, Byron Davis or Michael Norment. But I bet Anthony, Sabir, Byron and Michael would have the same experience if they were in my place here in Chicago.

I can't be anything but upset about the foolishness of the six people I encountered, especially when I fantasize their thought processes:

Look! It's a tall, black man at a swimming-related function! It couldn't possibly be anyone but Cullen Jones, because he is the only black person in the sport and no other black man would be caught dead at a swimming event. I know I am right about this deduction and I will shake Cullen's hand and get a photograph.

Asians go through this, too, and that was hilariously pointed out on last night's episode of "The Office." I have a few Asian friends who were swimmers. Would someone rush them because they thought they were getting a chance to take a picture with Kosuke Kitajima?

Middle Easterners have had it just as bad since 9/11. If they look like Osama bin Laden, they must be Osama bin Laden, or at least believe the same things he does.

I wonder if any white person who shows up on a basketball court is asked if he's Steve Nash. Preposterous, you say? If you flip the coin, that's what happened to me.

Cullen Jones has done a lot of work around the country with Make a Splash, and obviously his efforts have put his face out there, but I don't think the message inspires people to look back, as well as look forward. I am not happy that people do not know the history of blacks in the sport. Bruce Wigo and the folks at the International Swimming Hall of Fame have put together a great exhibit about Africans in swimming that spans from pre-slavery to today.

I regret that I haven't had the opportunity to see the exhibit, but I do know the history of blacks in the sport anyway, and it's not because I am black. I know the history because I want to know who we as swimmers in the late 20th century and early 21st century should thank for our progress in the sport. While I learned about Mark Spitz and Matt Biondi, I read about Chris Silva, the first African-American named to the USA Swimming national team. He did this in 1982, the same year he helped UCLA win the NCAA championship.

I watched with excitement as Anthony Nesty won gold in the 100 fly at the 1988 Olympics. Because Anthony won gold for Suriname and not the United States, the enormity of his victory over Biondi was not fully covered in the States, as he became the first black male swimmer to win Olympic gold. I met Anthony at the 1991 Pan-American Games and felt humbled by his presence.

While I was an elite swimmer, more black swimmers could be found at a national championships than you could find today. Off the top of my head, you could find almost a dozen black swimmers at nationals. Most came from the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation club that Jim Ellis started, but the rest of us were from predominantly white teams elsewhere in the country.

And of course, there's Anthony Ervin and Maritza Correia, who were the first American swimmers of African descent to make the Olympic team in 2000 and 2004, respectively.

At this past summer's USA nationals, Cullen Jones, Sabir Muhammad and Lia Neal were the only black swimmers I spotted on deck. That's OK, but 15 years ago, our presence was much higher.

I'm sure many who read this will say that I am blowing this out of proportion, that I'm bonkers and I should have just laughed it off. I wonder if you will say the same thing if someone came to you and assumed you were someone else simply because of a shared skin color and sport.

The next time you approach me, please remember there is more than one African-American involved in the sport of swimming.

And if you happen to meet Cullen Jones, please don't assume that he is me.

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September 18, 2009 I am frustrated by the treatment you have received. I am going to link to this.
Submitted by: Groovydoo

September 19, 2009 Hi Jeff,
You may be right.
I have been mistaken for other people as well but I didn't immediately link it to the fact that we were both white. It was often a physical resemblance. People are often mistaken for others in all walks of life. People forget names etc Yes it can be irritating!
Maybe you have more resemblance to Cullen than Anthony and thus people can make mistakes.
It is not necessarily what you think. If I resembled Michael Phelps I'm sure I would suffer the same comments. It wouldn't surprise me in the least. (except I'm a lot older and I don't swim as fast!) Yes, it might be a bit irritating but mistaken identity is common place.
However, look on the bright side if we are both mistaken for others it is better it is someone to admire. For example if we were continually being mistaken for a well known murderer or other less than desirable person then I think we would be more upset and rightly so. It might even be dangerous!

Best wishes,
Scott
Submitted by: scotswim

September 19, 2009 I would consider it a compliment to be mistaken for someone quite a lot younger than you. Means you're taking good care of yourself! :)

"Anthony Nesty won gold in the 100 fly at the 1988 Olympics. Because Anthony won gold for Suriname and not the United States, the enormity of his victory over Biondi was not fully covered in the States, as he became the first non-Caucasian swimmer to win Olympic gold."

Just curious, are Japanese considered Caucasian? Plenty of Japanese swimmers won Olympic gold before Nesty.
Submitted by: JakedBadForYou

September 19, 2009 You have got to be kidding! Geez
Consider it a compliment for one other people would think you were Cullen Jones because you are still in good shape and that people know who Cullen Jones is. And move on!
Or, do something great like Cullen Jones has in a mostly dominated white folk in America sport and chances are people will recognize Jeff Commings for Jeff Commings.
Are you so insulted because folks reached out to say hi? Worst thing for you I guess is that you met some great friendly people that have respect for others regardless of race but what they have accomplished.
Submitted by: FASTER

September 19, 2009 I've read research with brains scan data that every ethnic group is hard-wired to recognize their own group more easily than others. Until Scotswim mentioned MIchael Phelps, I had forgotten about Olympic bronze medalist Stephen Parry being mobbed and harrassed in Beijing for being mistaken for Phelps, even though the only thing they have in common is white skin and big ears. This video of Parry is actually pretty funny, the Chinese are convinced he's Phelps and keep stalking him:

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/26327560
Submitted by: liquidassets

September 19, 2009 Someone from the White House Office of Legal Counsel once confused me with a state court judge who had been nominated to the federal bench. It was absurd to confuse me with the judge because he is professionally much more accomplished than I am, at least ten years older and does not look at all like me. But, the judge and I have very similar names, are both lawyers and both members of the bar association, which was hosting the reception at which I met the attorney from the White House. So, the confusion was understandable and a cause for amusement, not offense.

A case of mistaken identity is not remotely the same thing as racism. If anyone need a refresher course in real racism and its consequences, then they should take a look at places like Rwanda and Bosnia.

Someone actually familiar with the history of swimming might have heard of Duke Kahanamoku, a non-Caucasian who won a number of gold medals about 100 years ago. See here: http://www.usaswimming.org/USASWeb/ViewNewsArticle.aspx?TabId=1&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en&mid=45&ItemID=825
Submitted by: CTL

September 19, 2009 "I wonder if any white person who shows up on a basketball court is asked if he's Steve Nash."

...probably not. But it's assumed we can't jump.
Submitted by: bodybyfood

September 19, 2009 Poor judgement. And I don't mean the well-meaning autograph seekers. Jeff, I love you, but posting this was probably not smartest thing you've ever done. (Well said, FASTER)
At most, this should have been one of those letters that you write to vent your anger, but have the good sense to never drop in the mail. Do you really want to attack the people who mistook you for Cullen? Do you truly believe that they deserve to be thrown under the racial bus for making an honest and quite understandable mistake? It's not ok to attack anyone based on race, no matter what color you are, and your post is pretty vicious. Do you really want to humiliate the coach who thought enough of you to recruit you? What about the woman who even apologized? Turning this case of mistaken identity into racism simply because race is part of the reason for the mistake is wrong. And your analogies are not only way off, they are offensive. A better comparison would be a guy with a big wad of long red hair at a snow boarder convention being mistaken for Shawn White. You might have written a really funny piece that would have gotten your point across without launching a counter-offensive. Maybe next time.
Submitted by: fluidg

September 19, 2009 Well in defense of Jeff, he did say it wasn't racism, but something just as bad, implying that the general ignorance about the history of blacks in U.S. Swimming was just as bad. I think that is overreaching, and his frustration may be somewhat misplaced. But I can sense his frustration since it happened six times, and in the context of (by his observation) dwindling numbers of black elite swimmers since his era, and no visible proactive approach to diversity until Cullen Jones came along. I would feel hurt if a coach who recruited me didn't recognize me, even if it wasn't racism. But I think it does go along with being in a sport where only a top few (Phelps, Lochte, Torres, Coughlin, Sanders) get recognized, and usually because they've been marketed to a general audience outside of swimming. I guess it may be actually a boon that Cullen Jones is now included in that elite by virtue of being a black Olympic gold medalist/world record holder, especially because he swam on the relay with Michael Phelps. If Jones and his agents are smart, they will take advantage of this opportunity to market him outside of swimming as well.

The good news is that the interest in diversity in U.S. Swimming appears to be reviving, so that hopefully in a few decades, if someone sees a black person working a booth at a U.S. Swimming convention in a few decades, it will not be unusual, or even if that person's identity is mistaken for another black swimmer, since these things do happen, it could be one of many swimmers instead of just Cullen Jones all the time!!
Submitted by: liquidassets

September 19, 2009 On the other hand.....while I can't presume to know what it is like to walk in Jeff's shoes, it is understandable how, after years of facing racism, both real and imagined, subtle and aggressive, this situation might trigger such a visceral and emotional response. I can't imagine how many swim meets Jeff attended in his life where he was the only black swimmer. If you are white, take a moment to imagine what that must be like. Imagine the courage required to enter that arena and compete. Swimming is not something you dabble in if you expect to be successful. You live it, day in, day out. Being alone, being different, is not something that makes human beings comfortable, especially at the tender age required to eventually develop into an elite swimmer. Add to that the fear of silent hostility, of wondering if some people may not want you there, and you have a monumental obstacle to overcome. I don't know Jeff's complete history, but I'm sure he faced and overcame plenty of other challenges that never enter the reality of white folks in the sport, nor black athletes who pursue mainstream "inclusive" sports. Jeff not only survived, he rose to be a dominant breaststroker, a world-class swimmer. His perspective can play a vital role in expanding awareness and helping pave the way to making swimming more inclusive, something that absolutely needs to happen.
Submitted by: fluidg

September 20, 2009 Jeff --
I know people who knew you (in NM) and they all said you are a great guy; I have no reason to doubt that. I don't blame you for being annoyed and feeling humiliated by what happened to you in Chicago. If I were in your shoes, I'm sure I'd feel the same way. And I applaud you for saying it wasn't racism. But I do think you need to look at the issue with more perspective.

I'm half white, half Asian (hence my moniker). I adore my Japanese mother (and to date have never mistaken her for anyone else). But I've made plenty of mistakes in the past not recognizing other Asians I've met. It's obviously not because I feel any animosity towards them because of their race, it's because -- and this has to be said -- they do look more alike. Whites come in a full range of hair colors, from blond to black; with brown, blue and hazel eyes; they come in a full range of shapes and sizes; and most importantly, their facial features range from relatively flat faced to extremely hawkish. Asians come in one hair color, one eye color, there's no such thing as a hawk-faced Asian, they tend to be similarly small in stature, and you rarely see a fat one (outside of sumo rings and away from Polynesians, who are sometimes grouped in with Asians). The same can be said, to a slightly lesser extent, of blacks. (Blacks come in a wider range of shapes and sizes, and different skin tones, depending on how much white blood they have.) But there's just not the same range of hair color and facial features you get with whites.

Plus, as liquidassets said, everybody is hardwired to recognize people from their own groups. And more to the point, if your daily life doesn't involve as much contact with a lot of people from another race, you're less likely to be attuned to subtle variations in the features of members of that race. It certainly doesn't mean anyone bears someone from that other race any ill will (asking for an autograph is hardly evidence of that). I remember talking to a young black woman twenty years ago who told me she had a hard time telling some of the older white guys at her law firm apart (she was just there for the summer). I can understand that: once their hair turns white, once their skin gets a little wrinkly, there is a certain sameness to them, especially when they all dress the same way (in suits and ties). It never seemed to me that she was being mean, or even insensitive. (Your essay didn't ascribe meanness to anyone, but you were essentially talking about insensitivity.)

By the way, I don't think Anthony Ervin or Sabir Muhammad would have gotten mistaken for Jones. Ervin's skin tone is about the same as mine, and Muhammad is extremely distinctive-looking, a former model with a body that is freakish(ly good for swimming).

You and Cullen Jones are both tall, dark-skinned guys with similar builds. If the whites who mistook you for him saw the two of you together, and on more than one occasion, I'm sure they wouldn't make that mistake. But if they've never seen either of you before, it's an easy mistake to make.

One more story: I told my wife about a year ago that there are so many women who are forty-five-ish, slighty overweight, elegantly dressed, with dyed blonde hair in our hometown that I have a hard time recognizing them if I've only met them once. It's embarrassing when I meet them for the second time and they say hello and I'm at a loss. But again, it doesn't mean I bear them any ill will.

Anyway, what can be done about this? The answer is, nothing. You can't teach facial recognition to people, and when it's not there, it's just an embarrassing fact of life that has to be dealt with. Is a white person more likely not to recognize a black or Asian? Frankly, yes. But I don't think it's reason to get angry.

I certainly hope the experience doesn't turn you off swimming.
John Craig
Submitted by: halfbreed

September 20, 2009 Jeff,

You don't look ANYTHING like Cullen Jones. What that simply tells me is that there are a lot of people who really don't pay close attention to the sport. This sort of thing does NOT happen in other, more popular, sports.

I agree with halfbreed when he says "You and Cullen Jones are both tall, dark-skinned guys with similar builds. If the whites who mistook you for him saw the two of you together, and on more than one occasion, I'm sure they wouldn't make that mistake.".

If you want terrible observation skills, take our very own Rowdy Gaines. At the Olympics, he kept going on about how Dara Torres was the fastest swimmer in the water. I kept thinking, "did he watch the same race that I did?" Dara had a better start than Britta Steffen and already from the start had over a foot's length lead (about 1.5 feet), but Steffen came storming back in the end to touch Torres out.

And there have been other races...

Anyway, I would just accept the compliment. What's the point in being "offended". Offense was never intended.

Oh, and next time they want an autograph - "Sure, that'll be $15!" I'll bet they pay closer attention. lol.
Submitted by: mario2007

September 20, 2009 I've been a bit dismayed at the negative response to Jeff's article.
His central point, that there are less Blacks in the sport now than have been in the past, needs to be faced.
Guys, Jeff has been on a lot of pool decks for a lot of years, when he says things are getting worse, then we need to listen.
Submitted by: nosniveling

September 20, 2009 Nosniveling, Maybe there are fewer blacks in the sport of swimming but come on Jeff doesn't have to be insulted with a swimming fan thinking he was Cullen. What a wonderful compliment!!
All Jeff has are swimming fans that may or may not want to read his articles after this article. Only as good as your last article they say.
Submitted by: FASTER

September 20, 2009 Nosniveling,

Your comment about "when he says things are getting worse, then we need to listen" is pretty hair-brained. That there are less black people involved in swimming at the competitive level does not equate to a social injustice that needs to be rectified. Whatever guilt trip you're laboring under - please keep this warped fixation with political correctness where it belongs - in the garbage heap.

What is the swimming community to do more than it already does to date? Do you believe some quota ratio is what will bring about "peace on earth..."? How far will this delusion go? When will people finally stop putting up with false accusations and demand accountability from those making accusations?

To be quite frank, it sickens me to see the ease with which some in our country now project their racist attitudes unto others.

Let's be frank, Jeff didn't call it racism, but that it is "just as bad". Really? What else is just as bad as racism? And doesn't it stand to reason that if it is "just as bad as racism" - that RACISM in fact is the accusation.

If this isn't passive aggressiveness, I don't know what is.

Mr. Commings, not only is this not racism or anything "just as bad", it's simply LIFE. You take the good along with the uneducated (and yes, sometimes dumb).

There's A LOT of good that can be said about the swimming community, and I for one am interested about airing THAT kind of laundry, instead.

Got a gripe? Take it to the perceived offender. You don't do them or yourself justice, otherwise. The Jerry Springer "show them your dirty laundry" approach is divisive and there's no honor in it.

You get no cheese from me to go with that whine.
Submitted by: mario2007

September 20, 2009 I highly doubt Jeff is looking for quotas; he's established himself as someone who is dedicated to the overall sport, it seems to be a huge part of his life and not just for swimmers of color. Out of his understandable frustration, he may have overreached in his analogy and comments, as I said, but he probably wants what we all want, for U.S. Swimming to be the best it can, which means recruiting and nurturing all swimmers regardless of ethnicity. Human nature being what it is, it's hard to attract swimmers of color when there are so few. I for one didn't realize it had dwindled from the 90's instead of increasing as it should have.

Luckily U.S. Swimming is finally on it, better late than never! But please step off from Jeff a bit; I think maybe he took it too personally in this case, but nobody's perfect; he is a great guy and asset to U.S. Swimming!! And who's to say how any of us would react if we were in his unique position, it's not always an easy one to be in. I think maybe I would have laughed it off the first couple of times, and put on a huge name tag, but by the 5th or 6th time if that didn't work I probably wouldn't be smiling, either! ;-)
Submitted by: liquidassets

September 21, 2009 Liquidassets,

Understandable frustration?:

"I dug the fingernails of my right hand into my palm."

"My blood pressure spiked quickly. I gritted my teeth, smiled and said, "No."..."

I think not. More like, chip on a shoulder.

If I were EVER mistaken for someone so famous, I would consider it a compliment. And being in his shoes, maybe think "I've gotta get Cullen more exposure to draw in more interest from the black community".

I would like to close with an observation and a side note:

This is not the venue for personal issues - and they are just that.

On a side note, I work with the younger sister of a swimming teammate from high school (over 20 years back). When she mentioned my name to him (we even graduated the same year), he could not remember who I was. Was I offended? Heck no! A little surprised, but these things happen (I've been on the other end of that scenario, as well - the one who forgot).

I wish Jeff Commings all the best, truly. Personally, I think it would be great if in the future there were so many elite black swimmers on the National team, that Jeff would continue to be confused for any number of them - that would be a nice "problem" to have.
Submitted by: mario2007

September 21, 2009 OK sorry I wasn't more clear, by understandable, I meant his general frustration about the dirth of black swimmers, which he perhaps misplaced onto personal frustration being mistaken for Cullen, and took personally. Not too different from what you said, I'm just cutting him more slack than you, maybe because I've been a member of an underrepresented group in swimming and elsewhere myself.

But I can find common ground with you in your last paragraph, although I think Jeff's point was that if were that many elite black swimmers, people would have to think twice about who a black person at a swimming convention was, instead of assuming he could only be one swimmer. But if he was still mistaken for someone else at that point, I'm sure there would be less reason anymore to be that frustrated about it, so it would be less of a problem, as you said.

I'm interested to see with the new U.S. Swimming diversity initiative how long it actually takes to optimize participation at the elite level, not only by black swimmers, but swimmers from other underrepresented groups as well. I'm not expecting anything overnight for sure, as these things take time. Maybe a decade or two.
Submitted by: liquidassets

September 21, 2009 Hi Jeff,
Just a short note how little mistakes or can occur in life.
There was an article in the July 2009 edition Swimming World "Then and Now". Quote from the article refering to the 100m Breaststroke final at the 1984 Olympics "Moffet and fellow Lundquist-chaser Nick Gillingham promised to be the first under the 1:02 barrier….. In the final….Gillingham was slightly off form. Lundquist jumped at the chance for glory."
In fact Nick Gillingham was not in the final it was actually Adrian Moorhouse who finished 4th in the final.
Who was the author of the article? Jeff Commings!
Jeff please check and see if I am correct on this and let me know.
Was it just a slip of the pen or as your title above states "All white people look the same to me"

Thanks
Scott

Submitted by: scotswim

September 21, 2009 This just goes to show you how unreliable a witness can be when testing before a court of law. People confused me with Arnold and I've confused people as well. Our memory isn't always correct. I went to Cullen's photo and compared it to your photo and I could see certain features that confuse someone.
Submitted by: blue.water

September 24, 2009 Jeff - I saw you at convention and recognized you immediately. I was going to come up and say but you were busy. Is it upsetting that people mistake you for Cullen, absolutely? Is he the worst person to be mistaken for? Definitely not. I personally do not really see the resemblance.

Anyway, thank you for all that you do to contribute to the swimming world (no pun intended). Also, do not diminish your swimming accomplishments as they are quite noteworthy.

I say play along from now on. Sign the autograph talk about how you are now a breaststroker and backstroker, have fun with it. Tell them Peirsol, Lochte, Shanteau, Gangloff, etc are going down ... haha ;)

Submitted by: HHSwimmy

September 24, 2009 Jeff --
HHSwimmy's comment reminds me of an incident that took place ten years ago when I went to watch the world track and field championships in Seville, Spain, with a friend, George, who was black. (This is an excerpt from my blog.)

"The meet was exciting; among the other races, we got to see Michael Johnson set the world record at 400 meters. The entire week, the locals -- many of whom had seen few blacks before -- would ask George, who looked much younger than his 46 years, if he was there to compete. George would say no, and that would end the matter. But towards the end of the week, a young boy approached him and asked the same question. George replied in Spanish, 'Yes, but please keep it a secret. I don't want to be besieged by autograph seekers.' The boy, of course, immediately told all his friends, and George was mobbed. When they asked his name, he replied, 'Michael Johnson.'

On another occasion, we were at a nightclub where a giant screen behind the bar was showing Ivan Pedroso of Cuba winning the long jump that evening. Pedroso, in the half light of the evening, bore a passing resemblance to George. The other diners looked at the screen, and then to George, and back at the screen. They started murmuring to each other, and pointing at him. George stood up, did an imitation of a long jumper on the dining room floor, and raised his arms in triumph. Everybody applauded him, and several women even came up to kiss him. He shrugged as if merely accepting his due."

Several of the women who came up to kiss George were absolutely gorgeous, too. To the best of my recollection, George wasn't all that offended. My point is, HHSwimmy is right. Play along, have a good time.

Submitted by: halfbreed

September 27, 2009 I was watching an NFL game the other day. They showed the starting offensive and defensive lineup. The offense had 11 blacks, the defense had 10 blacks and 1 white. And, there was 80,000 screaming fans. Being balck,purple, green doesn't cross my mind. It only seems to affect the blacks. One needs to remember that there are many more ethnic groups in this world. Jimmy Carter's responds to the Obama health care issue was based on some "racist"issue were off based. I don't care if he is balck. I don't like his Socialism policies. Since I'm against the health care, its unfair to make me a racist. The racist card is being unfairly played too much!!
Submitted by: TheBigSurf

September 27, 2009 Right on TheBigSurf.

Submitted by: FASTER

September 27, 2009 It's disappointing that you would have to experience that general ignorance. I don't think it's a case of them thinking all blacks look alike. You don't look like Cullen. People would not mistake you for Michael Jordan, or Obama, or Tiger, or Usain Bolt, etc. I think it's probably a case of knowing of Cullen but not actually knowing Cullen. In other words they had little knowledge or just a vague idea of what he actually looks like despite reading about him, hearing about him, or sketchy memories of the Olympics. Well except for that coach which I have no explanation for and would suggest lasik eye surgery for him. I do think you're probably right that a lack of minorities on the pool deck played into this ignorance too.

It can see why it would be unnerving though. I would never go up to someone like that unless I was positive they were who I thought they were (apologies to Dennis Green).
Submitted by: ShortChange

September 27, 2009 TheBigSurf: That sucks if your political opinions were ever unfairly invalidated by the race card, but that's not relevant to this thread. Jeff clearly stated this wasn't a case of racism; but rather he was discouraged by the dearth of black elite swimmers that led to him being mistaken for Jones six times.

Pro football is the opposite of swimming in that black athletes dominate. It's possible that black players are mistaken for each other all the time, but if so, they get so much publicity and recognition that it's usually not a big deal in the grand scheme. Swimmers of any color will likely not reach that level of recognition here, like they do in Australia, but if they did and swimming was more fully integrated, Jeff's experience would be less likely to happen and far less troubling if it did.

But, his personal frustrations aside, what I think Jeff was trying to relate was this: What does it say about our sport that he, probably one of few black swimmers at the convention, and not even a current elite, was so often mistaken for our only black 2008 Olympic/world record holder from the U.S., even by a college coach who recruited him? Not that swimming is racist, but rather that we need to develop more black elite swimmers so that a black person at a USS convention booth isn't repeatedly mistaken for the same lone black current Olympian. Think about it: Why would Cullen Jones be working at a Swimming World booth? Jones is a swimmer, not press/media.

We all know that swimming is a disproportionately white sport, not necessarily from racism at this point, but by history, and certainly not just in the U.S. But we also all know there are plenty of potential swimmers of color out there who need to be recruited and encouraged until our sport is more fully integrated at all levels, not as a political statement, but simply to fulfill personal safety, enjoyment and potential for everyone, and also to optimize U.S.S competitiveness at the elite level.
Submitted by: liquidassets

September 29, 2009 liquidassets,

I have a problem with the following statements:

"Not that swimming is racist, but rather that we need to develop more black elite swimmers so that a black person at a USS convention booth isn't repeatedly mistaken for the same lone black current Olympian..."

"We all know that swimming is a disproportionately white sport, not necessarily from racism at this point..."

and

"until our sport is more fully integrated at all levels, not as a political statement, but simply to fulfill personal safety, enjoyment and potential for everyone..."

What's my problem (and I'm sure others can concur)?

1. It TOTALLY discredits the many efforts in place today in the swimming community to achieve just.

2. It comes off so sniveling and whining - very unbecoming. Not to mention soo touchy, feely so as to puke.

Did it ever occur to you that black people are just not that into swimming?

And if swimming is a disproportionately white sport, then how about the white folks doing "a better job of recruiting white kids to participate in football, basketball, baseball" - the proportions are of here too, you know. Or how about how overly represented black people are in those sports - what should we do about that?

Good heavens!

DOES ANYBODY NOT SEE BY NOW WHAT A DUMB TOPIC THIS IS?
Submitted by: mario2007

September 29, 2009 #1 If there wasn't both value in it and a need to improve in this area, USS wouldn't be having a Diversity Summit in November.
Black folks' participation in swimming is just one area needing improvement; it's only been highlighted here because of Jeff's experience. He sounded discouraged, but he didn't denigrate anyone's efforts, nor did I. But we can do better as a sport, and we will, and I'm sure that those directly involved in this issue will agree. Diversity initiatives in swimming have only been formalized recently, and will take time to work.

#2 Putting aside the name-calling, your argument just doesn't hold much water, not to mention contradicting the seeming concern you had for those involved with integration efforts on point #1. White folks are VERY into the other three sports you mentioned, and WAY more than they are into swimming, for that matter. Also, white kids aren't dying because they don't know how to play football, baseball, or basketball as well as kids of color do. And finally, white folks wanting to train to compete were never systematically restricted from training facility access less than 50 years ago, with the blessing of laws allowing it, in any of the sports you mentioned, including swimming. If you want just one example of the plight black swimmers faced even after those laws were abolished, as late as the 1970's, check out the movie Pride; a true story.

Even though organized competitive swimming itself didn't have systematized segregation that I know of, recreational swimming did, and our sport, due to its unique facility needs, is still indirectly feeling the effects of that. Jackie Robinson may have been initially barred from playing with white players, but he wasn't barred from learning how to play, because all he needed was a baseball and bat, not access to a pool. Like I said, it takes awhile for attitudes to change on all sides.

The goal isn't to get a black majority among elite swimmers or a quota of any kind for any group of people for that matter, but rather to encourage an atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable and supported in learning to swim and, if they choose to, moving up the competitive ranks, which hasn't happened yet.

If that's too touchy-feely for you, then go to the Diversity Summit, or at least contact someone who is going, or who is involved in other areas of U.S. Swimming governance, so that you can provide an opinion for an alternative mission or direction for the sport. I doubt you'll find much support for your opinion that it's a "dumb topic", because those people are seriously involved in making U.S. Swimming the best it can be in all ways possible.
Submitted by: liquidassets

September 29, 2009 Jeff needs to lighten up! I'm for all ethnics groups competing at swimming. Just pay the dues and get in the pool.
Submitted by: RedBone

September 29, 2009 Something to think about. There is no money to be made in swimming. Only a few like Phelps can live off their endorsements. African-American would be better off in football, baseball, basketball...were the money runs into the multi-millions of dollars. If I was young and black, I'll go where the money..."Show Me the Money"...What does swimming have to offer. Nothing much after after the ban...
Submitted by: RedBone

September 29, 2009 halfbreed,

Last communication on this.

Thank you for making my point about how there's ALREADY a lot being done in our sport to "to encourage an atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable and supported in learning to swim". Diversity initiatives is just another word for "let's bend over backwards to increase participation amongst a minority that traditionally has not been interested - and has been more interested in baseball, basketball, football, etc." And yes, and especially to black kids, white kids ARE underrepresented in those sports - not that I care - it's about willingness and talent.

As for your point about recreational swimming having systematized segregation - that's just bogus. Since when? Any examples.

As far as "white folks aren't dying..." - that's just more baloney for you, because they are.

As far as accessibility, you don't need money to participate in this sport, just someone dedicated to push you in sticking with it. The price of a bathing suit does not break the piggy bank and there are PLENTY of swimming facilities open to the public and have been so for decades.

So for all the aforementioned - yes, it's a dumb topic.

The sport is accessible to all children (should they find interest in it) and has been so for over 30 years, and when someone confuses you for an elite athlete - thank your lucky stars, don't get "offended".
Submitted by: mario2007

September 29, 2009 Mario2007: If you really think it's a dumb topic, then that will really be your last communication, but if you change your mind, you can save face, because I don't mind debating you; everyone is entitled to their opinions, although honestly yours appear to be mostly conjecture so far, with little justification. ("Because they are" is not a very convincing argument, e.g.) FYI, if you look back through my posts, I did agree with you, that Jeff could lighten up a bit and some part of his frustration may have been misdirected or exaggerated due to his experiences. I didn't agree with the tone of his imagined depiction of the thought process of the average person who mistook him for Cullen. But I also cut him slack; being confused for a celeb athlete might be a kick for someone like you, but if you ever walked a mile in Jeff's shoes, maybe not so much.

That said, re: your other points:

I know you must have heard of Jim Crow laws, but did you know that they applied to swimming pools and beaches, as late as 1965? Here's just one example, some of the laws weren't even INITIATED until 1956!: http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:cALDIX_Or3gJ:blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=13244657&blogId=261961925 jim crow laws swimming segregation pool beach
Submitted by: liquidassets

September 29, 2009 (continued response to Mario2007, got cut off)

And after that, there was informal segregation; one example, my local Boys Club in a supposedly "liberal" northeastern state in the late 60's early 70's still had unspoken self-segregation for rec swim; my best friend and I were the only white kids who swam with the black and latino kids, due to our parents' preference and schedules. I wasn't bothered by being called half-breed then, whether by racists or just folks teasing, and I'm not now, either. Things have definitely improved, as you said, but 30 years honestly isn't a very long time in the big picture and there are still pockets of problems. The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission has completed its report on the recent Valley Club incident outside of Philly and has found that despite its denials, the club is guilty of racial discrimination in its actions. If you've been following the news this summer you already know about it, but here's an update:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32977870/ns/us_news-race_and_ethnicity/

And as for your comment about white kids drowning, if that's what you meant by dying: (I was actually making the point that you can drown if you can't swim, but not if you don't know how to play baseall, etc.): it's true that drowning rates are too high among all kids, but it's especially so for black and latino kids, it's been consistently and very well documented and a big reason for the "Make a Splash" initiative by U.S. Swimming. Here's one good study on it:

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1470565

You brought up the issue of potential economic disparity in swimming, which may overlap with racial disparity but is also a separate issue itself. I haven't seen the whole agenda yet for the Diversity Summit, but I suspect that issue will be covered. In the inner-city neighborhood that I work in, there are no public pools nearby, and the one private pool, which has a swim team, has rec and team fees that are both out of reach for the kids of that neighborhood. It's a shame because alot of these kids are good athletes who have loved it on the rare occasions when they got to swim.

I applaud U.S. Swimming for taking the initiative to further encourage diversity--I'm still confused about whether you are for or against that, by the way. I also applaud public figures, swimmers like Jeff who made it to the elite level despite social obstacles, and who risk speaking out about their feelings, even exposing their own biases, to get discussions like this started, even though they may be difficult discussions. And I applaud somebody like Shaq who donned a speedo brief and fastskin recently to show black kids that it was all right to get in the pool and swim with white folks. (Attitudes gotta change on all sides, ya know!) If this all feels like so much social engineering to you, then so be it, but if so, it pales in comparison with the magnitude of damage wrought by the social engineering known as segregation laws, damage from which we're still recovering.

If you go back far enough, say 30,000-40,000 years, we're all "African-Americans", anyway. So I'll sign off as:

"Honorary Half-Breed" (and proud of it) ;-)
Submitted by: liquidassets

September 29, 2009 liquidassets,

I didn't call you half-breed intentionally - there is another poster here by that name and his is the last one I had in mind when I began to post (I just thought it is a funny name). NO disrespect intended.

Anyway, you keep talking about issues faced in the country well over 30 years ago. I'm sorry, but those haven't been realities for a long time.

I never spoke about economic disparities vis a vis racial disparity, because, as I said previously, they really do not exist with regards to swimming.

Do ALL children need to learn how to swim for safety reasons - you better believe it! And yes, I meant white children die as well, even if blacks/latinos are at a 50 - 70% higher risk.

Bottom line, I'm all for diversity - I think you'd be hard pressed these days to find Americans who aren't. However, that was never my point. The reason I didn't like this article is, as I said before:

1. It casts aspersions on the swimming community and/or white people.

2. It comes off as sniveling and whining

and

3. It serves as a pretext for accusations of racism - something I also clearly outlined (I believe I did) in a previous post.

And lately, I've just about heard enough of that in our society to last me a lifetime.
Submitted by: mario2007

September 30, 2009 mario 2007,
I have to agree with you. Unfortunately, the tone of this article is not really about the lack of racial minorities in the sport. It is predominately of a personal nature. Jeff is fortunate enough to have the facility to air his personal views and perceived personal grievances in this public forum. He is fortunate on more than one account, and by that I mean if this article had been entitled "All BLACK People Look the Same to Me" and written by a white person would the response be the same? I think not. The title immediately creates a racist slant whether intended or not. I don't even think Swimming World would have published it.
The article would have been much better if the true thrust had been on how to increase the involvement of ethnic minorities in the sport rather than the purely personal grievances which in fact have little to do with that topic at all.
For my part, and where I compete, I am in the minority on more than one point. Oldest competitive pool swimmer at age 48(next nearest is less than half my age!) Most are of African, Indian or Chinese origins. I am certainly in a minority of....one! I am white! Do I get mistaken for other swimmers here? No! Now if there were many more of my ethnic origin and age would I be mistaken for some of the others? Certainly more chance than now!
The point I am making is that when you are in a minority situation it is not always a negative and can in fact be a positive. After all if there were more African American swimmers in the USA then there is much more likely hood that mistaken identity would occur from all ethnic backgrounds and not just the whites targeted in the article. But then maybe I am wrong……maybe it is only white people that mistake others identity…..maybe but I don't think so!
On a personal note I was disappointed that Jeff did not respond to my earlier posts (see above). Sorry, just taking the opportunity to air my own personal grievance! Never mind that's life!

Submitted by: scotswim

September 30, 2009 Thank you, scotswim! And I say thanks, because it concerns me how commonplace this type of griping has become - and people just accept it as though the person griping and accusing is entitled to do so! Very unhealthy, and it sends a bad message.

The post would have been understandable if it had been made by some disgruntled adolescent, not an adult representative of USA Swimming.
Submitted by: mario2007

September 30, 2009 Hi, scotswim.

Forgive me for not responding to your earlier post from Sept. 21. I was not avoiding you.

After the article I wrote on the 1984 Olympics was published, I did realize my error in confusing Adrian Moorhouse and Nick Gillingham. The only reason I did so was in mixing up two British swimmers who were listed together in my research on Olympic breaststrokers. I swam against Adrian and Nick at varying points in my life, and I would never, ever confuse them for each other. In this case, it was an editorial error that slipped through the cracks.

Thanks to everyone for your comments.
Submitted by: Jeff Commings

September 30, 2009 Scotswim, I agreed with you totally. There seem to be a one way street. Its ok to write an article entitled "All White people look the Same to Me"...If someone wrote, "All Black people look the Same to Me" wouldn't be published and there would be a big racist out cry. Everyone needs to get off the racist subject and move on...Jeff, you should have given your article another name...in my opinion its racist.
Submitted by: blue.water

September 30, 2009 This Thread has gone too far when you call the author a racist.

As publisher, I approved the title, "All White People Look the Same to Me." as an excellent use of hyperbole and irony. These proven literary devices are used to emphasize a point. The important point of this article was that in order for the sport to become colorblind, we must first see.

Hopefully, the title served its purpose of getting more people to read the article to learn what a minority thinks others see.

We at Swimming World Magazine are a better company because of people like Jeff who bring different perspectives and experiences to the sport.

Brent Rutemiller - Publisher

Submitted by: Brent Rutemiller

September 30, 2009 Hi Jeff,

Thanks for your response it is much appreciated. Don't worry about the error in the article we all make little mistakes and I enjoy reading the "Then and Now" articles.
Best of luck

Scott
Submitted by: scotswim

September 30, 2009 Brent,

If you approved this article to emphasize a point, then I would have to say it certainly did that - but not the point you emphasized. I have liked all of Jeff's previous contributions to the side, whether in writing or on video, but in this article he most definitely overreached, and truthfully that was not very professional. That doesn't detract from what he's done to date, but you can't expect your reading audience let some of his "observations" from going unchallenged, especially since some of them were outrageous.

Lastly, Jeff does not represent "what a minority thinks others see", since he does not represent all black people.

Best regards,

Victor Passenheim
Submitted by: mario2007

October 1, 2009 Oh please, why do we need to overcomplicate things and be politically correct ALL THE TIME. I loved the way this was written, loved the story, and it was a great read. Period.
Submitted by: Priyant

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