Tyler Perry sending rebuffed day-care kids to Disney World

[Heidi]

Tyler Perry sending rebuffed day-care kids to Disney World

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Tyler Perry, the star, writer and producer of films such as "Madea Goes to Jail" and the television show "House of Payne," could be adding philanthropist to his growing list of credits.

According to his publicist, Perry is sponsoring a Disney World trip for 65 Pennsylvania children at a largely minority day-care center after a swim club canceled pool privileges for the children.

<snip>

When Perry heard about the situation with the children in the highly publicized aftermath of the pool cancellation, he immediately wanted to help them, Thomas told CNN, adding that a trip to Disney World is definitely "better than the pool."

<snip>

In a statement posted Monday on his Web site, Perry summed up his feelings about the pool situation: "This made me so angry," he wrote.

"This is awful, and for anyone that has grown up in the inner-city, you know that one small act of kindness can change your life," he wrote, adding that with the trip 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. This is all about the kids."

More here

[PretzelWarrior]

1. that is a beautiful and generous gesture

it is shocking young people of our time must still be subjected to the damaging hatred of racism, but I am happy to see that out of this will come something far more memorable from a great role model.

[Mythsaje]

2. A damned fine thing to do...

And I applaud him for it.

[Skittles]

3. lovely gesture

:thumbsup:

[Aristus]

21. If he wanted to top that one, he could have sent you to kick the asses of those country-club bigots.

I'd pay to watch that! B-)

[Skittles]

30. I LOVES kicking me some country-club bigot ass

yes INDEED

[Aristus]

31. I tell you, Skittles,

I just :loveya: a tough liberal woman... B-)

[Skittles]

32. and a MILITARY VET too

WOOO!!!!!! :D

[Aristus]

36. Well, you DO look sexy in a uniform...

;-)

[Norrin Radd]

4. Cool.

[TorchTheWitch]

5. How awesome!

What a really fantastic thing to do! The kids will have such a blast and remember it forever.

[sandnsea]

6. I really like that thought

"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."

I don't think it's exactly a million to one, but it is at least 50/50 and that's important to remember when the evil is coming at you.

Awesome thing for him to do.

[Heidi]

11. I agree.

Especially about remembering that when evil is coming at you.

[Kurska]

7. I'm really NOT a fan of Tyler Perry, but this is beyond classy.

Props to him and all that goes with that.

[TexasProgresive]

8. A Message from Tyler Perry - I'm So Mad

Subject: A Message from Tyler Perry - I'm So Mad

This made me so angry.

Since Michael Jackson died I have not watched the news. I have just been
so disgusted at how the mainstream media has riddled this family with
disrespect, and no matter what anyone, you or I included, might have
thought of him, the truth of the matter is this - the man was still a
human being and his kids and family deserve some privacy and space. And I
know that I'm not the only one that feels this way, so I purposely kept
the TV off. Anyway, I was walking through the house, and I don't know how
this TV was on, but I saw a little boy on the news crying his eyes out.
So I turned it up. Here is this kid talking about being kicked out of the
Valley Swim Club outside Philadelphia because he was black. Did you hear
me? I said, "No way, this can't be! It's 2009. I don't believe this!" But,
I know it happens even in this year of Obama.

As I listened to the story the anchorperson went on to talk about a woman
named Althea Wright. This young lady started a non-profit called Creative
Steps to help inner-city children. And apparently she had booked the
Valley Swim Club's pool and paid for it to be used by the children through
the summer. As we all know, this is such a great thing. During the summer
our kids can get into a lot of trouble if they don't have something
creative to do. Anyway, as the story went on I was shocked to find out
that it wasn't just him but 65 children in all, black and Hispanic kids,
that were kicked out of the pool. You should Google this story and read it
online for yourself. It's crazy! I went from being mad to being furious.

The news reporter went on to say that the president of the club and its
members said, and I quote, "We don't want to change the complexion of our
club." The president refunded the money of the children and asked them not
to come back. WHAT?! I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I said I
have to do something for these children. I can't let them think that they
are inferior because of the color of their skin. Then that night I saw
the president of the Valley Swim Club on the news again saying that he
misspoke and that it was a safety issue and the club wasn't able to
accommodate so many children. But the children themselves reportedly said
that members were taking their kids out of the pool, and that they were
saying things like, "Why are they here?" and "They're black", even
insinuating that these kids would steal or maybe hurt their children.

Now get this. A few days later I catch the story again on CNN. This time
the club was inviting the kids to come and swim. WHAT?! I'm confused. If
you refunded the money because there was not enough room in the pool and
it was a safety issue then why are you asking the same 65 kids to come
back?

This is awful, and for anyone that has grown up in the inner-city, you
know that one small act of kindness can change your life. These kids see
the images of President Obama on TV and then they see the drug dealers and
thugs on the corner. Which do you think is more their reality? One act of
kindness, one person telling them that they are special, one moment of
encouragement can make them move mountains. I know it to be true because I
was one of them. They don't need to be called names and be told that they
are less than, because of the color of their skin or because of where they
come from.

I was told that one of these children, a seven year old, asked her mother
if she was "to black to be in a pool." How do you answer that? How do you
get a seven year old past that? Again, it broke my heart and I wanted to
do something, and I feel like you all would want to do something, too.
That's why I'm telling you this. Since you all have put me in the position
to be able to do something I feel like by me doing this we are all doing
it together. So what I did was on Aug 1st thru 3rd I'm sending these kids
to Disney World, and then to a Disney water park. 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. This is all about the
kids. So, thank you for letting me do this. Thank you so much. And do me
a favor please. When you see these kids coming through the airport, (I'm
sure you won't be able to miss them. I imagine they are going to be super
excited) when you see them in the park and in the hotel, let's show them a
whole lot of love and respect. Show them that they are just as good as
anyone else. And show them that they can do or be anything they want to
be no matter what any one says!

Thanks,

Tyler Perry

[Heidi]

9. Thank you, TexasProgressive, for adding that.

Good morning! :hi:

[TexasProgresive]

13. An Heidi-ho to you neighbor.

Glad to oblige.

[sandnsea]

20. What a class act, thanks for posting that

"So, thank you for letting me do this. Thank you so much. And do me
a favor please. When you see these kids coming through the airport, (I'm
sure you won't be able to miss them. I imagine they are going to be super
excited) when you see them in the park and in the hotel, let's show them a
whole lot of love and respect."

[malaise]

10. Very nice gesture n/t

[slampoet]

12. I hate all the fat suit drag comedy. HOWEVER it is really nice to see the Tyler is a Good Person

underneath all those layers.

Here is a person who knows what money is for.

[Heidi]

14. I didn't even know who Tyler Perry was until I read the article this morning.

I agree that he must know what money is for. :hi:

[Iggo]

15. Hurray for Tyler Perry...

...for making this about Tyler Perry!!!

:rofl:

[Heidi]

16. Huh. I didn't understand it like that at all. In fact, I doubt the kids

will care much who's paying for their trip to Disney World. And since I didn't know who Tyler Perry was before I read the article, it's very likely I'm not gonna remember him a couple of days from now. The important thing is that someone's doing something nice for these kids.

[Iggo]

17. I envy you.

EDIT: I envy you in that you've never heard of Tyler Perry.

[Heidi]

24. You don't have to be envious.

It's easy: focus more on the greater good and less on your personal bias. That's what I do. :hi:

[Iggo]

25. Okay. I don't envy you anymore.

That was easy.

[Heidi]

27. Good.

Envy is an unpleasant state in which to exist. :hi:

[supernova]

22. The person is jabbing at TP

for being so self promoting in his work..

Every production, every TV show, every movie is prefaced by: "Tyler Perry's.....

This DW trip is however, nothing but class.

Good jobt TP.

:thumbsup: And the last part of his letter actually made me :cry:

[Heidi]

29. I tend to agree.

I didn't even know who the guy was before this morning. He's sure not the only person to leverage his name for self-promotion, but there aren't so many who leverage their names to help alleviate the impact of outright racism. :hi:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

18. Yes, yes, yes.

He's very uppity.

:eyes:

[bridgit]

26. Well, his last movie tanked so hard it dead cat bounced itself right onto DVD

Some form of restoration would have been anticipated as no-less than par for the course.

[Heidi]

28. Do you think he's doing this just because a movie tanked?

If I had a giant project tank, I'd be savin' my money, bridg, and maybe not doin' a buncha extras like sendin' kids I don't even know to Disney World just for the sake of self-promotion. I might, though, do the right thing just because it's the right thing. :hug:

[bridgit]

38. ^_^

Tyler is actually a good guy, he's been there and so he knows...but then there is Hollywood, and image and popcorn - I've seen this happen many times over this restoration sequence. Chris Brown is running the gauntlet now http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZY5F4pPRGaQ (see...he's move'n on) as a mere for instance. Is Tyler quite that 'on the case'? Well...I am here to suggest that the ball for media/image ~ m-o-n-e-y people must roll forward or a certain and specific price will be paid and that too often comes down to money itself I have not designed this world to have done so this world would be a *com----pletely* different place without dispute but no, it's too often the ole Cha'ching m'darlin you :hug:

There can be no doubt there are tremendous infractions being foisted upon this world, therefore -- Why *this* assemblage of outrage? Why now?

There can also be little dispute...this world has jaded me :) Though I will give you this:

Here's a fucker that's done playing his *media* games good bad indifferent money or no there comes a time; and so by the pricking of my thumbs...

Something cheesy this way comes

[TexasObserver]

19. Recommend

[Initech]

23. That is pretty cool that he's doing that.

The situation in Pennsylvania is pretty fucked up to begin with, glad someone's doing something about it.

[applegrove]

33. Never heard of the man but he does impress me a great deal today.

[Liberal_in_LA]

34. kick

[Judi Lynn]

35. Thank you, Heidi. I haven't watched tv a lot, but I'm going to make a point of watching his show now

I think it would be easy to enjoy a program done by a person who would actually move his ### to do something about what has happened to these young people instead of letting it go in one ear and out the other.

I don't know who he is, but I'm going to find out!

THANK YOU for posting this.

[dflprincess]

37. Doing stuff like this

must be the really fun part of having money.

And this is especially sweet - he gets to do something great for the kids and shame the country club all in one move.