Why Won't Black People Camp?

[lictor616]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2010/jul/09/black-people-camp-holidays

“Do I look like a camper to you?” splutters my friend Kiren. And I have to admit, her blow-dried hair and impeccable nails don’t scream “tent-lover”. What about Anna who grew up in Macclesfield, a stone’s throw from the Peak District? “Why would I?” she demands, puzzled. Amal, meanwhile, has never even considered slumming it in a tent.

Camping may have thrown off its Peruvian socks image and become as fashionable as vintage clothes and cupcakes, but not everyone is enchanted. The few times I have been to a campsite, I’ve always been one of the only non-white faces around. And while my white friends will camp anywhere—campsites, festivals, literary events—my non-white friends are not convinced.

Matthew Eastlake, marketing director of the Camping and Caravanning Club, agrees that ethnic minorities are “not hugely represented” in the club, despite a membership of nearly half a million. This tallies with evidence that few ethnic minority families go to the countryside for holidays—for instance, only 1% of visitors to our national parks are from a minority background, compared to 10% of the population.

Shalini, a lawyer who loves camping, admits she has been only with white friends. “You do stick out more on a campsite,” she says. “I brace myself for comments like ‘That’s a funny name’ or ‘Where do you come from?’. I think that would be uncomfortable for families or groups of young people.”

Then there’s the fact that Asian family holidays tend to be sprawling, all-encompassing affairs. I remember the intakes of breath and faces squashed against the window as we tried to jam four adults and six kids in each car on family days out. While this might seem to fit with camping, Shalini reckons it makes ethnic minorities more careful about where they go. “Asian families tend to go on holiday with a whole load of people and a whole load of stuff; so they can be worried about putting people’s noses out of joint.”

For Amal, who grew up in Somalia, it’s the fear of the countryside. “I feel London is my comfort zone,” she tells me. Like many people, she is nervous about what Trevor Phillips once called the “passive apartheid” of the countryside—the fact that rural areas have such a low ethnic-minority population. “I worry that people will be mean or unfriendly with me,” Amal says. “Basically, I’m worried they will be racist.”

Yet camping is experiencing a boom, which Eastlake attributes in part to the recession. “Now it’s not so cool to be extravagant and environmentally unfriendly. People are thinking more about family time and simple pleasures.”

One thing Asian families understand is family time—so what’s holding us back? For a start, there is no culture of camping among immigrant communities, which means no nostalgic pull. The countryside is seen as a place to escape from. Satirical website Stuff White People Like puts its succinctly: “If you find yourself trapped in the middle of the woods without electricity, running water or a car, you would likely describe that situation as a ‘nightmare’ . . . White people refer to it as ‘camping’.”

Kiren tells me her parents, originally from Pakistan, would never have taken her camping. “Culturally, you are considered poor if you live or stay somewhere without brick walls.”

If I may translate all of this for politically incorrect people:

White people are supposed to worry about what blacks worry about.

For your pleasure dears! Lets bend down a little lower guys cmon!

[Shakeyhands]

Rascist post after rascist post... keep up the good work Lictor!

[Shakeyhands]

NSBM lines too... nice!

[lictor616]

Rascist post after rascist post... keep up the good work Lictor!

yet you can't even spell the word "racist"

that's funny too, what exactly is "rascist" about this post?

does mere mention of race make everything racist? really?

[bloodyminded]

If I may translate all of this for politically incorrect people:

White people are supposed to worry about what blacks worry about.

This is a piece about the way certain people feel. There's no "supposed to worry" about anything. You're reading too much into it.

Edited July 19, 2010 by bloodyminded

[GostHacked]

I've done a lot of camping when I was a kid. I no longer have the desire to go out to camp these days. Had my fill. It might be nice if I had a little cottage on a nice secluded lake, but that takes some money. However there are plenty of campgrounds people can go to.

Kind of a useless topic. Or at least should be in the 'travel and leisure' section.

[Bonam]

Camping is fun.

[bush_cheney2004]

"White people" camping:

http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/watch?v=2GP1YVrdd74&feature=related

Edited July 19, 2010 by bush_cheney2004

[August1991]

“Do I look like a camper to you?” splutters my friend Kiren.

And French people don't speak English, and Protestants don't confess to a Priest and pious Jews don't eat pork. Heck, black people have - black hair.

We are different, and we each do things differently.

Lictor, here's my youtube video for you (yes, that's James Caan), until I find the one I'm truly looking for:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_PYlcpkwtU

Edited July 19, 2010 by August1991

[Jack Weber]

August...

Was it this one?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uUgakr24RU

[August1991]

August...

Was it this one?

Uh no, Jack. It wasn't. (BTW, your link didn't work for me but I saw a photo of Hitler.)

If my link didn't work for you, here's another: Link

My link has Geraldine Chaplin, not Hitler, asking, "Can't you sing in English like normal people?"

Edited July 19, 2010 by August1991

[Shakeyhands]

yet you can't even spell the word "racist"

that's funny too, what exactly is "rascist" about this post?

does mere mention of race make everything racist? really?

Oh my I made a spelling mistake. You can crucify me for that, I'll stand by my comment that you are simply a racist (there... better?) Every thread you start is simply to vilify people of other races besides whites, no? And yes, that makes you a POS racist.

[Guest American Woman]

Oh my I made a spelling mistake. You can crucify me for that, I'll stand by my comment that you are simply a racist (there... better?) Every thread you start is simply to vilify people of other races besides whites, no? And yes, that makes you a POS racist.

I think his posts are a 'pity party' for 'poor, picked-on whites;' I think he believes whites are victims.

As for the topic regarding Blacks camping, I have to say I never would have thought that Blacks not camping would be an issue, but apparently it is. There's even at least one program to get Black people interested.

Wanted: African-American campers

State-park use is low among all people of color, particularly blacks. Officials hope a new effort — exposing families and young people to the outdoors — will help African Americans warm up to camping.

Through their Diversity Camping Program, they want to change whatever is keeping African Americans away: the specter of danger, the fear that small towns on the way to parks are unfriendly to blacks, or that camping and hiking and skiing are activities only white people do.

The goal is to expose families and young people to the vast possibilities of outdoor recreation and show them that overnight camping doesn't have to mean sleeping on the ground and in the rain.

So far, officials have raised $40,000 of the $300,000 in private funds they expect to spend during the next three years. Already, commission staff are making connections with community and youth groups and identifying families and young people to go on these adventures.

Evidently the Obamas are a role model for Blacks camping, too.

As Obama goes camping, why don't more blacks do the same?

I honestly didn't know that Blacks don't go camping. I guess it's true that we learn something new every day.

[Jack Weber]

Oh my I made a spelling mistake. You can crucify me for that, I'll stand by my comment that you are simply a racist (there... better?) Every thread you start is simply to vilify people of other races besides whites, no? And yes, that makes you a POS racist.

"You're a subhumanoid,Communist,race traitor,REPROBATE!!!!!!"

[Bonam]

The goal is to expose families and young people to the vast possibilities of outdoor recreation and show them that overnight camping doesn't have to mean sleeping on the ground and in the rain.

Heh if you're not "sleeping on the ground", it's not really camping. All part of the fun. If some people don't want to do it, I don't see why we should be spending money to talk them into it.

I honestly didn't know that Blacks don't go camping. I guess it's true that we learn something new every day.

Yeah, definitely the case though. I'm out in the outdoors (hiking/climbing/camping/mountaineering) every weekend and very very rarely do I see black people. Actually I don't think I've seen one this whole year. I've seen Asians, Arabs, even a few natives, but not one black, out of thousands and thousands of people.

Edited July 20, 2010 by Bonam

[JB Globe]

If I may translate all of this for politically incorrect people:

White people are supposed to worry about what blacks worry about.

For your pleasure dears! Lets bend down a little lower guys cmon!

Being white sucks.

I can't stand all this fucking privilege.