I like camping, but, I haven’t been in about ten years because it’s assumed that I won’t go. I understand why that is, however; I know I’m in the minority (heh) when it comes to black folks and the woods.
This, however, is annoying.
One former ranger, who worked at Deception Pass [Washington State] and other state parks that each hosted up to 400,000 visitors a year, reported seeing fewer than 50 blacks over a 10-year period.::::rolls eyes::::Parks-commission officials say that while park use among all people of color is low, it is lowest among blacks. 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.
Note that the reason just has to be something involving access or unfriendliness; read: racism. The fact that the officials jump to this type of conclusion instead of asking some real live black people why they don’t camp is telling itself, however.
I can help them out. One of the reasons that black people (in general) don't camp is that black women (in general) don't camp. Understand this: many, if not most, black women have their hair straightened. Though it’s been a very long time since I straightened mine, I remember that, when I did, there were two things that I studiously avoided: swimming and camping. It only takes a little water and a little inattention to care to ruin a perfectly straightened (and expensive) hairstyle.
So unless the Parks-commission officials have invented something to squelch the pathological fear of the nappy head, they’re going to have a hard row to hoe.
Consider this your weekly culture lesson. Here’s another one from Stefan Sharkansky:
Now if they can only convince more of my fellow Jews to go hunting and attend NASCAR races...(Thanks to Michelle)
