Pirate's Cove

I love one of the photos that accompanies this story

pic.twitter.com/s29KacenYh

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) August 10, 2020

It’s great 3 white Leftists think that black people are all too poor and dumb to be able to afford camping gear

Want more diversity in camping? Start with the gear

In May, Mo Jackson was camping with a friend in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. They woke at 5 to start a fire, make breakfast and — in the midst of a pandemic — experience the peace that comes with an early morning in a secluded spot.

The beauty of that morning moved Jackson to tears. “I had the most clarifying moment. You know, I just thought, I wish everyone could feel this.”

Jackson realized that, although they could not help everyone feel more connected to nature, they could get a few more people outside by offering free camping gear. “That day I was like, OK, what can I do to get more Black people outdoors? And I thought, well, I have enough savings to get three camping kits together.”

On May 19, Jackson posted on Instagram asking if any people of color wanted a free camping kit. “No need to demonstrate need or anything,” Jackson wrote. “Just ask and we can get something out to you.”

The kit would include two sleeping bags, a tent and a cooler. Jackson included a Venmo account on Instagram so people could donate to the cause.

Mo is the woman (assumed gender!) at the lower right, who identifies as black. Isn’t she appropriating culture by dyeing her hair blonde?

Camping is often called America’s favorite outdoor activity. This summer, when many travel options have been eliminated, the go-to vacation has been camping or renting an RV and visiting public lands.

But camping and national parks have a complicated past when it comes to racial equality and equal access for all. National parks have a history of segregation that dates to the 1930s, something that didn’t change until the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

Yeah, so, something that has been illegal since 1964

A 2018 study by the Society of American Foresters found that between 2010 and 2014, 94.6% of visitors to national forests identified as white. People who identified as Latino made up 5.7%, and those who identified as Black made up 1.2%.

Are we supposed to force blacks and Latinos to go camping?

This time the response was much bigger. “People just cared more all of a sudden,” Jackson said. More than 600 people reached out and asked for camping kits. Jackson needed more funding and took the campaign to GoFundme, where, as of Aug. 5, more than $55,000 had been raised.

“I think there is a lot of white guilt right now,” Jackson said, explaining why donations suddenly took off. “We’re all learning and growing; sometimes guilt is part of it too — not that we want guilt and shame, but we do want growth.”

Yeah, and a lot of people who are cool with free stuff. Will they use it and actually go camping?

The disparity in access to the outdoors is particularly frustrating to Harris, who pointed out that those who could most benefit from being in a rural environment have often felt excluded. “Being in nature is healing,” she said. “People who need that healing most are Black and Indigenous people, and the idea that it’s inaccessible … it’s just not right.”

Everyone has the same access. If you want to go, go. These Leftists really do think that someone is physically stopping non-whites from going, and that non-whites can’t get the gear. We all pay the same price.

Jackson intends to expand the BIPOC Camping Kits venture. “Black and Indigenous people have historically had connections to nature and the land that have been stripped from us,” they said. “My bigger picture is full solidarity; it’s going to take all of us coming together to topple these racist systems so we can find our sacred places again, and find peace again, together.”

Huh what? Her people are not from America. Is she planning on camping in Africa? What, exactly, is racist about having full access to national parks if one wants to go?