Why Are Our Parks So White?

NY Times ^ | JULY 10, 2015 | GLENN NELSON

[Second Amendment First]

SEATTLE — MOUNT RAINIER stands sentry over Seattle. On clear days, the mountain is the dominant backdrop, particularly in the city’s southeast, where its most racially diverse neighborhoods embrace their majestic setting with names like Rainier Valley and Rainier Beach.

Michelle Perry lives in an adjoining neighborhood and travels to work on Rainier Avenue South. The looming mountain enchants and beguiles nearly the entire way. She knows she can keep driving south and visit Rainier and the national park that surrounds it. Ms. Perry, 58, an African-American, has an idea about what she’d find up there — mosquitoes, which she hates, and bears, cougars and wolves, which she fears.

“The mountains are beautiful to watch,” she said, pausing for effect, “from a distance.”

As it approaches its centennial on Aug. 25, 2016, the National Park Service says it wants to encourage people like Ms. Perry to visit. It has its work cut out for it.

*

Jeff Cheatham grew up in southeast Seattle, and still lives in Mount Rainier’s shadow. Yet, he said of Mount Rainier and other national parks, “I’ve never been, and never thought about going.” A 29-year-old African-American writer, Mr. Cheatham said he didn’t even know what a national park was, or what he would be likely to find at one. “As far as I know, it’s a big field of grass,” he said.

A neighbor, Carla DeRise, has been to Mount Rainier and other parks, and is game to go again. She just can’t get any of her friends to come along. They are worried about unfriendly white people, hungry critters and insects, and unforgiving landscapes, said Ms. DeRise, 51, an African-American. So she mainly hikes alone, albeit with some anxiety. “I don’t have a weapon,” she quipped. “Yet.”

[Hawthorn]

>> I’m from the South and have lived here almost all my life <<

Not from the same South as me. The rural black people I know don’t swim, and they don’t climb mountains or go to national parks. But fish and hunt? You betcha!

[BlueDragon]

What do you fear the most while in a park? A group of Rangers, a group of teenage European tourists, a group of teenage Asian tourists, or a group of teenage blacks, a group of bears, or a herd of bison?

"Excellent question with no answer required."

I dunno about that. I mulled it over and decided that it would depend upon conditions of the moment.

If it involved use of motor vehicles, and it just happened to be "a group of teenage Asian tourists" driving multiple vehicles --- then those are to be the most feared, by far.

DWO=the rolling terrors of the freeways, side-streets, and parking lots of North America

[BilLies]

Basis for your knowledge? ......... The Black enclave in the summer is comparatively small to the overall visiting population.

[Conscience of a Conservative]

You’re still on here trying to peddle your thinly-veiled white supremacist crap?! Good lord.

Hey, look what I found here:

https://m.youtube.com/#/user/AlturaCt

Seems our favorite white supremacist Freeper likes some.....interesting....videos on YouTube. David Duke. Jared Taylor. Brother Nathanael. A veritable who’s who of white supremacist morons.

[Hawthorn]

>> The Black enclave in the summer is comparatively small to the overall visiting population <<

Maybe so. I can’t find the statistics either way. All I know is that among the wealthiest and best educated “blacks” in the I-95 corridor from DC to Boston, Martha’s Vineyard seems to be THE PLACE for vacationing.

[SaraJohnson]

When I was little, my Catholic school had a funny but wise old book called “city mouse and country mouse.” In commedy the city mouse and country mouse switched places for a little time. Their interpretations and tolerances for the things they saw in their new environment was hilarious.

I’m a country mouse. I need land - space around me. I need lost of vegetables and flowers and trees; critters, birds and bees. I need to walk and jog in the woods (armed). I need to lay on my back and look at the stars at night. I take in the sweet smells of the country. I don’t mind going days not seeing people or talking to them when I choose. I love to pray in gardens and have barbecues and eat outside. I love boating down a lazy river and kayaking in the ocean. It leaves my mind restful and open for creative ideas to develop business and painting ideas and problem solve.

If I had to live in a packed, stinky, with skyscrapers blocking the sun and sky and few trees and flowers...my heart would break and spirit would be crushed. I can’t imagine what it would be like living in a sea of humanity. I can’t imagine jogging down packed city streets/sidewalks or riding on pubic transportation, packed in with people I don’t want to be near, like sardines.

[Second Amendment First]

Amen to what you said.