Any Other Brown/Non-Caucasian Thru-Hikers?

[Pedaling Fool]

My 2 cents. Race is a product of the human body evolving to cope in a particular environment. As a result our different bodies have different strengths and weaknesses as compared to other biological human bodies. However, that’s about the only difference. So when it comes to the likes and dislikes of people it’s more a factor of culture circumstance. However, if you change their circumstance their interests will change overtime.

I’m what you might call a "People watcher" and after watching a lot of people all over the world (23 years in the Navy) I’ve come to the conclusion that People-are-People – period.

The fact that certain people do not participate in a given activity has nothing to do with race (I know it may seem so, but that’s an illusion). Look at America, I remember as I was growing up the divide between black and white was pretty wide. There were a lot of things black people did not do and a lot of things white people did not do. That is changing, yeah there is still a divide, but it is eroding quickly, well not as quickly as some would like, but much quicker than evolution. That’s why we have Tiger Woods.

[Kanati]

[quote=Homer&Marje;818997]Marje works behind a desk...not in a field.....is that why she likes to hike?

This is the most "ignorantly" racist country in the world. From all sides, what I like to call reverse racism....examples like "Black people don't go to Europe" is a classic example of someone putting their own race down a stereotype path, of which many will follow, because they are led by example.


I respectfully disagree with this statement. Developed Asian countries are generally more racist than the U.S. And besides, what's wrong with aligning oneself with ones own race. All other races do it. Why should I, a white person, not want my race to be successful, or why should I not want to hang around with white guys who I have most in common with?? So long as I don't dump on people of different races there is nothing wrong with it. While I was in the Army I tried to be friendly with the blacks but was soundly rejected. Same with the Puerto Ricans. All they wanted to do was whip my ass. My best friend while I was over seas was a Mexican guy from OK City. He was one of the nicest guys to everyone I've ever met.

We should treat everyone with respect and the dignity they deserve, so long as they deserve it. All people of all races are, deep down inside, primarily for their own race. Not all will admit it. In fact most won't.

On the subject of race, there are two things that really rub me the wrong way. One is that some people of certain races expecting me to continually "pay-back" something that I do not owe. I grew up in a house with no electricity, no running water, no bath room and with a privy out back. As a small child, 3-4 years old, I spent the entire day, 10 hours in the cotton fields. By 8 years old, I was buying all of my school clothes from the money I made working with a hoe and cotton pick sack. I am not complaining or bragging, just stating a fact to make a point. No one, I repeat, no one, worked any harder than we did, and my dad was a disabled vet from injuries in WWII. He also got "0" compensation from the government. There was others in our community who were able to work but didn't and received government subsidies. They sat on their porches. Many of them were white!!!

Second, the way some white people suck up to other races these days makes, not only me want to regurgitate, but also the ones they are sucking up to. That's like being condenscending or something. Everyone hates that.

Just treat people with respect. That's all they want, and that's all we have to do. And if they expect more than that, they have a problem that I can't solve.

Happy hiking to all.

[Homer&Marje]

Homer you hate this country so much than just leave whine, whine, whine.

I don't hate this country. I hate people in this country, that thinks this country is perfect. Because it's far from it.

[quote=Kanati;819059]

Marje works behind a desk...not in a field.....is that why she likes to hike?

This is the most "ignorantly" racist country in the world. From all sides, what I like to call reverse racism....examples like "Black people don't go to Europe" is a classic example of someone putting their own race down a stereotype path, of which many will follow, because they are led by example.


I respectfully disagree with this statement. Developed Asian countries are generally more racist than the U.S. And besides, what's wrong with aligning oneself with ones own race. All other races do it. Why should I, a white person, not want my race to be successful, or why should I not want to hang around with white guys who I have most in common with?? So long as I don't dump on people of different races there is nothing wrong with it. While I was in the Army I tried to be friendly with the blacks but was soundly rejected. Same with the Puerto Ricans. All they wanted to do was whip my ass. My best friend while I was over seas was a Mexican guy from OK City. He was one of the nicest guys to everyone I've ever met.

We should treat everyone with respect and the dignity they deserve, so long as they deserve it. All people of all races are, deep down inside, primarily for their own race. Not all will admit it. In fact most won't.

On the subject of race, there are two things that really rub me the wrong way. One is that some people of certain races expecting me to continually "pay-back" something that I do not owe. I grew up in a house with no electricity, no running water, no bath room and with a privy out back. As a small child, 3-4 years old, I spent the entire day, 10 hours in the cotton fields. By 8 years old, I was buying all of my school clothes from the money I made working with a hoe and cotton pick sack. I am not complaining or bragging, just stating a fact to make a point. No one, I repeat, no one, worked any harder than we did, and my dad was a disabled vet from injuries in WWII. He also got "0" compensation from the government. There was others in our community who were able to work but didn't and received government subsidies. They sat on their porches. Many of them were white!!!

Second, the way some white people suck up to other races these days makes, not only me want to regurgitate, but also the ones they are sucking up to. That's like being condenscending or something. Everyone hates that.

Just treat people with respect. That's all they want, and that's all we have to do. And if they expect more than that, they have a problem that I can't solve.

Happy hiking to all.

Where to start.....I said "Ignorantly Racist". Because half the people that offend someone in everyday conversation...have no idea they are doing it.

I know there is racists...of all sorts.... in all countries...I have clearly expressed that. It's sad that someone ( a thru hiker maybe) would be remembered for participating in their said activity solely based on that they were a different race compared to the norm participating in the same activity.

[Pedaling Fool]

...It's sad that someone ( a thru hiker maybe) would be remembered for participating in their said activity solely based on that they were a different race compared to the norm participating in the same activity.

There's nothing sad about that. People remember it because it's out of the norm, so it sticks in your brain -- not sad, just normal.

I remember the first white guy I saw that rapped, now rappin' is very popular amoung practically all races, so now when I see a white rapper it garners no special attention.

[Homer&Marje]

There's nothing sad about that. People remember it because it's out of the norm, so it sticks in your brain -- not sad, just normal.

I remember the first white guy I saw that rapped, now rappin' is very popular amoung practically all races, so now when I see a white rapper it garners no special attention.

Just because it's normal. Doesn't make it ideologically correct. It makes it normal. I stick to my statement, sad.

[Pedaling Fool]

Just because it's normal. Doesn't make it ideologically correct. It makes it normal. I stick to my statement, sad.

"Ideologically correct" Where the hell did that come from?

[Kanati]

Over the years, I've grown strangely accustomed to being the only person of colour doing the things that I love to do (spelunking, mountaineering, adventuring).

But by chance, are there any other folks like me in the 2009 class?

With risk of changing the subject and getting this thread back on track, what is spelunking ?

[rickb]

I think its what a lot of people who aren't into caving call caving.

[Homer&Marje]

"Ideologically correct" Where the hell did that come from?

Nothing good to say...so he trolls.

Deserves....the look

[Lone Wolf]

Nothing good to say...so he trolls.

Deserves....the look

whoever those kids are in the photo, they LOOK miserable

[Homer&Marje]

whoever those kids are in the photo, they LOOK miserable

That would be my wife...and brother in law.

Wife had blown out her knee again crossing Black Brook. Then she climbed 3k over the Bonds and down 1k to Guyot. She WAS miserable.

The kid, is always miserable because of his parents. That's why we took him hiking...loved it....going back with us this year.

[EverydayJourneyman]

With risk of changing the subject and getting this thread back on track, what is spelunking ?

doesn't it sound dirty. Yeah, it's caving.

[The Old Fhart]

Kanati-"With risk of changing the subject and getting this thread back on track, what is spelunking ?"

The name 'spelunk' comes from the sound a caver makes when his rope breaks and he hits bottom.

[rickb]

Cavers rescue spelunkers.

[EverydayJourneyman]

Cavers rescue spelunkers.

knock on wood, never been rescued while spelunking.

I did once get stuck on an ice cave on top of Franz Josef in New Zealand. Fun times.

[Hoop Time]

I met August (mentioned earlier in this thread) last summer when he passed through the area. He was yellow blazing with a young lady who was having some leg/foot injury problems and I gave them a ride from the Scott Farm to Duncannon. He spent much of the ride trying to convince me to do a story on the lack of racial diversity on the AT. He wanted to try to get the word out to other African Americans that the AT was a very positive experience for him.

According to him, he encountered little, if any, racisim on the trail or in trail towns. He actually said the first time he through-hiked that had surprised him.

That said, he also mentioned that he wears his old Army fatigues when he hikes in an effort to make a point that he is a veteran because he felt that helped mitigate any potential racial tensions he might encounter.

[Flinx]

My wife is brown...i am white...we will do a section at the end of this month....she doesn't obsess about skin color...that being said...most black people think that hiking is stupid and always make comments that they wouldn't even think about staying the night in the woods...just a cultural difference....truth be told, i'm sick about hearing or reading about race...sick of it i say!

[EverydayJourneyman]

My wife is brown...i am white...we will do a section at the end of this month....she doesn't obsess about skin color...that being said...most black people think that hiking is stupid and always make comments that they wouldn't even think about staying the night in the woods...just a cultural difference....truth be told, i'm sick about hearing or reading about race...sick of it i say!

How is it being in an interracial relationship in Alabama?

[Flinx]

How is it being in an interracial relationship in Alabama?

Well....since everyone up north is so enlightened and knowledgeable and southerners are mostly ignorant, racist inbreds...it's pretty hard down here....we get spit on daily....especially the children...oh did i mention that blacks have a much harder time with it than whites...but i'm sure you knew that.

[phillycheze]

i'm from the DC area and work at adventure camps. i've had every skin tone out in the woods. why the fuss?