The Dumbest Story I’ve Seen in a While

Because it includes the dumbest idea I’ve heard in a while.

This story appeared on the front page of the Sunday Edition of The Seattle Times, below the fold.

Wanted: African-American campers

The State Parks and Recreation Commission has assembled data showing that many blacks, for a variety of reasons, are not frequent users of the state’s 250,000 acres of parkland, particularly for activities like camping. This, in a state with an abundance of natural beauty — from mountains to lakes, deserts and forests.

And there’s anecdotal evidence, too. One former ranger, who worked at Deception Pass 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.

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.

First off, to get it out of the way; the parks commission is doing this with donated funds only, so there are no taxpayer dollars going directly to this asinine and racist program, other than the ones spent in meetings fretting over this ‘problem’.

Next, in a number of parks in Washington State, there is a waiting period for camp sites during the peak months. I didn’t read this in the article, but I do wonder if spots are going to set aside for people of certain races?

Also, what the fuck are the people at the Parks Department smoking and can I get some?

As is said in the article, some folks just do not like to go camping, and in this state, can you fault them? Most weeks it rains at least once and during every season except for summer, it rains a minimum of three out of seven days.

Oh well, I should probably consider myself lucky that my Democrat controlled state government didn’t just shut the parks down because of ‘Troubling Diversity Issues�.