Camping Has ‘Complicated Past’ When It Comes to Race Declares the L.A. Times

There are plenty of ways to explore the racial inequality that has permeated far too great a swath of American culture over the course of the last several centuries, but attempting to click-bait people by attacking their hobbies may not be the most forthright or effective means.

But, hey, the mainstream media isn’t really in the business of objectively relaying the facts to us.  They are far more concerned with their budgets and advertising revenue, so click bait it is.

A recent, not-so-shining example of this comes to us from the Los Angeles Times, who’ve taken to sullying the good name of camping in order to snag some attention.

The Los Angeles Times reported that recreational camping has a “complicated” past when it comes to racism and the cost of camping gear is a “barrier” preventing minorities from enjoying the hobby.

“Camping is often called America’s favorite outdoor activity,” the Los Angeles Times posted on its Twitter account, along with an article titled, “Want more diversity in camping? Start with the gear.”

“But camping and national parks have a complicated past when it comes to racial equality and equal access for all. One modern barrier to entry: the cost of camping gear,” the tweet continued.

So, is it racism or classism that keeps minorities out of camping?  And if it’s an economic issue, then perhaps the ire of the Times’ staff should be aimed at the economic systems and not the activity itself.

This is a bit like saying that owning a Ferrari has a “complicated past when it comes to racial equality”, when the ownership of said sports car is merely a symptom of a much larger issue.

The only problem with this logic is that it doesn’t sell newspapers in Los Angeles.