Walking and Climbing

hi, my 1st post on here,

this item caught my eye on the news,

What is stopping minoritys from heading to the hills anyway so why have an initiative to get them to do so, if they dont want to go then why encourage them ,it strikes me as very politicaly correct.

Just because the numbers are low that just shows a lack of interest in this sort of thing and someone is trying to justify there own existance by creating a solution to a problem that doesnt really exist.

rant over with,head down an wait for the flak11111

Hi Chris,

Welcome to OM. 

Most of the countries I've lived in have had urban populations that headed for the countryside in good weather for picnics so maybe this initiative will encourage more people to do this at least. 

I guess when you work 7 days a week in a sweatshop in Bradford you don't have much time to visit the National Parks.

Welcome to OM Chris.

Benco,

What's up with your Avatar? You been watching too much Batman again?

Well... on Helvellyn on Monday I met the only Italian I've ever seen on the fell. Previous to that, many years ago, I met an Irish guy on Helvellyn. I once saw a Korean guy making a video on the Scarth Gap Pass. Errr... and I'm afraid that's the lot, unless you count the Asian family having a paddle in the little beck near Seatoller. So, yeah, it's mostly white middle class Brits going walking in the Lakes, but I don't see how that's necessarily anyone's 'fault'. For some reason that I've never understood, half the population of Japan follows the main road from one Wordsworth house to another, without even remotely considering walking on the fells that Wordsworth once walked. Again, is that someone's 'fault' or is it just the way things are?

Basically, I'm mystified, but then again, in some parts of the world, I'm the 'ethnic minority' guy going walking, when none of the natives would even consider it!

"You been watching too much Batman again?"

Terminator.

Ah.

I can't talk having just rewatched the original Star Wars Trilogy.

Maybe it is political correctness, whatever that means nowadays. It would be good if white youths from disadvantaged backrounds were also included. If it helps some young folk from 'ethnic' backgrounds to develop a love of the country they live in, then surely thats a good thing?

I think that if you really want to do something, you'll do it anyway though.

(It took a while to write this, more posts arrived since I started)

I don't think 'fault' as such comes into this at all. Situations sometimes simply exist as a result of history and culture. Then the question is whether efforts could or should be taken to change the situation or whether it's fine as it is?

Take any minority and any activity and ask why they don't participate. Maybe their background means they've never been introduced to it or thought of it as something they might do. Maybe it doesn't feel open or welcoming because most folk who appear to do it aren't like them. Maybe they lack the skills or confidence to get out and start...?

So, are there benefits to getting folk from minorities to the outdoors? Well, we all clearly think there are benefits to going there, whether health, relaxation, social, pure enjoyment, whatever, so why not try to get other folk to share some of that? Add to that a more mixed range of participants seeing each other sharing the outdoors might go a little way to diluting some of the segregation and barriers that seem to be building in sections of society....  optimistic perhaps, but isn't it just possible?

Spending public money on it? Well we already spend public money supporting lots of things that only a sub-section of society use - art galleries, theatres, sports centres, national parks... - but if public money supports them then shouldn't some effort be made to promote and share the benefit among everyone? So whether it's free admission to art galleries, cheap tickets for schoolkids to see a Shakespeare play, or schemes to encourage ethnic minorities to national parks (or disadvantaged white youths, I agree, Mike), giving folk encouragement to try something they wouldn't otherwise try could well open doors and offer a lifetime of benefit to some of them, and indirectly to all of us....  is that really such a bad use of public money?

In short, you probably learn to love the hills from your family, friends, peers, upbringing. So one thing that might stop a group (whether it's an ethnic minority or economic group or whatever) heading to the hills is not having a history of climbing/hill walking, not having any one you know either to introduce you, act as a role model, what have you.

Overcoming that seems reasonable for the authorities, seeing as their mandate includes promotion/outreach work.

The crux of the matter is that this really is a waste of public money,its just a pr exercise for the government to make it look as if its doing more for minoritys,so what if 1 in 10 people who visit the hills are a minority. Is there really a need to spend money on redressing the numbers,its similar to the work place where if a minority group is underepresnted then they are actively recruited in the name of diversity at the expense of more qualified non minority.

Why not spend the money on getting folk from all over place interested in the outdoors who may not necesarry have the means or access to the outdoors regardless of race,wouldnt that have a better effect of social cohesion between minoritys and non minority folk

On my trip to Ladakh and Spiti valley a few years ago it was interesting to see how few of the majority plains-living Indian population were up there - it was just a different world to the rest of India.

The nearest the holidaying middle-class Indians wanted to get to the mountains was the old colonial hill stations like Shimla or Manali.

The road from Manali up to Rohtang-La pass is lined with stalls selling fur coats for families to wear after they get out of their jeeps at the top of the pass - then they just come straight back down: they're there for a glimpse of snow!

Nothing judgemental about this - just the way it is - I just found it quite interesing how disinterested the burgeoning indian middle class was in trekking or hiking of any sort.

If you come from poor and spartan beginnings I suppose you aspire to comfort rather than the sort of self-imposed deprivation and self-sufficiency that we enjoy when we get out into the wilderness.

chris owen 2 wrote (see)

The crux of the matter is that this really is a waste of public money,its just a pr exercise for the government to make it look as if its doing more for minoritys....

Chris, can you present any evidence to support that assertion? Or is it merely pre-judged opinion?

chris owen 2 wrote (see)

Why not spend the money on getting folk from all over place interested in the outdoors who may not necesarry have the means or access to the outdoors regardless of race,wouldnt that have a better effect of social cohesion between minoritys and non minority folk

chris owen 2 wrote (see)

its similar to the work place where if a minority group is underepresnted then they are actively recruited in the name of diversity at the expense of more qualified non minority.

I have to take issue with this as it is a very bad analogy. It suggests minorities are less qualified to be in the hills, and if they were hillwalking they would be preventing others from being there.

This story isn't about positive discrimination, or affirmative action, it's just outreach. Bridging the gap between cultural activities. Like being invited around to sample some different food.

That it costs taxpayers money is a different issue. If you want the lakes authorities to promote themselves using our money then I'd guess spending it on groups that don't normally partake is a pretty efficient use of funds. Much better than things that preach to the converted. If you don't want them to spend tax money at all, then fair enough.

Lets remember these are ethnic minorities they are not disabled they are not aged or to young to look after them selves, alright some may be but people should be helped when they need it not just because of their skin colour positive descrimination is still discrimination and to my mind if you help one race to the depriment of another that is racism plain and simple.Lets help the needy and get rid of some of these left wing loonies who find problems with everything ethnic minorities do not want to do.

i cant get the hang of quoting yet

Matt c its not a racial issue as im not racist, i have colour tv and a black coffe table.

its more to do with the way the government panders to minoritys to win votes.

 Robert harris ,i didnt claim that minoritys were unqualified for the hills it was just a comparison to make the point about being how positive descrimination is creeping into everything from work to pleasure,

All the "I'm not racist, but" people in this thread have appalling spelling and grammar.

I have huge prejudices about such things. And what's annoying is massive amounts of my hard earned money is taxed and poured into teaching such people to write properly, give them college places, jobs, etc. etc. To no discernible effect.