Does your theme camp embrace racial diversity?

[CapSmashy]

Ours does.

[lemur]

burning man is very racially diverse, everyone is welcome, radical inclusion rules.

[BBadger]

That "embrace" word sounds like diversity is some prodigal son who has all these expectations of being rejected but then gets taken in with open arms. Hopefully "diversity" in your camp ends up being one of those things you just don't notice.

[FIGJAM]

Is Diver city near Atlantis?

[littlebird]

Just out of curiosity, how racially diverse does the BRC community tend to be? I'm assuming the vast majority of people are white. Does the census they do provide that kind of info? I'm going to go google. But really all I'm looking to find out is veterans' personal observations. Just to be clear, any extent of racial diversity is fine with me; I'm just curious.

[goathead]

India, Philippines, Germany, UK, black, white, whatever, we even let republicans camp with us.

[CapSmashy]

Just out of curiosity, how racially diverse does the BRC community tend to be? I'm assuming the vast majority of people are white. Does the census they do provide that kind of info? I'm going to go google. But really all I'm looking to find out is veterans' personal observations. Just to be clear, any extent of racial diversity is fine with me; I'm just curious.

It is a predominantly anglo attended event, but not because it is racially exclusive.

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2009/08/14/128-camping/

If you find yourself trapped in the middle of the woods [desert] without electricity, running water, or a car you would likely describe that situation as a “nightmare” or “a worse case scenario like after plane crash or something.” White people refer to it as “camping.”

When white people begin talking to you about camping they will do their best to tell you that it’s very easy and it allows them to escape the pressures and troubles of the urban lifestyle for a more natural, simplified, relaxing time. Nothing could be further from the truth.

In theory camping should be a very inexpensive activity since you are literally sleeping on the ground. But as with everything in white culture, the more simple it appears the more expensive it actually is.

[lemur]

comedian and burner OHTONY brings up the subject of why he thinks black people do/dont go to burning man..

http://www.ohtony.com/burner-tales-from-the-playa-2/

(its in part two.. about 4 minutes in)

but watch the whole thing.. all 4 parts... cuz its damned funny

[CapSmashy]

India, Philippines, Germany, UK, black, white, whatever, we even let republicans camp with us.

Republicans? Jesus man, I humbly submit to your superior adherence to radical inclusion.

[ygmir]

you say racial, do you mean species? we know your special.

[BBadger]

Republicans? Jesus man, I humbly submit to your superior adherence to radical inclusion.

I'm surprised you'd even know. While race or gender, or whatever is visually apparent, someone has to actually tell you their values for you to know what they believe, and that's been pretty rare in my experience.

One of the things I most like about Burning Man is that there are few agendas being pushed there. Before attending, I expected there to be a bunch of "green" hippies preaching all kinds of hypocritical crap about how the event promotes all those good things that they think are good. Instead, it's just a lot of people enjoying themselves and not wasting each others' time with their default-world affiliations. That includes conservatives, liberals, gay, straight, religious, ethnic, environmentalists, creationists, etc. A week where we can all visit some crazy place in the middle of nowhere and enjoy what other people bring along with what we bring too -- along with enjoying what we all don't bring.

[CapSmashy]

comedian and burner OHTONY brings up the subject of why he thinks black people do/dont go to burning man..

http://www.ohtony.com/burner-tales-from-the-playa-2/

(its in part two.. about 4 minutes in)

but watch the whole thing.. all 4 parts... cuz its damned funny

Awesome. "... let's not forget about the church burning on Sunday."

[ygmir]

India, Philippines, Germany, UK, black, white, whatever, we even let republicans camp with us.

Republicans? Jesus man, I humbly submit to your superior adherence to radical inclusion.

we antonymological anarchists equally embrace and reject all parties.

[goathead]

India, Philippines, Germany, UK, black, white, whatever, we even let republicans camp with us.

Republicans? Jesus man, I humbly submit to your superior adherence to radical inclusion.

we also practice radical ejection from the bar for talking religion, politics, default crap.



sit down, drink up, get the fuck out.

[trilobyte]

I'm giving this a nudge over to politics and philosophy, since I think that's a better fit for the conversation.

In answer to the question, it's kind of tough to say. As the OP posed it (broad question in subject line, photo of cat in body), it's pretty open-ended and generic. In that sense, our camp's got plenty of diversity (plenty of cat, dog, fish, etc owners in the mix). As far as the human diversity goes, it's a trickier question. We don't do an open enrollment model, so it would be a lie to say we're free to anyone to join. We do a sponsorship model (meaning new members are introduced to the group through an existing member sponsoring them), and are open to anyone that any of our camp members thinks would make a great fit. And we've had campmates of many different races, colors, creeds, genders, sexual orientations, religious backgrounds, and diets over the years. To be honest, I'm not even sure what the orientations and backgrounds would be for many of them, it's not the basis of our friendship and not something I've cared to take note of. Mostly I don't think anyone (in our camp) really gives it any thought.

I like the radical ejection practice at your bar, goathead, good policy.

[littlebird]

Awesome. "... let's not forget about the church burning on Sunday."

Yeah, I laughed hard at that. Thanks for the link, lemur.

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2009/08/14/128-camping/

I'm a huge fan of that site.

[CapSmashy]

I'm giving this a nudge over to politics and philosophy, since I think that's a better fit for the conversation.

Oh well fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine!

In answer to the question, it's kind of tough to say. As the OP posed it (broad question in subject line, photo of cat in body), it's pretty open-ended and generic. In that sense, our camp's got plenty of diversity (plenty of cat, dog, fish, etc owners in the mix). As far as the human diversity goes, it's a trickier question. We don't do an open enrollment model, so it would be a lie to say we're free to anyone to join. We do a sponsorship model (meaning new members are introduced to the group through an existing member sponsoring them), and are open to anyone that any of our camp members thinks would make a great fit. And we've had campmates of many different races, colors, creeds, genders, sexual orientations, religious backgrounds, and diets over the years. To be honest, I'm not even sure what the orientations and backgrounds would be for many of them, it's not the basis of our friendship and not something I've cared to take note of. Mostly I don't think anyone (in our camp) really gives it any thought.

I like the radical ejection practice at your bar, goathead, good policy.

I wasn't really looking to start a deep or even a meaningful conversation on the subject, hence the inclusion of smug cat, but if one happens to evolve from it, that's cool too.

And radical ejection. I love it. Now I know what to call my typical behavior out there.

[goathead]

I'm giving this a nudge over to politics and philosophy, since I think that's a better fit for the conversation.

Oh well fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine!

In answer to the question, it's kind of tough to say. As the OP posed it (broad question in subject line, photo of cat in body), it's pretty open-ended and generic. In that sense, our camp's got plenty of diversity (plenty of cat, dog, fish, etc owners in the mix). As far as the human diversity goes, it's a trickier question. We don't do an open enrollment model, so it would be a lie to say we're free to anyone to join. We do a sponsorship model (meaning new members are introduced to the group through an existing member sponsoring them), and are open to anyone that any of our camp members thinks would make a great fit. And we've had campmates of many different races, colors, creeds, genders, sexual orientations, religious backgrounds, and diets over the years. To be honest, I'm not even sure what the orientations and backgrounds would be for many of them, it's not the basis of our friendship and not something I've cared to take note of. Mostly I don't think anyone (in our camp) really gives it any thought.

I like the radical ejection practice at your bar, goathead, good policy.

I wasn't really looking to start a deep or even a meaningful conversation on the subject, hence the inclusion of smug cat, but if one happens to evolve from it, that's cool too.

And radical ejection. I love it. Now I know what to call my typical behavior out there.

radical ejection, less sticky

[Sham]

Last year we voted to allow colored people into our camp.

[goathead]

Last year we voted to allow colored people into our camp.

makes brightly colored bar stools.

[Dr. Pyro]

We have Republicans and Jews in our camp. How much more diversified can you get?

[Sic Pup]

I camp solo, I barely allow myself to hang out (and probably wouldn't at all if I weren't footing the bill). That said, it's not a racial thing, it's more a tolerance thing.

[Elliot]

Just out of curiosity, how racially diverse does the BRC community tend to be? I'm assuming the vast majority of people are white. Does the census they do provide that kind of info? I'm going to go google. But really all I'm looking to find out is veterans' personal observations. Just to be clear, any extent of racial diversity is fine with me; I'm just curious.

Fact: 13 percent of USA’s population is Black.
Observation: The percentage of Blacks at BM is probably only a fraction of a percent.

A few years ago, BM founder Larry Harvey was asked about this in a filmed interview. Some of that interview appears in a documentary that can be purchased – it is either Dust Devils or BM Beyond Black Rock. The interviewer’s question was left out of the film, so Mr. Harvey’s reply seems out of context, but it can be figured out after listening a few times.

I have not watched this recently, but I recall the gist of it. Mr. Harvey explains how white people lack a deep and unifying culture. So they/we embark on searches such as BM, trying to develop a worthwhile culture. Blacks, on the other hand, Mr. Harvey opines, have always nurtured their African culture, and would waste their time “...hanging out with a bunch of white folks”, as I seem to remember he put it.

I can attest to the lack of a unifying and sincere white culture. My Norwegian background from my first 24 years of life is pretty much lost – boiled away in the American melting pot. I’m very much in search of identity on the Playa.

I can offer no opinion on this matter. I’m still trying to find my bearings in this complex society. But I think “The Hat” may have a valid point.

For whatever that’s worth.

[lemur]

they also edited out 5 minutes of larry going 'uhhhh.. mmmmmm err.. uhh.. i think.. uhh ..err.. uhh mmmm uhh' out of that interview question

[Elliot]

they also edited out 5 minutes of larry going 'uhhhh.. mmmmmm err.. uhh.. i think.. uhh ..err.. uhh mmmm uhh' out of that interview question

Little wonder, since it is one of the most confounding questions of our entire society.

[Simon of the Playa]

all i know is if detroit was 83% white it would have already been bailed out...


just sayin'...

[lemur]

i hear kickstarter is a popular way to raise money

[Roberto Dobbisano]

[Dr. Pyro]

all i know is if detroit was 83% white it would have already been bailed out...


just sayin'...

My guess if that were the demographic make up of Detroit it wouldn't need bailing out.

Just sayin'...

[Elliot]

all i know is if detroit was 83% white it would have already been bailed out...


just sayin'...

My guess if that were the demographic make up of Detroit it wouldn't need bailing out.

Just sayin'...

Quite possibly so. However, seems to me the real question is why it is so. Just trying to think about that makes my head hurt.

By the way, my town of Clearlake is 74% white and 4% black. Our city government is perpetually on the verge of bankruptcy. Just saying -- there are many factors involved.