It’s almost summer, but why is there still so much white on the mountains?
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- Опубліковано 3 жов 2024
- No, I'm not talking about the snow. Yes, you should unsubscribe.
*Helpful watching*
13th - Netflix Documentary by Ava DuVernay
*Helpful reading*
9 ways to help Black Lives Matter: www.fastcompan...
75 things you can do for racial justice: / what-white-people-can-...
Guide to Allyship: guidetoallyshi...
What is White Privilege? www.tolerance....
I invite you to share your thoughts below so long as you keep it civil. Any name calling and cursing will be removed. If this content doesn't sit well with you, I would strongly urge you to unsubscribe (the unsubscribe button is just to the right of the video description). This channel has gotten a little too big recently and I'm glad for the opportunity to right size it. Hike on.
I'm posting this comment here because I want to be clear why I'm asking you to unsubscribe. Hint: it's not because of your views about racism.
Because it's the Internet and people take offense to a lot of things, I'm adding this disclaimer: I don't know any of you personally so it seems silly to see me as a judge of your character. Try not to feel judged - if you do, that's on you.
I can't speak to your experience, but with my experience in the backcountry, there is very little racial diversity in the people I cross paths with. I think we can do better and that's the message of this video. You may not be interested and that's your prerogative. Feel free to disregard my video and my message then - it's fine.
**What I have a real problem with is that rather than waiting to see if my channel has changed in a way that you don't like, and quietly leaving, you are suggesting in the comments that I should put out content to suit your tastes because I need your subscription. Sorry to break it to you: I don't need you.**
I've put hundreds of hours into creating all of these videos for other people to consume. I've made them public for anyone to watch, rather than keeping them within an exclusive group of friends. You've watched many of them, posted comments, and I've taken the time to reply back to you. Why? Because it was through learning and being inspired by other people's videos that I got more and more drawn into hiking, and I want to give back to the hiking community.
Some of you reading this get it. I've seen your comments in all my past videos and feel encouraged to keep at it. Thank you.
But I will not create content for people who feel entitled to my content. So I would encourage you to unsubscribe from this channel, and maybe you can indulge in other content that creators like myself have put out on UA-cam - your views and attention may still matter to them.
Awesome channel, new friend here
Thanks, and welcome!
I appreciate you rightly acknowledging this moment in history. It is nice that you invite people to unsubscribe... it strikes me that the choice to "unsubscribe" to thinking about injustice is precisely what privilege is.
For an excellent story on the outdoors in America I recommend: Gloryland by Shelton Johnson (Yosemite Park ranger)
A really great point, Karl!
I love your videos but your thought games are odd. equating a 2.2 bear can to 50lbs of bricks and then stretching it to being shot if you stop hiking. carry the bear canister. the majority do it and it protects the bears from being euthanized in areas of high contact. I've seen people's trips ruined from bears in sequoia due to lack of bear canisters and no suitable trees to hang from the first bear climbed up the sequoia reached out a couple feet grabbed the rope and bag ripped off and carried away a group of threes food.
the group had to cancel there trip and hike out for two days with almost no food. in addition the bear came back all night long attempting to get more food. they got nothing due to the rest of us having bear canisters. we did get woken up all night long though and had to chase away the bear.
I 100% agree as a mestizo usa citizen that the Yosemite park police rangers contribute to systematic racism that was and still does excludes marginalized citizens from equal access to Yosemite. I have had several horrible encounters with Yosemite police rangers. I was ticketed once and when I went to court every defendant in the courtroom we're poor white people or mestizos. the judge was white, every police ranger was white, the prosecutor was white, the public defender was white. the clerk was white. all the bailiffs were white. it didn't turn out well for any defendant. it was so crazy with some people that I was relieved to get out of there with what I got. especially considering it was a white lady I was arguing over the bear locker in the backpackers camp that called the rangers and got me the disturbing the peace ticket. the one time I ran across a horseback law enforcement in the Backcountry it was also unpleasant as well. a giant white guy with a huge whip moustache on a horse pulling a mule. sat on his horse the whole time looking down on us as he interrogated us and eventually after checking our permits fishing licenses etc.. insulted us for bringing our young kids out into the backcountry. the whole time in our Backcountry campsite sitting on his horse which peed and shit. it was totally insane to all of us except the law enforcement ranger.
I do have to say that every regular unarmed park ranger and unarmed Backcountry ranger have been pleasant and often helpful. Yosemite has it's negatives, but they can be worked through and the benefits are worth the effort.
A few years back I was chatting up other hikers at VVR while taking a zero day along the JMT, and I ran into a father-son duo. We were having a drink together, talking trail, when the father asked the typical "what are you question" - something that doesn't bother me anymore, having heard it enough. When I told him I'm Chinese-American, he asked if my family owned a restaurant... I decided to transition out of the conversation and I politely left.
The next morning, as we took the ferry back to the trail, he made some bad joke about my hiking partner and I being gay (we're not), and being from San Francisco (we were living in the bay area at the time). Then as we got hiking, he made a 'joke' about how his son would run us off the trail. They managed to keep up with us for 1-2 miles before we absolutely dropped them on the 4k elevation climb over Silver Pass. Thinking about it in retrospect, it was probably one of the most unpleasant trail experience I've had in the backcountry. But reading other's experiences, I'm thankful I haven't experienced worse, and that it was just that - unpleasant.
Quickly becoming my favorite content creator in the backpacking sphere. Thank you for this.
Thanks Zach! More to come soon, I hope 🤞
Completely disagree with the BLM pov; I believe this country provides equal opportunity to ANYONE who is willing to work their a** off to get where they want to be. I feel this unfortunate mentality only encourages those unwilling to work HARD, to simply give up and play the victim. (Which is ironic, as those that don’t want to be the victim are playing the victim all too willingly). That being said, I’ve really enjoyed your hiking content (the Sierra High Route was fantastic), and so I’ll continue watching you. One thing we’ve forgotten in the past 5 years is that it’s ok to disagree with one another, and still be friendly and civil. Hike on...
There’s probably more similarity than differences here with our views if we really took the time to dig deep. Nonetheless, thanks for showing everyone what it looks like to be civil - hike on.
You're a great guy, thanks for doing this!
Thanks for the support, Stefan 🙏
So why is there so much snow on the mountains?
Wow, first video in the morning (340am), I'll have to revisit later, thanks Jimmy
I subscribed a few days before you posted this. It’s your channel, your forum, and your experiences. I’m white, and have spent a big part of my life living in China. My Mandarin is so-so, gwailo has been my name many times. But it was a Chinese guy who took me backpacking in the Sierras for the first time, my outdoor mentor...that was in 1975. I’m older than you, grew up in Oakland when Huey Newton was running the Black Panthers, and know that there has been change over the past 40 years of my life. No, it hasn’t changed enough, all people are still racists.
Truth: We are all racists
I subbed sometime in the last 2 weeks. I must say, I applaud your decision to make this video and what the video stands for. I feel you've been too gentle in euphemizing the blatant disregard for black citizenry and the overarching problems this country faces with racism. It translates perfectly to the hiking community... I'm an asian-american male (texas native, indian heritage). I cannot even imagine going hiking in the deep south because of fear I have of being harassed, mistreated, or potentially attacked by some aggressive, misguided persons at night. I am afraid to hold property in these parts of the US and practice my profession in these places (a profession, which in the final part of the training years, one cannot expect to chose where they go). Our only hope is to change enough of the population's opinion that representation of racist groups does not make its way into the police force, urban communities, etc.
I stand with you against those who refuse to thank their stars that they are afforded certain benefits and wisdoms the rest of us have only just now uncovered. The worst feeling is when someone claims to open arms and allow immigrants, only to harshly prevent sharing and growth of those very immigrants.
You wouldn't happen to be in research, would you?
At first I wasn't sure what this video was about, but as I continued to watch I am inspired by your bravery to openly share your thoughts while respectfully taking time to understand others in this comment section and, in all honesty, I think that is something many of us lack, myself included. As a mixed Asian-American, I understand the feelings you get on the trail; the feeling of being an alien. It is sad that this feeling also extends to my area of study, geology, where diversification feels somewhat lacking, sometimes. However, our future in this world will be diverse and while it may seem as if that future will take generations to attain, I am glad to know that there are thousands of people like you that push us a second further into that world. Thank you.
Thanks for the words, Gideon
So.....this is exactly why we love you, and all the adventures you share with us. Lived through the Viet Nam war, yes....served in the military, during the peace demonstrations. Then 9-11, still on active duty, waiting for deployment, lived through the “ask, don’t tell” and gay rights . Then happy that our children would live in peace with love for all people. Soooo....why exactly is it that some people, who certainly did not defend our country, have suddenly become haters and have not experienced the same love of mankind as we have? Forget about them. You just step smartly, and take the rest of us with you!
Thanks for chiming in Charlie and appreciate your support of this channel! Hope you continue to enjoy the adventures, which I'll start posting when restrictions get lifted.
The title about there being so "much white on the mountains " itself is offensive, divisive, and smacks of bigotry. I'm of European descent (my father was born and raised in Holland)...so I guess that makes me 'white.' So as a 'white ' backpacker am I supposed to stop going into the mountains to make them less white? Please don't be hypocritical. We should encourage all races to enjoy the mountains together. Embrace whoever shows up. It's not helpful when you judge others simply by skin color. I never judged you for being of asian descent. I accepted you as a likeable individual backpacker and enjoyed your channel for you as an individual.
It's not about stopping you from going to the mountains. It's about enabling other less privileged folks to get to experience the same joys that you and I experience. If there's a disproportionate majority and you want to achieve more balance, you can either take away from the majority or add to the minority. You're the one who just voiced the former - watch my video again and see if I've said anything but advocate for adding more to the minority.
It strikes me as odd that you feel like I am judging you - who am I to judge you? Why would you let yourself feel judged? I don't know you. I suggest we stop here, everything I have to say is available for all to see on my channel.
Appreciate your comments, unsubbed
Thank you.
@Hiking Nerd...I like your hiking and backpacking videos. I didn't come here for sociopolitical opinion. I disagree with the worldview of identity politics and collectivist notions of social justice. I also oppose fascist ideology by the way. I agree that we should all strive for a society where individuals are treated fairly regardless of race. I'd be happy to stay subscribed for hiking content, but if this channel is political (in any direction) then I respectfully unsubsubscribe. I do not care to get caught up in debates of division. I'd much rather enjoy a community of hikers and backpackers from all backgrounds sharing a common avocation where we leave our sociopolitical opinions at home.
Since you've been a long-time viewer, I thought I would do the courtesy of replying here and letting you know that you should unsubscribe. I've shared my full thoughts in the comment I just posted, pinned at the top.
Like you, I'm an Asian-American male who likes to hike. I also believe there should be justice and equality for all. i also believe that just because it's not happening to me personally that state-sponosred brutality via our police force doesn't exist nor do I believe that I should mind my own business when it comes to the marginalization of other groups of people. I love your channel. It saddens me that there are people who supposedly share a lot of what we love (the great outdoors and the freedom it provides) cannot think beyond themselves. How fair is it for people to indignantly say "All Lives Matter" when that was never in question? Black Lives Matter because they have been systematically economically, socially, and politically held in thrall for 400 years and, frankly, this country has been awful in showing that the lives of black people do indeed matter. You don't indignantly say "All Houses Matter" when the firemen come to put down a blaze at the one house on your block that's on fire. It saddens me that some of the people who view your videos (judging by the comments) simply do not understand this and/or refuse to acknowledge its urgency. It's your channel; share your message. To hell with the people who can't see beyond their bubble and become incensed when it's shown to them.
Thanks for being a long-time subscriber, Kenny, and taking the time to comment. So long as there are fellow hikers like you watching my videos, I'll keep at it.
Unsubscribed 👎🏽👎🏽👎🏽 with all due respect I strongly disagree with this movement
Thanks for letting me know.
Thanks for making these comments and don’t worry about any person that unsubscribes as a result, we dont need narrow pov’s in this community. Keep up the great stuff, make your opinion heard, and more importantly be yourself. Stay Safe man 👍
Thanks! I don’t make videos because I’m trying to rack up subscribers, and *unfortunately* that takes away power from anyone who thinks that unsubscribing means anything to me. I appreciate the comment. Stay tuned for more videos!
It takes balls to take a stance on a platform that rewards you based on subs, engagement, "likes" etc. You'll definitely lose some subs here but sticking to the metaphor references such is life. Sticking up for those who have been oppressed for so long while acknowledging your own privilege is powerful and thought provoking. Well done with your latest and thanks for the recommendations! OK, now I'll unsubscribe! jkjk
Thanks Lance! The good thing is that my motivations for this channel have always been clear to me. If I really wanted popularity, I would probably try to make my content appeal to a broader set of hikers instead of focusing on the fewer, more experienced ones. I would probably publish more “backpacking-101” style videos even though there are a ton out there. I think it’s safe to say that I don’t intend to cater to a mass audience, and I’m thankful for each of you who managed to find this channel and are sticking around!
Subscribed ! Great content
I have been subscribed for two days. Apparently two days too many…. Why, oh why do people have to inject their opinions into content. Good bye Nerd….. Yea, life is soooo easy over here. But, hike your own hike… Without me….
I appreciate the civil response. My content is not for you and I’m glad you’re able to unsubscribe. I wish you luck finding content without opinions and perspectives.
I've been subscribed a long time, and will stay subscribed. Keep on keeping on, and thank you for speaking up
Thanks for your continued support!
These metaphors are brilliantly chosen. Very important video.
Thanks for taking the time to comment, Reskamo.
Good analogies. Don’t worry about the haters. Thanks for this. 👍🏼
Thanks Ben