Here's a thought-provoking article... Hunting While Black

[Alabama]

Interesting article.

All the first hand experiences he writes about his interaction with white West Virginians is positive, while the negatives are left to his perception in his mind.

Thats not to say the south isn't racist in places. I've been to rural Alabama. Nothing has changed there.

Hey Assh*** I live in Rural Alabama. I promise you there are plenty of people who live here who aren't racist. Sure there are some but I bet there are some in Montana too. There are dumb people everywhere, we don't hold the patent on it.

 

[Tradewind]

Hey Assh*** I live in Rural Alabama. I promise you there are plenty of people who live here who aren't racist. Sure there are some but I bet there are some in Montana too. There are dumb people everywhere, we don't hold the patent on it.

Well, this is getting off to a great start.
think i'll pass on the rest of it

 

[Goatshoes]

Give him time. He'll figure it out.

 

[MTGomer]

Hey Assh*** I live in Rural Alabama. I promise you there are plenty of people who live here who aren't racist. Sure there are some but I bet there are some in Montana too. There are dumb people everywhere, we don't hold the patent on it.

And there are plenty who are. Notice how the nightlife in Montgomery self segregates?

Or how it is nothing to people to throw around ‘nigger’ in a conversation down there? And that’s a very nice example.

This wasn’t exclusive to the rural areas I was hunting in but right in town in Montgomery too. The things I hear people say in those two weeks were unbelievable. And that’s including from a faculty member of Auburn University and a Dentist, so not just a bunch of backwards hicks living on the plantation.

There might be some racist people in Montana. In fact, I know there’s some hiding out in the Yaak by the ID border.

You would NEVER hear people here in an open conversation in a large group of people that included strangers remind you that niggers are a second class of people. If you came to hunt with them, you would never see any Montanans that I know check out your Facebook and then ask you in front of 20 people why you have pictures with a black girl.

 

[The Hedgehog]

I don’t know what all the fuss is about.

 

[LCH]

I don't doubt that MTGomer ran into some racist folks down in Alabama. I've heard the same in Indiana, and I imagine it could be found anywhere else. I've spent a lot of time in Alabama though, and that hasn't been my experience at all; I'm sure it's a small minority of the population.

There may not be a lot of black hunters (although I do know a couple around here), but I've met quite a few black fishermen. I've fished from public piers in places like Cape Charles, Virginia, and been the only white guy out there. Never was a problem from my perspective, I've had many good fun conversations out on those piers.

 

[MN Public Hunter]

This is Anthony Bourdain and TV we are talking about, so yes, they have to bring in a new twist and in this case it's the race card. Just another reason no one watches this idiot and he had to change network to even stay alive. Everyone wants to stop talking about color, but ever time you turn a corner, there it is again.

 

[Slam]

There are some hollows of WV that I am wary of hunting, it's a territorial thing for the locals.

I find it slightly amusing but sadly consistent with our current narrative on Blacks in America that they need be afraid of us.

In my daily travels purchasing and leasing commercial/industrial real estate, many times in the hood, I can can assure you that
my senses are on high alert just as if I am hunting, but from a prey rather than predator perspective. You see, I to fear the other race (when in their territory), not from
some unfounded perception but based on real life interactions when you are the minority in a given area.

I don't write articles about it, make statement about "colorblind" not being a positive, I am a realist - we are Tribal - attempting to homogenize our cultures
is a farce.

However, I strongly disagree with racism, don't socialize with racist and raise my children to understand our differences and similarities.

 

[Ben Long]

Greenhorn, that is the only "white guy in blackface" that I can get behind!
I've been a lot of things in my 50 years, but I've never been a black man in West Virginia. I can't pretend to know his life experience, but I thought this article gave an honest look at his perceptions and how some preconceived notions don't pan out in reality.

 

[Doublecluck]

Why are you sitting at a 7-11 in compton anyways? All kidding aside I agree with the sentence you pointed out. I have had bad run ins with just about every skin color. I don't really associate skin color to the type of person someone is, regardless you will have bad eggs whoever and wherever you are.

I imagine how I felt working in Compton is how the writer of this article feels hunting WV. Lol..

I agree with the quote as well, Americans do associate blackness with danger and criminality. That’s not because America is racist, it’s because statistically speaking, you have 8-12 percent of the population committing 50-70% of the robberies and homicides in many cities and states. it’s only human nature and basic survival instinct that any logical thinking person might fear that segment of the population. That’s not racist, it’s factual information and people’s real life experience. I don’t associate skin color to who a person is, but statistically speaking for every person I encounter on the street of any given race the likelihood of them being a criminal is highest among blacks. I wish that weren’t true, but it is, and I wouldn’t begin to claim to know how to fix it, but I would say that it would probably start by fixing the family structure in black communities and finding a way to make sure these young men have jobs..

 

[Ben Lamb]

The difference, my racial justice warrior, is that I have lived in a couple of southern cities, including the deep south. Whilst you have lived........
And why do assume I am white?

Because your Friday music picks are pretty Caucasian, mon conservative frere.

I spent 6 years in Houston, went to junior high & high school there. I was born on the Wind River Indian Reservation as well. I'm not just a lily white flower of Montana, you know. Apologies if my conflagration of your music and race were off-base.

 

[NoWiser]

Interesting article. Thanks for posting. It's something I'd have never thought of, being a white male. While I like to think Minnesota is a pretty friendly state, there are definitely areas I've hunted where I'd discourage a black (or female for that matter) hunter from going. Incidentally, they are areas that remind me of a stereotypical West Virginia valley.

 

[dcopas78]

I had the great experience of growing up being neighbors with a wonderful black family that I'm still friends with today. They were one of the only black families to live in the county I am from. Adams County is a lot like many other Appalachian counties across the area. There are a few people that didn't like my neighbors simply because they were black. The first house the family built was burnt to the ground. The county cops/fire personnel didn't even investigate although it was about a plain an example of arson as there every was. Old Man Chambers (how I always knew the old man of the family) didn't get mad, he just built back a concrete/block house and dared them to try it again. I grew up hunting with his boys, or at least the 3 I knew out of the 26 kids he had, lol. We shared many deer/turkey/fish harvests together. They gave us fresh milk from their cows. We helped them harvest their tobacco and corn. With all that being said, those boys ALWAYS had to be cautious when they were out walking the roads or fishing/hunting because of the few people that despised them without knowing them. I've spent quite a bit of my time in big cities working, and I've never been naive enough to think that I could treat a city neighborhood like I could my neighborhood. I think the concerns are reciprocal in that matter, at least somewhat. I can't imagine what my neighbors felt growing up in an area and having to be cautious about your surroundings and the people around you....worrying about getting knocked in the head or worse while you were out trying to enjoy your hobbies.

 

[MN Public Hunter]

Interesting article. Thanks for posting. It's something I'd have never thought of, being a white male. While I like to think Minnesota is a pretty friendly state, there are definitely areas I've hunted where I'd discourage a black (or female for that matter) hunter from going. Incidentally, they are areas that remind me of a stereotypical West Virginia valley.

I have lived in MN my entire life, where exactly would this be because I can't think of any. I want to make sure to avoid them myself

 

[bobbydean]

I thought the author articulated well. I can understand his concerns. Not in his shoes and cannot agree with everything he said.

In his shoes, I would be concerned. He was going hunting regardless of his concerns.

 

[fwagner]

I don’t know what all the fuss is about.

What point are you trying to make with your ridiculous comment and picture. Are you honestly on a thread discussing race and hunting and drawing an equivalency to you having black camo paint on your face?! You are the kind of garbage that keeps difficult discussions from progressing. If I ran this site you would be banned immediately!!

 

[Idahoarcheryhunter]

What point are you trying to make with your ridiculous comment and picture. Are you honestly on a thread discussing race and hunting and drawing an equivalency to you having black camo paint on your face?! You are the kind of garbage that keeps difficult discussions from progressing. If I ran this site you would be banned immediately!!

That's probably why you don't run the site. Next.

 

[Slam]

What point are you trying to make with your ridiculous comment and picture. Are you honestly on a thread discussing race and hunting and drawing an equivalency to you having black camo paint on your face?! You are the kind of garbage that keeps difficult discussions from progressing. If I ran this site you would be banned immediately!!

This may be a textbook example of an over sensitized individuals inability to recognize levity.

lev·i·ty
ˈlevədē/Submit
noun
humor or frivolity, especially the treatment of a serious matter with humor or in a manner lacking due respect.

I found it quite funny!

 

[MTGomer]

That's probably why you don't run the site. Next.

 

[The Hedgehog]

I've been called way worse, by much better I'm sure. But there's always a good reason to change your avatar.