The following is a letter posted in POWDER Magazine, commenting on Burton’s marketing campaign where snowboarders were called on to “poach” the remaining skiers-only resorts. I especially like the golf course comment…
Dear Jake Burton Carpenter,
On Behalf of all your upper class, white customers, I would like to thank you and your gian corporation for fighting the “fascist” depredations of four ski areas. Thanks for taken a break from making American Express ads to take on this massive source of human suffering and in justice.
A 5,000$ prize to any snowboarder who provides video documentation of poaching the four ski resorts that of last winter didn’t allow snowboarding? That is impressive. I bet you make that much in 15 minutes of filming for your Hewlett-Packard commercials.
Trying to create division where there is none in order to keep your brand “anti establishment” reminds me of Chevron talking about all the great things they do for the environment: it’s self serving trash from the rich and powerful. Now that your monopolistic corporation has crushed all the small, rider-owned companies, its time to Fight the Man!
When you categorize these ski resorts as “fascist” your likening them to doctorial regimes that systematically exploit and murder people. Considering that snowboarders as a demographic are among the wealthiest, freest, most privileged on the planet, and that your sport and your fortune wouldn’t exist without skiing, I think you can find a better cause. If you want to fight for human rights, start by moving all production out of china.
The argument for your cause is the same time and again: “It’s discriminatory! what if they didn’t let black people ski there?”
This argument, besides insulting anyone who has been oppressed due to race, gender, religion, etc.. is pathetically shallow. You’re as free to ski at Alta as anyone else. NO, you don’t get to take your board on the lift, but you cant play Frisbee golf at a golf course, either.
For the sake of brevity, let’s say you can have Deer Valley as far as I’m concerned. Taos needed the business and I support their decision. Mad river Glen is owned by a cooperative of shareholders that governs as a collective body. You want to ride at MRG, either by snowboard or toboggan? Buy a share and bring it up before the board.
Alta, on the other hand, is hallowed ground. It is the home and spiritual heart of powder skiing in America. Alta’s pioneers of avalanche science, men like Monty Atwater, Ed LaChappelke, and Svere Engen had their lives on the line daily while creating the avalanche protocol that allows all of us, including you, to ride safely. In fact, Atwater was wounded while fighting actual fascism in the Army’s 10th Mountain Division during World War II.
The ski vs. snowboard feud was always propagated by gapers on both sides. You’re resurrecting it now because you know that your company has become a mainstream, corporate, static, conformist fashion show.
When the kids who’ve been lining your pocket cease feeling rebellious because they all look the same wearing your expensive products, Burton is smoked. And for the same reason that China would be better off without a brutal monolithic regime running the show, snowboarding might be better of without Burton.
- Hans Ludwig
