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My Racist Garden
In troubled times like these, Voltaire reminds us, we must cultivate our own garden. Unfortunately, it would seem that this is racist:
It is the softly spoken radio show that provides good-natured help and advice to thousands of gardeners every week.
So regular listeners to Gardeners’ Question Time may be horrified to discover it has been accused of peddling racial stereotypes.
According to one academic, the Radio 4 panel show is riddled with “racial meanings” disguised as horticultural advice. …
Dr Ben Pitcher, a senior lecturer in sociology at the University of Westminster, claimed the programme’s regular discussions on soil purity and non-native species promote nationalist and fascist beliefs.
“The distinction that gets made between native species and non-native species and this kind of policing of what belongs and what does not belong I think is symptomatic of a kind of desire to defend the fantasy of the national space,” said Pitcher, adding that the show, which probably qualifies as one of the most inoffensive radio programs ever made, was “saturated” with racist language.
Former professor of cultural studies Lola Young agreed with Pitcher, comparing efforts by gardeners to destroy unfavorable flowers such as rhododendrons with violent racist attacks on Pakistanis.
The Daily Mail offers us a helpful guide:
NATIVE VERSUS NON-NATIVE SPECIES: The show’s experts often warn gardeners of the dangers of introducing foreign species of plant to a garden, and the importance of weed control. But is this actually a racist code?
SOIL: According to Dr Pitcher, nationalists often use the metaphor of soil to discuss ethnic purity. Are the Gardeners’ Question Time discussions about compost and soil types as innocent as they seem? …
SPADE: To most gardeners, it is no more than a simple garden implement. …
BLACKFLY: Listeners often call in asking how to rid their broad beans of the pesky black bean aphid, commonly known as blackfly. But is there a secret racist subtext?
Goodness. Never mind then, no gardening for me. I hope knitting isn’t racist.
So, what are your favorite relaxing racist pastimes?
Photo Credits: Flickr users Ron Adams and ukgardenphotos.
Published in General
What? No Blackeyed Susans? Obviously misogynistic domestic violence!
Liberalism: Dedicated to Diversity in all things except thought, politics, religion, flora and fauna!
That’s the beauty of this dust-up (heh). It pits the environmental purist leftists against the race-baiting leftists. Think I’ll kickback with a nice cool beer on a hot summer day and enjoy watching the natural world doing its thing.
Whatever would they make of my battle against the pachysandra (prounounced pakisandra, you know, like Pakistanis, right?) in my garden? I hate the stuff! Not as much as squirrels, but close. Actually, the morning glories are the worst, choking out anything in their path. Oh, what a racist I am! Must do penance. Would a coexist bumper sticker do it? Nope, not gonna happen. I’d rather be thought a racist than an idiot.
Spam contains Ham. Ham is Pork. Pork offends Muslims. RACIST!
So a cigar is never a cigar then?
So, if your roses have black spot and Japanese Beetles, you should forget all of those racist Ortho products and watch your bushes wither for the sake of diversity?
Shall I send them some kudzu?
duplicate
Thanks for bringing this up. I kept wondering how you could reconcile the “eat/grow local” movement with the inherent racism of gardening. I’m sure the lovely Drs. could tell me!
I am sure my Role Playing Games are racist. Orcs are Drow are evil and have black skin!
Picture the most condescending, sickly sweet face you can…Ok, got it? Here is what it is saying.
Aaron,
you have completely internalized the racist, oppressive, patriarchal hegemony that exploits all women and marginalized women of color even more. While you think the term “brown sugar” refers to a light or dark molasses infused sugar, clearly term indicates and validates the exploitation-oriented patriarchy embedded in our culture and language.
This particular term was even memorialized in song providing further evidence of the embedded racism in society and it’s acceptance and yes, even popularity.
Aaron, by your use of brown sugar, in glazes, baking, and other cooking you perpetuate the problem. Banish the brown sugar from your kitchen…step forward and say, it ends with me!
: )
All I know is: “Once you taste brown sugar, you’ll never go back to white cane.” ;)
As for delightfully racist music, I can do better.
Claire,
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death.
I can’t stand it anymore!!! I must admit my guilt. Yes, when I was ten my mother would send me out to the lawn to, dare I say, WEED! For all the world the dandelion is a most beautiful flower. However, just because it’s root system appears to be, shall we say, over-extensive, this cruel cruel World has called the dandelion a WEED! Oh how merciless! Racist, Fascist, Homophobe (don’t know how this applys but I though I’d just throw it in).
YES YES I DID IT!! I took my spade and dug deep. Its root system desperately holding on for life and RRRIIIIIPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!
Out, out, brief candle!
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury
Signifying nothing.
No, No Claire don’t even try to comfort me. I don’t deserve it.
Regards,
Jim
Along the same thought process, I have always wondered why environmentalist have never embraced Intelligent design. The whole movement totally ignores that nature selection is all about invasive species creating new ecosystems and there is no such thing as a static environment. Then again liberals never are consent in thought process, and to actually acknowledge their believes have a major religious competent would hurt their cause.
We’re currently busy coping with an invasion of Asian beetles (masquerading as ladybugs) that covers every available outdoor and indoor surface. (Vacuuming them away is what the County Extension Service advises. Incidentally, they were brought in several years ago as “natural pest control”.) Thanks, Claire, for raising my consciousness about yet another instance of ‘white privilege’ – and for the lovely garden photos!
So when I eat my organic Kiwi am I cooling the earth or encouraging the propagation of an invasive species?
What am I supposed to do now?
No matter what, Feel. Very. Bad.
My name is hydrogia and I emit carbon.
I feel so much better now that I have admittted the truth.
Claire Berlinski: So, what are your favorite relaxing racist pastimes?
Playing backgammon.