Do our leaders check their brains at the door when they get into office?
I just read an article here that has my blood boiling. I attempted to voice my opinion but the comments were closed on the discussion. So I'm going to re-open the discussion right here. First go to http://www.theagitator.com/2011/07/07/does-michelle-obama-know-about-this/
In short the Oak Park, Michigan, has pitted itself against a family that dared to plant vegetables in their front yard. This wasn't in the thoroughfare mind you, which the local municipality typically controls, it was in their own front yard.
I'm outraged! First I frequently walk past another residence just a block away from me that has a vegetable garden in the front yard – has as long as I've lived here. I see vegetable gardens in the front yards of other residences in Chicago – lots of them.
This is pure and simple harassment to my way of thinking. Now understand, I know I'm an outsider here. But I'm appalled that any municipality should go to such lengths to control people when there are a lot more serious concerns facing us – like jobs.
What the Bass family did was replace grass with food on their own property. And, they did it openly without attempt to disguise their efforts.
Grass serves no useful purpose other than covering dirt and leaving room for dandelions and other weeds. And, frankly a weed infested front yard (you'll see lots of them in around town) is ugly – even if it's mowed.
I find all those funky plastic and concrete storks and statues that people put in their front yards a whole lot more obnoxious and cheap looking. Frankly, pink flamingos and elfs and other toys in front of houses are disgusting and cheap looking. But they're allowed to stay – I may not like them but the owners have every right to do what they want with the property they own.
We're supposed to be thinking in terms of the environment. And we're all looking for ways to sustain life in a highly volatile economy. What better way to do that than to grow useful plants. Don't misunderstand me, I love flowers and bushes. And I look for ways to plant them freely. But vegetables and fruits also have very beautiful flowers…they just grow up and give back to their caretakers an abundance of life-sustaining foods. Those foods are, by the way, a whole lot better than what you'll find in the local farmers market or the local grocery store.
When are we and our politicians going to stop looking for ways to control each other and start encouraging each other to innovate.
I welcome your comments on this topic…and I don't plan to close down the comments any time soon.