Posted on 08/13/2019 6:50:28 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
While most Americans are spending time this summer enjoying the sun in the comfort of their houses yards, the New York Times is out with a new exposé on how lawn care is problematic, once viewed through the lens of social justice. Lawns are contributing to pollution and climate change, asserts narrator David Botti, and their origins are far from woke, in a seven-minute video on the history of American lawns.
Botti says lawns are part of the colonizing of America, which transformed the landscape from pristine wilderness to identical rows of manicured nature.
These lawns come on the backs of slaves, he continues, zooming in on a painting of George Washington in a field to highlight men cutting the grass with scythes. Its grueling, endless work.
By the 1870s we also see American culture slowly start to embrace lawns for the privileged masses, he states.
The video explains that the perfect lawn is associated with being a model citizen, how the first sprinkler was invented in 1871, and about the advent of so-called trade cards that advertised the hell out of lawn and garden products.
The Times also refers to the work of historian Ted Steinberg, who calls lawns the outdoor expression of 50s conformism.
To drive home the point, he inserts vintage footage of two women being interviewed in their yards talking about how they moved to their communities to live exclusively near other white people. Neither of them says anything about desiring, having, or maintaining a lawn.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
Lawn jockeys replaced the hitching post.
I guess that means that either owning a horse was a sign of racist privilege, or having friends who owned horses and needing a place to tie them up when visiting was a sign of racist privilege.
-PJ
The NYT is infested with rodents vermin posing as journalists.
There. Fixed. :)
Lawns were created by the British in the 17th century to stop Irish serfs from jumping out of the tall weeds and robbing noblemen.
The elitist nobles at the NYT should be careful about abolishing lawns.
I think Versailles set the standard for lawns and the wealthy in France and England wanted to mimic on their estate.
or are they all called gardens.
No green lawns
No air conditioning
No SUVs
No self-defense
No freedom of religion
No liberty without government permission
This is old style 'commie talk'... the basis for "Little Boxes" by Pete Seeger ... 60's glorification of communism.
The black ink they use at the NYT is racess.
-PJ
Clunkers on blocks in the front yard be woke I guess then.
Thhis is so funny! I wonder what the Times would say about our green yards that are filled with native plants and trees, wildlife and bird song? I mean, we have a fairly naturalscape that looks kind of random and unkept. We are also a dsignated backyard wildlife sanctuary.
Got rid of front and back yard lawns, (small suburban plot). Put in flower beds. Much nicer and I dont have to mow in the summer, yay !
I’m sure the Times would say you’re obviously a racist if you have a backyard. The oppressed people can’t afford to have a backyard, and you should give them yours.
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