Well, Apparently, Trees Might Be Racist Now, Too

https://pjmedia.com ^ | APR 05, 2021 9:42 AM ET | MATT MARGOLIS

[Red Badger]

A high school in Portland, Ore., has postponed changing its mascot to the evergreen tree after a committee member raised concerns over the possible racist connotations.

The Ida B. Wells-Barnett High School’s namesake is the Pulitzer Prize-winning African American journalist who extensively reported on and protested against lynching, reports the Portland Tribune. Originally, the evergreen tree was proposed because, according to Ellen Whatmore, a mascot committee member and a teacher at the school, evergreens “are characterized by the life-giving force of their foliage, the strength of their massive trunk, and the depth of their roots—in an individual tree and as a forest of trees.”

“They provide shelter and sustenance. They have histories that preclude us and will continue in perpetuity after we are no more,” Whatmore added.

The evergreen was the frontrunner out of 420 different nominations, but then Michelle DePass, the director of the Portland Public Schools Board of Education, suggested that the tree’s connotations to lynching could be problematic.

[Wonder Warthog]

Soooo ridiculous..........

[Army Air Corps]

The evergreen was the frontrunner out of 420 different nominations, but then Michelle DePass, the director of the Portland Public Schools Board of Education, suggested that the tree’s connotations to lynching could be problematic.

Is this person able to dress herself without assistance, and without drooling on herself?

[DuncanWaring]

If I were going to “lynch” someone, I certainly wouldn’t be using a pine tree; their branch structure is highly-inappropriate for that task.

[Richard Axtell]

I say, cut to the chase, and declare “sanity” racist. That would quell a lot of potential arguments. No need to think then, just obey, regardless of the self destructive outcome, and descent into madness it represents.

[dfwgator]

Now there’s no more oak oppression
For they passed a noble law
And the trees are all kept equal
By hatchet, axe, and saw

[DuncanWaring]

They have histories that preclude us...

---

“Preclude” us?

Legitimate typo/autocorrect error, or did she actually mean to use a synonym for “prevent”?

[the OlLine Rebel]

I have several problems with statements in this article relating to evergreens.

Most notably them being used for lynching.

Evergreens are notoriously filled with little twiglettes everywhere, and drooping branches. It’d be a pain getting under one and to get a rope around the prickly branches.

[Magnum44]

[Little Ray]

Trees. Peanut Butter Sandwiches. Good Grammar. Large Vocabularies. Nice Lawns. Reading To Your Kids At Bedtime. Moving into a minority area (gentrification). Moving out a minority area (white flight).

Everything thing is racist if a white person does it. Embrace it.

[PROCON]

[Seruzawa]

Lol. Evergreen branches won’t generally support a hanging unless they get pretty big. Oaks are much better. WTF thinks of this stupid stuff?

[RatRipper]

The Ida Daisies

[Army Air Corps]

People with an Ed.D. conjure this crap.

[Red Badger]

I think she meant ‘predate’..................

[ProtectOurFreedom]

There was a great comment at the Portland Tribune about this yesterday:

Defund the forests!

[escapefromboston]

When will whites simply just stop listening to these people?

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Our family of quail just love our pines for that very reason.

[xp38]

[ProtectOurFreedom]

You forgot working hard; getting the right answer; treating people with respect; thrift; helping the downtrodden. All racist.