Today's Question, Tomorrow's Challenge:
Do plants, trees (living, growing "things") have "rights?" The above photos show the yard on the west side of La Casa Verde, our former home on Santa Fe Street in Presidio, TX. That's Noemi and Maiya Kareli seen in the photos in a project to remove many large rocks from beneath the roots of a Chinese Pistache tree. The rocks had not only blocked drainage but also kept the tree rootbound for several years, leaving branches mostly bare of leaves and sickly looking all year long. A year after the photos, in early spring, 2010, the tree had come back to life with full foliage. (Desert Mountain Times photos)
You say, 'Plant RIGHTS'??!
By A. Daniel Bodine
Yo, Jethro and Josafeen! Yeah, you. Funny looking shorts on; stragglin'-lookin' hair, both of you; tattoos scattered all over your arms and legs. Coming out of that plant nursery carrying the crèpe myrtle and the palm tree. You adopting? What are you gonna do with those? Wanna talk about Plant Rights for a few minutes?.
Is the civilized world on the cusp of entering a new age of activism, you think? Part of an evolving stewardship ethos that argues plants, like animals, have feelings, too; are living beings; and men and women, as designated caretakers of God's gardens, have an obligation to not only care for them but to protect them from dangers both natural and man-created? Just like fetuses and such?
That means you're adopting some responsibilities there with those plants, 'ya know? For what mankind is doing to plants much of the times now ain't just criminal but in many instances would get folks put right up there along side war crimes charges, little bit like crimes against humanity, huh? Did you think about all that before you adopted those two?
Yeah, shake your head; I know. But it's sure looking like that's what it's coming to, more and more every year, it seems. There are even some large forestry companies now (companies that use to be the bile of environmentalists), that are actively promoting forest stewardship, for example. Ain't that a kicker? Compared to our old clear 'em/leave 'em way of treating forests?! Huh?
Here, look at this. Consider this new way of looking at lowly plants, from an online Christian Science Monitor article a few years ago:
“Hardly articulate, the tiny strangleweed, a pale parasitic plant, can sense the presence of friends, foes, and food, and make adroit decisions on how to approach them.
The ground-hugging mayapple plans its growth two years into the future, based on computations of weather patterns. And many who visit the redwoods of the Northwest come away awed by the trees' survival for millenniums - a journey that, for some trees, precedes the Parthenon.
As trowel-wielding scientists dig up a trove of new findings, even those skeptical of the evolving paradigm of "plant intelligence" acknowledge that, down to the simplest magnolia or fern, flora have the smarts of the forest.
Some scientists say they carefully consider their environment, speculate on the future, conquer territory and enemies, and are often capable of forethought-- revelations that could affect everyone from gardeners to philosophers.”
Huh? We're talking things such as coordinating cellular growth to heal a cut limb, mates; or what scientists call a more sophisticated “feeling” capability than most humans; and even conversing with one another about the danger of invasive pests, or the issue of overcrowding. And you, me, we got a job in all that?
Plants!! Yes! And you two there—you and me and everyone—we're the designated custodian of all of 'em! Appointed by God himself. That means every cockeyed, half-baked action or inaction you make now with those two you carryin' is gonna be recorded up yonder on the Great Scoreboard in the Sky, mates! You understand the seriousness of this, huh?
Still a little scotchy on it? Here, I got a whole pile of stuff on it, some more wilder than others. This one, for instance, a scientific piece on energy medicine, about plants feeling different levels of pain according to our intentions when we're around them.
Or this one, actually a review of some real freaky stuff found in British researcher's Brian J. Ford's book, The Secret Language of Life: How Animals and :Plants Feel and Communicate (Fromm Intl., New York, 1999).
Whooeee, you get me started and it just goes on and on and...Hey, where you two going?! You left your plants behind!! You kiddin'? Waddaya want me to do with these...?!? Huh??
Hey!! Come back!!! COME BACK!!!
Pleeze?
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Comments are always welcome. Either on this site or Dan at dan@desertmountaintimes.com.
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Dad would love you for this one!
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