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About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 6, 2002)
WedNEsdAy, FebRUARy 6, 2002 Feature 5 TI he ClAckAMAs P rint Stereotyping: the PBS’ Roger Swain energies great American vegetable symposium spectator sport ELISABETH MEYER Staff Writer I need to clear up a little mis understanding between myself and some of the ladies out there: It’s come to my attention that some think I am a chauvin istic, unenlightened pig who derides women to make up for Marvin Baker Guest Columnist his own inadequacies. Noth ing could be further from the truth, so I’d like to set your pretty little heads at ease. For starters, my favorite TV show, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” stars a woman. Maxim—my fa vorite magazine—is dedicated towomen. I even have a “Gloria Steinem for Playmate of the Year” T-shirt somewhere (al though I think one of my ex girlfriends may have swiped it). Hell, my ex-wife is a woman, in a cute she-demon sort of way. And another thing... Okay, so I’m joking about a couple of things, but believe it or not, I have a point. This week I wish to honor the art of stereotyping—quite possibly one of the greatest spectator sports in society. Who can keep a straight face when you see a 4x4 with a rebel flag hang ing from the antenna, espe cially if “Back in Black” is blasting from the windows? How about tennis balls wedged in behind the gun rack? Skoal ring worn into the back pocket? Or my personal favorite, the McDonald’s uni form and blood red, two- inch Lee Press-ons combo? I think psychologists have a pretty sweet deal when it comes to stereotyping. People show up on their doorsteps asking for it. They have a manual full of enough alarming terminol ogy to frighten the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and when it’s all said and done they get paid. Don’t try this at home boys and girls: “So Doc, what do you think?” The reply: “Well Mister Baker, this isn’t about labels or pi geonholing anyone, but ac cording to my notes you are a narcissistic personality with cucumber envy marked by de grees of verbal flatulence—in short you’re an arrogant big mouth who can’t keep his opin ions to himself—shall I type that up for you?” Now that’s a professional artist at work. I my self don’t have a manual and Quick Books for billing purposes, but I like to do what I can to help out whenever possible. To this end I’ve done a little cata loguing of my own because, frankly, we can’t always see ourselves as others see us. If you fit any of the following I am truly sorry: Thesauryass: loud mouth. Known for intentionally sub stituting one similar sounding word for another to punctuate his derision (“I’m never going back to that tavern, they have that damn teriyaki singing ev ery night...”). Loves anything that strays into his neck of the woods. Sony Bono: owns every hi- tech audio/visual component known to man. Known for his PDA, HDTV, DVD, VCR, DTS, THX, UNIX, CPA, STD, MNBA and BMW. Loves porn since he’s too strapped to date. Y2quaker: speed freak with Internet access. Known for dismantling anything that can be broken down into more pieces. Only intact object in his home is the computer (but the case is missing). Loves www.gatesisabitch.com. Green piece: first-time female crewmember on a global Save- the-Whales cruise. Known for boycotting tuna. Loves Keiko. Rubber maid: veteran female crewmember on a global Save- the-Whales cruise. Known for freeing Willy at the drop of a hat. Loves tuna. That’s it for now. If they’re still letting me do this come next week, I’ll be delving into the hypocrisy of men and why we think our own daughters are beyond corrupting, while every other woman on this planet is fair game. WANT TO VENT TO 10,000 PEOPLE? Submit a Letter to the Editor B104 Saturday’s Vegetable Gardening Symposium drew about 300 people. They were attracted by the reputa tion of the speakers and the chance to talk with other gardeners. Roger Swain, host of PBS’s “The Victory Garden” and science edi tor at Horticulture magazine, headed this year’s lineup, which also included more locally known folks. Other presenters included Polly Gottesmann, who runs a commu nity-supported agriculture farm in North Plains, Suzanne Ashworth, curator of Seed Saver Exchange, and Lynn Miller, a Sisters-area man who uses draft horses to farm. The beginning of the gardening season coincides with the sympo sium well, says Bruce Nelson, a Horticulture dept instructor. “People are wired; they want to get back into the garden."- 4 Most of the people who attend the day-long seminar aren’t gar deners by trade, said Nelson. He estimates that only about 5 percent of attendees actually depend on farming for their livelihood. “These are recreational vegetable garden ers,” he said. “And nationwide, gardening is the number-one hobby.” Still, the symposium is more than a light-hearted tip-swap session. Swain addressed many hot issues in agriculture at the symposium and in a special session with horticul- Disabled Student Services ■ ture students on Fri day. In a question- and-answer time he called “the psychic gardeners’ hotline,” he fielded controver sial and often very political queries about genetic engi neering, biodynamic farming, hydropon ics, population con trol and sustainable agriculture. The symposium’s appeal is the combi nation of practical advice and ecological and political aware ness. Nelson esti mates that one-third to one-half of the at Roger Swain and assorted gardeners chat tendees have previ during lunch. The balmy weather drew ously taken the sym many outside. posium. Swain’s vibrant personality dur between significant risks and petty ing the informal Friday talk also set issues. “One of the things I indulge in the tone for Saturday. During the panel presentation, when audience is going around the country talk members asked all four speakers ing about things that have noth gardening questions, his no-non ing to do with gardening,” he ex sense style dominated the discus plained. “One of those is popula sion. When asked to comment on tion control.” While he warmed to the topic, a doctor’s advice against eating food grown hear a highway, Swain though, Swain has hope that the replied, “I don’t know where I’d population boom won’t destroy go on this planet to be free of the the feasibility of small-time veg backwash of civilization. Let’s etable production. He commented, all...take naps, wear stretchy “I don’t think it’s useful to be pes clothing, shoes that fit, and lighten simistic... Gardening is about people tending plants. Gardens up, okay?” Swain stressed the difference make good neighbors.” Clackamas Community College Disabled Student Services 19600 S. Molalla Avenue Oregon City, OR 97045 Disability Non-discrimination Policy Clackamas Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, disability, family relationship or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law. The college's commitment to non-dis- crimination applies to curricular activity and all aspects of operation of the college. Clackamas Community College is specifically dedicated to providing a harassment free environment for all people with disabilities, as well as a timely and effective provision of services of students with disabilities. ______ _____ Grievance Procedure________________ If you experience any harassment: Contact the Director of Disabled Student Services If you do not receive required accomodations: Contact the Director of Disabled Student Services If the above two procedures are not satisfactory: Contact the Associate Dean of Student Services Note: Any disabled student is free at any time to submit a complaint to the Office for Civil Rights.______________ Persons to contact: 2001-2002 Associate Dean of Student Services Director of Disabled Student Services Jan Godfrey BillZuelke 503-657-6958 ext. 2552TTY/TDD Same CC119 email: jang@clackamas.cc.or.us 503-657-6958 ext.2268 TTY/TDD503-650-6649 email: billz@clackamas.cc.or.us ■
