Letters to the Editor
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Counter-planterrorism
I'd be tempted, tempted to plant a little MaryJane in the yuppity neighbor's yard.
Planting poisonous plants in an old lady's yard is not the kind of thing one wants to just let slide. Seriously, what if some neighborhood kid gets poisoned? Who gets blamed? What if the roots get into the sewer line as someone else suggested? Who pays for that? This uppity neighbor sounds like the type who will claim she was doing the LOL a favor, and since she didn't complain or remove the plants she thereby accepted responsibility for them. I think she needs to be put in check ASAP so she'll move on to being the petty dictator of (hopefully) her workplace or (unfortunately) the local schoolboard.
I suppose you're lucky there's no neighborhood association or board, you know who'd end up running it and making up the rules.
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First Do No Harm
There are valid points from different perspectives. However, I would point out that the elderly neighbor has also worked hard for her house, in one way or another. It shouldn't be taken from her because of a neighborhood war with good intentions. In addition, as several readers have pointed out, the Oleander neighbor did was illegally trespassing--if it was indeed without the elderly neighbor's permission. There is no justification for that act, and as property owner Oleander lady should know that. Even worse, she involved a second person, the gardener, in an illegal act--what did she do, lie to him about her permission to plant on that property? If so, she is demonstrating that she is a bully and potential trouble if she is willing to lie to get her way. I hate to see how the elderly and disabled are treated patronizingly, and the elderly neighbor is in danger of being a pawn in other people's games. For the LW, from a legal and ethical perspective (as a teacher of law and ethics) committing any form of trespass upon Oleander lady's property will take *you* from the high road, and impact any complaint you may make to the police at a later date. Don't do it. LW knows the politics and options of her neighborhood, local codes, and police. Keep in mind that Oleander Lady may be vindictive and without a superego to keep her in check. Consider the best case scenario and worst case scenario if you act, or do not act, but for God's sake do not do something to cause this elderly neighbor harm just out of misplaced good intentions.
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Seed the nasty neighbor's lawn with Triffids.
I like the zucchini seeds idea suggested earlier, but sprinkling Triffid seeds on that nasty neighbor's lawn would result in more severe but highly deserved payback.
Seriously, this was a terrible violation of your elderly's neighbor's rights and dignity. However, do not do anything before discussing it with your elderly neighbor, and respect her wishes if she wants to let the matter pass quietly. She may be indifferent to the offense, or like the plants, or she may fear the consequences of challenging that bully of a neighbor.
However, that doesn't mean that YOU have to take this lying down. When you see this bully, tell her exactly what you think of her. Make sure you establish that you're speaking for yourself, and tell her that you'll be looking out for your elderly neighbor if this bully tries anything again. Put this creep in her place, or at least on notice that she can't get away with whatever she wants.
And remember, keep a healthy distance away from those Triffids!
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Cary, what planet are you from?
You have really been off your game lately.
These people were trespassed upon, by a freaking snob...they could press charges. I would.
Oleanders are dangerous plants. No reason to have them. LW should talk to the elderly neighbor...and, with their agreement, remove them and compost them.
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Oooh, ooh, stinging nettles!
They sell seeds for those, you know. Try http://www.richters.com or http://www.horizonherbs.com.
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@foam peanut
Thank you for the kind words. I'm afraid that whether code gets enforced can be linked to geography, loudness, and influence in some places where I have lived. I'm helping someone with almost exactly the same kind of situation. In gentrifying areas, or where someone with influence (a developer usually, but in this case politically connected busy body neighbors trying to force an elderly woman out of the neighborhood (not a minority) out over class and aesthic reasons). Through their complaints, they have managed to amass thousands in fines over what is essentially faded paint and small maintenence. Dealing with it long distance is a nightmare. Minneapolis evidently will do this to people as well. I read a story in the Trib over a physically disabled woman threatened with escalating fines because the top of her garage was not painted. She rented a crane to get up there, because her neighborhood was transitional, and painters refused to come to it.
I wish the lady and her protectors well. I have an elderly mother, and at least I have healthy siblings to help me manage her house, etc. It is hard enough to care for elderly parents when there's more than one willing sibling.
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poison plants
thank god they didn't plant peanuts - neighborhood kids would be dropping like flies
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Of Gentarification and Race
It has been most interesting to read half of these responses. More is really too much time on Oleanders. They make really
beautiful flowers, I believe they have an outstanding fragrance and are an old southern favorite.
I am going to share my thoughts about living in a "transitioning neighborhood". Transitioning is a euphemism for a poor neighborhood that is being bought up by white people and/or rich people. Spending money to make it different then it was, is gentrification. Now some of us urban types like the flavor of the old untouched funky neighborhoods and some don't. Those that don't like it funky tend to come in from the suburbs and try to make everything look like the suburbs.
Gentrifying effectively forces old and poor to move because they can neither afford the raise in taxes due to higher home prices and can not deal with the changing zoning codes and new neighbors. They become displaced. They are
removed. They lose their family homes, community, security, pride, I can go on. But that is, as they (capitalists)say, progress.
Dear well meaning but clueless white people,
(Of which I am sometimes and at times embarrassed to be.)
White people are the only ones who can afford to ignore race. To state that race is not an issue denies racism in a kind of old, anxiety ridden, clueless, liberal kind of way. I will bet good money that the elderly black woman refers to her new neighbors as the white people who are moving in and taking over the neighborhood. First, race matters to those who are black and should matter to those who are white because it defines culture, history, assumptions, aesthetics, music, art, and preferences. Kind of like how class does, ya know. Second, old neighborhoods and old post 60's black neighborhoods really don't take kindly to strangers coming in and "fixing up" their hoods. The ones they abandoned because black people dared to come in. Oh, and I have lived in these neighborhoods before they became impossibly expensive and contained the latest culinary affectation. Not that I don't like well made food but, at the time, my neighbors and I couldn't afford to eat there.
Here is an important piece of info that white people rarely get to know about the black community unless you are fortunate enough to spend a lot of time there and are accepted enough that they let down the walls.(And please don't talk to me about the African American thing, most black people I know think they are black Americans) Ok, here it is, black people talk about race all the time. It is as if they can't get away from it, seeing how they walk around with the evidence and consequences in their skin. White privilege makes us think we have no color and, like Stephen Colbert, we can't see someone else's race. To think it doesn't matter always smacks of arrogance to black people. As white people we need to confront our more subtle kinds of racism as well as the blatant kinds.
I would also guess that the elderly neighbor thinks that her new white neighbor doesn't know her well enough to come over and offer to help. And it is seen as an insult. I will be really provocative and go on to say she may apologize about her home to her white neighbor in the old southern way of blowing "massa" off. All that politeness and decorum can be the biggest front to keep white people from barging in and taking over. The assumption that she is just like any old white lady that needs and would love help from her white neighbors needs, to be explored throughly.
LW, get to know your elderly black neighbor before you offer too much more. Laugh a lot with her. Sit on the porch and just watch the sky change. Amd if there are other original black neighbors talk to them, when you see them on the street, and see what they say about that lady across the street. Maybe they have ideas about how to help or approach your nice neighbor. They might surprise you by being just as offended as you are, or not. They are used to white people taking more then their share. Just don't expect them to act all white. To use the system to defend themselves is not second nature. To do it against a white person could be really unthinkable. Go slow. Be open. Remember you come from a whole different world. And tell that f*cking crazy women across the street about the new (that you are starting) or old neighborhood association and how you are going to raise the encroachment and trespassing issue with them.