Local Foods Good Choice for Growers, Consumers

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to OOPINIONPINION assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Thursday, March 22, 2012 | Publisher: Taylor Wood Hayes | President: Chuck Henderson | Editor: Eli Pace | Opinion Editor: Jennifer P. Brown COLUMNIST n Local foods An invitation good choice for murder? am glad to hear the Justice Department is looking into the killing of Trayvon IMartin. After all, if they can investi- for growers, gate the killing of innocent civilians in Afghanistan, they can do it in Florida. By now, you’ve probably heard about the 17-year-old’s death and its outrageously suspicious circumstances. It’s a story with consumers tragically familiar scenes, especially to those of us who have raised young black males: A young white man follows a “sus- Maybe in an ideal world where good picious-looking” black teenager, confronts nutrition and healthy activity are in- him, and kills him in “self-defense.” grained in our daily routines, many of What adds an extra edge and national us would grow a vegetable garden in the relevance to this tragic episode is the backyard or in a shared neighborhood Florida law under which the shooter plot each year. The green onions, lettuce claims self-defense. The “Stand Your and potatoes would have been planted Ground” law, promoted by the National earlier this month. These would be fol- Rifle Association and signed by then-Gov. lowed by broccoli, spinach, kale and COLUMNIST n Jeb Bush in 2005, allows anyone, any- beets around the first of April. Later in where, to use deadly force against another the summer, we’d person if they believe their safety or life is plant beans, Legal interpretations on death in danger. It’s the job of the state to prove OUR OPINION n squash, corn and the act was not justified. mustard greens. Everyone would eat The law’s impact was dramatic. The St. friend of mine who is about my prison for 99 years or maybe the Petersburg Times found that five years healthier food, get more exercise and age has run into a problem with rest of his life. after the law went into effect, claims of jus- maybe share some of the bounty with Athe government, which claims I do not blame him, though, because tifiable homicides in Florida more than friends and neighbors. It makes perfect that he is legally dead. He sort of ran it is about as hard to prove you are tripled, from just over 30 to more than 100 sense, until you consider your schedule into the problem by accident when he dead as it is to prove that you are alive. in 2010. The Stand-Your-Ground defense and available time for gardening. was talking to an agent of the Inter- The government is very suspicious of was used in 93 cases involving 65 deaths That’s why local farmers markets offer a nal Revenue Service who noticed that people who claim they are dead and during that period, and in almost every healthy option for people who want good the record showed him to be dead — they demand all kinds of sworn and one of them it worked. notarized statements as proof. I sup- local food without all the hard work. Two the friend not the revenue agent. As Jeb Bush called it a “good, commonsense far as I know, the IRS pose that a lot of people play dead in farmers markets in Hopkinsville — one at order to evade paying debts. anti-crime” bill, prosecu- Founders Square downtown and the other agent did not ask tors, gun control advocates where my friend was In most cases, somebody else has to at Bradford Square on Fort Campbell and other critics called it a calling from. do it all for you, but proving you are Boulevard — have enjoyed a loyal follow- legally dead is a lot harder than some “shoot first law” and, more If I am dead, why bluntly, a “license to kill ing for several years and they provide a va- are you writing and of you young whipper snappers riety of locally grown fruits and might think. If you think you can and go free.” calling me about Born in controversy, the vegetables. some taxes that you just say, “whoopee I’m dead,” you got law is living down the low But there is potential for much more in claim I owe, my another thing coming. Things just expectations of its critics. Hopkinsville. We need more buyers and friend asked the don’t work that way anymore. Yet more than a dozen other more growers at the farmers markets. agent. Well, you TOBY You fail to fill in just one blank space in the death questionnaire, and it will states followed suit. The CLARENCE Christian County already ranks at or surely do not expect HIGHTOWER n come right back to you or whoever you Trayvon Martin case offers PAGE n near the top of production for Kentucky’s to get out of paying your just taxes just by dying, the designated to take over and answer an excellent illustration of most important cash crops. Another tier agent sneered. (Change that sneered questions for you after you are gone. why they all should reconsider that move. of local agriculture could grow from to replied. It is a kinder, gentler soci- Now, here is a problem that I see for Amid the national furor over the smaller producers who specialize in ety, you know.) the person who has to prove that I am racially charged case, a grand jury has fruits and vegetables. Anyway, things sort of went from legally dead when that time comes been scheduled to hear evidence in If you haven’t tried one of the local mar- bad to worse as my friend asked around. My doctor says that I am April. But from what we know, the kets, go check them out this year. The how he could get back on the role wearing out all over at about the same shooter, George Zimmerman, makes a downtown market will open next month. book as a living person. Being told rate and I see him trying to duck the poor fit even for the state’s notoriously Town markets help build a community’s that he could re-establish himself problem of what it is that finally got lenient self-defense law. me. He is a stickler for accuracy and unique character. It’s one thing to drive as a living person after presenting According to police, Trayvon Martin was a driver’s license with a photo ID, a truth and I can see him putting down through a fast food restaurant for a box of walking back from a local convenience paid utility bill, and a statement the cause of death as unknown and I store to a house that he and his father were fries. It’s something else to buy a potato from his doctor seemed a little ex- may be legally alive for a long time be- visiting in Sanford, Fla., on February 26. from a guy who grew it in his backyard treme to my friend. fore the matter is finally resolved. At about the same time, George Zimmer- and to go back a week later and buy a He still gets his Social Security I plan to keep on writing articles man, a 28-year-old neighborhood watch sack of beans from the same grower. checks so he has decided to remain for the New Era until the matter is captain called 911 from his SUV to report Buying good food from local growers legally dead as long as the checks fully, finally and legally resolved. the youth looked “real suspicious,” accord- might also cause you to think about how keep coming. He could get in a lot ing to a 911 call released by police. your food choices affect the world. of trouble by cashing those Social TOBY HIGHTOWERis a retired educator and former Hop- What was so “suspicious?” Zimmerman This week in Lexington, there is a sum- Security checks, because you are kinsville High School teacher. His email address is only says Martin is wearing a hooded not supposed to cash them after [email protected]. Write to him at 222 S. 25th St., Apart- mit to encourage more support for local sweatshirt, “looks like he’s up to no good, you die. He is liable to wind up in ment 434, Terre Haute, IN. 47803. foods. One of the speakers is Jim Embry, on drugs or something” and “He’s checking who started the Sustainable Communi- me out” and “he’s definitely messed up.” ties Network in Kentucky and is an advo- And, oh, yes, after the dispatcher asked cate of community gardening. Embry, in THOUGHT FOR TODAY n what race the youth appeared to be, Zim- a KyForward web story, said recently, “If merman said young Trayvon “looks black.” How much did race have to do with you have no idea where food comes from, Zimmerman’s suspicions? That’s just one you won’t be caring about the air, the “In the spring, at the end of the of many questions that cries out for an an- water, the land, because you are sepa- swer, which is why we have courts. rated from all of that.” day, you should smell like dirt.” A bigger problem for Zimmerman’s case: When the emergency dispatcher asks, “Are Kentucky New Era editorials are the consensus Margaret Atwood you following him,” Zimmerman responds, “Yeah.” The dispatcher discourages him opinion of the editorial board, which meets every Canadian poet and environmental activist week and includes Publisher Taylor W.

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