Should The 'Land Of Rape And Honey' Change Its Town Slogan?

[Nebulous]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/...atchewan_n_7120568.html?utm_hp_ref=weird-news

Some residents of a Canadian town that’s called itself “the land of rape and honey” for 57 years are thinking it might be time to change their motto.

Tisdale, Saskatchewan, is an agricultural town historically known for producing honey and rapeseed, a flowering yellow plant cultivated for the oil of its seeds. (Most rapeseed grown today is better known as canola.)


But that's not the meaning of “rape” that comes to most people’s minds when they see the slogan plastered all over the town’s signs.

“Once you explain, it eases things up a bit,” Mayor Al Jellicoe told the Toronto Star on Tuesday. “But when you’re trying to deal internationally or nationally -- I don’t want to do that every time we entice a business to the area.”

Town officials are sending around a survey to Tisdale’s 3,200 residents, asking if they want to alter the slogan, according to the Star Phoenix. One of those officials, Sean Wallace, says not everyone thinks the motto needs an update.

“From what I understand a lot of people feel there’s a tradition involved,” Wallace told The Guardian.

The town adopted its infamous slogan in 1958, and it's caused controversy before. The Toronto Star notes that an Ontario woman wrote a letter in 1992 to the local paper, the Tisdale Recorder, suggesting the town change the name. A subsequent vote by town residents was split evenly, and Tisdale kept its slogan for the time being.

Alternative slogans suggested in the survey -- the results of which will be tallied in July -- include “a place to grow,” “a place to bee” (emphasis on “bee") and “land of canola and honey,” according to the CBC.

The terms "rapeseed" and "canola" are not totally interchangeable. It's a common misconception that the unpleasant-sounding rapeseed oil was simply renamed “canola oil” as a marketing gimmick, but there's more to the story. Canola is actually a specific cultivar of rapeseed, created in the 1970s by breeding different varieties of the plant.

Thoughts?

 

[mrldii]

Given that the word "rape" (with its most common meaning) has been around since the 1400s, it's doubtful that the town's council members didn't know what they were [very deliberately] doing in 1958.

Every day they don't get rid of it IS another day they're literally saying, "'Rape's' OK", whether they realize it or not.

"Latin rapere was used for "sexually violate," but only very rarely; the usual Latin word being stuprare "to defile, ravish, violate," related to stuprum (n.), literally "disgrace." Meaning "to abduct (a woman), ravish;" also "seduce (a man)" is from early 15c. in English. Related: Raped; raping. Uncertain connection to Low German and Dutch rapen in the same sense."

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=rape

 

[Bluezone777]

I don't see the problem with the sign as the sign isn't the problem but a person's preconceived notion of what that word means and not realizing words can have multiple definitions. The creator of the sign gets to set what the intentions and meaning behind the sign and its message are as we do not get that right because we aren't the creator of it. Now we can play guessing games behind what it means if the creator is not able to speak for themselves but if the creator comes out and says what it means then that is what it means.

However, they could change it to "land of rapeseed and honey" and keep its original slogan intact and end the confusion then that would be a good idea.

 

[DrLeftover]

You can't sell "rapeseed oil" in the United States. Solely because of the name.

However, you can sell "Argentine Canola" or just plain (although mislabeled) Canola Oil. Or just call it "vegetable oil" and go on your merry way.

It is evidently the ignorant that dictate domestic policy.

 

[Evil Eye]

That's a somewhat unfortunate slogan. Well, at least it's not "Land of honey rape".

Why do they even need one?

 

[WHO IS SERAFIN]

Keep it as is and don't give into the nutty world of PC. If you gotta any kind of brain you will quickly realize no town in North America is endorsing rape.

 

[WhoFlungpoo]

Something's I agree should not be changed. In fact they are changed over little things like the colour of a sheep's wool is taking things too far.

But something like this is offensive. If rapeseed oil isn't permitted. Why the heck is this?

This and the implication percieved I believe calls for a change.

 

[mrldii]

I wonder how many people who will defend this town's right and ability to retain their (deliberately provocative) town's motto will also decry that today's rap music should not be allowed to include lyrics that glorify the rape of women?

 

[WHO IS SERAFIN]

I wonder how many people who will defend this town's right and ability to retain their (deliberately provocative) town's motto will also decry that today's rap music should not be allowed to include lyrics that glorify the rape of women?

Me, because one clearly does endorse rape with it's lyrics while the other does no such thing in any way. But I would never no matter how offensive I find the words in a rap song would I support banning words.

 

[WhoFlungpoo]

Me, because one clearly does endorse rape with it's lyrics while the other does no such thing in any way. But I would never no matter how offensive I find the words in a rap song would I support banning words.

To you, would you percieve it the same if you were female? Considering the word rape is deemed a reference to sexual assault. Maybe as a male it's a none issue to you?

 

[WHO IS SERAFIN]

To you, would you percieve it the same if you were female? Considering the word rape is deemed a reference to sexual assault. Maybe as a male it's a none issue to you?

I have no idea? But after my wife finishes her insanity workout conference/seminar get together workout at the convention center we are at I will ask one of the smartest people I know. Now back to watching 400 women sweating.

 

[WhoFlungpoo]

I have no idea? But after my wife finishes her insanity workout conference/seminar get together workout at the convention center we are at I will ask one of the smartest people I know. Now back to watching 400 women sweating.

Well as a woman it is offensive. Maybe do some research in the anount of sexual assaults commited to men vs the ratio towards women.

 

[Nebulous]

That's a somewhat unfortunate slogan. Why do they even need one?

Right? My town doesn't have a slogan. Whats the point?

Its kind of odd that this is coming up as an issue 57 years later. They should have caught on & corrected it... like, maybe 56 years ago.

 

[mrldii]

...They should have caught on & corrected it... like, maybe 56 years ago.

Agreed...except 58 would've worked *better*, in my book.

 

[WHO IS SERAFIN]

Well as a woman it is offensive. Maybe do some research in the anount of sexual assaults commited to men vs the ratio towards women.

Do not need to do the research but thanks for the advice. But what a minority of men do is no excuse to force a name change on a town that has nothing to do with rape. It is kind of like a college near by that a filing system on it's students called ISIS long before ISIS came along. They then demanded a name change. Just silly.

Well she finds the name horrible but no she does not feel like the name should be changed under the force of people who do not live there. She clearly would not live in a town with that slogan but that is her free choice just like it should be for the town if thats what they want it to be the slogan. I wish I could remember her quote exactly. It goes something like this and definitely not as good as she said it........ Why should they change a name I don't like? I don't go around feeling like a victim because I am a woman and keeping a stupid slogan or not keeping a stupid slogan does not change that. But forcing a town to change it says I should be treated like a victim when that is not what I am. Or something to that effect before she was curious about this and wanted to read the comments here.

 

[WhoFlungpoo]

Do not need to do the research but thanks for the advice. But what a minority of men do is no excuse to force a name change on a town that has nothing to do with rape. It is kind of like a college near by that a filing system on it's students called ISIS long before ISIS came along. They then demanded a name change. Just silly.

Well she finds the name horrible but no she does not feel like the name should be changed under the force of people who do not live there. She clearly would not live in a town with that slogan but that is her free choice just like it should be for the town if thats what they want it to be the slogan. I wish I could remember her quote exactly. It goes something like this and definitely not as good as she said it........ Why should they change a name I don't like? I don't go around feeling like a victim because I am a woman and keeping a stupid slogan or not keeping a stupid slogan does not change that. But forcing a town to change it says I should be treated like a victim when that is not what I am. Or something to that effect before she was curious about this and wanted to read the comments here.

Urm the town name isn't in question. Their slogan is. So does the meaning of rape mean that it's offensive yes .

You live in a society not just your own world. In fact the word rape has always been offensive for it's meaning.

 

[seasidemike]

At what point do we stop changing everything out there to accommodate the most stupid in society? It so happens that in the English language we have words that can hold two meanings.

What about slag, maybe not so much in N America but in England, Ireland etc as cigarette can be referred to as 'a fag', Is it now homophobic to call a smoke 'a fag'
What about the plane Uranus? Should we re-name it because every time someone says it people giggle ...??

 

[WHO IS SERAFIN]

Urm the town name isn't in question. Their slogan is. So does the meaning of rape mean that it's offensive yes .

You live in a society not just your own world. In fact the word rape has always been offensive for it's meaning.

Not sure if you read the whole thing but I did say slogan a few times.

I'm not questioning if the name is offensive or not. But no in that world we should not comply to every complaint wheen someone does not like it. And in this case it has nothing to do with rape.

 

[WhoFlungpoo]

Not sure if you read the whole thing but I did say slogan a few times.

I'm not questioning if the name is offensive or not. But no in that world we should not comply to every complaint wheen someone does not like it. And in this case it has nothing to do with rape.

That was patronising. I can read. Maybe I should ask if you can write?

Far less has been changed in this world that isn't even offensive. I even gave an example in the thread.

Rape is a serious crime. Why would you condone it in a slogan? Maybe you should consider petitioning for Ba ba sheep to have it's coat black again. Now that was pc and I don't consider offensive. It's wool.

 

[WHO IS SERAFIN]

Just making it clear I used slogan. Never suggested you can't read. Suggested you might not have read it all.

As long as that change of words is done without political correctness or force of a government I am good with it.

I'm certainly not condoning it. And the town in no way are they condoning it since it has nothing to do with rape. It is a horrible slogan the way they did it. But if the town people who elected there officials are not asking to change it then the PC people police need to be told to go where the sunshine don't go or any other outside influence.