Personally, I think that this is an insignificant battle to be fighting. We live in an age where most people are very aware of the environment and there is immense pressure I think, on our generation, to help save our planet. Hanging laundry to dry reduces the greenhouse gases and energy consumption, so why ban this eco-friendly practice? Carin Froehlich brings up a good point: "'If my husband has a right to have guns in the house, I have a right to hang laundry,'" she says. Although I don't believe that people should have the right to possess arms, I firmly believe that this right should not be taken away from American citizens. I think that hanging clothes outside is a harmless act, especially if undergarments are kept inside, plus it has huge benefits. What does it say about our nation if we care more about what is in our neighbors backyards (appearances), than the health of our planet?
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I think it shows that are nation doesn't really care about the ecological crisis that we are expiriencing. Of course, there are some who do everything they can to reduce their environmental impact, but the majority of the nation is more concerned with much more insignificant matters (aka what their neighbors yard looks like). I think this says a lot about how much americans are concerned with fitting in socially and being at the top of the social "ladder" so to speak. However, the part that spoke to me the most was the fact that Carin was hanging her laundry in her BACKYARD. In other words, who is even going to see??
ReplyDeleteI think people should be able to hang their laundry outside if they want so long as they keep their undergarments inside. Only if the laundry posed a threat to someone's health (I can't really think of time when this would be the case, but still) would it be reasonable to restrict this right.
This kind of reminds me of my old crazy neighbors. We share a two-lane driveway-- one side is theirs, one is ours. Before they moved away, they decided to pave over their half of the driveway with that slick blacktop stuff, because it looks better or something. The new pavement doesn't have any superior function, so what the heck was the point?
ReplyDeleteI think it shows how our standards of beauty for homes has changed in that anyone who doesn't do their laundry the modern way is seen as trashy, when really there's no one way to do something as simple as drying clothes. The way our norms have changed is apparent, too, considering how the drier isn't necessarily the best way to dry clothes, but it's replaced line-drying in popularity and even made it seem weird, unlike how in the past line drying was the only way to dry clothes. Also, as the drier decreased the need to do laundry outdoors, it seems peoples' ideas of what personal items are appropriate to have outside became more conservative.
I think this article reflects what many foreigners think of our nation. Some people accuse the US of starting unnecessary fights, just because we can. I think that the US sometimes gets involved in other nation's business, when it isn't the time or place for us to interfere. I think that because the US has so much power in the world today, we think we are superior, thus we think we are perfect mediators and that we help all situations- which is frequently wrong.
ReplyDeleteThe people in this article seem to be doing the same thing as our nation, picking irrelevant fights. Why should neighbors (whether down the block or neighboring countries) stick their noses into each others' business?
I totally agree with what all of you are saying. People should be entitled to hang whatever they want in their backyards as long as it doesn't harm anyone. And, I think this is a great example of how both our societal norms have changed and of how the US involves itself when it is not always necessary. I think there are more significant laws to be protested and fights to be had in the US and this is not one of them.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that people are so concerned about what people hang in their own backyards (their own PROPERTY) and yet take so little interest in bigger and more important civil liberty rights in our country. I'm not saying that this isn't an important right, just pointing this out.
ReplyDeleteIt almost seems as if the neighbors just want to make a fuss. I understand their view. I mean, I wouldn't want to be seeing my neighbor's underwear (although it says she is hanging that inside), but is it really harming me? If I don't want to see it, well then I shouldn't look.
If anything, Carin's actions should be praised. Anything to help save the environment and people's own money is something everyone should look up to.
Don't want to see too much of your neighbor's personal life? Ask them to hang up certain items somewhere else, but don't go asking them to waste their money and the environment.