Dear HCN,
A recent letter
criticized Ed Marston’s review of Rangeland Health (HCN, 4/4/94) in
which he described range science as “a handmaiden of the livestock
industry.” Marston stands accused of political incorrectness for
pejoratively using a female gendered word. At least he was
civil.
Agriculture faculty in the West’s
land-grant universities are often accused of cheerleading for
ranching and prostituting ourselves to the livestock industry.
(More gender discrimination?) “Handmaiden” is tame compared to the
“boot licker,” “ass kisser” and worse that we get all the time. Sad
to say, these epithets are not entirely undeserved. Nevertheless,
the review provides evidence that agricultural science has produced
some of the status quo’s harshest critics: Note the distinguished
range scientists among the authors of Rangeland Health.
And where to obtain a copy of the book? From the
Society for Range Management!
Robin W.
Groose
Laramie,
Wyoming
The writer is
professor of crop science at the University of Wyoming in
Laramie.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Talk about pejoratives.
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