Running Head: RHETORICAL ANALYSIS: PATRIOT GARDENS

Rhetorical Analysis: Patriot Gardens Helenn Bustillo University of Central Florida

RHETORICAL ANALYSIS: PATRIOT GARDENS

Rhetorical Analysis: Patriot Gardens I said, Youll take my house before you take my vegetable garden, -- Jason Helvenston, 2012 It all started on Oct. 8, 2012 when Jennifer and Jason Helvenston received a notice from the City of Orlandos Code Enforcement that claimed their front yard garden had to be restored to its original configuration and ground covers had to be restored (Bach, 2012, Citys First Notification section). The Helvenstons never imagined something like this could ever happen. They had always been looking for ways to have a sustainable home, and as they were one step closer to achieving that, the City of Orlando was telling them it was not allowed. For most people this would have meant the end of everything. Most of us would have been complacent with doing what the code enforcement officer of the City of Orlando was asking. The Helvenstons, for many different reasons, are not like most people and this was definitely not the end of it. On this day a rhetorical situation was born and presented to the Helvenstons. The exigence was the fact that the city of Orlando was threatening to impose a daily fine unless their garden was restored to its original state. The ordinance of the City of Orlando was an exigence for the Helvenstons, since it represented an obstacle or defect that needed a response. According to Bitzer, an exigence is something that happens and that it simply exists, therefore creating a rhetorical situation in response to the exigence. Bitzer also argues that the exigence is present and clear. Vatz however, claims the exigence of a situation is not always clear or even known. (Palczewski, Ice & Fritch, 2012, p. 153). In this case the exigence was definitely clear for the Helvenstons; but the exigence did not exist for the audience since at the beginning, the ordinance of the City of Orlando and the fines did not represent a problem for

RHETORICAL ANALYSIS: PATRIOT GARDENS them. The Helvenstons presented the community with their problem, therefore introducing that exigence to them and creating a rhetorical situation for the audience as well. The rhetors, or the person engaging in the symbolic action and trying to communicate and persuade, are the Helvenstons. Rhetoric in Civic Life defines a rhetorical audience as the audience that consists only of those persons who are capable of being influenced by discourse and of being mediators of change. (Palczewski et al., 2012, p. 179). The Helvenstons are communicating to two different audiences: the City of Orlando, to convince them to change the law and allow front yard vegetable gardens, and the people in the community who they want as supporters of their campaign. This is the reason why from the beginning the Helvenstons were

not only pursuing the allowance of their garden, but a change in the law that would allow anyone to have a vegetable garden in their front yard. Through the use of symbolic action the Helvenstons were able to persuade the people in their community to support their cause and the city of Orlando to make a change in the law to allow for the planting of front yard vegetable gardens. They established credibility through the use of practical wisdom, virtue and goodwill. Additionally they provided a fitting response by using antecedent genres. These two things allowed them to make a change for the better. The situation that I am about to analyze rhetorically exemplifies what civic engagement is all about. Civic engagement is any activity that keeps an individual both informed and active in the policies and changes that affect society, all with the purpose of improving their local community or nation. These activities could range from civil participation (taking an interest in politics, in society or volunteering), to political participation (doing something to create a change in policy like boycotting and protesting). Ekman and Amna (2012) would classify the

RHETORICAL ANALYSIS: PATRIOT GARDENS Helvenstons civic engagement as political participation (manifest) and more specifically as activism (p. 295).

Establishing Credibility Through the use of Practical Wisdom, Virtue and Goodwill. The Helvenstons were very strong on their position from the beginning: their garden was not going anywhere. Our garden is not only our source of food, but our way of life, Jennifer Helvenston told a reporter (Schlueb, 2013). The first step they took to get closer to their audience was by establishing ethos. Ethos is defined as character existing prior to, and within, a rhetorical act (Palczewski et al., 2012, p. 214). Ethos helps the rhetor establish some credibility in front of their audience. There were four main claims the Helvenstons made when it came to explaining why they would not dig up their garden. They claimed that having a garden in their front yard was their right and part of their freedom, they claimed the garden helped them save a lot of money, they claimed the garden provided healthy food and that the garden helped the sustainability of their home. Even though these claims are very specific to their case, the characteristics of these claims can be found in many other rhetorical cases, helping the rhetors establish their credibility. The Helvestons stated, Our inalienable rights have been violated; the right to grow our own food and the right to share that food. Our Forefathers secured the natural right to feed ourselves (Helvenston, 2012b). We can all agree this statement makes sense. When the rhetor uses statements that make sense to the common man, he is using something called practical wisdom to establish credibility. Practical wisdom means attempting to persuade the audience with the use of common sense and sound reason, (Palczewski et al., 2012, p. 153). After making this statement Jason Helvenston proceeds to list several amendments of the constitution that back up his claim therefore using practical wisdom as well. Another example of how Jason

RHETORICAL ANALYSIS: PATRIOT GARDENS Helvenston used practical wisdom was by claiming, there has to be better ways to utilize tax dollars than harassing tax payers over growing their own food (2012a). The garden was a way for the Helvenstons to save money, a reasonable assertion to make that anyone struggling to make ends meet can understand. Another rhetorical strategy the Helvenstons used to establish credibility among the audience was virtue. In one of the first attempts to contact the property manager that reported their garden Jason Helvenston said: You are literally taking safe food off of families tables, including your tenants (Helvenstons, 2012e), thus demonstrating virtue. Feeding families safe food is a value most people find very important. One of the most important keys to how the rhetors of this case appealed to the audience

was goodwill. Rhetoric in Civic Life defines goodwill as putting the needs of the audience ahead of the rhetors own interests and motives, (Palczewski et al., 2012, p. 154). The Helvenstons were not just asking for the city to allow their garden alone, they wanted the law changed so that anyone would be allowed to have one without any interference from the government. Providing a Fitting Response by Using Antecedent Genres Rhetoric in Civic Life defines a fitting response as a response that meets the expectations of the rhetorical situation. (Palczewski et al., 2012, p. 209). Among the responses that the Helvenstons presented to the situation we find the following: A petition, which got many signatures and got the community informed and involved. Once the word spread, it caught the attention of the media. Multiple letters sent to the City of Orlando, including an email to the mayor of Orlando, Buddy Dyer, after he attempted to claim the city was never against vegetable gardens. The email read: We will be formally asking the city to Update the Code to include edible gardens and exists in a sustainable form unlike the

RHETORICAL ANALYSIS: PATRIOT GARDENS current code. We also want to point out that the City Staff have been nice and seem to be working very hard to extract an answer out of a Code that does not contain the answer (Helvenston, 2012d).

This letter and email constitute a fitting response, something that is expected and a norm of someone in a similar situation One of the initial moves the Helvenstons made to address the City of Orlando was creating a petition. The petition read: Allow sustainable vegetable, fruit, herb, and nut garden landscape varieties so that we do not receive violations or harassment. This allows the community to attractively produce much if not all of their healthy food onsite which considerably reduces their living costs while almost eliminating the carbon footprint of their food supply. (Helvenston, 2012c) The petition, which was signed by many people, is an example of how the Helvenstons used antecedent genres. An antecedent genre is a genre that arises because of the audience expectations based on the ways other have responded to similar situations, (Palczewski et al., 2012, p. 210). They knew what a petition should look like, what it should say and the goals it should communicate and this is the model that they followed. Finally they did a whole campaign where they inspired people to start their own gardens. They gave radishes for everyone to plant on their own front yard. All supporters also gathered in front of the Orlando City Hall wearing green shirts to show encouragement for the cause. The Helvenstons provided a fitting response to the rhetorical situation. They did what would have been expected of anyone in their situation and followed the guidelines of genres that had been used before in similar situations.

RHETORICAL ANALYSIS: PATRIOT GARDENS Conclusion:

It is now legal to grow your own food anywhere in your yard within the City of Orlando. Congratulations everyone. We did it. (Helvenston, 2013b) After a little over a year the Helvenstons succeeded in fixing the exigence that was presented to them. They persuaded both of their rhetorical audiences and engaged in civic engagement to better their community. Their situation is unique in some ways but very similar to situations we encounter everyday in many other ways. This analysis outlined the ways in which they responded and persuaded their audiences. Let this set an example of how the proper use of rhetorical techniques can assist in fixing any exigence that may be presented.

RHETORICAL ANALYSIS: PATRIOT GARDENS References Bach, M. (2012, Oct. 8). City Violation [Web Log Post]. Retrieved from http://patriotgardens.blogspot.com/p/our-garden_28.html Ekman, J & Amna, E. (2012). Political Participation and Civic Engagement: Towards a New Typology. Human Affairs, 22, 283 300. Helvenston, J. (2012a). Cost & Impacts. [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://patriotgardens.blogspot.com/p/citys-position-since-2010.html Helvenston, J. (2012b). Our Rights. [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://patriotgardens.blogspot.com/p/our-rights.html Helvenston, J. (2012c). Petitioning our Leaders. [Online Petition]. Retrieved from http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-digging-up-our-vegetable-gardens Helvenston, J. (2012d). Responses. [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://patriotgardens.blogspot.com/p/mayors-response.html Helvenston, J. (2012e). The Story. [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://patriotgardens.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_171.html Helvenston, J. (2013a). Citys Proposal: Front and Street Side Yard Gardens. [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://patriotgardens.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html Helvenston, J. (2013b). Our Garden. [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://patriotgardens.com/our-garden/ Palczewski, C. H., Ice, R. & Fritch, J. (2012). Rhetoric in Civic Life. State College, PA: Strata Schlueb, M. (2013, Nov. 25). Gardeners prevail in Orlando turf war: Veggies OK in front yard, too. Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved from http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2013-11-

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