Protective Plants

by Elizabeth Finch Watkins and Laura Bluebird Greig

As we write this, a grotesque wall is being built on our Southern border. There is a deep injustice in this system that restricts bodies from free travel, but not money. Just like all our other unjust systems, it punishes the poor and forgives the rich.

The history of borders is the political history of the world; we do not have the expertise to suggest that borders simply should not exist. So, starting with the reality that we have them, we’ll assume that there are valid reasons for their existence, and work from there.

Our hypothesis is that soft borders are more effective than hard borders (ex. a forest rather than a wall). There are many applicable ideas from Joseph Campbell, and the Hero’s Journey as she travels between lands and cultures. The work of Christopher Alexander and his team is relevant as well, as they talk about the need for cultural pockets and transitional spaces between them. Cities, towns, and buildings need sanctuaries, engagement and challenge, fluidity of motion, and opportunities for transcendental experience.