WARNING - GOOGLE SAYS THE FLOGG CONTAINS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONTENT

THE MOST DANGEROUS BLOG IN THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN

CALLS FOR AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION CAUSE OBSTACLE IN ATTEMPTS TO PROVIDE RSS FEED

Aww..Google Caribbean...no naughty Negs nowhere

One of the most omnipresent companies in the world singled out the Eastern Caribbbean-based FLOGG Blog as 'dangerous'.

The FLOGG stumbled across the phrase 'pages contain potentially dangerous content,' while hacking its own blog at Google's Blogspot to try to put an RSS feed in place to make free digital subscription easier.
Ironically, the top example used by Google as evidence of The FLOGG's 'dangerous content' was from an article on agriculture called THE STEM CELLS OF NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

Read the last line. Google thinks we're dangerous

The story referred to St Lucian small farmers as descendants of the Neg Marrons who defeated the British in 1794 and forced the slavery system into debt and crisis long before Emancipation was declared.

International symbol of Caribbean terrorism?

The FLOGG insisted that these farmers will always keep agriculture alive because agriculture has kept them alive for generations while everything else was fighting them down.

"We have to bet chips on that horse," the article ended.

Apparently, GoogleAnalytics or whatever interpreted this as inciteful or revolutionary or something. Cool. Supercool.

While some FLOGG supporters who were emailed in advance of this article have reacted with anger and suspicion, FLOGG editors have cited publicity value and historical context as good reasons to appreciate the citation.

"While we are for high ethical standards, we at The FLOGG are not above self-promotion," said Sheep, an imaginary dog who works as a social media consultant for the blog. "In addition, labeling us dangerous for promoting sensible agriculture puts us in the company of some of the greatest unsung heroes of Caribbean history, whose names we cannot remember now because none of us did history at CXC."

A brief survey of St Lucian history shows that Google's opinion that the agricultural development article was dangerous, possibly subversive content is, in fact, consistent with Caribbean history.

Rebel food...used to be illegal...just like....

One of the main strengths of runaway slaves was their food production network.  While British soldiers had to travel with their food  or buy it at each location, Neg Marrons planted food everywhere that it was convenient.

This meant that almost everywhere the Neg went, their food was already waiting for  them. Neg traveled light and therefore faster. It was part of the reason that St Lucia was the Eastern Caribbean capital of Liberte, Egalite, Franternite.

During the Neg Marron Wars of the 1790s, dasheen cultivation was made illegal and British soldiers were required to uproot and destroy dasheen wherever they found it. This was a big part of the reason slavery and British rule were restored to the island while Haiti continued to be independent.

Subversive fruit alert! Report! Report!! Report!!!!!

Later,  during the 19th century, food production by ex-slaves was throwing off  the profits of the trade circuit set up for  the colonies. Many crops were outlawed, so that people would be forced to buy food in the shops, supporting the system at their own expense. Gardening became dangerous and heroic. The illegal crops included, believe  it or not,  limes, oranges and plantain.

"Today, a balanced diet...tomorrow, the world!

Food production was not made illegal but simply sidelined by sugar and banana production in the 20th century. By the time that century was over, both had failed as cash crops.

But while food production was on the increase, governments of the Caribbean were not yet prepared to adjust to the new economic realities and put food security squarely at the center of national development where it belongs.

And so you get what you have here.  Which is the  way they want it. And they'll get it, as long as we stay addicted to imported food.

It is strange to think that the most revolutionary thing  that Eastern Caribbean people can do right now is to grow food. But that is only because we have forgotten our history. Food security helped win St Lucia's first independence in 1794.

Food security will help reduce our dependence today.

A lot of people are relying on us NOT TO DO THAT.