A Canadian Town Is Reconsidering Their Slogan "The Land Of Rape And Honey"

Newser - Scroll down to questions 6 and 7 on the town of Tisdale’s survey, and you’ll realize this isn’t just any ho-hum community-rebranding effort. After asking for the participant’s basic stats (age, gender, etc.) and general thoughts on one’s impression of the rural Saskatchewan town, the queries focus on which slogan is the most preferable one for Tisdale. Among the choices: “Hub of the Northeast,” “A Place to Bee,” “Land of Rape and Honey,” “A Place to”—wait, what? Per UPI, the Canadian town’s Economic Development Office is reconsidering its long-held slogan (the rape one) for pretty obvious reasons. The word “rape,” however, actually refers to a one-time town staple, the rapeseed, which is used in animal feed and biodiesel fuels, the news agency notes. Still, the tagline has upset some people because of the word’s association with sexual assault, the CBC reports. Although there are “passionate people who believe it should be changed and passionate people who believe it shouldn’t be changed,” Tisdale’s economic development director tells the CBC, the town decided to rethink the slogan because (a) production of organic rapeseed (and honey, for that matter) has declined substantially in the region in recent years, and (b) visitors like this guy keep shining an unwanted spotlight on the word’s other meaning. (This well-known slogan has very strange origins.)

The funniest town slogan ever and it’s not even close. I love that it became the slogan to begin with because it’s just a bunch of farmers in rural Canada who love their rapeseed. Which too, is hilarious that there is a seed that is called rape. But now we have to decide- do they change the name? If there is something I’m well-versed in, it’s listening to people yell passionately about name changing. Do you think Tisdale has an over-bearing, egomaniac owner? That could really hurt the pro-change the name people. But do they want to build a new barn/tractor garage in Tisdale and they will only build it if they change the name? That could get complicated.  And how many citizens of Tisdale wear size 6 skinny jeans? That could be a huge determining factor.