Initially, I figured The News was going to say that there are not enough racial minorities in birding, as typically pushed by uber-white liberals who think everyone not their pasty color is a minority and needs help. And calling it raaaaacist because those minorities aren’t interested in birding. Bud, no, they went a different route
Does birding need a racial reckoning?
Last week, the American Ornithological Society said it would change the name of any bird whose name referenced a historical figure: Cooper’s Hawk, for example, or Townsend’s warbler. Birds will no longer be named after people but, instead, after each one’s physical traits or native habitats.
The change is intended to reflect the fact that some of those birds are named for people who owned slaves, supported the Confederacy or partook in anti-Indigenous campaigns. Bird names “deemed offensive and exclusionary” will also be changed.
Audubon’s shearwater, named after John James Audubon, the famed 19th century naturalist who owned slaves, will soon have a new name. So will Scott’s oriole, named after Winfield Scott, responsible for the violent displacement and dispossession of Native American people in the 19th century.
“Exclusionary naming conventions developed in the 1800s, clouded by racism and misogyny, don’t work for us today, and the time has come for us to transform this process and redirect the focus to the birds, where it belongs,” said American Ornithological Society executive director Judith Scarl.
First they came for the statues, then street names, then buildings, then military bases. It’s all just one racial grievance after another. Seriously, how many people even know the names of most birds? When they see a Scott’s oriole, do they know the name, or just say “oriole”? Will they be forcing the Audubon Society, one of the biggest naturalism groups, which often takes the side of stopping drilling and ‘climate change’ adherence, to change it’s name? Actually, they tried earlier in the year, and one group in Maryland did change.
Why is there a debate?
The announcement about bird names comes at a time of a broader racial reckoning across industries and at many prominent institutions, with fierce debates taking place about which historical figures should be cast aside views on slavery and other topics that are widely considered offensive today. Statues have been taken down and buildings renamed, meeting resistance along the way.
Pretty much because some people can only think in terms of raaaaacism, and, their world revolves around racial grievance.
“Racism is so pervasive in every aspect of American society that we can feel its effects even when taking a stroll and observing a Townsend warbler, a tiny bird named for John Kirk Townsend, known for his collection of skulls stolen from indigenous gravesites in the 1800s. He and many others like him believed in the racial inferiority of native peoples. Removing Townsend’s name is a beginning step in making the world of birding more welcoming to birders of color.” — Christina Greer, the Grio
Some people are just so hooked they cannot see anything except in terms of race. Even bird names. It’s not healthy mentally. Are there any birds named for the tribal elders in Africa who captured their countrymen and sold them to the slave traders?
Here’s an interesting take from a “birder” photographer.
To know better is to do better. No one is perfect, but why honor vile individuals? Thank the gods we don’t have Hitler’s shepherd, Capone’s warbler, Lee’s woodpecker (Robert E), Stalin’s hawk, Hirohito’s harrier, Amin’s coneflower… Anyway, relax.
Nomenclature for flora, fauna, fungi and protista etc change all the time. And the common names for many species vary with location.
Usually birds, bugs and other animals are named after the people who discovered them. In theory they should rename the Cook Islands because James Cook was a colonizer and they should also rename the state of Washington as well as Washington DC since Washington owned slaves right?
I figure when they name something after somebody there must be a reason. I’m sure they didn’t name it after him because he’s vile they must have named it after him because he did something right and virtuous. Or doesn’t that count in the world of leftism?
I especially take issue with something that was named decades or hundreds of years ago for a good reason at the time is now out of fashion and therefore needs to be scrapped. That is basically what communists do when they “erase” a culture. Everybody but Christ he’s done something wrong someone left you want every town renamed Corpus Christi you better open your mind a little.
This erasing of names though, does illustrate how deeply the hatred is inside of leftists. When we hate something we ignore it or call it names when they hate something they try and erase it and kill it. Slowly they erase America until finally they will kill it.
CarolAnn
The Cook Islands were not discovered by Captain Cook
They were discovered and inhabitated by Polynesian people around the year 1000 c.e.
In 1595 the Spanish named them Gente Hermosa (beautiful people)
My guess is that rather soon the people who currently live there will choose a different name for themselves much to the annoyance of Euro centric people who believe that Captain Cook discovered them.
Where is the Coopers Hawk commonly called something else?
Examples of names that have changed would be good. You had time to point out which names you are happy don’t exist, so I don’t think I’m asking too much.
Frankly, a Capone name wouldn’t bother me at all.
It’s time to stop acting like the things people Did so long ago should even be thought about. Things were different, they were not seen as abhorrent by the society they lived in. Back when John Wayne grabbed the woman, pulled her close and laid a big kiss on her, that wasn’t called sexual assault. Now is now. Stop with the hyperventilating over how what Was would be seen today. Experiencing moral outrage for the way things were and being offended For them so much that everyone should Unlearn the names of birds and adopt a new one is good for society? How? When they get that done, can we start the stopwatch and count down the seconds to racial harmony again? You know, like the great effect America saw by stopping the checks to the family of Aunt Jemima? Do you think closing the border is racist? I’m Really curious about that.
Ask Mr Teach. Why do you care what birds are called?
Here are a few examples – if curious, you could educate yourself and find many more.
For some reason, the Jewfish is now known as the Atlantic giant grouper. The Asian carp is now known as the Invasive carp. Gypsy moth is now the “spongy moth”. The murder hornet, aka the Asian hornet, is now known as the northern giant hornet – although “murder hornet” sounds cool.
The “oldsquaw duck,” is now the long-tailed duck and the “hottentot teal” is now the blue-billed teal.
Rimj9b: Ask Mr Teach. Why do you care what birds are called?
Because fuck you, that’s why.
(Other than because it’s his blog.)
Are we to believe that no one had ever seen that particular type of harm before said expert Cooper ?
Lol
Drowning puppies just can’t control his emotions when it comes to people whose opinions he doesn’t approve of.
And his stress has increased noticeably after the multiple Trump indictments
They’re finally getting around to the really important stuff…
While you are at it, force all the black people names washington, jeffereson, and lee to change their names too.