Decimated by fabricated malaise sparked by widespread trepidation, the English language continues to take a thrashing administered by an eclectic posse consisting of agitated neighborhood association members, sanctimonious Starbucks baristas unionizing, and a galactic supercomputer powered by the egos of historical tyrants.
While historical statues in the US and the UK are being toppled by the cadres of the uninformed and emotionally unstable, the more adult personalities in the room are focused and disemboweling language with all the delicacy of a Cartel inquisitor practicing Afghan tribal knife rituals on an unfortunate soul caught within the crosshairs of a reorganization, and slashing business costs. The blood trickling blood droplet by droplet in evaporating into obscurity.
Right on cue in a hissy fit of a distraction and attempting to deflect from the major issue of inflation, the brass at the Seattle Audubon society has decided to join the ranks of instigators in rewriting history through omission. The group, which at some level actually provides valuable knowledge to amateurs on how to properly identify localized bird species, will officially drop “Audubon” from its name. John James Audubon was a 19th century artist and naturalist responsible for a massive and successful effort to catalogue the flying creatures of North America. Like many of his time, the trendsetting conservationist owned slaves, and as a result of indiscretions weighed against modern standards, his legacy will slowly be dissolved into purgatory.
Allegedly, inspired by the fervor and insane actions of the pioneers of the CHAZ/CHOP zone in conjunction with the Seattle city council, the organization has decided to follow a similar directive on the tail feathers of other avian advocacy groups who have axed iconic ornithologist’s name. There is no word yet from Bird’s Lives Matter, or the flapping version of BLM, as to the possible consequences of the cancelation.
Similar to other notable white male figures of the past and their many accomplishments, the current unsettling trajectory of vaporization within the construct of groupthink threatens to create massive voids within factual history over the next two decades, unless reason prevails.
As of this moment in time, the namesake of “Audubon” is still synonymous in celebrating the diversity of bird species, while providing stewardship and outreach on how to promote habitat, especially within urbanized areas. However, negative connotations surrounding the word are infusing politics into a field and activity that should be apolitical, outside of the study of Penguin politics in the wastelands of the Antarctic. Reactionary activists are oblivious to the idea that when the average human executes a visual association with “Audubon”, one is not envisioning a man born in the late 1700’s, but a Hummingbird, or a Scarlet Tanager.
While the next step in the societal witch hunt will surround dialogue exploring removing the name that is not to the polarization point yet from parks, buildings, and streets, it is the responsibility of the reasonable majority to ensure that the conversation is rescued from the ridiculous.
If the fallout should prove negative, than it is up to the disruptors to fit the bill for the costly endeavor of officially mothballing a name for the sake of forwarding an agenda.