[Tweeters] Renaming birds (dropping eponyms)

[Steve Loitz]

A non-anthropocentric view: I have long thought that wild things and wild
places ought not be named for a small group of humans* who happen to have
lived during a 200-year long naming spree. More than any other birder I
know, I spend much of my time in wilderness, i.e., places outside the reach
of, and alteration by, human development, where modern humans are mere
visitors. I applauded the McKinley>Denali name change, advocate replacing
"Rainier" with "Tahoma," and, although I deeply respect the man, objected
to renaming the Olympic Wilderness Area for Dan Evans.

*That the small group of humans for which NA birds were named is comprised
of powerful and/or influential (now dead) white guys is not my primary
beef, although I respect that basis for objection.

Sure, the name changes will be a PITA, but nature is so much bigger than
us. And, now more than ever, we need to be reminded of that.

--
Steve Loitz
Ellensburg, WA
steveloitz at gmail.com
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