One of the Bay Area’s oldest conservation organizations is changing its name to distance itself from its former namesake — a known slaveholder and anti-abolitionist.
Members of the Golden Gate Audubon Society last Thursday ratified the decision of its Board of Directors to officially change the name of the organization to Golden Gate Bird Alliance during its annual meeting at the David Brower Center in Berkeley.
According to the conservation group, the name change was done after months of deliberation “to express its commitment to inclusion and highlight the importance of collective action in protecting local birds and wildlife.”
“Our new name will help make the organization more accessible to a broader range of people,” executive director Glenn Phillips said in a statement. “With the threats facing birds today, we need everyone to be able to protect them.”
The name change is part of a nationwide reevaluation of John James Audubon as a figurehead for the country’s oldest and largest bird conservation network.
When the National Audubon Society announced in March that it would not change its name, a number of chapters including Golden Gate moved forward with their own name discussions.
Golden Gate members voted in favor of removing “Audubon” from their name in April, setting in motion a months-long process of outreach, discussions and voting to come up with a new name for the chapter.
“(John James) Audubon, a 19th century naturalist and pioneering bird artist, was also a slave holder, anti-abolitionist, and a robber of Native American graves — a history that undermines efforts to build a diverse, inclusive organization,” the group said.
The group added that it will retain its affiliation with the National Audubon Society and its relationships with other chapters across the country.
This is not the first time that the conservation organization has changed its name.
Founded in 1917 as Audubon Association of the Pacific, the group changed its name to Golden Gate Audubon Society in 1949, a year after joining the National Audubon network.
Sick of this stuff. For heaven’s sake, can’t we focus on important things for once? Name changes change nothing. Congrats to this organization for wasting time and money
Shameful that they keep the name Golden Gate, which celebrates the colonialist and imperialist taking of California by Western European powers and destruction of indigenous peoples. Yes, that is sort of satire but in a very real way points out their brainless woke hypocrisy. Using Boomer terminology, we should give them the bird for this.
Whew! I feel so much better now! (not)
Idiots.
They just cancelled Audubon. Unreal.
That aught to fix everything. Now we can get back to business and import millions of low skilled workers to compete with poor black Americans, and build a couple more pipelines across reservations.
We live in the most shallow, inane time in history.
More woke crap.
If they have that much of an issue with it, why don’t they completely dissociate themselves from the Audubon Society?
More hypocrisy.
Dissociating themselves from the “national” Audubon Society would likely result in the loss of distibuted funds from the national organization.
What the heck is wrong with the Autobahn … hold on need another glass of whine (wine).
The point is if they dissociate from the national society, thereby leaving behind the financial support, the name change would seem to be less of a woke virtue signal.
More woke stupidity
They just got dropped from my will
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Political correctness run amok.
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Little Johnny…. “Daddy, what does political correctness mean?”
Daddy….“Well son, it means giving up your self-respect, and beliefs, in order to please some whiny little crybabies.”
Stated that slavery was completely wrong first. But, was he a slave holder when it was legal? What’s the robbing graves thing all about? Also, I think ‘Golden Gate’ is some white nationalist symbol, it offends me.
Did they even consider: “Biddle’s Bird Watchers”?
It’s a natural………..
Mental illness is running rampant in CALUNICORNIA! So glad to be leaving this lunatic state.
Sheer woke liberal insanity. I’ll bet you half the people on the board that voted for that drive Japanese cars. Even though the Japanese committed Horrific war crimes during World War II in that wasn’t that long ago. Many of Them Probably drive German cars also.
I’m sure they also have products in their house from Siemens. Probably are too ignorant to even know that.Siemens built the gas chambers for the SS during World War II. Those people are basically idiots.
Thank you wokobon idiots, I too just stopped future proceeds. Hit these idiots where it hurts.
I’m sick of these woke people erasing history. First, it was taking a wonderful woman’s picture off of a pancake box. There was nothing at all racist about her being on that box of pancake mix. In fact, to her and her family, it was an honor.
Then they started destroying historical statues. They need to live history alone. It is there to learn from.
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For posterity’s sake, I have enclosed in a custom display case a box of Aunt Jemima pancake batter mix and a bottle of Aunt Jemima maple syrup.
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I’ll be taking bids in about 15 years.
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… more woke crxx! …. spending more taxpayer $$ unnecessarily without our input…. sounds like our taxes being used without our representation – sounds familiar doesn’t it? Next will be mascots in schools named Vikings. Vikings were known to pillage villages, be male chauvanists and abuse women, murder women and children, etc. What will the woke call them next? The Bunnies, Butterflies and Flowers? 🙁
Careful there, Domo……you’re speaking about my ancestors. 🙂
CYN – mine to as a matter of fact….
Oh Lordy, get over this BS of name changes! if the woke keeps changing names & history, it will repeat it self cause it will be all forgotten. Leave it alone & teach more of how far the world has come & to learn from past mistakes.
OH MY GAWD!!!
ENOUGH ALREADY!!!
I am sick of bending to a CRYBABY oppressive minority of straight oppression because they are to stupid to understand! Go to your cry closet and suck it up BUTTERCUP history heals and hurts that’s why we can’t forget history! So FO P_ssies
And any further donations to oppressive bending organizations like AUDOBON can no longer look forward to annual donations from US!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AUDOBON bending to Woke BS you’ve been CANCELLED!!!
So totally stupid coming from ignorant people. Grow up! learn from the past and keep it fresh so you do not repeat it. These will be known as the stupid ages.
Has an infectious woke avian brain disease crossed the species barrier ?
The Biden & Fetterman birdbrain voters have spoken!
The name “San Francisco” comes from Spanish explorers who stole land from the natives who lived here. Per the National Park Service that was the aboriginal lands of the Ohlone. Maybe San Francisco should consider returning the land and changing the name.
@Borbeliiever
Starting with Nancy’s house in Pacific Heights.
This whole country is going to s#%t.
We are doomed!
Old Creeker, you’ve got that right and if your name implies what I think it does, then “Hopefully” it will “Implode” after our time on this (what was) a wonderful place to live.
Government should always be looking forward not backwards.
No more donations from me. I’m sick of this woke crap.
Changing the names of parks, mascots. Introducing new education requirements, banning old standards. Removal of statues, heros. They are claiming victory. They are sterilizing our youth. They are inserting a favored population to replace our citizens. Next year is a very important election. You know what to do.
That’s not a Golden Eagle in the picture, it’s a Turkey vulture.
The “puritains” are often more evil than the accused. It’s just another witch hunt. Endless human Ego trying to best others with their superiority.