to ruffle their feathers.

There, I said it.

There, I SAID IT!

There I said it.

Last edited Thu May 28, 2020, 02:01 PM - Edit history (3)

The bench was where people gathered to watch Pale Male, the Red-Tailed hawk at his 5th Avenue nest. (Netflix "The Legend of Pale Male." Narrated by Joanne Woodward.*)

It was late November and it was chilly. The kid was, maybe 13. I remember this because he was not wearing a jacket and was shivering, following us around. He was black. He followed Joyce and I around for a few minutes before asking us what we were doing. Joyce took off her binoculars, showed him how to use the focus and pointed out a --don't remember what bird.

He followed us around for about another half hour until it got dark. We showed him the hawk bench and told him other bird people meet here on weekends when you're not in school. We said good-bye and took off for New Jersey.

We didn't come back for a week or so but he was there. By then, he made friends with some of the bench "regulars" and was a regular himself. Someone, gave him a pair of "starter" binoculars and he was off and running.

Fast forward 10 years, he is now one of the best birders in the Ramble.




* "The Legend of Pale Male" was a documentary made in 2010. I am in it for all of 1 1/2 second. It is my only commercial cinema appearance. (Heh, heh.)

Typing this, I realized why I never watch the dvd I own. Almost all of my friends in it have passed on. Its still a great documentary.

The site, palemale.com just experience a Yahoo fuck-up.

They erased all entries from 2008, forward.... thousands of pictures and no back-up.

I haven't been to the park since 10/20/2019. He was alive and flying then.

not a crazed, over-the-top zealot, but I love watching them. You can learn a lot about human interaction by observing nature. You see some pretty odd things watching birds in the wild.

I am asking because you mentioned odd things watching birds and I remembered the pine siskin invasion I endured a few years ago. I am shaking. I think I'm triggered. I usually don't get that way too often.

One day a few years ago, I remember seeing this huge flock of crazy, ferocious birds fly into my yard. They were new to my feeder and there were dozens of them.

I thought it was great. This new species of bird had decided to visit my feeder. I was thrilled and welcomed them with open arms, a new dedicated thistle seed feeder, and the joy of watching so many cute little birds visiting my feeders.

I searched online to learn more about them and IDed them as pine siskins. They have a reputation for traveling in large flocks together and picking an unsuspecting victim each year to visit and bankrupt. They cannot be satisfied that there are several feeders around. They will all fight over the one feeder that one of them picked out earlier that morning when it woke up. They will eat you out of house and home until you can't afford to fill the bird feeders any more.

I kept reading these dire warnings about pine siskins and thought, nah, it can't be that bad. So, I went out and bought them a thistle seed feeder and some thistle seeds, because I read they loved those.

So, I sat and watched, transfixed at this awesome visit from such a cute little bird.

As time went by, I started to notice how they fly up into the air and kick each other. They run right over many other birds, including many in their own flock. They peck other songbirds and even some of their own flock and sometimes kill them. They poop everywhere. Pigeons only WISH they could carpet every surface that deep in poop.

In the beginning, I was more than happy to refill the feeders more than once in a day. I had never normally needed to refill my feeders but every third day or so. The cleanup was intense and time consuming, but I was determined to welcome my new bird feeder visitors.

After a few days of watching them in horror, I purchased gloves to clean and refill my bird crap covered feeders when it was time to refill them, bury the dead birds who lost the fight with their cousins over food, and try to come up with something to think about to get the shock and dismay out of my head.

By noon on the fourth day, the feeders were empty, again, and covered in bird poop, feathers, and who knows what else. I was nauseated just looking out the window at the mess I had to face, again, and wondered how long I needed to wait to refill the feeders again, once those heathens moved off to some other poor unsuspecting victim.

That was what I learned was the only solution to the nightmare. Quit feeding birds at all until the holy terrors moved on.

I literally ended up having to quit quit feeding birds for several weeks, because of them. They were eating me out of house and home and killing so many birds through fighting, not only other songbirds, but many in their own flock, as well.

The online suggestion was to wait until they were no longer sitting in the trees, crapping on everything, and screaming bloody murder at you to feed them more. It took about three weeks and they were gone. I resumed normal bird feeder behavior and spent the next several months in shock and bewilderment.

Now, when I see a new species visit my yard, I am wary. I still get excited, but in the back of my mind, I get a twinge of please don't let them be like the pine siskins. I still have some residual trauma to this day.

I've had beaucoup Starlings though, and they can be just as messy, mean, and selfish. I have a plethora of Downy Woodpeckers at my suet feeders, and Starlings would chase and kill them because they saw them as competition for the suet. You can always tell if another bird died from a Starling attack: They always peck out the other bird's eyes. The Starlings love to eat all the suet (and I mean ALL) for their babies, because it's all fat and mashed up peanuts. That makes for big, strong babies. Yippee!

I had a Red Bellied Woodpecker work for over a week, carving out a nest in a dead branch of an old tree. In came the Starlings, harassed the Woodpecker until he flew to another tree, then took over the nest. Starlings are the shittiest birds (literally and figuratively) on the planet. Sounds like the Siskins would give them a run for their money though. Anyway, the Starlings fouled the nest with as much crap as possible, then abandoned it the same day. They didn't really want the nest, they just didn't want the Woodpecker to have it.

Blue Jays can be a problem as well, but at least they hang around during the winter and add a bit of color to the drab winter scenery.

Yes, the natural world is full of assholes too. Amazing, isn't it?

When I was a kid (back in the late 50s and early 60s) I spent a lot of time with my grandfather. He was a farmer and back then the government had all sorts of programs for farmers who'd want to use some of their property for conservation. They'd bring in heavy equipment and dig ponds for migratory birds, and even stock the ponds with bluegills and small mouth bass. My grandfather had one pond dug that was slightly over 11 acres, and had two smaller ones (less than 3 acres each) dug as well. Every year in the spring and fall, thousands of geese and ducks visited. He always had corn, oats, and buckwheat growing for food too. It was a paradise for water fowl, pheasants, and fish. Other people found out about this little paradise and we'd spend a great deal of time chasing poachers off the property. When I grew up a little that became a full time job for me. Then the late 60s happened, I was off to College (and the entire counter-culture scene) and he was too old to take care of the property by the mid-70s. It was a great learning experience and I'm always thankful my grandfather (and the U.S. government) gave me that opportunity.

experiences. I was/am saddened by the huge losses in bird populations. In the early 60's the flocks were very impressive. Rarely see much of a flock anymore except starlings and Canada geese. I'm grateful to have witnessed what I did. I just wish my kids could see it too. Domestic cats have taken a huge toll on nesting birds where I live. So many species we used to see frequnetly are not to be seen. Scarlet tanagers, indigo buntings, whipporwills, Wood thrushes, even grossbeaks. We did have some flickers this spring which was great to see. They may have nested nearby. Was awakened to a newly born crow at 4 am the other day, learning/practicing to "crow". It was really loud and really gawd-awful bad, but he/she was getting ready for prime time! Guess we all start that way. Thanks for the post.

I have my own osprey 'bench,' near home in southern MD from which I watch them many times a day, March - September.

Last edited Sat May 30, 2020, 08:51 AM - Edit history (1)

First off, I’ll say, the lady was wrong not to follow the rules of leashing her dog and wrong to call the cops. With that said, I believe she was scared. As a woman who often walks my dog alone in the woods, I get scared whenever I see a man. Doesn’t matter the color. When the man reached into his pocket to throw dog treats at the dog, that act alone would have scared the crap out of me. I wouldn’t know what he was throwing. He is a stranger. She tried to even the playing field with her white privilege, saying her intentions, out loud. As if to say, “I have power too.” This is from a place of fear.

The man was recording her, and quite happy when she called the police. He even thanked her. It seemed to me that he was hoping for this. With all the horrible things that happen to black men, I believe he was coming from a place of anger, and possibly fear as well.

I don’t think she should have lost her job and dog. Jobs now are so hard to find, and I think this entire situation is just so unfortunate.

Edited:
Since this post I have viewed the video (before I had read a few articles). What the video did show was Amy Cooper advancing on Mr. Cooper, which was aggressive on her part (this wasn't specified in the articles). Also, the articles failed to show how she put on an act when calling the police (while actually hurting her dog). So, yes - all the posts that follow saying I should watch the video were correct.

your post makes sense to me.


edited to correct misspelling

and using her White privilege by calling the cops on a Black man over a minor disagreement (where she was in the wrong)
is unacceptable behavior. She was breaking the rules and even though she might have felt fear and anger at being called on this or at someone subverting her authority over her dog, she should have agreed to leash the dog and move on.

Btw, Christian Cooper, the birder, agrees that she should not have lost her job.

I can understand why she might've been scared of him if no one else was around because he was a man. I don't agree with you that he was necessarily hoping for this, rather that he was recording for his own protection should he need to prove he wasn't "threatening her life." It also seems good she gave up her dog, she obviously doesn't know how to handle one.

When she started calling police, and overdoing the drama, that was really rather disgusting.

She was some distance from him, grabbing her dog by the collar in an increasingly brutal way (looked like she was choking the poor little thing), and bending over and faking that she was being attacked at that moment, when her so-called “attacker” was not in any way physically close to her, I’m sorry. I just lost all sympathy for her.

Disgraceful.

she bent down and brought the phone down closer to him, maybe so the dispatcher could hear the dog's distress more clearly, and then she even told the dispatcher, "Sorry, I can't hear!" Maybe it was just coincidence that she did that right at that moment, but it sure looked like she was using the dog as a kind of sound effect to support her lies.

bending over while choking her poor dog, and was near a tree screaming into her phone trying to make it sound as though she were being physically attacked right that moment, yelling how she was IN THE MIDST OF being attacked then and there, acting up a storm like she was starring in some horror movie, making it sound as though there was an assailant literally on top of her and brutalizing her.

This, mind you, WHILE the guy she was accusing was standing what looked like a few yards (like three-feet yards on a yardstick) away recording her histrionics with his cell phone. He was NOWHERE NEAR her. He was NOWHERE NEAR coming into physical contact with her. You could see her whole body, from head to foot, easily, WITH ROOM TO SPARE so you could see a LOT of the surroundings in the park around and behind her, which would prove he WAS NOT NEARLY as close to her as she was yowling on the phone claiming he was.

Actually, yes, I think she should be fired. If I were a coworker, I wouldn't want someone like her in the office any longer, where I worked. The behavior demonstrated proves she's unfit and can't get along with people, and can't take instruction - like LEASH YOUR DOG WHEN YOU WALK YOUR DOG IN A PARK WHERE IT SAYS TO LEASH YOUR DOG, okay? Who died and made her queen so she could wantonly and willfully ignore rules just because she didn't feel like doing so.

I'm sorry. No mercy. No patience for people like that. They're the people who'd run over your kid because they thought your kid was in the way and they didn't want to slow down and didn't think they should have to.

If I were running that business where she worked, she would not be employed there anymore. I'd feel compelled to consider the wellbeing of everybody else in the office with a loose cannon like her around.

So not only is she a pretty unstable coworker who doesn't think rules apply to her and can't even admit she's wrong when she's CLEARLY in the wrong, but she likely made decisions about hiring, firing, promotions, etc. I wouldn't trust someone like that making decisions that my be based purely on her own prejudices.

Her actions remind me of the white women in the grocery store who leave their purses unattended in their carts until they see me round the corner. Or the people who sit in their cars and lock their doors when my husband passes on the sidewalk. Sure, they don't call the police but they certainly appear to be threatened by us. (Who knows, maybe it has just been decades of coincidence).

Do you think she would have called the cops if he was white? I don't know, but I'd doubt it. Certainly she would not have reported it was an African American man who was threatening her. (Or maybe she would --- Susan Smith and MANY others come to mind).

It is unfortunate that she lost her job but I think that was a business decision. I do know I would choose not to do business with her.

Oh, and I would not be surprised if she is the reported liberal who maxed out her contributions to President Obama or supported Buttigieg. I am surprised by the disbelief some exhibited when they learned of this.

Ms. Cooper lost me with the 911 call. Maybe she was frightened. From my perspective though, Mr. Cooper is the one who is deserving of empathy.

If she had been afraid, she would have moved away from Mr. Cooper.

Ms Cooper lost me when she moved closer to Mr. Cooper and threatened to call the police and report an African American man was attacking her.

I don't believe that she was frightened. I believe that she was pissed off that an African American man had the gall to ask her to leash her dog. Her attitude was not that of a rational person, it was that of someone who was angry she was caught doing something that is illegal - letting her dog off leash - and wanted revenge on the person who caught her at it.

She DID advance on him - FIRST. I think your assessment is correct. She didn't feel like she had to conform to a cautionary note from a black guy.

And then she backed off and did her queen-of-the-horror-movies act, screaming and yelling into her phone about how she was being attacked, right then and there - when he was not even near enough to reach out and touch her. It looked like he needed arms that were about 14-16 feet long to be able to do that.

follow the posted rule in the park by completely going nuts.

Here's the other thing about the dog being off-leash. Most dog-owners who let their dogs off-leash will tell you "no problem, my dog is really well-trained." In my experience, really well-trained dogs are very in-tune with their owners. And if someone was threatening their owner in any way, they would become very protective.

I know my dog (who is willful and I never let her off-leash unless we're in a dog run) is as sweet as pie, loves everyone she meets, super friendly. But one night, I was walking her when a man got out of his car and walked towards us. Once he passed us, he realized he was going the wrong way and turned so he was following us. I wasn't worried about him, I could tell he was looking for an address. But my dog did *not* like the way he was following us and got between us with her hackles raised and a deep growl.

That women's dog did not appear to sense anything threatening about Mr. Cooper, and then of course was focused primarily on not choking to death. In any case, I just don't see how likely it would be for any person to attack someone at 8 in the morning, in public, knowing they'd also have to deal with that person's dog.

in the woods, on rail-trails, etc. I have lived in various parts of the world, including some fairly dangerous places (Los Angeles, Mexico City). I always have earbuds in but the music is never very loud and the buds provide the assumption that I’m not listening to or aware of my surroundings. I am. Very aware. I’ve been approached by many a creepy man. My reactions are generally NOT to move towards them at all, not to engage them if I can help it, and to just keep on running. If I was in fear of someone, the last thing I would do is to move towards them or say anything. I do not walk around afraid of men, but aware. I’ve been more freaked out by the actions of the white tweaker community in my town than black me.

I don’t know what point I’m trying to make. Her actions were abhorrent.

scared, I would move AWAY from him, not towards him, yelling at him. And if I felt the need to call the police, I would say "I'm calling 911" not "I'm going to tell them there's an African American man threatening my life." Why would she say that unless she knew that calling the police had a good chance of ending very badly for him, as it has for so many other black men? If he was white would she have said "I'm going to tell them there's a white man threatening my life."? Just the way her whole tone changed when she was on the phone with 911 came across as not fear at all but playing it up for maximum reaction.

Conversely, nothing about this man suggests he was "hoping" for this to happen. He's an avid bird-watcher, a board member of the local Audubon chapter, and cares a great deal about the birds being protected in the park. Which is why he asked this woman to follow the posted rules and leash her dog. He didn't just randomly go up to her and start filming her. She was the one in the wrong and, rather than leash her dog and move on, she decided to double-down and punish him for daring to ask her to follow a very simple rule.

One way he agrees with you is that he said he didn't think he should lose her job over the incident. That's the only way I disagree with him. It's time people started seeing real consequences for their actions. Fear or not, she played a very callous game with him, telling him that she knew police would believe a white woman over a black man and that she was willing to lie to make that so. I think she should be charged with a crime, so losing her job is a better outcome for her IMHO.

And losing her dog? Hell yes, I would NEVER do that to my dog, no matter how flustered I was. I use a harness on her so she never has to worry about choking.

"please do" and after she called "thank you".
As for taking steps toward the man, I actually didn't see that, I didn't watch a video I only read several articles about it.

She was wrong, definitely. I just feel that her vilification wasn't warranted. She's human and I would hate to see her hurt herself if it came to that (you never know). And I think most people have biases even though we think we don't. It's terrible, I know and I wish we could all be un-programmed. Incidentally, the hubby and I JUST finished a Netflix episode called 100 Humans, where they do experiments, and they proved (in a light-hearted manner) that we think we're unbiased but most of us are (sadly).

I wish these two people could get together and have a drink and get to know each other. Then put THAT all over the news.

There was no question here, who was in the wrong. Actually, in her case, SEVERAL wrongs. Including filing a false-alarm report. You can get in big trouble for doing that.

I did watch and edited my post.
The articles were not descriptive enough to give the whole picture.
When I watched I was surprised the way she advanced on Mr. Cooper and how she really did put on an act while calling the cops (while strangling her dog!).

to prove that he's an "okay guy" and for her to show that she's "not so bad."

I completely understand and respect the issue regarding women having to be particularly cautious when out in certain areas where they could be accosted with no one near by to intervene. But that line about informing the police that "an African-American man is threatening me" is pure, ugly entitlement.

I was walking in a park decades ago and smiled at pretty much everyone that I encountered. One fellow, a man on a bike who happened to be black, (yep, I'm a white lady in case you hadn't guessed) seemed to be appearing again at different areas in the park and paying particular attention to me.

My instinct told me to leave the park and as I cut across a green expanse with no paths and no one nearby, I heard the man call out, "Where are you going?" in a tone that suggested that I had agreed to meet him or something. He was at the top of the hill where the path was and I was near the split rail fence that bordered the park. I felt very vulnerable. Being pathologically polite, I called out, "Just heading home" and headed to the fence and ducked under it.

I wasn't really near my home and he was on a bike. I headed to the apartment complex across the street wishing I could remember the apartment number of a person that I had met a writer's guild meeting. By luck, a former roommate was driving through the complex and I happily accepted a ride.

I had no cell phone back then, and I was not directly threatened. If for some reason I had been followed further and had a phone on me, I would have told the police that a strange man on a bike was acting very familarly towards me and that I was nervous. IF the police asked for a description, I would have told them that he was black. That would be a basic description, not a ploy to have my concern taken more seriously.

A few years before that, I was driving in Philadelphia and headed to an intersection. I am not at all certain what happened in that moment, but I had a weird, disconnected sense and made a turn in front of an oncoming car. I knew that I was in the wrong and was very upset by what I had done and still feeling weirdly confused so I pulled my car over because I didn't feel safe to drive in that moment.

The car that I had crossed in front of stopped behind me and a visibly angry and yes--visibly black-- man got out and strode up to me. I rolled down my window to face him so that I could apologize. I was in tears and he let me have it. "I have my kids in that car!", he yelled me, as well as a few other things--none of them ugly or abusive that I remember.

He was clearly angry and had every right to be. I remember feeling oddly disconnected, but not afraid of him in particular, (And I have dealt with some angry, violent men.) He was a dad and he was protecting his kids and I understood that.

I tried to explain that I was "going through something" or whatever, and dealing with both guilt and a sort of mental fugue state, I sure was not making much sense. His voice was still pretty loud when he said "That doesn't matter" or something like that.

I bring up these two incidents not to show what a wonderful, non-racist person that I am, but to demonstrate that we all have a natural desire to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe. I could give that Ms. Cooper one point out of ten for her situation as a woman in an isolated area interacting with a strange man. I would give Mr. Cooper at least seven points for being black and facing an entitled white woman. Both of them had a right to feel safe, but only one of them probably experienced a strong pour of adrenal fear in their veins when she pulled out her cell phone to call the police.

For a split second, Ms. Cooper may have been acting on instinct in a need to feel safe. But any intelligent application of instinct would have appraised Mr. Cooper and the situation they were in its entirety. Informing Mr. Cooper that she was calling the police to tell on him for being black was another kind of instinct altogether.

If you read the original post, he is the Chapter President of the NYC Audubon Society. He was in the Rambles, a well known birding spot. He had treats, which he has used before to get owners to leash their dogs. It is very likely that he has knowledge of the police who respond in that area and was likely expecting that they would not respond in the way she was thinking they would.

Her vilification is VERY warranted. She calculated that if she said, "an African-American man is threatening me" that her response would bring the police to her aid without question.

She had her dog off leash and was violating the ordinance in the first place and when the man asked her to leash the dog, her response should have been, "Oh, sorry about that. Sure." and then leash the dog. She started the pissing match and used the idea of racial bias to win the pissing match.

Anyone who thinks that they are not biased is a fool.

We are all biased. What we need to do is work against that bias, consciously and daily. I am biased, I see it in my actions and attitudes. I try not to let my biases influence my actions but they do. When I catch myself, I admit it and seek amends to people who may have been affected.

the video. Reading about it is not the same. It's the way she moves angrily toward him (not away in fear), the way she drags her dog around by the neck, not even noticing her own pet is choking, the way her tone of voice suddenly verges on hysteria when talking to the cops, saying she "doesn't know why" he's "threatening her and her dog." She was fully flat-out lying. He didn't threaten her and she knows damn well why he approached her. He started filming her because she got unnecessarily belligerent and he knew he'd have to have proof she was in the wrong or likely the police would believe her play-acting.

Mr. Cooper did absolutely nothing wrong. The reason he said "please do" is because she acted like a lunatic when asked a very simple request, which was follow the posted rules. If he was hoping anything, it was probably that she'd come to her senses and realize how ridiculous she was rather than just saying "sorry," leashing her dog, and walking away. The whole thing would have been forgotten in seconds. He doesn't owe her a drink or an apology or any more of his time so she can learn not to be a racist. That's her burden.

Your posts here are disgusting. Self delete this.

In my working career I worked in 3 employment-related positions: Labor Relations in University Personnel, the County Affirmative Action Commission, and the County Civil Service Commission.

She demonstrated not just racism but outstandingly poor judgment in all respects. If she behaves like this in a public setting, how will she ultimately behave with co-workers and clients?

I keep coming back to this fact: she could have got that man killed -- and for what? Challenging her white privilege to break whatever rules she chooses to.

My God. I despair for my country at times like this.

The way she emphasized "African American" was a clear threat, made with the understanding that the police would believe a white woman over a black man and the black man would pay the price. All for asking her to follow a very simple rule that was not injurious to her in any way. She's just an entitled bigot. She absolutely should not be in a position of power at work.

Otherwise known as FWWS Fearful White Woman Syndrome.

Then there is male companion FWMS. Fearful White Man Syndrome. "I am in fear for my life, that is why I feel the need to carry a handgun." "I was in fear of my life, that is why I shot that "thug". (George Zimmerman / Trayvon Martin)

"I am in fear for my life." That is always the justification from white women about calling police on anything or anyone, but especially POC. Of white men stopping MOC for just existing, doing their job, then questioning about just what they are doing.

I wonder how many WOC routinely call the police on MOC? Or for that matter how many POC call about 911 about some "strange" white man.

….she should have put her dog on leash, as the sign she stood next to, said——and left.

Period.

If you're afraid you run the other way.

You don't walk towards the person you're afraid of.

She was "afraid" of getting busted for breaking the leash-laws and getting a fine. She was a calculating piece of work.

to say, but she should not walk alone in the woods. Just not a good idea. I would not even walk alone in a public park anymore. Sorry folks that’s just the way it is these days. In KC where I live, young women have disappeared and not been found, some for years, but the men that kidnapped them have been found and by the way, they were white men. Second she shouldn’t have had her dog off the leash in an area that had signs saying dogs have to have a leash on. I know what it is like to be followed, and when I was young I learned not to put myself in that situation.
As for the guy recording her, maybe he shouldn’t have been doing that, but I’m sure he was trying to protect himself while he asked her to please keep her dog on a leash in case she escalated the situation-which she did. Being white, we have no idea what it is like to be a black man in this society-absolutely no idea.
I know you won’t like what I’m saying, but I’ve heard since my teens in the 70’s, don’t go walking in parks or wooded areas alone. Sorry, but that is the society we live in.

Please don’t ty to excuse racist behavior. Says a lot about you. No way was he “hoping for this”. But you are right about one thing, to be black in America is to be coming a place of “fear and anger.” This s almost a Limbaugh-esque twisting of he fact to justify her abominable behavior. I think you misse your calling.

reached 911 was bizarre.

Even if it wasnt an act I still say we white folks need to get a grip. I say this as someone who grew up with the message to fear people who were different from us.... so its not like I dont have any sympathy for those grew up similarly impaired. Still - get a grip! As adults we can make choices about not acting on the early programming and learn to discern what is really happening, instead of projecting baseless fears onto other people

Yes, I agree with the sentiment that she was in an entirely different place than I what I thought (by reading the articles).
Some here are calling me a racist, which is really unfair to me. I'm not (although I'm sure I have baked in biases which we all have). I read articles that did not give the whole picture. I still feel that DU should be a place where we can have discussions without losing our collective heads.

I sincerely suggest you read more about white privilege and how we are taught to be racist by the media and our culture. I'm a white woman, too. And as a woman, I always protect myself and am cautious.

Black men don't have the privileged of being perceived as harmless. No matter their education level or that they are a professional - they often experience white racism in the form of "locking car doors when they are walking by."

The media and our culture has taught white women to be afraid of men of color and it's a bunch of BS. Are you frighted when a white man in a suit and tie walks down the street? Do you lock your car doors then? Do you move to the other side of the street?

Also, if she is frightened, why is she behaving in a way that would escalate the situation.

Please, don't make us white women look bad with racially insensitive comments such as yours. Please educate yourself and become part of the solution. Become a white ally. If you aren't part of the solution, you are part of the problem.

You can't be neutral on a moving train.

Absolutely contemptible. How dare you. What you've written is wrong in so many levels.

Only a few years in but the thrill of seeing something rare or just something regular but for the first time in the season is life affirming.

Has to be even more of a thrill to see these little miracles of nature in a place like Central Park in the biggest city in the country.

We bought our new home a few years ago and it's on a bluff near the woods and a couple blocks from a park with protected wetlands. Immediately we were blown away by the variety of species that came to our feeders, 3 years later we are still making amazing discoveries. Saw my 2nd Northern Flicker last night, amazingly beautiful bird.

One of the only good things about WV is that it’s on the migratory bird path. I saw a scarlet tanager the other day. It was really pretty.

Was amazing, the red practically glows, so much brighter than a Cardinal. That was my favorite sighting.

We get Indigo Buntings for a couple weeks every Summer now and that's pretty cool too.

As I said, the Northern Flicker is a thrill, they'll only stick around for a day or 2.

We've now got a Pilleated Woodpecker in the woods behind our house, their calls are amazing.

I read an account, several years ago, of an AA bird watcher somewhere in the midwest, parked on the side of a country road, standing by his car, looking for a specific type of bird. Some rural locals came upon him, with his field glasses and bird book, and gave him enough crap that he decided he'd pass on spotting that particular bird that day, and packed up and left. That makes me sad and mad at the same time.

on edit: Looking for that old post I found this great article.

https://outdoorafro.com/2011/11/birding-while-black-does-it-really-matter/

Because birds and trees go together like bread and butter.

Good for Audubon.

he may have been 1 of the birders. cats loved that doc.

print a tshirt.

and no doubt the vast majority support this statement. AS's promotion of climate change and other bird-related sciences would long ago have cost them most members so reactionary that they'd object to this, though some fraction will no doubt take offense.

how they are treated with suspicion

Should have the right to enjoy nature without being accused of assault.

Now, not only are people pulled over for "Driving while Black", it's also suspicious to be "Birding while Black."

In college, I was very offended when a group of privileged White kids formed a group to mentor kids of color with outdoor experiences. Talking to them , they implied was the people of color don't appreciate nature.

Now we have a White woman who cant make sense of a Black Man who Birds.