Marion Hammer, the ghoulish octogenarian who retired last year after four decades as the NRA’s chief lobbyist in Tallahassee, is known primarily for the work she did to make Florida more violent and less safe. But despite being a bird enthusiast, I didn’t know until I read a recent (paywalled) Orlando Sentinel column that Hammer …
Birdshot (Open Thread)Post + Comments (66)
Hammer once appeared before a committee to argue that the bird’s friendly behavior and willingness to eat out of human hands just proved the bird had a “welfare mentality.” (Orlando Sentinel)
“Mockingbirds are remarkable song birds that are known to sing up to 200 songs. And, unlike the Mockingbird, the Scrub-Jay can’t even sing – it can only squawk…”
“Scrub-Jays are evil little birds that rob the nests of other birds and eat their eggs and kill their babies.* One might call that street gang behavior in the avian community. The state bird is about representing Florida and that is the greater purpose. The Scrub-Jay simply doesn’t fit that purpose.” (Palm Beach Post)
“Since being designated the state bird in 1927, the mockingbird is a well-established, independent, prolific bird that has never needed government protection or our tax dollars to survive. It can be seen, watched, studied, and enjoyed by children and adults in all areas of Florida.” (Tallahassee Democrat)
We don’t know for sure that Hammer is the sole reason statehouse Republicans have killed multiple bills to make scrub jays the state bird. But it’s not a stretch to suspect it, given how deranged she seems on the topic and her well-known predilection for intimidating lawmakers to bend them to her will.
Now that the ghastly gunslinger no longer stalks the halls of the Twig & Two Berries Capitol Complex,** Hammer may find herself foiled by a group of kids on the scrub jay issue too — there’s a new bill up for consideration thanks to Seminole High School students’ wildlife conservation club. The kids persuaded a Republican to sponsor the bill and are actively lobbying other lawmakers to support it.
Hammer is squawking about it as usual (she can’t even sing — she can only squawk!), but it looks like the kids have the momentum. Here’s hoping the Seminole High students deal the bellicose gun-fondler another rare defeat.
Open thread.
*According to Cornell Lab, Florida Scrub Jays eat “insects, acorns, berries, and small vertebrates such as snakes, mice, and lizards.” There’s no mention of the birds eating eggs or nestlings. The Wikipedia entry for the species says scrub jays also “have also been occasionally observed to eat other birds’ eggs or nestlings, but this occurs rarely.” Observed by whom, one wonders? Maybe it’s true, but I wouldn’t put it past Hammer to have a grandchild edit the birds’ Wikipedia entry. //s
**Seriously, this is Florida’s capitol complex, and it’s architecturally appropriate because the symbolism of the supervillains who toil there working in buildings that immortalize their junk in concrete is PERFECT.