(Photos: Annie, walking upon and looking around on the Great Lawn in Central Park yesterday. But, what exactly did the exploring and surveying mean?)
The Importance of Media Response
Though not the volume of response one would hope to see to a vile media piece attempting to spin atrocity into "charitable" act, I am very proud of the few people who took the necessary time yesterday to intelligently and informatively comment to the recipe blog on slaughtered park geese:
As has been covered multiple times in this blog, media has not been at all friendly or even "objective" in covering the geese.
In fact, what should have been a huge media story this summer, (the roundup and slaughter --or gassing -- of 751 Canada geese from Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge) was only covered by small and local newspapers. The story was not reported at all on television news nor in the larger, syndicated newspapers.
This seems to demonstrate the power of politicians (like Senator Kirsten Gillibrand) to dominate and to some degree, actually control the news being reported -- a very troubling development even putting aside the issue of goose slaughters.
But, that should not signify that we who advocate for the protection of Canada geese should give up and just comment to each other on Facebook or worse, move on to other things.
Quite the contrary, in fact.
Rather, it means we must take advantage of the little power and opportunity we have to "answer back" and respond to media spin, lies and recipe photos.
Most articles and published blogs have comment logs.
When taking the necessary time to comment to misleading, deceptive or poorly researched media stories, one is not only sending a message to the author of said "spin" but also to the publication itself and any individuals quoted in the offending piece.
Volume of reader comments, as well as the stances that most reflect definitely have impact upon what will be reported in the future, as well as the manner the stories will be reported -- just as "ratings" determine the kind of programs that will be aired on TV and ticket sales determine the kinds of movies that Hollywood produces.
Put simply, if we don't like what the media is reporting (or failing to report) then it is our duty to challenge and require better.
Even more than politicians and other officials, ultimately, the media is beholden to their readers and viewers without whom they simply cannot exist.
This is precisely why reader and viewer comments are so critically important.
No comments usually means a story generates no reader interest and will probably not be covered again. Negative comments send a message that the story needs to be covered differently. Positive and supportive comments usually result in greater coverage of the story and issue.
In the media piece highlighted over the past couple of days, it was extremely critical to deliver the message to the author, the publication AND the officials of the Westchester Food Bank that the public is "not buying the hype."
The very concept of using the poor as pawns for what essentially is cheap public relations ploy at its very worst is something that needs to be protested and challenged vehemently.
Praise and thanks to those few who took the necessary time yesterday to accomplish this vital endeavor. Question and disappointment to those who did not.
If geese and other animals cannot rely on their human advocates to speak up for them when it is absolutely imperative, who and what can they rely on?
The goose slaughters will continue indefinitely unless and until such time there are enough people willing to publicly speak out against such carnage in the small ways that count the most -- to the press.
Unfortunately, right now our numbers are just too few to have actual impact. That is something that needs urgently to be worked on over the coming year.
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The Expanding Horizons of Annie
Yesterday, when returning to Central Park, I was shocked to discover one goose causally strolling upon the Great Lawn! (I had not seen any geese on the Great Lawn since the spring and that had only been two.)
Initially, I could not be sure if this was still one more "lone" goose showing up in Central Park or if the goose was in fact, Annie who has spent the last three weeks at Turtle Pond.
Securing my two dogs to the fence surrounding the Great Lawn, I walked closer to the goose to get a couple of photos.
Her ease and comfort around people told me she was in fact, Annie. But, since geese look almost identical to each other, I could not be certain.
I stayed for a few minutes to observe the goose.
The time was close to sunset and there were still a number of mostly young people playing ball or throwing frisbees around the Great Lawn.
The goose was not at all deterred or seemingly nervous with the human activity.
On the contrary, she walked upon the grass curiously and confidently like a little person taking in the views or looking around for something.
The goose did not appear that interested in grazing the grass (which is good, considering the Great Lawn has signs posted around that it was recently sprayed with Pesticides) as much as she seemed busy exploring and just surveying.
Assuming, but not knowing the goose to actually be Annie, I then walked to Turtle Pond to check if Annie was actually there.
She wasn't.
No question then that the wandering Great Lawn goose was Annie.
This new discovery both answered and raised questions.
Obviously, Annie can fly without problem (this was assumed, but not known for fact).
Although Turtle Pond is very close to the Great Lawn, both are surrounded by fencing and a goose would have to fly over the fences to get from one to the other.
And although the goose casually walking over the Great Lawn demonstrated some new sense of confidence, risk-taking and boldness, I could not be certain what the "surveying" and exploring actually meant.
Was Annie simply adapting to and becoming more familiar and comfortable in her new environment (or "neighborhood" so to speak)?
Or, was she rather still searching for her mate, gaggle or other geese?
Either was possibility, but if true, would have different outcomes.
If familiarity, curiosity and comfort were the purposes of Annie's little adventure yesterday, then presumably she will remain at Turtle Pond.
But, if Annie was rather expanding her search for her lost mate or flock, then she will presumably leave Turtle Pond very soon, if she hasn't in fact, left already. (This is what I actually suspect by Annie's "looking around" posture yesterday.)
The problem with the latter possibility is that there are no other geese presently in Central Park.
Annie could have both, a long wait and long search to find her flock partners again.
But, Annie does not appear a goose who gives up easily, her search for seemingly lost horizons. -- PCA
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