Moral courage, a rare thing

We went on a birding trip to nearby public lands yesterday. Our companion was a woman we’ve known for several years now, an expert in this field. She wanted me along because some time ago she had spotted a hummingbird nest, and asked me to bring my camera and a tripod to document it. I succeeded, though it was not easy.

The camouflage is remarkable. Until you spot a beak and an eye, you will not know what you are looking at. (By the way, we were not intrusive, and the mama Broadtail did not know we were there.

Yesterday’s mission was to spot and photograph a Williamson’s Sapsucker, not nearly as interesting, though I did manage a photo of a female of the species.

Mission accomplished.

Back at our vehicles, our friend confided in us that her son and lost his job because he refused to vaccinate, and was out of work for six months as a result.

“Wow. Moral courage,” I blurted out. Instantly regretted that remark, as our friend had been among the most adamant of the believers in the Covid virus and the vaccine. For myself, I quit our local Audubon Society chapter when they announced that only the vaxxed would be allowed to participate in group activities.

I was well-known for being anti-vaccine, and well before that, went off on a man who was leading an Audubon Saturday birding trip who insisted that only people wearing masks (outdoors even!) could participate. This same man asked me way back at the beginning of Covid, when I expressed skepticism at the existence of the virus, “Are you a scientist?” At that time I had no answer for such stupidity.

Our friend said that now, finally, her son has landed a much better job. She said she was telling us, and no one else. Unspoken was that his plight within Audubon circles would not be well accepted. I did not repeat my admiration for moral courage, and only later realized she had told us because she knew I had quit Audubon over vaxxing, so that I was well known as a skeptic, or “denier” as sycophants put it.