Biden’s Hollow Honor: Bald Eagle Finally Declared National Bird

Situated against the backdrop of the Stars and Stripes, Uncle Sam, the magnificent 25-year-old bald eagle, observes the scene during the Extreme Raptors Show. This event was part of the offerings at the Permian Basin Fair, hosted on the grounds of the Ector County Coliseum in the outback of Odessa, Texas, on a Wednesday back in 2013.

The bald eagle, conspicuously recognizable by its brown body, yellow beak, and distinctive white head, has been an emblem symbolizing the force and might of the United States for more than 24 decades. With its majestic form on display, it has always embodied the spirit of the nation better than any other bird could.

On Tuesday, this iconic creature received an honor that was long overdue. However, this occasion was marred by the fact that it was an attempt to correct a long-standing oversight rather than a zealous gesture of national pride. It was officially proclaimed the national bird of our country, a title that many assumed it already held due to its nearly omnipresent role in American symbolism.

President Joe Biden was the one who signed this legislation into law. While this action could, in a different context, be regarded as a simple acknowledgement of our national symbol, in the current political climate, it comes across more as a hollow gesture. Whether or not it was intended as such, it does little to offset Biden’s reputation for underwhelming political action.

This correction had nerve-wracking implications because it altered the United States Code. This Code is the epitome of our legal and governmental framework, holding within it the principles on which our nation was built. Amending its text should not be taken lightly or done to appease a minor mistake, as it seems to have been in this case.

The symbiotic relationship between the bald eagle and the United States dates back to 1782. In that year, the bald eagle, donned with an olive branch, arrows, a flag-like shield, the motto ‘E Pluribus Unum’, and stellar constellations, was incorporated into the design of the Great Seal, used in official documentation.

Despite 1782 being the year when Congress appointed the bald eagle as our national emblem, it had never been given official designation as the national bird. This surprising fact reveals that even in the present era, with all its technological and intellectual advancements, a grave oversight from decades ago could slide by unnoticed.

An underappreciated fact is that the bald eagle is indigenous to North America. Its roots lie deep within our continent, which ties in with its potent symbolism, which, in the end, strengthens the bond between this majestic creature and our proud nation. It embodies the realities and hardships that the nation had to face from its inception.

Onondaga Lake, located in New York State, is the foremost wintering refuge for these noble creatures. Nature, unpredictable and inert to human politics, has chosen this place as a favor to bald eagles.

Yet the Montezuma Audubon Center, the authority on New York State’s bird populations, contends that this honorary recognition came late. They assert that the bald eagle’s defining traits and significant historical placement make it deserving of much more than a belated acknowledgement.

The image of a bald eagle can be found in a multitude of locations, from legal documents to the presidential flag, from military insignia to our very own currency. Strangely, this did not warrant an earlier official recognition of the bald eagle’s status, once again highlighting the skewed priorities of our current administration.

All in all, the belated designation of the bald eagle as the national bird is observed with a sense of irony rather than accomplishment. Considering the extensive lineage and honored symbolism of these birds in American society, it should have received this recognition long before President Biden’s era.

This story serves as a reminder of how negligent bureaucratic systems can be, how important recognitions can slide for years until noticed and acted upon grudgingly. Thus, while it might appear beneficial on the surface, the declaration only reinforces the underlying perception of the lackadaisical response from Biden’s administration.