1415 Estuary

Recently I was having a discussion with a group of folks about the unfortunately named South Sound Estuary Association. Unfortunate because their goal, which is to improve water quality in the South Sound, is completely overshadowed by the buzzword which is their name.
The South Sound Estuary Association has nothing to do with Capitol Lake, much less turning Capitol Lake into an Estuary. But the name “estuary” is so entrenched in people’s minds as an automatic trigger for draining Capitol Lake that the poor organization gets all the flack just by having it.
It may be because people dread change, and they want to dredge up any mental negatives they can to defend against it. It may be because Capitol Lake is such an icon in our community that no one can conceive of it ever changing. Like turning the Capitol Dome into an atrium bird sanctuary.
Or the scary possibility of substituting the word “estuary” where we always used “lake” before. Can you imagine a Capitol Estuary Fair? Or an Estuary Fair Princess?
No. People are weak. The word estuary is forever bonded in local minds with negativity. In Tacoma or Seattle, an Estuary Association would receive a large and financially beneficent welcome. Here they’re a bad buzzword.
Not unlike what happened to the Aids Diet Candy when AIDs the disease broke out. Don’t see much of it on the shelf anymore.
Or pity the poor folks named Donner. Can you imagine being in a restaurant waiting line and hearing, “Donner, party of four, Donner Party...”
Humans are dumb-asinine.
Solution? Change the name. How about, “The South Sound Estuary Association, a good organization that wants to put in an interactive and educational marine museum and has nothing to do with Capitol Lake.”
Flows, doesn’t it?
America, ya gotta love it.