Why (if anything) is a planet clearing its neighborhood important?

[Lord Torath]

What I don't really understand is why so many people still seem to be put out over a decision about technical definitions that happened 16 years ago.

It might have something to do with the fact that Pluto was the first planet discovered by an American (aka a citizen of the USA, with apologies to Canada, Mexico, and the rest of the nations over here on the American continents). Pluto was ours. And now some un-elected council of hoity-toity old guys is going to take that away from us? I don't think so!

I personally am not bothered by Pluto's "demotion" from Planet to Dwarf Planet. It's just as interesting a place as it was before, cooler in fact, since New Horizons hadn't reached it at the time they changed the definition of planet.