I was raised in Bethesda and went to college in D.C. When I graduated in 1973 I “moved” to the Eastern Shore of Virginia to live with friends on a farm in Accomack County. I didn’t stay long as I was unable to find work to establish a career. Fast forwarding many years, I retired to the Maryland’s Eastern Shore five years ago and live in the home my wife and I bought 25 years ago.
During the time I’ve been associated with the Eastern Shore I’ve known long-time residents to be strong willed. I’ve also known many of them to be quiet. If you don’t take the time to care – or if you’re not a family member, close neighbor or family friend you might not know the opinions of many in your own community. This dynamic impacts community discussions such as Talbot Boys statue. There are many local voices, black and white, not being heard because it’s not their way to openly engage in a public dialogue, particularly a contentious one. Nevertheless, these neighbors have opinions and beliefs, often deeply held.
There is a diehard group for the cause of removing the statue. You’ve read about them in The Spy and you may have seen or heard them in the Court Yard in Easton. There seems to be less of a vocal group speaking out for the monument to stay, but there are certainly letters to the editor and other avenues where these feelings have been expressed. If any member of the Talbot County Board is considering how to cast his or her vote on this debate by counting heads they are missing a strong quiet undercurrent — an undertow, even — that might sweep them out of office come election time.
As much as to any individual, I hope this message reaches the three-fifths of the Talbot County Board having regularly voted to let the statue stay. This is not a liberal vs. conservative argument, though it may be tempting. It’s a right vs. wrong argument about an issue whose time has come to be resolved… voices raised or quiet, the majority opinion is: Move the statue.
John C. Scott
Claiborne
Paul Callahan says
Mr. Scott, You fail to realize that our Council has voted to keep this monument twice before this most recent vote. Each time there were always statements, such as yours, that those Council members would be voted out. New candidates put their names in the hat to do just that.
By overwhelming majority the members who voted to keep the monument got re-elected and the candidates who ran to remove it got very few votes.
I think it is safe to say that the silent majority does not want it removed.
The reason is simple, our citizens value truth.
The ones who want to remove this monument have little knowledge of this history and make broad and sweeping allegations against these men to support a social agenda.
There are a few citizens, knowledgeable in the historical facts of that time, who have spoken up to inform our Talbot citizens and our Council members. This information included detailed facts – not unfounded generalities.
In our country we don’t find men guilty based upon what laws were being passed or what movie was a hit at the time of their actions. We judge based upon the specific facts pertinent to the individuals involved.
We had a detailed debate and each side presented their arguments. The County Council made a decision based upon facts. That is Democracy.
Though the social justice movement is certainly a noble cause, it does not warrant, nor does it need, the changing of our history to support it cause.
James Richardson says
Mr Callahan: In the end, we shall see how your “facts” and “truth” weigh against Justice and Equality for ALL of Talbot County citizens. No one wants to change history, as you and others have suggested; we want the real history to be taught to future generations, not the “Lost Cause” history that you seem to want to perpetuate. As we have sadly witnessed in the last few years, if our leaders repeat a false idea loud enough and long enough, there are many who will believe it is a fact and the truth. Take a moment and read the real history about the Civil War. I suggest you read historian David W. Blight’s excellent biography, “Frederick Douglass, Prophet of Freedom.” In it, Douglass is quoted as saying regarding the false history of the Lost Cause,”It would seem that the soldier who kills the most men in battle, even in a bad cause, is the greatest Christian, and entitled to the highest place in heaven.” The war was not about state sovereignty and homeland as you would have us believe; it was everything about protecting slavery and perpetuating white supremacy in the South.
Paul callahan says
James, Why not just read Mr. Douglass’s and Mr. Lincoln’s words directly instead of through a third Party? May I suggest you read Mr. Douglass’s Freedmens monument speech and Mr. Lincoln’s inauguration speech of 1861 and then the Maryland legislatures proclamation of 1862 stating that the conflict was only about “Union” and not abolition.
Abolition did become an additional war objection in the war’s third year and both Mr. Douglass and Mr. Lincoln engaged in verbose persuasive rhetoric to bring moral justification to the carnage. Let’s not forget how Mr. Douglass made his living at that time. If you read Mr. Douglass’s Freedmens speech you will realize that Mr. Lincoln used abolition in the war’s third year to support his objective of Union.
So if all our great leaders of that time, Lincoln, Douglass and the Maryland legislature tell us that the conflict was over “Union” why are there people, such as you now, claim that the men from Talbot county fought to preserve slavery?
You certainly could make an argument that Talbot men who chose to join the confederacy in 1863 and later ( after the Emancipation Proclamation) chose to fight toward slavery. However these Talbot men made their decisions long before this, long before abolition was a war objective.
The answer is that many do not care about “truth” they just repeat accusations that support their social agenda. Nor do they care since they feel many actions are justified if it supports their ideology. They refuse to think for themselves.
There is no “Lost Cause” theory here, which by the away is the typical buzz phrase from those who parrot other organizations rhetoric and do not understand the history themselves.
If you had read any of my writings I never support the Confederacy.. You make several suggestions about what I believe that are not based upon the facts of my writings and are false allegations – which is a common theme for those who want the monument removed.
My arguments focus solely on Maryland and the constitutional abuses she suffered under the Federal government’s oppression of our state. I specifically focus on Talbot’s history unearthing and bringing to light our Militia Commander’s order to the men of Talbot telling them that our State was being unlawfully occupied by Federal troops against her will and to prepare to defend the citizens of Maryland. These are real reasons why these men rose.
The social justice cause is a noble endeavor, but our history does not need to be changed to support it. As Mr. Douglass has told us “ Truth is proper and beautiful at all times an in all places”
As with so many others you write broad accusatory generalities
but provide no detailed facts, or anything pertaining to the men from Talbot County. Everyone, past or present has the right to be judged on the merits of their individual actions and not found guilty by “association” or their by the color of their skin.
Linda Baker says
Mr Scott, if you are so sure that most people want it removed, ask for it to be put on public ballot to be voted on. 5 people should not make this decision. Also, you seem like another person who moves here because they love the area, our history, etc, but then want to change it. This statue is a memorial of a war that affected local people. Frederick Douglas sits right across from it with more to the story and history. I for one am tired of the shaming regarding a piece of history that has sat here for 100 yrs. If you really want to do something worthwhile and care about this topic, maybe you can do some good to stop the slavery that is still going on in Africa, and some other island nations.
Willard T Engelskirchen says
Thank You, YES