At the last Talbot Council meeting 10/25/2020, a letter from NAACP President Richard Potter was presented again to the County Council asking for a work session to discuss the concerns of the community regarding racial issues, including the Talbot Boys statue. Mr. Divilio’s comments struck me, a little old white lady, as if I had been slapped. I cannot imagine what revered retired EHS counselor Vicki Wilson and Mr. Richard Potter, who were seated near me, must have felt. Refusing to consider meeting with citizens with legitimate concerns is outrageous. To hear that the individual Council members could only deal with one person at a time, and in private, not in a public session is highly irregular.
To hear that this may not be a matter of importance to the residents of the County is laughable- there were at least 100 persons, peacefully congregating, praying and advocating for racial equality out in front of the Court House at the same time as the Council meeting. And this has been ongoing since the peaceful Black Lives Matter rally in June – 5 months.
If I remember correctly, the Constitution starts with “We the people…” And President Lincoln in the Gettysburg address reminded us that this is “government of the people, for the people, and by the people…”. When one is elected to an office by the people to do the work of the people, one has to listen to the people. If elected officials cannot do that, then that government may “perish from this earth.”
Susan Delean-Botkin
Oxford
Robert O. Hall says
It is unfortunate that many politicians think and speak excrement-ally.
BobHallsr
Louise Perry says
Ms. DeLeon-Bodkin, I had the same reaction that you did when I heard the words of our county council members. Most of all, I am sad and disappointed in people I thought I knew. “Be kind, be honest, be fair.” Is it so difficult?
Thomas Malone says
Right on!
Nancy McNary-Smith says
I’m another old white woman in agreement with Susan Delean-Botkin. And if I had been in the state when the 100 people gathered to protest the Talbot Boys statue on the courthouse lawn, there would have been 101.
Elaine Dickinson says
It’s time to launch a campaign to expand the size of the county council. Why should a mere 5 people from Easton make all the decisions? Who speaks for all the villages on the Western side of Talbot? Or other parts of the county? The current cabal turns a deaf ear to many issues important to us.