Let’s not make this more complicated than it is. We must recognize today’s reality. The statue is a racist affront not only to Black people but to all who are offended by one race demeaning or undermining another.
In recent months, much has been written about the history of the memorial. I read arguments for maintaining and removing the statue. I read that the original plan was for a second memorial, honoring union soldiers, but it was never built. I also read that the union government treated Maryland poorly in the years up to the Civil War and that there may have been causes other than defending slavery to rebel against.
I’m not going to dispute history offered in support of maintaining the memorial or attempt to compare it to the information that supports the idea that the memorial was motivated, at least in large part, to remind African Americans of their place in Talbot County.
The history on both sides doesn’t matter. Everyone involved in building the memorial is dead. More importantly, it doesn’t matter if those who believe the history of the memorial is not one reflecting Jim Crow racism are right. The reality is that the statue, regardless of its history, has come to represent white supremacy today. Because it does, it is today a racist symbol regardless of the intentions of those who arranged for it to be placed on the Talbot Courthouse lawn.
In saying this, I am not proposing to “not preserve” Talbot County’s history. I am proposing that we not add to the shameful history of slavery in this county by creating new history that continues injustice against people of color. Instead, let’s ensure that the history we make now reflects today’s values of inclusiveness and racial justice.
Maryland’s history—both the good and the bad—will continue. One hundred years from now anyone who wants to read about the state’s role in slavery, the Civil War, and how the Talbot Boys were memorialized will be able to do so. None of that requires keeping a symbol of racism in front of the Courthouse.
Talbot County does not need to study or master the history of the Talbot Boys to do the right thing. All the town council needs to do is listen to Talbot County citizens who are offended by the statue. Those conversations show that for some the statue is a forceful reminder that they are somehow not full citizens.
That is enough for me. Removing the statue signals the county’s commitment to justice for all.
I do not want to be part of a future Talbot County history that records that in the 21st century, when dozens of other American towns and cities chose to remove or relocate symbols of the confederate rebellion and slavery, Talbot County said no. I don’t want to have to explain to my grandchild why I let an injustice continue when the issues were so simple.
So, there you have it. At least for me, I have distilled the controversy over the memorial to one that weighs history against today’s reality. Do we really want to be party to creating new history that future generations will and should be ashamed of?
What should be done with the Talbot Boys memorial once it is removed from the courthouse grounds? If I were asked, I would answer, “move it somewhere where it loses its power to intimidate and insult people–somewhere where it’s less likely to inspire a misguided youth into believing that the Lost Cause was noble or that slavery was somehow right.”
Can we please make this decision based on what is right today? A decision to remove the statute is a simple one if you think about it.
J.E. Dean of Oxford is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant writing on politics, government, birds, and occasionally goldendoodles.
Henry Herr says
Thank you for this piece. As I’ve stated along with many others, the role of the government today should not be preserving history, but to listen to it’s constituents and help create a equitable loving community. I feel that part gets lost a lot.
I know history pretty well and know plenty of experts. I know I personally sometimes get caught up in the false narratives of PTH. But the true message and reason for the removal has always been to treat everyone with dignity and respect. To listen to the POC voices of the community, truly listen, and take action where it is needed.
I don’t know how people can watch the rally on Saturday and not see the love and care people have for one another and for Talbot County. I hope the council sees that too.
John Dean says
Thank you for your thoughtful comment. I join you in the hope that the council does the right thing.
Kathy Bosin says
Amen.
John Dean says
Thanks for reading the piece. Much appreciated.
Judy Tinelli says
Amen to this!
John Dean says
Thank you for reading the piece.
Kaye Dutrow says
This former English teacher gives your letter an A+. You communicated very effectively that the crux of the Talbot Boys’ statue issue is seeking justice for the wrongs of the past.
I was very proud to be among those who marched on Saturday . In fact, I sent the Talbot Spy video to my grandkids . I wanted them to know the importance of standing up for what is right and just.
John Dean says
Ms. Dutrow: Thank you for your very kind comments.
You are, I’m sad to say, the first English teacher to give me an A+. A special thank you for that.
Suzanne Todd says
Thank you, Mr. Dean. This is exactly my thinking.
Judy Wixted says
This cogent argument reflects the “fierce urgency of now.” A Confederate Monument has no place on a Courthouse lawn in 2021. I am reminded of Lin Manuel, History has its eye on us.”
Henry J Herr says
I would like to add my endorsement of your well written article. Everything boils down to doing the right thing for the citizens of Talbot County in the present age. As a retired social studies teacher, I feel the present is the place to focus society’s efforts at rectifying past injustices and preventing future ones for that matter. Having viewed the streamed protest march on Saturday, it made me proud to see all the good people working for justice. Stand fast and persevere in your efforts. It will happen, but there may yet be pain to endure before its removal.
susan e delean-botkin says
I totally agree with Mr. Dean’s comments. That statue is a symbol of hatred and bigotry. It has no place on the Talbot County courthouse lawn. Every time I see it I cringe, and my heart aches for all those affected by the hundreds of years of slavery and degradation. This includes our sad history of mistreatment of indigenous peoples, African Americans, Jews, Hispanics and others that don’t fit into the mold of the “white ruling class.’
Carl Widell says
Thank you Mr. Dean. Well stated.
John Dean says
Thank you for reading the piece and for the compliment. Much appreciated.
Keith Alan Watts, Esq. says
Thank you for leadership and continuing the conversation on this issue.
This is indeed about justice, especially for those who have never, really, ever had — and what many, if not most others simply take for granted.
The question presented is simple: Will Talbot County lead Maryland? Does The Talbot County Council have the will and wherewithal to relocate the “Talbot Boys” — and let them rest elsewhere?
The following is from Robert F. Kennedy, when he shared the horrific news of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination.
“My favorite poet was Aeschylus. He wrote: ‘In our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God.’
What we need in the United States is not division;
what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence or lawlessness; but love and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country, whether they be white or they be black.
So I shall ask you tonight to return home, to say a prayer for the family of Martin Luther King, that’s true, but more importantly to say a prayer for our own country, which all of us love–a prayer for understanding and that compassion of which I spoke.
We can do well in this country. We will have difficult times; we’ve had difficult times in the past; we will have difficult times in the future. It is not the end of violence; it is not the end of lawlessness; it is not the end of disorder.
But the vast majority of white people and the vast majority of black people in this country want to live together, want to improve the quality of our life, and want justice for all human beings who abide in our land.
Let us dedicate ourselves to what the Greeks wrote so many years ago: to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world.
Let us dedicate ourselves to that, and say a prayer for our country and for our people.”
His words ring just as true now as they did then. I would hazard to say even more so.
So to this Council, I say — no, I urge — each of you. Individually and collectively. No matter ones political stripes.
Let us not wait for ballot measures which will never happen and which are merely a stall tactic — playing “kick the can” over and over.
Let us not wait for more meaningless debates. Let us not wait for more salt rubbed in ancient and deep wounds. Let us no longer delay the inevitable.
Let us no longer be afraid.
Show Talbot County, show the State of Maryland — show the world — show yourselves — that we “want justice for all human beings who abide in our land.”
https://en.m.wikisource.org/wiki/Speech_on_the_Assassination_of_Martin_Luther_King,_Jr.
John Dean says
Keith: Thank you for a great comment–a great addition to the conversation.
Mary Hunt-Miller says
Well done, Mr. Dean. You made a very good argument for moving the monument. I hope that the council will listen.
John Dean says
Thank you for reading the article and for your kind words. I share your hope that the council will listen–and act soon.
Paul Callahan says
I think you framed the current situation well. The statue with it’s Confederate flag has now become an inappropriate symbol to some of our citizens. How many and who are these citizens? It certainly appears to be a small vocal minority of white liberals. Even with all the marketing for the Juneteenth rally all over Maryland they got less than half of their predicted attendance. It also appears that they are not Talbot county natives. What is also readily apparent is the lack of participation by our local Black community in any significant numbers. This is just an observation.
Some are also stating that this is just a concerted effort by white liberals to make the black community feel like victims so they will help put those liberals in power – Whatever.
The rancor was caused because extreme and negligent accusations were made about our ancestors and the purpose for building the Talbot Boys. These accusations were meant to both incite and to persuade our good hearted citizens to support a political / social agenda.
Propaganda against our ancestors was distributed that would make an old school communist political officer proud. Truth did not matter since the end justifies the means. There was a completely new narrative of Talbot’s history and we were told that we must accept this reality so we then can move to the “next step” of the their agenda to rectify this past.
Today’s reality is that a Confederate flag is an offensive symbol – their is truth in that regardless how it came about. Had our local NAACP kept their complaints to that symbol without making the negligent accusations against Talbot’s history they would have gained far more support and far less opposition.
With today’s technology the statue can be modified or re-cast to remove the Confederate flag and change it to whatever flag that would not be offensive. In the scheme of things it is not that costly.
Remove the Confederate flag from our courthouse so we can put this to rest.
As this group of extremists moves on to their next agenda item, let’s not forget their negligence of their statements and total disregard for putting truth first and foremost.
For those who continue to buy into the propaganda about Talbot and Maryland history I can suggest several good books available at our free library.
John Dean says
Paul: Thank you for reading the article and commenting. I’m not sure that recasting the flag on the statue is a solution, but I’m glad you raised it. That option should be part of the conversation going forward.
Henry Herr says
Propaganda: information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view.
Is there any proof that the majority of Talbot County citizens want the statue to stay? Is there any proof that the calls for removal are only white liberals? Is there any proof that the majority of POC in Talbot do not care? Is there any proof that the majority of these calls are coming from outside Talbot?
There were a lot of observations with no proof. A protest with 400 community members does not mean that only 400 people want the monument removed just as the lack of Biden signs does not prove Trump winning Talbot County.
I’d love to know what propoganda is being used to influence citizens to move the monument. It is well documented that the UDC and SCV have used propaganda to influence the thoughts and feelings for the Confederacy. I’d still love to see any accredited historian agree with PTH that this monument needs to stay on courthouse grounds.
I must say it’s challenging to hear PTH claim MtM is promoting propaganda when the evidence is to the contrary. Historians, POC community members, civil rights leaders, veterans, family members of ancestors on the monument, teachers, elected officials, the NAACP, the ACLU, historical societies and historical preservation societies all agree this monument does not belong on public ground. The facts show the complicated history of Maryland and the Civil War but it has been agreed, a statue on courthouse grounds is more harmful than good in explaining that history.
I’d love to read any books that state this monument belongs on courthouse grounds because of the historical significance. I must say I’m pretty well read in this subject but will always welcome more sources.
Claims of propaganda in this political atmosphere are dangerous. We need to separate facts from fiction. Claims with no proof are dangerous to be called fact. Mr. Callahan, “never compromise your integrity, it is the only thing that can never be taken from you.”
Vickie Wilson says
Thank you, Mr. Dean. The statue must go. Saturday was a peaceful rally made up of Talbot County Citizens. I think the citizens have spoken.
John Dean says
Thank you for reading the piece and commenting. That the march on the 19th was peaceful says something positive about Talbot County. I look forward to the relocation of the statue and an end to this controversial issue.