Committee on Monument Equality and Preservation

Estimated read time: 6 minutes

First and foremost, let's make it clear that there is no Proposition 290, a proposal to remove all but the base of the Talbot Boys veterans' memorial, to vote on.  The amendment introduced during the 28 JUL Council meeting rewrote the proposition into an entirely new one.  Regardless of what Orwellian speak one chooses to use, the amendment is not an amendment.  It is a new proposition. 

Let the record show the sleight of hand to rewrite Proposition 290 into a new proposition was orchestrated by Councilman Pete Lesher and supported by Council President Corey Packer.  The rewrite was necessary because the original proposition was doomed to failure, as Council President Packer hinted at during the meeting.  As originally written, veterans groups such as the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars expressed concern that Proposition 290 was a slap in all veterans' faces.  I'll leave it to the legal minds to decide if rewriting a proposition to substantially change its meaning without proper public vetting is legal.

Despite what the history revisionists and cancel culture wants us to believe, Confederate soldiers were pardoned by President Lincoln.  By the time the Spanish American War broke out, most surviving Confederate soldiers were too old to fight.  A handful weren't and fought side-by-side with the Yankees as cavalry soldiers.  One notable Confederate general, General "Fighting Joe" Wheeler, commanded Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders and led cavalry troops into battle.  Among the ranks of cavalry troops were many sons of Confederate soldiers, young men who put the harsh memories of the "brother against brother" war of thirty-three years prior aside to fight alongside their Yankee brethren.

The former Confederate soldiers and their sons impressed President McKinley.  After the Spanish American War, President McKinley set in motion a process that eventually led to recognizing Confederate soldiers as honorable veterans, a necessary healing process this country needed to undergo to unite strongly as one nation again.

Five years ago, when the Council voted to keep the Talbot Boys (and reaffirmed that vote after a procedural challenge brought about by those who would accept nothing less than complete removal), the Council reaffirmed the Talbot Boys as a veterans' memorial.  They set aside the plot of land next to the Talbot Boys for the construction of a Union Talbot Boys so the complete story could be told. 

Please meet the Committee on Monument Equality and Preservation.  Formed shortly after that second vote four years ago, three citizens met with the County Manager to discuss how to proceed with a Union Talbot Boys memorial.  The group of three has since grown to seven. 

 

The Committee's vision for a memorial garden

They have met with the County Manager a few times over the four years.  In their last meeting they submitted a request for a Memorandum of Understanding from the Council to show support for the project and to give confidence to potential investors.

During the Council's 23 JUN meeting, Councilman Pack made the comment that in four years, no group has come forward with a plan or the money to build a Union Talbot Boys.  Apparently, he doesn't talk to his County manager.  The group made drawings, contacted a sculptor for the statue and a monument company for the base, and got preliminary estimates of cost.  What they didn't get was the money.  Business and community leaders balked at a commitment for a variety of reasons, the overriding reason being that for such a controversial topic, they wouldn't want to pledge money to a project the Council could deny tomorrow.

Within four years, the Council added a new face by the name of Pete Lesher.  The Council sits on the verge of changing its mind about saving a veterans' memorial to tearing down a symbol of racism.  To the casual observer, it is no coincidence that a new face pushing his own personal agenda to the exclusion of what county residents may want is the driving force behind behind the move to tear down a veterans' monument with a "damn the racists who want to keep it" attitude.

The Committee on Monument Equality and Preservation has worked hard on their free time between a full time job and raising a family to envision a complete memorial garden that ties the existing Frederick Douglass memorial with the Civil War veterans' memorials to both sides (one to be built, one existing), both World Wars (to be built), the Korean War (to be built), and the Vietnam War (existing).

There are three negative forces at work in Talbot County. 

The history revisionists try to tell us the Confederate veterans fought to preserve slavery.  There are a couple of veterans on the Committee on Monument Equality and Preservation.  Can the history revisionists tell us why they chose to serve?  Of course not, so how can they know why soldiers over 160 years ago served?  

The 15-minute fame seekers, who are in the tear-it-down mode for shares, likes, and the jackpot of fame - viral videos - strive to be Internet stars and damn what might be good for the community or county.

The cancel culture crowd wants to punish those who don't live up to their definition of "good character" as measured by today's pop culture.  They don't look at the legacy one has left behind.  They look at one mistake in one moment of time and decide to erase them from the pages of history.  They don't stop at Confederate memorials, either.  Lincoln and Washington must be erased.  Anyone born prior to 1967 must be erased.  Both Roosevelts, Truman, and anyone who has ever been accused of saying the N-word at some point in their lives must be erased.  Anyone who supports any of these historical figures are labeled racists, harassed, and threatened.

The 15-minute fame seekers and the cancel culture crowd are the most dangerous.  They are domestic terrorists.  They demand, with no compromise, relics of the past that aren't "clean" be destroyed.  Through emails and social media, they shame and threaten those with whom they disagree.  They instill fear in others - fear of losing their job or business, or fear of physical harm to themselves or their families. 

We've seen these tactics before.  We were outraged when we saw the Taliban and Isis destroying monuments and publicly shaming those who tried to save them.  The same actions in this country are now celebrated.  Domestic terrorism is an apt description.

"If every time we removed a statue, a monument, or a book because it offended someone, there would be nothing left."  Those wise words were spoken by none other than Council President Corey Pack in JUN 2016. 

I ask every Council member before they vote, "What has changed in the last four years since Mr. Pack uttered those words to justify destruction over construction today?"

On Tuesday, each and every council member will have to make a decision that will affect how we govern for generations to come. 

A "yea" vote to tear down the Talbot Boys sends a clear message to future activists and generations that if they don't like something, tear it down and get rid of it at all costs.  Destruction is the viable solution.

A "nay" vote to tear it down sends a clear message to future activists and generations that if they don't like something, find a solution that builds and mends bridges.  Construction is the viable solution.

The Committee on Monument Equality and Preservation is standing by, ready to move forward with their constructive solution and hopes to mend the divide.

 

 

TL;DR:

You have until the end of business, 07 AUG 2020, to make your voice count.  You don't need a literary masterpiece nor a lengthy scribble like above.  A simple sentence or two will suffice.  "I support the Talbot Boys and the efforts of the Committee on Monument Equality and Preservation" would work fine.  Send your email to:

publiccomment@talbotcountymd.gov
jmorris@talbotcountymd.gov 

And carbon copy each Council member at

 

ccallahan@talbotcountymd.gov
cpack@talbotcountymd.gov
fdivilio@talbotcountymd.gov
lprice@talbotcountymd.gov
plesher@talbotcountymd.gov

Veterans everywhere and the Committee on monument Equality and Preservation thank you.

In lieu of a video, please read the body of the letter submitted to the

County Manager by the Committee on Monument Equality and Preservation

A group of people from various backgrounds have gathered and developed a plan to construct a monument to the Union Talbot Boys. We are members of various organizations, local businesspeople and regular citizens. Some are from Talbot County, some grew up here, some remain here, some have family and property here, some are just work here. As a group, we have common interests. We feel that this project would assist in telling the complete story of Talbot County in the Civil War. The addition of this monument would compliment the existing Frederick Douglass statue and the Talbot Boys monument. We envision a memorial park type of setting that would connect the existing walkways on the courthouse lawn with additional walkways, providing plaques with additional information along the way. In addition, the walkways would provide connectivity to the existing Vietnam veteran’s monument and the planned Fallen Heroes memorial (WWI, WWII & Korea).

The Union Talbot Boys would be similar size and mass to the existing Talbot Boys monument. It would be located to the south of the existing monument, on the other side of the existing adjacent tree, basically mirroring the space. This would leave the existing tree intact and provide space between the monuments to provide for informational plaques. The expanded side slabs on the base would provide space for the names of the estimated over 300 Talbot Countians that served in the Union Army during the Civil War and an narrative regarding the Union troops and the County.

We have consulted with William V. Sipple & Son, a monument company located on the DelMarVa peninsula, a 5th generation family business, to provide a design on the stone base sections. In addition, we have contacted Terry Jones Sculpture in Pennsylvania about the bronze sculpture. Mr. Jones is a well-known professional sculptor that has created numerous monumental bronzes.

In addition, we have coordinated with several other companies to provide estimates for preparation of the concrete foundation, erecting the stone base sections and placing the bronze sculpture on top of the stone base. We have provided a conceptual site design and an artist rendering of the area where we envision the monument to be located. Ultimately, the final project will include construction of the monument, brick walkways, informational plaques, landscaping and possibly low level lighting.

The initial conceptual level estimate for this project is approximately $300,000. We have had discussions regarding various fundraising efforts. This will be a multi-faceted effort and will include private donations, memorial brick purchases, the sale of small-scale replicas, etc. However, what is needed to proceed with any serious fundraising, is to have a definitive commitment from the Talbot County Council that this project can move forward. We envision this coming in the form of a “Memorandum of Understanding” or MOU, so that the Council and the monument team can both have realistic expectations for the project.

Therefore, at this time, we respectfully request a review of the package submitted and offer to meet with the Council to discuss any questions that they might have regarding this project.

Posted by A Drunk Redneck