One Drunk Redneck

  Estimated read time: 6 minutes Four years ago, Talbot County Council President Corey Pack spoke eloquently defining the Talbot Boys as a veterans' monument.  In another interview after the vote to save the Talbot Boys, he stated we shouldn't cave in to the vocal few and destroy our history in the process.   Last month he changed his tune and said it's time for the Talbot Boys to go. Last week, he fabricated a new story to justify getting rid of the Talbot Boys: Pack says he’s heard that some people will not travel to the area and some local businesses are considering relocating as a result of the county council’s decision to keep the Talbot Boys monument where it is.  -WMDT News A disclaimer before continuing is in order.  The WMDT News clip is poorly written.  For example, at the beginning of the story, the reporter writes: Pack says the county council’s vote to keep the confederate monument on the courthouse grounds may be driving people away. ...

Below are the emails I sent to each Talbot County Council person after their vote on the Talbot Boys on 11 AUG.  The final vote was 3-2 in favor of leaving the Talbot Boys stand...for now.  I did end each email with an additional paragraph stating their email was published here; however, if they responded to my email, their response would remain confidential unless they explicitly gave me permission to post it.  I also invited them to visit this blog and personally respond to all who matter - the citizens of Talbot County.   A failure to respond should not be taken as a snub.  The Council members are very busy and they cannot possibly respond to every email nor visit every blog.  It is our responsibility to listen to their meetings and determine, by what they say, if they are listening to us or not.     Dear Ms. Price: Thank you for voting to keep the Talbot Boys in place.  During the Council meetings, I've heard you more than once admo...

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 rew...

Estimated read time: 7 minutes Dear Honorable Council Members: Please accept the following letter as my statement I wish to be made part of the public record regarding the Talbot Boys Resolution.  It is what I would've said at the public hearing on 28 JUL had you held a real public hearing.  No, COVID-19 is not an excuse to deny a full public hearing before you vote on a resolution most Talbot County residents haven't heard. First and foremost, I am a veteran and offended by the proposal.  It is obvious the persons responsible for drafting the resolution never served in the military.  It is also obvious the loudest voices demanding the removal of the Talbot Boys, for whatever their personal reasons, chose not to serve in the military.  The proposed resolution is a spit in the face to all veterans past, present, and future. The Talbot Boys is a veterans' memorial, as eloquently defined five years ago by Mr. Pack.   Cancel culture attitudes, history revi...

A member of our group to build a Union Talbot Boys received the email below from Jessica Morris, Assistant County Manager.  I encourage everyone to share your thoughts with Ms. Morris before July 28 (email is fine) so your voice becomes a matter of public record for the meeting most of us probably won't be allowed to attend now.  The email also contains phone-in instructions if you'd rather voice your opinion.  Thank you for your letter which will be shared with the Talbot County Council and made part of the public record. Originally both the July 21 st  and July 28 th  County Council meetings were scheduled to be held at the Easton High School Auditorium, however, at the guidance and direction of Dr. Fredia Wadley, Talbot County Health Officer, she has recommended against large gatherings in an indoor setting due to COVID-19 and Talbot County’s increasing positive COVID-19 cases.  Therefore, please be advised that the Tuesday, July 28 th  County ...

Talbot County stands at a crossroad with The Talbot Boys memorial. The County can plow forward as if there's nothing coming and hope the issue of the Talbot Boys eventually resolves itself, if only out of loss of interest from the handful of players making the veterans' monument a controversy. The County can turn left and cave to the cancel culture mentality and tear down the veterans' monument and ban any future monuments to our veterans, as the Council has proposed. The County can turn right and set the example for the nation how a divisive issue can bring opposing forces together to build something greater and better. “Whether you agree or disagree with the cause that these young men fought for doesn’t change the historical facts of war. It would be a sign of dishonor to those 90 deceased soldiers, as well as disrespectful to family members, should this council or any other council remove, deface, or alter this monument in anyway." Those words uttered by T...

“Whether you agree or disagree with the cause that these young men fought for doesn’t change the historical facts of war.  It would be a sign of dishonor to those 90 deceased soldiers, as well as disrespectful to family members, should this council or any other council remove, deface, or alter this monument in anyway.  Therefore this council does not support the recommendation to have the Talbot Boys monument moved to another location."  - Cecil Daily, Nov 24, 2015 Commissioner Corey Pack, President of Talbot County Commissioners uttered those words five years ago.  Five years later, he has a completely different story to tell, in the form of a new resolution he and fellow Commissioner Pete Lesher introduced: A RESOLUTION PROHIBITING STATUES DEPICTING PERSONS, SIGNS, OR SYMBOLS ASSOCIATED WITH MILITARY ACTION ON TALBOT COUNTY PROPERTY AND PROVIDING FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE "TALBOT BOYS" STATUE WHILE RETAINING THE BASE OF THE MONUMENT During the Council me...

Estimated read time: 10 minutes Maryland's comptroller, Peter Franchot, once again inserted himself in the Talbot Boys debate.  He lives on the other side of The Bridge, yet he insists on sticking his nose in Talbot's business.  On his FaceBook page, he posted a history revisionist's version of what the Talbot Boys is all about.  Below is my reply. "Anyone who has followed my career and my social media accounts knows that Talbot County is one of my favorite places in all of Maryland," wrote Peter Franchot in an opening sentence on his FaceBook page.  He then launched into an ill-informed tirade against the Talbot Boys monument in Easton, MD. Maybe the handful of family and friends who have followed his career know Talbot County is one of his favorite places.  The rest of us know he's an outsider who has lived a lackluster political career .  For born and raised Eastern Shore residents, we scratch our heads wondering why outsiders from the othe...

Estimated read time: 11 minutes Who should be our representative in Congress?  It is far easier for me to answer who our representative should not be than it is to answer who our representative should be.   That's a sad statement on our choices. Let me start by stating emphatically and unequivocally - let's make the Eastern Shore of Maryland an Andy Harris free zone. Pardon me.  I don't want to offend him.  Since he's always quick to point out that it's "Dr." Andy Harris, perhaps I should afford him the respect and refer to him as doctor.  Of course Congress isn't a doctor's office.  Perhaps Andy Harris should've remained in practice, which is where I would refer to him as "doctor" if I were brave enough to seek his medical services. Yes, something about my elected official insisting he be referred to by a title rubs me the wrong way.  Since the government is of the people, for the people, and by the people, Mr., Ms., or ful...