Point of View - Chestertown Spy

Be on the Right Side of History with Black Lives Matter Mural by Pastor Leon Frison

August 7, 2020 by Point of View

I would like to lift up my voice with the many others who have expressed their sentiments in favor of the “Black Lives Matters” and “I Can’t Breathe” street murals in Chestertown. Let me be clear in stating that “I love this town and I love this county, but I am not particularly fond of some of its history.” I am keenly aware that Chestertown’s history is really not much different than other colonial towns.

My mother was a Kent County native, born and raised on land that was a former slave plantation. My genealogy was traced to a slave that was brought to Chestertown. I have spoken to countless residents who have shared heartbreaking stories of the injustices they and their ancestors have suffered here. The aesthetic beauty of this area is contrasted with a dark and dismal past that includes blackface performances, lynchings, murders and gross inequities in the justice system in the sentencing of many of its black residents. This is the not so “charming” truth. I must admit there were even times when my own faith and hope for humanity were tried. There were multiple times my life was threatened. I repeatedly had messages left on my voicemail calling me the “N” word, and I was a victim of “redlining” when a local realtor refused to take my legitimate offer to a property owner in order to keep my family from living in a particular area. In spite of these things, my family has enjoyed a great life here. I have had the distinct honor and privilege to serve, work along with and volunteer with many of the great people in this county.

What can we do about past injustices? It’s history you say. I agree that we cannot rewrite history, nor do we wish to erase it, but we now have an opportunity to show the world that we are not out of touch with the current movement. We can listen to, respond, and empathize with a segment of society whose pains and cries have been so callously ignored. This is Kent County’s chance to make good, positive history by going down on record and saying to its Black population, “We see you. We hear you. We feel your pain and we will not sit idle while you call out to us to embrace this small gesture of allowing these ‘temporary’ murals to be displayed.”

What is the real issue? Now that the residents of 100 High Street have done what most mature individuals choose to do, have a sensible discussion and not retreat to their respective sides, what is the “real” issue? Are the messages too poignant? Do they invoke anger or fear? Is it your sentiment that Black Lives Don’t Matter? You know what the real problem is. Is it that you believe by saying Black Lives Matter that you are supporting the organization? That is what the fear mongers want you to believe. Please understand that there is a movement and there is an organization. The movement is much larger than the BLM organization and it is not the same thing. Many people of diverse ethnicities support the movement and slogan “Black Lives Matter” who do not agree with the tenets of the Black Lives Matter organization. The irony of the reaction to the proposed murals is that many people are more upset with those who are making the suggestion than they are with the perpetrators and injustices that sparked the outcry for action.

I believe that while on this earth we should seek to do good, be a help and not cause harm to others. A quote often attributed to John Wesley captures it best. “Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can.” This is a noble goal.

When we are gone, people will talk about things that happened during our time. I’m sure this period of unrest will be a hot topic. I’d like to be remembered as one person who joined the cause for equity and fought against injustices no matter how uncomfortable or unpopular it was. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “It is never the wrong time to do the right thing.” I firmly believe this is the right time to do the right thing. While this gesture is but a bandage on a wound that needs stitches, a bandage is better than leaving the sore open and susceptible to infection. Please don’t squander this chance to come down on the right side of Kent County history.

Pastor Leon Frison is a recently retired teacher, chaplain for the Kent County Detention Center, local pastor, former LMB Chair, and former Social Services Board Member.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

ESLC Statement: Conservation hasn’t done Enough to Dismantle Racism

June 15, 2020 by Point of View

Just one action was all it took.

One action, in which George Floyd’s life was taken by a Minneapolis police officer, sending ripples of pain, outrage, sorrow and grief across the world. One action that has led to one of the largest civil rights protests in history. One action that has all of us at Eastern Shore Land Conservancy reflecting on our own shortcomings, to understand just how far behind we are in upholding equitable practices and beliefs, and diversifying the field of conservation. Colin Kaepernick’s only knee scratched the surface. That police officer’s knee struck us at our core.

One thing for certain, Eastern Shore Land Conservancy stands with those who are protesting police brutality and seeking social reform.

Some staff have taken their voices to the streets, to protest and stand in unison with the communities that we have served for 30 years. Some have been donating to organizations that create equitable opportunities for black people and other people of color. Some have been searching for ways to address our society’s inequities through the work that we do in conservation.

Even though it took one action to spark the most recent protests, there is a long, documented history of systemic racism and oppression, which has scraped and dug its way into every facet of our lives. Especially in Colonial America’s heartland — Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

Frankly, we cannot prosper in our respective missions, without fighting alongside people of color against the injustices of our society. There is an abundance of passion, experience and wisdom within black and brown communities, who are fighting hard for our society and planet. We need to meet them in their own spaces, strive to build trust, ask how we can help, and then follow up repeatedly. We need environmental activism to intersect across all communities to have a “complete” and “just” environmental movement.

What has become clear, is social justice and environmental justice are intrinsically linked. Environmental pollution and other crises disproportionately affect people of color and low income communities – yet they often fight these issues on their own, and with fewer resources. If we (conservationists) are going to dedicate our working lives to these causes, we need to dedicate ourselves (our souls) to the people most-affected too. Only then, can we morally and ethically fulfill the visions set forth by the first environmental movement, and overcome our humanity’s toughest challenges.

One statement to affirm our stance against police brutality and systemic racism is not enough. Just like one board member of color is not enough. Just like one employee of color is not enough. Just one is rarely enough.

However, one is enough when we take the first step to dismantle systemic racism and oppression. Then another step follows the first, and another step follows, until diversity, equity, inclusion and justice (DEIJ) are innately a part of who we are and what we stand for at all times.

To commit ourselves to the right steps forward, we are forming a DEIJ group consisting of staff and board members, who will oversee an audit of ESLC’s previous DEIJ efforts and the development of a plan to integrate DEIJ practices across our policies, programs and personnel. We are not claiming to be perfect or to have it all figured out, but right now, we are holding ourselves accountable, and this is the first step.

Rob Etgen, President
Darius Johnson, Communications Manager
Eastern Shore Land Conservancy

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Report from Annapolis 2020 (Part Two) by Laura Price

January 30, 2020 by Point of View

Spent another full day in Annapolis this week. In addition to our regular legislative committee meeting, some planned and some impromptu meetings took place in the Senate building prior to the meeting. Having facetime with legislators and lobbyists to talk policy in an informal setting is a positive way to strengthen relationships and have an impact. You never know who you are going to bump into in the hallways!

During our meeting, the legislative committee discussed 15 bills. A few were similar to bills that MACo took a position on last week. The tax committee’s most impactful bill we discussed was HB223, “End Ineffective Business Subsidies Act of 2020.” This bill prohibits the Secretary of Commerce from designating or expanding certain Enterprise Zones and terminates the One Maryland tax credit. This is troublesome and shortsighted. Counties are trying to attract and retain businesses, and most of these tax incentives are an extremely helpful tool for our Economic Development departments to offer to businesses, who would otherwise be unable to expand or they might locate someplace else. These businesses create jobs and their employees then pay the taxes and live and work in our communities. Since, there is no hearing yet scheduled, the tax committee recommended holding this bill for further information and to see if the sponsor is willing to amend the bill before we take an official position.

The land use committee bore the brunt of the bills this week. We supported HB78/SB172, “Bay Restoration Fund.” This authorizes and expands the use of funds to include climate resiliency and flood control. Any bill that expands our authority and flexibility is positive to be able to utilize our local autonomy for specific needs for the county. There were a few bills that didn’t have enough impact on the county to take official positions on, but could prove beneficial. One of them was HB177, “Water Infrastructure Assets – Authorization of Emergency Actions and Reserves.” This is a bill by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) that establishes a reserve fund to take action against areas that are in imminent danger of failure, such as a dam or reservoir. The business owner of the property, would then be required to reimburse the department for monies spent.

Another bill MACo is holding on is HB209, “Plastics and Packaging Reduction Act.” The bill hearing is not yet scheduled. This is the plastic bag ban and also establishes a 10-cent fee for durable paper bags. While not commenting on whether we agree with the policy, the concern is that it requires the counties to police it. There are no resources to do this. So, we are exploring an amendment to share a portion of the 10-cent fee, which currently the retailer would retain in its entirety, to help offset the requirement to enforce. Montgomery County is one of several counties that already have a similar bag fee. Their fee is shared between the retailer and the county. The county deposits its portion into the county’s Water Quality Protection Charge (WQPC) fund.

Later in our meeting, we had a couple guest speakers from the administration to gain insight from them. This week we heard from the Secretary of MDE, Ben Grumbles and the Secretary of Planning, Rob McCord. Secretary Grumbles gave us an update on the lawsuit filed against the EPA for not holding Pennsylvania accountable for not doing their share of cleaning up the

Chesapeake Bay. This has been a huge issue for years and the Clean Water Act requires the EPA to enforce it. PA is only at 74% of their goal and their funding is about $200-300 million short. So, we are using our tools under the federal clean water act and going to the courts for enforcement.

Secretary McCord gave us an update on Census 2020. He stressed how important it is to get a complete and accurate count of our communities so that we receive all the funding that is necessary. One of the taglines his department is using is “Come to Your Senses” Census. Every household will be receiving their postcard on March 15th, with Census Day being April 1st. You can fill it out online or over the phone, before they send someone to your front door. An excellent resource is their website www.census.maryland.gov, where you can sign up to receive updates and get complete information. Know how very important this is for all people to be counted so please be prompt in filling out this information.

After the official meeting, MACo hosted its annual reception for the Legislators and the Administration. This is always an excellent opportunity for the locally elected officials to have facetime to discuss the issues as well as our four MACo initiatives and why they are so important. We are able to meet Delegates and Senators from other jurisdictions that we normally would not have an opportunity to interact with. This is invaluable, because a smaller more rural area official can explain to a larger area representative, impacts and unintended consequences that a broad piece of legislation might have. This goes both ways and I believe all who attended gained a better understanding of the county issues.

MACo and the entire State is still waiting on the official “Kirwan” bill, which will have an enormous impact on everyone. From a Baltimore Sun report “Democratic leaders of the state’s legislature have promised to fund an array of improvements to public schools — including expanded prekindergarten, increased teacher pay and other programs — without a broad-based tax increase. They’ve pledged not to pass an across-the-board increase in the state’s income, sales or property taxes.” I will reiterate from earlier articles I have written that income and property taxes are the ONLY taxes the county has control over, so if they have pledged not to have these tax increases, there is no ability of the counties to pay for their share of the cost. Many believe that if the State thinks these are all good ideas that will benefit our children, then the State should figure out a way to pay for the full share of the new Kirwan policy areas and not pass an unfunded mandate onto the counties who are strong partners and already fund 50% of the cost.

Stay tuned, things are just starting to get interesting.

Laura Price is 2nd Vice President on the Executive Board of Directors of MACo, Chair of Budget and Tax, Talbot’s legislative liaison and member of the Talbot County Council.

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Op-Ed: Disillusioned? Hang in There and Bake a Pie by Maria Grant

August 24, 2019 by Point of View

What to do when life becomes one major disillusionment? That is the question. Let’s just say my life has not gone as planned. Not to get into details, but there has been a lot of death in my family. Virtually no one is left. I had planned on having my children visit me in a lovely house filled with books and surrounded by lush gardens. I had planned on taking grandchildren to Prague and to Paris. None of that will be happening. I have begun to dread holidays. I plan a trip for every major holiday, so I don’t have to be around happy families.

People tell me to find solace in faith. I can’t. To be honest, I don’t believe in much of it. And lately, I find the apparent hypocrisy of religious people troubling. They make excuses for any behavior that goes against the good book and hide behind biblical passages to explain their intolerance for those who are different. Plus, there is nothing I hate worse than people saying, “Have faith. Believe. It’s all in God’s master plan. He won’t give you anything that you can’t handle.” What master plan? What kind of plan is there for the parent who loses a child in a mass shooting? Or for an infant who contracts a deadly disease? What kind of sense does that make in this senseless world?

So, what to do to muddle through. After talking to therapists, medical doctors, academics, reading mountains of articles, and discussing these issues with those who have suffered similar tragedies, here are some suggestions that might help you walk on with hope in your heart.

Perform an act of kindness each week. Not because your reward will be in heaven as my mom used to say, but because you will feel better when you do. And maybe helping someone else will make that person’s world shine a bit brighter. Select something that gives you joy. Bake bread for an elderly neighbor; set up a reading program for an inner-city child; volunteer at a food bank, etc.

Keep moving. Psychotherapists who deal with PTSD patients say that exercise sometimes works better than antidepressants—or a combination of the two does the trick. As we all know, establishing a regular schedule so it’s hard-wired into your routine is the best way to keep things going. Think about an aerobic exercise coupled with yoga or Pilates or stretching. If you can somehow combine the activity with an opportunity to enjoy nature, so much the better. That’s an easy thing to do on the Eastern Shore.

Build a support group—a cadre of friends—people whose company you enjoy and who make you laugh, think, or share common experiences. Reach out to them on a regular basis. You can be sure that many of them are grappling with issues and disappointments as well. Focusing on someone else’s problems instead of your own is always a good idea.

Read good literature. Select one of the 100 best literary books of all time and begin reading. It’s time. Also check out the Pulitzer and Booker prize winners and read some of those too. Getting lost in a good book helps you get through the darkest days. Something about a brilliantly written story soothes the soul. For me, my most recent escape was, “Where the Crawdads Sing.” I found the writing lyrical, pure, simple and true.

Get organized. As Thoreau said, “Our life is frittered away by detail, simplify, simplify.” It’s true that life gets better when you simplify and organize. “The art of tidying up” really does make sense. When you spend time organizing your environment—your office, home, garage, library—you gain control over a piece of your life. Also, you can give away stuff you’re not using to others in need. It may make someone’s day.

Get a dog. A dog forces you to go for walks, is always happy to see you, and believe it or not, is often better company than some people. When you have a dog, you can’t hibernate. You must take that dog for a walk at least three times a day. That’s a good thing.

Take a class. Learn how to play an instrument, paint, sculpt or find a class that you wish you had taken in college. There are so many wonderful classes with Renaissance learning or Continuous learning options. Even online options are superb.

Travel. Depending on your budget, plan local, domestic, or international travel. Make a list of all the places you want to see and schedule them periodically throughout the year. If faraway travel isn’t an option for you, plan a museum visit each month. We are fortunate to be in an area where museums are rich with amazing exhibits.

Make a pie. A homemade pie fills your kitchen with delectable smells and creates a sense of comfort. Invite a friend for dessert and coffee.

Search for concerts, movies, theater, and lectures and schedule them into your day. Immersing yourself in another world can lift the psyche and transports you to a different place and time.

Obviously, none of these activities will bring back a loved one or erase your grief. But a combination of these activities will help you move forward and with luck offer some fleeting moments of joy, beauty and peace.

Maria Grant served as principal-in-charge of the Federal Human Capital practice with Deloitte Consulting where she advised several Federal agencies and major private sector corporations throughout the U.S. Since her retirement from Deloitte, she has focused on reading, writing, music, travel, gardening and nature. She cherishes the hummingbirds that gather daily just outside her screened porch overlooking Island Creek.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

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