out of sight

 The county neighboring mine is Talbot, County, Maryland. On the lawn of the county courthouse there has stood a statue for almost one hundred years. Called "The Talbot Boys" it honored those that chose to fight for the Confederacy during the civil war. Maryland, being a border state had families split by allegiances to North and South. There are descendants of those "Talbot" boys living in the county still. But today, today that monument is being removed from its' pedestal and sent to a battlefield in Virginia. The last Confederate monument in the state of Maryland is being exiled! The Talbot Boys no longer welcome home, they have been disowned, sent back to the battlefield.

 The push to have the statue removed began shortly after the death of George Floyd. Community activists protested such an offensive reminder of the past. What that really had to do with the George Floyd situation I'm not certain. No matter how you view what happened to him it had nothing to do with the civil war and returning veterans. That's what the statue honored, veterans returning to their homes from a war. Surely it is only appropriate to honor our enemies, isn't that what a gracious victor does? Wouldn't that be "woke?" But no, at a cost of eighty thousand dollars this statue will be banned from the state of Maryland, banned from standing at the court house grounds, exiled to Virginia. 

 The narrative from those wanting it moved was, change. By removing that statue it will change something, but what that change is to be was never clear. Is it to punish those that want to remember what their brothers from the past did, that they chose a different side in the war? No statue for you! Or is the hope that by removing that statue it will remove history; therefore those offended by that history won't be offended, won't be prejudiced against those that share that history? Is that the real intent here? 

 Just who was offended by that statue? In my thinking only those that were told they should be. That monument stood there for over 75 years and without mention. It isn't like there were any ceremonies centered around that, no big celebrations. My suspicion is the majority of the people in the State of Maryland and in the County of Talbot, weren't even aware that thing was there at all. But then, just like that, people were offended. Well, I guess after today, once that monument leaves the state, those people can rest easy. It certainly won't be offensive in Virginia, on a battlefield of that war. 

 The Talbot Boys will now have to stand at the Cross Keys Battlefield forever. The battle of Cross Keys took place in June of 1862, Stonewall Jackson leading the campaign. It was a victory for the Confederate troops. Perhaps the Tabot Boys will take solace in that, even though they were thrown out of town! The question is, how long before we decide battlefields are offensive and serve as reminders of the past? Remember the days of segregated cemeteries? They existed for the same reason as this, out of sight, out of mind. You can't be offended by what you can't see.