Call it by its Name

Sometimes good people do bad things

Sometimes kind people do unkind things.

Sometimes smart people do…things that defy explanation.

I am referring to the decision to use a property which is being called “Historic Oakdale” as the site of this year’s Decorator Show House.You may recall I wrote about this house when it came on the market.

It’s a prison. A private jail. A forced labor camp. Here is where generations of human beings were held against their will. It doesn’t matter how carefully it is preserved or how beautifully it’s decorated. It’s a living monument that our country was founded on the worst kind of injustice. See how pretty it is…the house of horrors. “Honoring History”, Village Green/Town² 12/11/21

I honestly don’t know what should be done with places like this but I do know they should not be celebrated nor used to generate funds. I am stunned that the horrific foundation of all this wealth and grandeur was not a dealbreaker for those who chose to make Oakdale a showcase home.

Let that sink in. It is 2022 and slavery was not a dealbreaker. Having a decorator’s showcase at Oakdale is asking the community to look right at slavery, and then…look away.

On May 12th County Executive Calvin Ball signed an executive order creating a Public Facilities and Spaces Report Evaluation and Action Commission.

With the Public Spaces Commission report, we now can contextualize the many namesakes of our buildings, parks, and other county-owned spaces. We need to face our history, learn from it, and move forward by ensuring the namesakes of our facilities and spaces reflect today’s values. I’m grateful to the many Commission members who are tackling this difficult issue and look forward to its recommendations. Calvin Ball, Howard County Executive

Oakdale is not a county-owned space. Nonetheless I think its name should reflect what it really is. I suggest “Oakdale Prison Camp”, “Oakdale Plantation of the Enslaved”, or “Oakdale Labor and Death Camp”. Put the ugliness right on its face where it belongs rather than hiding it behind exquisitely decorated rooms and fancy events.

Maybe, if the name put its true story right out there for everyone to see, those good, kind, smart people would have thought twice about putting it in the local spotlight.

Here’s a suggestion. Tickets to this year’s show house are 30 dollars. Take that money and donate it to Howard County Lynching Truth and Reconciliation, a local initiative that is researching and sharing historical truth about our county.

Here’s where to donate: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/howard-county-lynching-truth-reconciliation-inc

Comments

Teacher Gifts

Today is the last day of school before the Winter Break. It’s a good time to remember the far-reaching nature of our public school system. You may not have children. You may have sent your children to independent schools. It matters not. You will be impacted one way or another. Yesterday I read a long thread on Facebook about several waves of illness in the schools right now. There’s influenza A and norovirus, I believe. And of course there’s COVID. Apparently in some individual schools the rate of illness is high enough for school admin to notify parents. When I was little the acceptable holiday gift for a teacher was one of those lovely floral handkerchief squares. (I don’t know what it was for male teachers. They were rare in my elementary years.) These days the range of teacher gifts is wider and I have fond memories of Target gift cards which I have written about before. I think it’s safe to say that giving one’s teacher Influenza, norovirus, or COVID is not the ideal holiday...

They Can Wait

This is not a typical Saturday post. That’s because, in my community, it’s not a typical Saturday. Oakland Mills High School, after years of deferred repair, needs massive renovation. It’s pretty simple: when you don’t fix a problem it gets bigger. The school system itself said the the OMHS school building was "no longer conducive to learning" back in 2018. 2018 . But Thursday the Boad of Education voted to push it out of the lineup of important projects which will be given the go-ahead to proceed soonest. In my opinion it’s a terrible decision and sets a dangerous precedent. To explain, here’s the advocacy letter I sent in support of Oakland Mills High School. I was rather proud of it. I am writing to ask you to proceed with needed renovation at Oakland Mills High School in the most timely and comprehensive manner humanly possible. I have read the letter sent to you by the Oakland Mills Community Association and I am in complete agreement. You are extremel...

Columbia Chance Connection

Last night, as my husband and I were about to sit down to dinner, our front door swung open and a cheery voice announced, “I’m ba—ack!” We weren’t expecting anyone. Clearly the only people who’d walk right in to our house would be one of our offspring. I had my reading glasses on so I wasn’t seeing too clearly. It seemed too tall for our youngest, but we knew our eldest was at work. I took off my glasses to see a friendly but confused face scanning our living room. When her gaze landed on us we all had a sudden realization. We didn’t know eachother. “Oh I’m so sorry! I’m in the wrong house! My daughter just moved in and she needed hooks for the kitchen so I ran out to get them.” She waved the package. “All these houses look the same and I don’t know the neighborhood yet. I thought this was my daughter’s house.” We were all getting a bit giggly. “That’s okay. For a quick second we thought you were our daughter,” said my husband. I told her our names and said she should defin...

Village Green/Town²

Search This Blog