Last Wednesday evening Ms. Amber Watson of WMDT attempted to go into a PUBLIC MEETING in Crisfield referencing their Cable TV issues at a City Council Meeting. After driving all that way she was told the meeting was closed to the Public.
This was the first report I received on this matter. Then this morning I came to learn that only after the two top managers of WMDT raised hell about what had happened, the Mayor of Crisfield responded by stating the meeting was to full and she couldn't fit into the room.
On the evening that it happened I happened to be speaking with one of the Reporters at WMDT and they were in awe of the situation. My immediate response was, this Reporter is new, right? Yes. I said, please don't tell me she's black, is she? Yes!
We're talking about Somerset County Folks. If you didn't know the answer of what I'm about to tell you, this is going to blow you away! In the 400+ year history of Somerset County, there has never been a black person on the County Council, NEVER! Do you happen to know what the ratio of blacks verses whites are in Somerset County? It's 73% black verses white.
You tell me what happened that evening? IMO, it's time for some change in Somerset County and it's time everyone support such a change. The Mayor of Crisfield has been summoned to a meeting with upper management at WMDT because they will NOT stand for such crap and Joe Albero supports their efforts 100%! The Mayor is back stepping every way humanly possible because he knows they're in deep sh!t right now.
This is 2008, NOT 1956!
38 comments:
Who wouldn't want her in the room!
WMDT should file a complaint with the Attorney General's Office.
peoples wonder why we have attitude
I seriously doubt the reason she wasn't allowed in is that she is black. There are/have been black City Council members in Crisfield as well as a black Chief of Police (more than 1). Maybe they just didn't want the press in there, period !
Good old country boys....Maybe because she is a Beautiful,sucessful,intelligent looking,professional WOMAN,a rare find in them there parts.....
What was the meeting about?
If it wasn't a closed meeting, there's no reason she should have been kept out unless it was so packed full (which I doubt) that they were exceeding fire code.
I am a "come here" so I have “outside” or “non-native” perspective… the racial relations on the Eastern Shore should be an embarrassment to this region... never in my life have I seen Caucasians treat African Americans so horribly and vise versa! We ALL bleed red people!
What a bunch of morons running that meeting! Way to go, Crisfield leaders, you've done a nice job confirming the worst stereotypes of this region. I'm sure lots of people will get on here and claim that there is no racism anymore, but you all need to pull your heads out of the sand and acknowledge that there is still a problem.
She is welcome to my meetings anytime she likes. She is hot.
I can tell you some stories about Crisfield and the good ole boys down there. Things haven't changed much, believe that. I can give you the location of where the local wannabe KKK members hang out.
The meeting was held to discuss the horrible service that Charter cable provides in this area. The meeting was very well attended but the press should never be denied access. I hope Crisfield citizens wise up next election.
Crisfield had a black police chief but Mayor Purnell fired him as soon as he was elected to office. Remember Chief Clarence Bell.
I take it they denided you access to Joe?
hip.boots
Joe:
Please get WMDT to send her to the Salisbury meetings -- the hell with Crisfield, even if Barrie spend taxpayer money to have a tent there next week!
Sounds like rumors started because press is denide access.
I must say if she wanted in my room I would make the space. My guess is they didnt want the press in there. Joe I love your posts but you started something here just to stir the pot.
Wasn't the former Crisfield Police Chief who happens to be black also arrested for Arson of the entire downtown? He had purchased a block of the downtown and then set it on fire to collect the insurance money.
We think Pocomoke is whacked, they take lessons from Crisfield!
HUH????More info please!!!!!This is the first I heard of this.
Isn't Raymond Anderson on the Crisfield council? He's african-american. I truly think they just didn't want the media there - wouldn't be the first time.
Props to WMDT for hiring such good looking anchors!!
Amazing Somerset County's 400+ years???? I guess 2008-400 would be 1608 so Somerset County had a council before the colonist arrived in Jamestown
Secrecy in government is alive and doing very well in Somerset County. They have been able to keep the results of the Detention Center investigation absolutly secret. Did anyone hear the outcome?? If the Warden wasn't cleared of allagations then why did they rehire him??? They don't seem to feel the need to share that information with anyone, even those that elected them. Maybe they would be to embarrased if the truth were known.
Maybe Pocomoke City can send Honiss Cane to run for office in Somerset County.
He is both black & crooked truly a win / win for the Good Old Boy system of Government.
Plus he is a property owner in Somerset County, but he has been prosecuted several times for operating an unlicensed junkyard.
All kidding aside there is no reason this woman should have been denied entry, especially for the color of her skin...
Wymzie's comment was not exactly correct, actually the Chief that set downtown of fire was Chief Norm Swift. He served time for that one. Chief Bell was his replacement.
black or white, when the time comes and we have to make a stand when i look to my right and to my left any man standing beside me will be my brother,"my american patriot brother" we need each other more now then we probably ever have.
cruggly, whoever you are, I'm really beginning to like you.
Let us stop this nonsense. Why a reporter was denied acess to a public meeting is the issue.
Why Mike Dunn, Louise Smith,did/do not allow public comment, and soon council comment, is the issue.
I am a woman and I could say that
Mike Dunn was anti woman because he told me not to speak. That is stretching it...but could be so.
The rights of individuals are slowly being taken away by goverment, step by step, a watchful public is needed, someone to yell "foul" is needed, (thanks Joe) we all should be outraged that anyone is denied access to free access or speech or any civil rights.
Lets forget the race/gender/preferece issues, it is totally stupid, and childish, lets focus on the chipping away at our constitutional right.
anon 12;48 I would think you would tell the folks why Mr. Bell was released as there are a few that know
Here's what happened from someone who was there: the mayor told the cameraman not to come in the room. No cameras, he said. The meeting had started, the room was standing room only, and the cameraman by virtue of the equipment he was carrying would have been disruptive to the discussion that was taking place, not to mention just plain rude to the people in the room lining the back wall. The reporter with a notepad in her hand was not denied entry, the specific order was no camera. Yes, all things considered what the mayor did was wrong because of the open meetings act, but frankly as the person who is charged with being in control of the meeting the mayor could clearly see the TV crew would have been unnecessarily disruptive to a room full of people who had the courtesy to arrive on time and were there to speak or listen. Race is a non-issue with a black council president and a newly-reelected black councilwoman. As for followup complaints, take them to the open meeting compliance board.
Maybe they should change the spelling to KKKrisfield.
What are you talking about that there are not black people on the City Council. Raymond Anderson, the vice-president of the council, is black. Laverne Johnson was just re-elected. She is black. Before them, there was Catherine Brown, who even served as acting mayor. She too was black. Stop playing the race card when it isn't there. Yes, the reporter was allowed in. No, the camera was not allowed into a crowded room when it was an hour late in an ongoing meeting. Could this have been handled better? yes. Was this racism? No.
That srticle says COUNTY COUNCIL, not City Council!
I checked into the meeting, and was told that no one from Charter would be there to address their issues. so all you had was a group of (rightly) disgruntled people complaining about Charter's less than adequate service and exorbitant rates. This may or may not have been news-worthy, as the person who sent out the flyers did so stating that this was under the approval of the City Council-which it was NOT. I'm sure this same person who sent out the bogus flyers also called the media.
But as for African-Americans in office-look at Mrs Catherine Brown, (an African-American-woman to top it off)who was on the City Council for multiple terms;and Yes, Raymond
Anderson has served on the City Council, as well. Also the comment from Wymzie concerning the Police Chief/arson incident: The Police Chief was Norman Swift-a Caucasian, and NO ONE involved in that incident was black.
Mr. Albero, you are just trying to start something that you have no business starting-are YOU gonna be here when the rocks start flying? NO; Are YOU gonna be here to help ease the racial tensions generated from this article, which is clearly bogus, unsubstantiated, and designed solely to provoke racial racial tension? NO You, Mr. Albero, are, in fact, a racist-of the WORST kind-one who uses your position to incite racial problems. I'm not saying that racial problems don't exist; the sad fact is-they Do. But
provoking an already existent problem is NOT responsible journalism, which reduces you, Mr. Albero, to nothing more that a big mouth with a blog. Instead of being part of the PROBLEM, why don't you try being part of the SOLUTION and start acting and reporting responsibly.
Look Anonymous,
First of all, is she black? YES! Did you allow her and her crew into the Meeting? NO!
The bottom line is, YOU had NO RIGHT denying them access. Now you have had all this time to play damage control because you've finally been outted by a powerful News Source, ONE that isn't afraid of you!
I'll bet you never deny the PRESS access to another meeting!
The cable TV service as well as cable internet,in Crisfield is atrocious-I have friends there who say their cable goes out frequently for hours at a time-and many of them are installing satellites.Directv and Dish are doing a brisk business in the area.The county library switched to Verizon for highspeed internet because of problems with Charter.Unfortunately they have a contract for cable in Crisfield til 2014.The Public Service Commission will probably have to step in and force Charter to improve their service.I cannot blame the subscribers for being angry.
I do not know where people get their information. If you Salisbury rednecks would get off your god on two legs complexes and come to Crisfield you will see weare not as Joe portrays us. We do not live on stilts and there are black members on our council but who is counting?
In fact I would say this is reverse descrimination on his part.
The Mayor does not want a camera in the meetings. Period. This way he can protray only what he wants to the press and not the truth. This is an old boy system. And sorry, there was room, and the townspeople would love the news in there, it just so happens that our council and mayor forgot that they are there to do what the people want and not do what they want and lie to the people who voted them in. The mayor will not be re elected
I don't like her because she slept with the love of my life this week right after I left the house but I strongly disagree with the way she was treated.
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