Recently, I experienced a rare, but positive event in the political arena. It was the J. Millard Tawes Crab & Clam Bake at the Somers Cove Marina in Crisfield in Somerset County on the lower Eastern Shore on Wednesday, Sept. 27.
There are three standing traditions at Tawes. One is welcoming individuals with a range of political party affiliations, ideologies, public policy positions, race, age, sexual orientation and income levels. Another is engagement in respectful and civil dialogue with all attendees. Last, but not least, is elected officials and candidates meeting face-to-face with voters to listen to their opinions and concerns.
This year, elected officials attending included: Gov. Wes Moore, Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller and state Comptroller Brooke Lierman.
Candidates included Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando, both of whom are running in a primary to be the Democratic candidate to represent Maryland in the U.S. Senate. Candidates also included Chris Bruneau who is running in a primary to be the Republican candidate to represent Maryland’s 1st Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The entire Tawes experience stands in striking contrast to what is now the new normal in politics. This new normal is characterized by intense and often uncivil conflicts over deeply held differences of opinion on a wide range of public policy issues.
Tawes is a great model for politics the way it should be by advancing the following principles. Welcoming and mutual respect for all with diverse backgrounds and perspectives, listen first to understand and commitment to the concept that we can agree to disagree without being disagreeable.
— David Reel, Easton
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