Practice what you preach

The following is from the Sunday Salisbury Daily Times, July 5, 2009

Is it important to celebrate the Fourth of July as the birthday of our nation?

Independence Day serves to remind us who we are as a people. Our Declaration of Independence, delivered to King George, provided insight into our collective soul. No longer would we beg for crumbs from the king's table. What we "declared" to the king we must continue to declare to each other -- chiefly, that government exists to serve the people, not for people serve the government. We declare our rights are inalienable and given by God, not the product of government. Yet we did not stop there; we put all future government on notice that we would not suffer the yoke of bondage as a free people. From the day we declared it until now, we have been a vigilant guard of liberty's torch. Let us remind our children that we celebrate with fireworks that which is secured by the blood of patriots past, present and future.

This is the response to the posed question by Michael A. McDermott, Mayor of Pocomoke.


I cannot help but find Mayor Michael A. McDermott comments both insincere and not credible. One of the freedoms we celebrate on July 4th is the right to express our opinions, whatever they might be. Yet he stood on the steps of Pocomoke's city hall and told a candidate up for election and her husband they should stop their blog, the Pocomoke Tattler, and should move away because he does not like their opinions. He says the "right things". His actions, however, just do not back up what he says. How are we to believe him!

Maybe he should realize this incongruence between his words and his actions does not support his seeking of “intellectual” discussions. Pocomoke certainly could use an elected Mayor that understands “that government exists to serve the people, not for people serve the government,” to use McDermott’s words. The understanding of this concept is a rare occurrence in Pocomoke’s City Hall, at least when you disagree with City Hall.