Perhaps you thought that the only controversy about oysters was whether they were best raw, steamed or fried.  Or maybe you have been in an argument about whether it was really safe to eat oysters in months without an “r” in the name.  In truth, it turns out that talking oysters can really get people riled up.

While most everyone agrees that we need more oysters in the Chesapeake Bay, determining the best way to get there is a path fraught with tension.
 
In partnership with Calvert County Community Mediation Center, All Saints Episcopal Church, Calvert County Planning and Zoning and other community-building citizens, Calvert Library is hosting “Oysters:  Economy, Technology and Environment” as the next conversation in their Facing Our Fences:  Naming the Barriers to Community series.  It will be held Thursday, March 3 at 7 p.m. at the Calvert Library Prince Frederick.

This series is part of Facing Fences, a collaboration with St. Mary’s College and many other organizations who have sponsored supporting programs for the Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit hosted at St. Mary’s College.  The programming explores the fences, boundaries and rights-of-way – both physical and metaphorical – that enclose us or divide us.  Representatives from Calvert Watermen’s Association, Patuxent Riverkeepers, Southern Maryland Cultivation Society, Coastal Conservation Association, Johnny Oysterseed and others will be there to share their thoughts and concerns about our oyster situation.
 
Calvert Library’s team has been hosting conversations on controversial topics for the last three years with great success (and no bloodshed).  These sessions offer those with disparate views and experiences, an opportunity to share and listen.  The hope is that some of the heat can be dialed down as people begin to understand each other’s perspectives better.  The expectation is not that minds will be changed, only that participants will learn something about each other that will help them communicate civilly and respectfully about the shared issue.
 
For more information, call the Calvert Library Prince Frederick at (410) 535-0291 or (301) 855-1862.