16 | Commentary
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Commentary: Proactive voices, remembering history are keys to peace and racial justice As the residents of suburParticularly, we should be ban Atlanta look at the curmore proactive and less reacrent uproar over racial justive. There are a number of tice issues here in Georgia’s adages that seem fitting here, capital city, we should not such as “a stitch in time saves think that it is just an Atlanta nine,” or the statement made problem. We must remember, by the philosopher and essaywhether it’s brutality, racism ist George Santayana, who or systemic discrimination, penned the well-paraphrased every locale has the same phrase “those who cannot problems or issues — it’s just remember the past are conhow many zeros you put bedemned to repeat it.” hind the statistic. On the stitch: Perhaps we SPECIAL We who call Buckhead, should create a BrookhavJohn J. Funny is the owner of Dunwoody, Sandy Springs an international planning en commission on race relaand my city of Brookhaven and engineering firm based tions. A body like this would home have a responsibility be proactive. It could be comin Atlanta and serves as to play a role in making for “a vice chair of the Brookhaven posed of members of all dePlanning Commission. more perfect union.” Now is mographics in Brookhavnot the time to remain silent, en. Brookhaven has a good or only post or talk about in55,000 residents. White persignificant matters. We must sons make up 63%, 11% are stand up for what is right, but we must do African American, and 28% are Latino. A it strategically and peacefully. Doing the commission could serve as the catalyst right thing is always the right thing to do. and conduit for dialogue on critical issues We recently lost three civil rights giamong these diverse groups, especially on ants: the Reverends Joseph E. Lowery and the sensitive issues we often shy away from C. T. Vivian and Congressman John R. Lewand prefer to avoid — equity, equality, race, is. These three civil rights giants were key gender and more. advisors of the Reverend Martin Luther On remembering our past: We should King Jr. They organized pivotal campaigns contemplate securing federal and state and spent decades advocating for justice historic designations for our neighborand equality. I personally knew Rep. Lewhoods that were a part of our history. For is. I supported and embraced his mission example, if we look at Brookhaven’s culto protect human rights, secure civil libtural past, back when it was part of what erties and the building of what Dr. King was called “North Atlanta,” we find that called “The Beloved Community.” We must this was home to many prominent pockets continue the hard work of these men — inand “Subs” (subdivisions) of African Amerdeed, their legacy — so that we may fully icans. realize “life, liberty and the pursuit of hapTake the historic Lynwood Park compiness,” for all Americans, especially in the munity. As journalist Peter Scott wrote for city of Brookhaven. this publication two years ago, “at the time
(in the 1950s), Lynwood Park claimed more than 1,000 residents and was known as DeKalb County’s oldest all-black community.” But unless you look deep and hard, you might never know because so much of the remnants of communities like Lynwood Park have been eradicated for new development. Preserving neighborhoods and historic cemeteries and churches will provide a physical sense to help all of us remember the past while providing context about the evolution of our cities. I know from personal experience the pain of losing a loved one at the hands of law enforcement. In 1984, while attending South Carolina State University, I had to digest the loss of a brother whose life was taken by sheriff deputies in Newberry, S.C. This was a tragic experience for me, my siblings and my entire family. We will never understand why certain people feel it is their right to take the life of innocent individuals, more specifically, African Americans. So, each time this happens, it reopens a wound for every member of my family. While my family and I have not had an open discussion with many of our friends and associates about my brother’s killing, we do have a complete understanding of the larger community’s anger and pain. But I know that if we remember and learn from the past while having honest open discussions (led by, say, a race-relations commission) perhaps no one in Brookhaven or the ’burbs we call “North Atlanta” will ever have to face what my family and I did 36 years ago. It may seem simplistic to create a commission, or to remember our history. But sometimes it is the simple things that make the most sense and can have the greatest impact.
Sandy Springs’ founding wasn’t racist; dialogue calls are divisive Recent articles and emails have given me a sincere concern. Our city of Sandy Springs is described as having been formed on the basis of racism and that we are still guilty of “systemic racism.” My purpose in writing this commentary is to state very affirmatively that the accusations are not true. No defense is required for the many volunteers who worked so diligently, for so long, to found this city. The organizers were entirely focused on providing a better future for our citizens. Surveys told us that the number one concern of the residents was zoning. Not zoning against minorities (who comprised 28% of the population at the time of incorporation), but protection against the county’s drive to increase the level of rental properties. The county commission had set an upper limit of 40% rentals, but had let it move up to 52%. We were aware that property owners are more involved in the community. They vote at a higher rate and show more concern about the maintenance and growth of the city. The county’s game plan seemed to be “build anything in Sandy Springs, but take their taxes to spend elsewhere.” Never in the years that I served on the Organizing Committee was race discussed.
My service included chairsian collusion, amplified by man of the Charter Commisthe media, led to three years sion, chairman of the Goverof divisiveness in our country. nor’s Commission on Sandy To open a fishing expedition in Springs, and unpaid interim Sandy Springs about racism, city manager. To claim that where no real evidence of that our volunteer work was racracism exists, invites divisiveist in nature besmirches the ness in our community. We do reputations of all those volnot need to create, and then unteers. Founding Mayor Eva discuss, unfounded issues in Galambos must be turning in Sandy Springs. her grave. There has been no I do not intend to particiindication that the succeedpate in such discussions, and SPECIAL ing mayor and councils have Oliver W. Porter was Sandy urge others to forego the “opapproved any racist activities. portunity.” If there are actual Springs’ first interim city Mayor Paul, whom I hold in manager and authored the problems, they should be takbook “Creating the New high esteem for his service, en before the council for acCity of Sandy Springs.” has issued a “mea culpa” in retion. If they fail to act, then cent weeks. I think Rusty does take it to the ballot box. That is himself and the community a the American way. Do not endisservice. courage loose talk that encourages demonI have received emails from a couple callstrations, which serve as a cover for small, ing for community “conversations” about violent groups to riot. systemic racism. I do not know them, but I I am proud of Sandy Springs, and I pray am told that they are wealthy liberals who that we will not succumb to the divisivewish to impose their values on the communess and violence that other cities have exnity. You may ask, “What harm is there in perienced. The “conversations” that are projust talking?” We have seen the harm at a posed are an open door to such divisiveness national level. Unfounded talk about Rusand violence. BH