As I contemplated how to respond to the recent article about my event, “One Voice. One Message,” I was at the point of not responding at all.

First, I honor David Sumner and his contributions to the City of Valdosta. I do not believe there is a racist bone in his body. However, we must address the elephant in the room. 

Dr. Martin Luther King stated in his letter from the jail cell of Birmingham, Ala., that “actually, we who engage in nonviolent direct action are not the creators of tension. We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive. We bring it out in the open, where it can be seen and dealt with. Like a boil that can never be cured so long as it is covered up but must be opened with all its ugliness to the natural medicines of air and light, injustice must be exposed, with all the tension its exposure creates, to the light of human conscience and the air of national opinion before it can be cured” (1963). 

What is going on in Valdosta is what I call unwilling racism. 

What I mean by this is we have a problem with race in our city, but it is swept under the rug. I have a great uncle that was dragged down Troup Street behind a pick-up truck because it was said that he whistled in a white woman’s direction. 

We cannot afford for any of us, specifically our government officials, to be out of touch. As a native of this city, we cannot let the past stir up tensions; in addition, we cannot forget the past or we are doomed to repeat it. 

We come to Valdosta State University to learn to think for ourselves and college gives us the ability to do so. In saying so, there are systems and agencies at work here.

As a student studying sociology/anthropology, the agency is the capacity of individuals to act independently and to make their own free choices and system is the structure that is established to form our society. 

In other words, I stand behind Mirakal Jackson. She is our VSU ambassador, top of her class, and our reigning homecoming queen. She was not the only one criticized for standing for facts in the truth that night as well.

Here at Valdosta State, we stand for honor and truth. Each candidate was given four of the eight questions that were asked that night by email approximately four days before the debate so they could use that time to prepare. Only students were allowed to ask questions freely. 

The question that was asked showed Valdosta’s disconnect with the issues that are going on in our city and on our college campus. That is why we value facts and not airless words from any candidate. 

What is going on here is that the “system” that governs Valdosta calls for Valdostans, specifically the ones that are out of touch, to turn their heads from racial tension or misdoings in our city. We all know it is happening and we all as citizens try to avoid the “ugly truth.” 

This is not a 45 rally. We do not believe in hate or hypocrisy. So, when I heard from a local entertainment advocate that Mirakal was a young angry black woman, I was appalled and was compelled to respond.

Valdosta, it was a debate and we want to know and hold candidates accountable for what they say they are going to do for Valdosta. That is why we wanted facts and would call any candidate to answer correctly or to verify his answer particularly concerning whether students return to VSU. It is perhaps directly influenced by what is happening in the City of Valdosta.

Agency is at work here because as individuals we must hold ourselves accountable for what is happening around us. For example, why have we as a city not demanded an answer for the death of Lowndes County student Kendrick Johnson? Why have we not covered the incident that happened at Jimmy Johns? Moreover, why is Jimmy Johns still open? We need to stop lying to each other stating that we are a city without limits when over 32 percent of our citizens live under the national poverty line according to the 2018 census tract. 

The system and agency here in Valdosta informs and supports racism by willingly allowing it to happen without consequence. We just do not want to deal with it. We are like a duck in a pond. On the surface, the water is refined, charming and composed. Under the water, the turbulence caused by the ducks’ feet is like a storm. Consequently, the duck takes off, and that turbulence turns into a raging undercurrent.

We must understand that Mirakal was not attacking any candidate or had any other motives. She just could not understand or wrap her mind around how an official of Valdosta had no clue of the racial tensions in Valdosta or at Valdosta State University.

We had questions. Are we to hold back to tickle the funny bone of each candidate or are we to ask questions and hold them accountable since they want to represent us in the state of Georgia? 

Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it (unknown).” 

I stand with my queen.

David Jonathan (DJ) Davis, senior, sociology and anthropology; an alumnus of VSU, bachelor of arts in interdisciplinary studies; grad of minors, African American studies, history; advisory team, African American Male Initiative; president, Sociology/Anthropology Club a.k.a. Students Obtaining Unity and Liberty.