Thursday, April 9, 2004
Recently, local Episcopalians joined with the Winston-Salem Human Relations Commission and other concerned citizens to acknowledge the deep divisions that exist in our community as a result of the Deborah Sykes murder case. The mixed but predominantly white audience heard from Mayor Allan Joines, Darryl Hunt, Imam Khalid Griggs and officials of the Episcopal Church about the need for healing around that event and its aftermath.
Six themes predominated. First, the daily life experience of whites and blacks is profoundly different. It is from this difference that mistrust and suspicion arises. The fact that whites may not have experienced race-based discrimination in the face of the legal system does not mean it does not exist.
Second, the fact that the criminal-justice system took so long to exonerate Darryl Hunt has led many in the black community to conclude (or reinforce their belief) that theirs is a second-class citizenship. Whites saying that is not so does not alter their perception.
Third, those with power and privilege have no idea what the lives of those without are like. That lack of awareness creates between them a profound gulf in the perception of reality, and it is this gulf that left many in the white community unaware of the details of the Sykes case. The fact that "haves" may be unaware of privilege in their lives does not negate its existence.
Fourth, the emotional trauma experienced by Sykes' family - both on Aug. 10, 1984 and almost constantly since then - must be excruciating. All present agreed that not nearly enough has been done by the legal system or by Hunt's supporters to address the family's suffering. As appropriate means are determined, concerted efforts should be made to reach out to them, acknowledge their pain and contribute to their healing process.
Fifth, Darryl Hunt himself, however unfocused he may have been as a teen-ager, is a quiet-spoken man of great dignity. His rejection 10 years ago of release from prison in exchange for confessing to what he did not do is telling. His rejection of anger and his pleas for reconciliation today are inspirational.
Sixth, the pain felt by many in our black community is deep and profound. Over the years, a virtual silence has said to some that the white community does not care. We, individually, may not be responsible for this injustice, but demonstrations of our interest and concern can help establish a basis of trust. When friends grieve for the loss of a loved one they do not need us to have the perfect words; they just need us to be there. The same is true here.
Winston-Salem has been described as one of the most racially divided cities in the country. The Human Relations Commission intends to provide more opportunities for discussion around this topic. This may prove an opportunity to generate real communication and community across racial lines. The Rt. Rev. Gary Gloster, Bishop Suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, paraphrased the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in saying, "We hate each other because we do not know each other. We do not know each other because we do not understand each other. We do not understand each other, because we are separate." To this Bishop Gloster added, "We are separate because we do not get together."
If good can be forged of this unspeakable human tragedy, perhaps it lies in the understanding that might result from getting together to reflect upon these things. Much of the black community has lived with and grieved over this case for years. For most of the white community, it has not been an issue given much thought. As opportunities are presented, the social health of Winston-Salem will be improved by as many of us as possible taking advantage of occasions to meet, discuss, learn and participate in a process of healing.
Borwick, a professor at Salem College, is a member of St. Anne's Episcopal Church, where he is on the vestry