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The True Citizen, Wednesday, May 26, 2021 — Page 5A
Michael N. Searles
LET BYGONES BE BYGONES
Diana Royal
SO HARD TO SAY GOODBYE
The talk about slavery and its
aftermath has generated a feel
ing we should just put it aside
and let bygones be bygones.
We live in the 21st century
and that old stuff has nothing
to do with us. The phrase, “I
never owned any slaves and
neither did my ancestors” has
been repeated numerous times.
Another oft-heard utterance is
“Why am I responsible for the
sins of the past?” Black folk are
no longer in slavery and some
have reached the pinnacle of
power and influence. If we
can elect an African American
as President, we are living in a
post racial society.
Carlette Duffy, a black In
diana homeowner, may have
shared those same sentiments
when she had her house ap
praised. Ms. Duffy wanted to
refinance her house and use
some of the equity to buy and
renovate her grandmother’s
home. In 2020, her house was
appraised at $125,000 and
then by a second appraisal at
$110,000. MS Duffy felt her
house was being undervalued
so she removed photos of
herself, her relatives and all
aspects of her ethnic identity.
She then got a white husband
of a friend to seek an appraisal.
When the house was appraised
a third time, it was valued at
$259,000. Ms. Duffy was
relieved, but angry that she had
to go through the experience
to prove what was happening.
She filed a housing complaint
with the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Develop
ment claiming that the two
appraisal companies violated
the fair housing laws.
Carletta Duffy’s experience
is not unique. Abena and Alex
Horton, an interracial couple,
wanted an appraisal of their
four-bath ranch-style house in
Jacksonville, Florida. Given
their home’s location, they
thought an appraisal would be
around $450,000. An appraiser
assigned a value of their home
at $333,000 that the Hortons’
thought was low. The couple
sought a second appraisal, but
before it occurred, they took all
of Abena’s family photos off
the mantle and replaced them
with those ofher husband Alex.
They hung a series of oil paint
ings of Alex’s white grandpar
ents on the wall. Books by
author Zora Neal Hurston and
Toni Morrison were removed
from the shelves along with
Holiday cards that had an eth
nic identifier. The second ap
praiser gave their home a value
of $465,000 representing a 40
percent increase over the first.
Another couple, Gwen and
Lorenzo Mitchell wanted to re
model their Denver home and
sought an appraisal. When the
home was appraised Lorenzo,
who is black, was present.
The house that the couple
thought would be appraised
around $500,000 was valued at
$405,000. The Mitchells, who
also believed their house was
being undervalued because of
race, sought a second appraisal.
This time Gwen Mitchell who
is white showed the house and
the second appraiser gave the
home a value of $550,000 a
$145,000 increase over the
first appraisal. An interesting
aspect of the second appraisal
was nothing in the house was
changed.
An analysis by the American
Enterprise Institute, a public-
policy think tank, found that
allegations of intentional or
unintentional racial bias in
appraisals on refinance loans
were “uncommon and not
systemic.” However, a 2018
study from the Brookings In
stitution found that homes in
majority Black neighborhoods
were appraised for 23 percent
less than properties in mostly
White neighborhoods — even
when the homes were of simi
lar quality and with similar
amenities. The study estimated
that homes in majority-Black
neighborhoods are underval
ued by $48,000 per home on
average, leading to a $156 bil
lion cumulative loss in value
nationwide. It is easy to look
at the progress made in race
relations over the years and
conclude that the errors of the
past are that—of the past. Only
when confronted with a current
reality are those assumptions
challenged. It is easier to let
bygones be bygones when they
are really gone.
“And I'll take with me the
memories,
To be my sunshine after the
rain.
It's so hard to say goodbye
to yesterday. ”
— Boyz II Men
I’m a crier. I’m probably an
over sharer, too; I’ll always tell
you what I think and how I feel.
I don’t know any other way to
be. I use to try to force myself
into what I thought was “more
normal” but you can’t turn off
the things God gives you to
make you who you are. At least
I can’t. And I stopped wanting
to a long time ago.
(It also took me 10 minutes
to write that paragraph because
I had to stop so I could go lis
ten to that 90s mega hit after
I sang the chorus in my head
13 times.)
Lately, goodbyes have been
the anthem of my life, espe
cially these last two weeks.
On Friday, I bid farewell to
my students, and I had no
idea how hard that was going
to be. As the minutes ticked
away and our time together
got shorter and shorter, one of
our jokesters came over to my
desk and said, “Do you want a
hug?” That ripped my heart out
in the most bittersweet way.
These kids were my morning
hellos. They asked me how my
weekend was, what was going
on news-wise, taught me what
their dialect means and showed
me how to TikTok. We started
each day in prayer together,
and they got me through this
first year more than they’ll
ever know.
Last week I also had a good
bye lunch date and pedicure
with my old pal Dana who,
by the time anyone reads this,
will be settling into her home
in Texas.
On Sunday, I took the task
of cleaning out my granny’s
closet to help my parents prep
for their move to Savannah
(another goodbye forthcom
ing!). I tried to just fold and
pack everything, but her cute
grandma sweaters and jackets
got the best of me. When I saw
her blue and white blouse, with
her birthday ribbon and button
still attached, I stopped, sat in
the floor and cried. I let the
tears spill back over my face
as they had done so many times
during the week already. Then
I took a deep breath, said a
prayer and finished packing her
belongings.
All the boxes around me
lately hold special things, but
the memories and the feelings
and the lessons — I carry in
me. There is no cardboard or
tape in the way. No hot storage
buildings. No plastic totes. And
they’re accessible 24 hours a
day, seven days a week.
Now comes another good
bye as I part ways with this
newspaper, something that has
been in my life since I was 21
years old.
I never envisioned leaving
The True Citizen, and the
decision is not really mine nor
does it come easily. God has te
diously yet deliberately closed
this door and is now telling me
to quit dancing in the hallway
staring at it.
I’m not even sure how to be
me without “this,” and the fear
of being torn from my commu
nity has haunted me many late
and sleepless nights. I realize,
though, that this isn’t an ending
— I’m not leaving my com
munity and y’all aren’t going to
change your relationship with
me based on affiliation. Y’all
will probably just not call me
Lois Lane or newspaper girl
anymore. Or maybe you will,
and that’s fine, too, as long as
you call me. (Insert a smile
here.)
Before I let this new set of
tears wash over me, I’m going
to close by saying that I hope
you all know how much Burke
County has meant to me all of
these years and how that will
never change. I’m still here for
you all as you’ve been for me,
and that will also never change.
Call, email, visit me any time.
Please keep sharing your news
and stories with me. Now you
don’t have to preface conversa
tions with “off the record.”
I love you. See you around.
BURKE COUNTY BUSINESS DIRECTORY
These local professionals are here to serve you!
Air Conditioning
TRUST.
ITS MORE THAN A WORD TO US.
ITS OUR WORD TO YOU.
#N0W
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706-554-7341 / 706-830-4516
COMPLETE
SYSTEM
DIAGNOSTICS
ONLY
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TRANE
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Electrical & Generator
502 West 6th Street
Waynesboro, GA 30830
PHONE (706) 554-2861
GENERAC
AUTHORIZED DEALER
R6WELL
ELECTRIC CO.
Air Conditioning
Commercial - Residential
Sales & Service
1040 Bethesda Church Road
Girard, GA
Mobile: 706-339-9343
lib Hard Th Slop Alton*'
Reliable
Durable
Clean Air
Comfort Control
Efficient
First-Rate Warranties
Contractor
HIGHSMITH BUILDING SERVICES, INC.
constructing custom homes since 1991
JOHN A. HIGHSMITH
706-551-0248
Insurance
Stacey L. Herrmann, LUTCF - Agency Mgr.
FARM
BUREAU
GEORGIA
Georgia Farm Bureau Insurance Services
Southern Farm Bureau Lile Insurance Company
Office 706-554-2017 FAX: 706-554-7482
Email: slherrmann@gfbins.com
CLAIMS # 1-855-432-2567
P.O. Box 329 Waynesboro, GA 30830
Heating & Air
Dustin Rowell,
Owner/President
# A*
Rowell
LHEATinkJG.&^AlR,
DCTOtt
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nFAl.FR
Turn to the Expert*.
“Trust, Honor & Pride - Our Commitment To You"
346 Old Millen Hwy., Waynesboro, GA 30830
706-554-2665
F
'et Grooming
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Springwood
Boarding & Grooming
706-592-0444
3209 Old Waynesboro Road
Hephzibah, GA 30815
"Caring hands for your precious pet"
Wrecker Service
706-551-3998
706-551-0876
TAYLOR BROTHERS
Wiecker Service
206 West 12th Street
ADVERTISE HERE!
To be included in the Burke
County Business Directory,
contact Roy Chalker
at 706-554-2111.
Burke Memorial Funeral Home
www.burkememorial.com
‘A Horn of Dependable Service"
842 Liberty Street, Waynesboro, GA
Family owned 8, operated
Jane and George DeLoach
706-833-9867 or 706-551-5100