With ‘woke’ turned on its head, diversity is shunned. Is Macon bucking that trend? | Opinion
One Saturday recently I was standing in a tidied-up portion of Linwood Cemetery, awaiting the start of a funeral service, and I thought of global history and the remarkable way that Macon and her people have brought it to life in the 21st century. Some would even call us “woke.”
The memorial to Sgt. Rodney Davis behind me was a reminder of the heroism of Davis, the neglect of Linwood Cemetery and the Marines who rose up to rectify this situation — all a story for the ages.
Today we are currently living in a disturbing era. Many persons — conservative political leaders in particular — are adamantly opposed to any discussion of diversity, equality and inclusion — the notorious DEI.
To understand what’s going on, we really need to dust off an old history book and go back to the events that the early colonists left behind when they emigrated. In England, conflict was raging between Protestant and Catholic, and the Enlightenment was in full flower. This transformation from the culture described as a Great Chain of Being to one better depicted as an Organic Universe, in which all of creation is interconnected, is in the background of the tale of our founding Fathers in the musical “Hamilton.”
While most of the world was once ruled by monarchies and royalty, the documents that established the United States idealistically declared that “all men are created equal.” We know, of course, that women did not receive the franchise until 1920 and that slavery persisted for years after 1776 in the U.S. Elsewhere in the world, even as Colonialism flourished, the arc of history continued its upward path.
In recent times there have been reactions. At a time when more women than men are pursuing higher education we find such alarming trends as the suppression of birth control, among other things, and just as African Americans were achieving great things in higher education, we find that we are not permitted to set forth their history. This is dead wrong.
It is essential that those whose upbringing didn’t include this history receive it now. Yes, it is disturbing to hear about painful aspects of the past but these events still weigh on our lives today. It is still appalling to realize that the historic Douglass Theatre was just hours away from facing the wrecking ball and that our schools still have not recovered from efforts to thwart desegregation.
When I first arrived in Georgia just after serving as an officer in the U.S. Army, I must say that race relations in the Armored Cavalry unit that I had left were far more advanced than those in the community, and opportunities for women were limited no matter where I looked.
Now, in 2025, Macon is transformed, yet there is still so much to be done. All around us are forces working to turn back the clock, to return us to an era of a hierarchical universe,
The settlers who came to America left behind such things as kings and various forms of royalty and instead created a republic. In doing so they inspired much of the rest of the world. This government of and by the people is the political manifestation of a world view that acknowledges the connectedness of all humanity.
Those who embrace this view are said to be “woke,” initially a term of high praise. Alas, in 1984-style, reactionaries have recently turned this term on its head, suggesting that those who believe in the brotherhood of all humankind are gravely misguided. This notion has gained considerable traction in the state legislature and at the White House.
But to the surprise of many, a large portion of Macon’s residents have embraced the notion that “all things are connected” and as a consequence our city is experiencing a glorious renaissance. Mercer University even offers a series of courses called Integrative Studies. Standing by Sgt. Davis’ memorial, I thought how wonderful it is to be “woke,” astride the arc of history.
Larry Fennelly can be contacted at larney_f@hotmail.com