I received a ton of responses from my first column on racism in Augusta, an indication that readers are willing, even anxious, to join the conversation.
Many called me brave for writing about the racist attitudes and actions of some within our city government, what with me being a middle-aged white guy.
I can assure you bravery has absolutely nothing to do with my job, and it’s not something I think about; nor am I concerned about backlash from people who disagree with me. My job is to tell the truth and to back up that truth with evidence.
Being a reporter means having moral responsibilities to the truth, as evidence shows it to be.
The truth is that the city of Augusta, and the CSRA region, is not a racially divided community if you’re talking about most people, regardless of their race. Some politicians race bait to gain political power, influence and money. They want the public to think we are divided on racial lines.
However, that is not who we are, and I can prove it.
We all live each day without the promise and guarantee of a tomorrow, but some of us are really living on borrowed time, including me.
In 2008, I literally died. The fact that you are reading this in 2024 is the result of a miracle.
I suffer from an auto-immune disease that baffles my doctors. In September of 2008, I fell ill with what everyone thought was the flu, but it gradually turned worse. My wife rushed me to the hospital when my skin turned yellow.
From there, I lost consciousness and went into cardiac arrest.
My parents called our dear friend, Rev. Jackson Parks and asked him to meet them at the hospital. Jackson dropped everything on a Sunday morning and rushed to be with them.
Rev. Parks was one of the men who stepped in and became a father figure to me after my biological father died when I was 12. He arranged for me my first job, washing cars at Garner Auto Sales; and remained a close confidant to me all of my adult life, all the way up until God called him to return to his home in Heaven.
At my ICU bedside, Jackson anointed my head with oil, and he prayed. When he emerged from my room, he hugged my mother and told her, “Don’t worry, our boy is going to be fine.”
Jackson then went into the lobby and started calling people on his cell phone.
Jackson Parks was calling every pastor that he knew and asked that my name be placed on that Sunday morning’s prayer list and that the pastor ask the congregation to please consider donating plasma.
The next day, Shepeard Blood Center was inundated with people offering to give plasma, which is a much more involved process than giving the normal pint of blood.
I lapsed into a 12-day coma, and when I came out of it, I was paralyzed all down my left side, and I could not talk. When I came to, Jackson was there, and all I could do was look at him; I was intubated.
Just seeing Rev. Parks sitting next to me and silently praying helped steel my will to fight.
Within two days, I believe a miracle occurred. My breathing went back to normal; my vital signs went back to normal, the paralysis from suffering multiple “mini strokes” wore off, and I could walk and talk.
So, why am I telling you this story?
Rev. Jackson Parks was a Black man. He was the one who introduced me to the phrase “Heaven is not, nor has it ever been, segregated.”
When I was dying, Jackson was calling on congregations both Black and White to come to my aid. Most of those people did not know me personally nor had they even ever heard of me. All they knew was that their pastor said a fellow by the name of Scott needs your prayers and your plasma if you’re willing to donate it.
My veins flow with the blood and plasma donated by my community, and I am still so appreciative of the fact that people of all creeds and races in my community gave blood to help me survive.
The reason I speak out against racism in all its forms is because I think that it is the morally responsible thing to do. Bravery is rushing into a fire to save someone, not a writer pointing out what should be obvious to everyone.
We are all God’s people, but whether we act in a Godly manner is up to us.
Scott Hudson is the Senior Investigative Reporter and Editorial Page Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach him at scott@theaugustapress.com
