{"id":49140,"date":"2022-10-19T16:07:05","date_gmt":"2022-10-19T16:07:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/test.nahtnow.com\/?p=49140"},"modified":"2022-10-19T16:14:56","modified_gmt":"2022-10-19T16:14:56","slug":"herscel-walker-disagrees-racial-divide-in-ga","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.nahtnow.com\/en\/herscel-walker-disagrees-racial-divide-in-ga\/","title":{"rendered":"Herscel Walker Disagrees \u201cRacial Divide\u201d In GA."},"content":{"rendered":"

Herschel Walker, Reject Media Claims of \u2018Racial Divide\u2019 in Rural Georgia<\/h1>\n

85<\/a> \"ATHENS,Brett Davis\/Getty Images<\/cite><\/p>\n

\n
Ashley Oliver<\/a><\/address>\n

19 Oct 20221,052<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/b>10:48<\/div>\n
\n

WRIGHTSVILLE, Georgia \u2014 Those who knew Herschel Walker before he gained national fame and launched a bid for U.S. Senate are standing up for him after mainstream media attempted to tie the beloved football legend to a \u201cracial divide\u201d in their small town.<\/p>\n

A number of residents of Johnson County, a rural county near central Georgia with a population of less than 10,000, spoke highly of Walker in interviews this month with Breitbart News.<\/p>\n

They took issue with a recent\u00a0New York Times<\/em>\u00a0report that zeroed in on race in Wrightsville, the county seat of Johnson where Walker was raised.<\/p>\n

The report\u00a0charged<\/a>\u00a0that Walker had been ostracized by Wrightsville\u2019s black community because of Walker\u2019s decision to steer clear of tense protests against racism that took place in the area four decades ago.<\/p>\n

Joseph Sumner, a local attorney, viewed the\u00a0Times<\/em>\u00a0report as \u201can attack on rural Georgia,\u201d he said in the driveway of his modest home, which was surrounded by acres of farmland and cottonfields.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrowing up in rural Georgia, knowing people from all across the socioeconomic strata, I mean, we have a lot of poverty here. You know so many of these people that, they struggle. There\u2019s no jobs here. I felt like there was an arrogance in that you would have a reporter from the\u00a0New York Times<\/em>\u00a0that would come down here to do what I would say was kind of a hit piece, and the people here, and the problems that we\u2019ve had here have been going on for years,\u201d Sumner said. \u201cThe truth is they don\u2019t care about these people. \u2026 They want to write about their virtues, but they don\u2019t care about the poverty. They don\u2019t care about the drugs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sumner, whose father was a drugstore pharmacist in Wrightsville, has known of the Walkers his whole life and encounters Walker\u2019s family members in and around town frequently.<\/p>\n

\n

\"Wrightsville<\/a>(Breitbart News)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Walker\u2019s mother, as well as his father when he was alive, are \u201cjust a portrait of good, decent, hardworking people\u201d who raised their seven children \u201cto be exceptional,\u201d Sumner said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose comments about [Walker] forgetting where he came from, I completely disagree with that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Times<\/em>\u00a0had quoted a former coach of Walker\u2019s saying Walker \u201cforgot where he came from\u201d and that he \u201cis not part of the black community\u201d in his hometown.<\/p>\n

Citing mostly anonymous sources, the paper added that \u201csuch feelings toward Mr. Walker have been present for decades\u201d and are \u201cflowering\u201d ahead of Georgia\u2019s U.S. Senate race, a highly competitive election that could determine which party controls the majority next year.<\/p>\n

Benny \u201cChubby\u201d Hodges, a 44-year-old truck driver who has lived in Wrightsville all his life, said, \u201cFrom what I know about Herschel, he\u2019s a good guy, man. He don\u2019t see no, what they say, a racial divide of black and whites or whatever? That\u2019s not Herschel, come on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hodges, who is black, said he plans to vote for Walker.<\/p>\n

He said, \u201cPolitics? I don\u2019t know nothing about politics. I can\u2019t lie. I just know about Herschel. He\u2019s a awesome guy. \u2026 He never looked at me different, far as in where I come from, the streets, you know?\u201d<\/p>\n

Politico<\/em>\u00a0published<\/a>\u00a0a story in December similar to the one in the\u00a0Times<\/em>\u00a0in which it called Walker\u2019s neutral views on race \u201ccomplicated.\u201d<\/p>\n

Walker, who often speaks about how he was overweight, had a speech impediment, and was bullied through middle school, transformed in the late seventies into an athletic fiend on Johnson County High School\u2019s football and track teams. By 1980, he was a budding star and the number one college recruit in the country, the\u00a0Times<\/em>\u00a0wrote<\/a>\u00a0at the time.<\/p>\n

That same year, Walker chose not to become involved in turbulent protests against racism that lingered in the post-civil rights era in Wrightsville. Walker\u2019s colorblind posture reportedly led some black students to deride him as \u201cUncle Tom.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both\u00a0Politico<\/em>\u00a0and the\u00a0Times<\/em>\u00a0drew what the latter described as a \u201cdot-to-dot drawing\u201d from that string of protests to today. The\u00a0Times<\/em>, in particular, claimed black residents\u2019 lack of support for Walker, which mirrors their lack of support for Republican candidates across the country, is due not just to black voters historically overwhelmingly voting for Democrats but also to Walker\u2019s decision to avoid his small town\u2019s protests in high school.<\/p>\n

\n

\"Herschel<\/a>Herschel Walker\u2019s high school football team (courtesy Charles Sutton of Wrightsville)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

In a wide-ranging interview with Breitbart News this month, Walker spoke about the\u00a0Times<\/em>\u00a0story, lamenting that the outlet had attempted to stoke division.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think what\u2019s sad about that, that reporter tried to bring in a lot of racism in that town, and, you know, years, years, years ago, there was a lot of racism in that town, but that town has come together,\u201d Walker said.<\/p>\n

Unearthing a decades-old period of turmoil and reviving tension that once existed between people based on their race only served to \u201cmake people angry,\u201d Walker indicated.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of people in my hometown are really, really disturbed at that New York article,\u201d Walker said. \u201cI think what the\u00a0New York Times<\/em>\u00a0guy did is what most politicians do is try to divide people and separate people and make people angry, and I think this guy did it in my little hometown because my little hometown is a good place with good people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sue Hall, a retired teacher who graduated from Johnson County High School with Walker in 1980, found the\u00a0Times<\/em>\u00a0story \u201cvery derogatory.\u201d Half truths, she said, equal whole lies.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, there was some truth to some of the things of what happened in the \u201970s, the racial issues,\u201d Hall recalled as she sat on a bench outside the classic southern-style 1895 courthouse in the town square. \u201cThat was only part of it. \u2026 But as is happening right now, with this\u00a0New York Times<\/em>\u00a0article, it\u2019s people from the outside that come into our little small town, that stir up things and make things worse, and that\u2019s the way that I remember it being at that time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wrightsville, a downscale area with a mostly non-college educated population, is home to roughly 3,400 people, and Census data shows 1,534 are white and 1,820 are black.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople get along here,\u201d Hall said, noting black leaders in the community such as the elementary school principal, the superintendent, and the businessowner of the wing joint Felicia\u2019s, one of just a handful of the restaurants spaced out around the sparse town.<\/p>\n

In 1980, after Walker chose \u2014 by what he describes as a literal coin flip between Clemson and the University of Georgia \u2014 to play football for the Bulldogs, he went on to become third in the running for the Heisman Trophy as a rookie, the Heisman winner in 1982, a three-time SEC player of the year, an NFL player for a dozen years, a member of the U.S. Olympic bobsleigh team, a mixed martial arts professional, and a businessowner through H. Walker Enterprises.<\/p>\n

\n

\"University<\/a>Herschel Walker holds up the Heisman Trophy in front of the Johnson County courthouse in Wrightsville, Georgia, December 18, 1982. Several thousand fans, friends, and well wishers turned out to honor Walker at the appreciation day at his hometown. Walker\u2019s mother Christine is in the center and his father Willis is standing at right. (AP Photo\/Ric Feld)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

After struggling with a dissociative identity disorder diagnosis, Walker authored a book in 2008 recounting aggressive outbursts he would have before seeking help for his mental health. He said he used to want to be a Marine, and he set off on a tour speaking to members of the military as a mental health advocate.<\/p>\n

\n

\"Herschel<\/a>The Wounded Warrior Battalion of Camp Pendleton, California, hosted guest speaker Herschel Walker on November 3, 2017. (U.S. Marine Corps photo\/Lance Cpl. Keely Dye)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Now with his sights set on Congress, the accolade-laden Republican has at least some clear support from his hometown. If not already evident through the high school football field or street named after him, or the Herschel Walker signage in the local florist\u2019s windows, or the testaments from those who have known him the longest, then perhaps through the primary turnout in May.<\/p>\n

Walker was always expected to dominate in the primary, and he did, winning 68 percent of the vote statewide. But out of 159 counties, Johnson County had the strongest show of support; 91 percent of those who voted chose Walker.<\/p>\n

\n

\"rotary<\/a>A display on the wall where regular Rotary Club meetings are held at The Pizza Place in Wrightsville, Georgia. (Breitbart News)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\"Herschel<\/a>Herschel Walker Drive in Wrightsville, Georgia. (Breitbart News)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\"Wrightsville<\/a>Kreative Kreations, the local florist in Wrightsville, features Herschel Walker signs in its windows. (Breitbart News)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Hall and others also spoke extensively about the contributions Walker has made to Wrightsville: Funding first graders\u2019 field trips, donating bicycles, hosting football and cheerleading camps, contributing to the \u201cJohnson County Class of 1980 Memorial Park\u201d \u2014 a work-in-progress playground tucked near the entrance of a residential street \u2014 participating in the annual Fourth of July parade, providing financial support for things like high school class reunion events, small-dollar scholarships for the area schools, a Thanksgiving charity, and the remodeling of the high school field house.<\/p>\n

Sumner said, \u201cI\u2019d be willing to bet there\u2019s people that are recipients of good will from him that you\u2019ll never know about, or hear about. He\u2019s a private person. He\u2019s not someone that\u2019s ever treaded on fame or looked for credit for what he has done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Big thank you to @HerschelWalker<\/a> for the youth cheer and football camp. Awesome experience!! pic.twitter.com\/iX4Gmb6l0T<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 JOCO Football (@jocofootball) July 11, 2015<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In reference to Walker\u2019s deeply rooted Christian faith, Sumner added, \u201cI think he has really got a servant\u2019s heart.\u201d<\/p>\n

Walker\u2019s older sister Sharon, who has lived in Wrightsville all 63 years of her life, supports her brother\u2019s Senate bid.<\/p>\n

During a brief conversation on the phone, she said, \u201cHe will do whatever he can to help. It don\u2019t matter what color you are, and I\u2019m all for him running. I\u2019m praying for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Charles Sutton, who has owned a pizza place called The Pizza Place in Wrightsville for 20 years, said he plans to vote for Walker.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf he walked in this door now, he would hug you, shake your hand,\u201d Sutton said, standing near the entrance of his restaurant, another one of the few around town.<\/p>\n

Being famous with small-town roots lends itself to expectations or even entitlement among some, Sutton explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of people give him a bad rap because they just felt like he should\u2019ve spent more money here, but he has supported this community,\u201d Sutton asserted, adding that \u201cpeople just, they use that money issue I think for the wrong reasons.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the Senate race, Walker is up against another prominent black man, Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), who has served as the longtime pastor of Atlanta\u2019s historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Martin Luther King Jr. once preached.<\/p>\n

At a rally in Carrollton this month, Walker owned the campaign stump as he\u00a0spoke<\/a>\u00a0to a crowd of supporters about Warnock, saying, \u201cHe\u2019s gonna talk sweet to you. He\u2019s gonna dress nice, but two years he\u2019s been in office, and can you take six more of this here? You can\u2019t take six more of this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ashley Oliver<\/a> \/ Breitbart News<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Willy Chappell, a rally attendee who is black and from the Carrollton area, was asked by Breitbart News if media attacks on both Walker\u2019s trials in his personal relationships and his views on race affect his support for Walker.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t at all because we know what happens in the media, and I\u2019ve often heard that someone can tell a lie and it can get up and get dressed in the morning and go all around the world before truth can even get out of bed, so the point is you have to be able to separate fact from fiction,\u201d Chappell said.<\/p>\n

He added, \u201cHe comes from good stock, and if anybody\u2019s able to do the job and do it like we need it to get done, we need somebody like Herschel.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Herschel Walker, Reject Media Claims of \u2018Racial Divide\u2019 in Rural Georgia 85 Brett Davis\/Getty Images Ashley Oliver 19 Oct 20221,052 10:48 WRIGHTSVILLE, Georgia \u2014 Those who knew Herschel Walker before he gained national fame and launched a bid for U.S. Senate are standing up for him after mainstream media attempted to tie the beloved football Read More…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":49160,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[6,55,1],"tags":[26,505],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.nahtnow.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49140"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.nahtnow.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.nahtnow.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.nahtnow.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.nahtnow.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=49140"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/test.nahtnow.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49140\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":49161,"href":"https:\/\/test.nahtnow.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49140\/revisions\/49161"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.nahtnow.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/49160"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.nahtnow.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=49140"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.nahtnow.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=49140"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.nahtnow.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=49140"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}