Eddie Davis sends Soup back

Eddie Davis is not happy with an anonymous Raleigh blogger.

A recent post on The Raleigh Soup criticized the head of the N.C. Association of Educators for planning to announce his consideration of a run for state superintendent in a black newspaper.

Davis, the post noted, planned to announce in "the Triangle Tribune, an African-American weekly paper with circulation of maybe five," but the paper was scooped by this post on Under the Dome.

In an e-mail to The Soup, Davis wondered why it would be "out of the realm of possibility" for the Tribune to "work hard and break a story."

He also decried the "use of racial labels" and the "hair and skin doctoring" of an accompanying photo.

"If I decide to enter the race for State Superintendent, the early interjection of race and the hint of anti-unionism that RaleighSoup provided in August of 2007 will inspire me," he wrote.

The full text of his letter after the jump.

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Dear RaleighSoup:

The final line of your blog indicates that none of us should "take ourselves too seriously." I agree.

However, the use of racial labels to identify myself, June Atkinson, and Bev Perdue in one of your posts from last week harks back to the journalistic days of the pre-Civil Rights era. Also, the "hair and skin doctoring" of my photo in another of your offerings is reminiscent of the creative photography used in the 1950 US Senate campaign between Willis Smith and Frank Porter Graham and the Time cover photo of O.J. Simpson.

Also, a couple of times last week you suggested that my interview with The Triangle Tribune was a conspiracy to avoid the daily mainstream press. Is it out of the realm of possibility that this weekly newspaper (which you condemn to a readership of 5) could work hard and break a story? I am certain that, if given the opportunity, RaleighSoup would love to be the source of some item of breaking news.

Your attack on The Triangle Tribune points to the reason that many students indicate to me that they often feel that that certain segments of society are opposed to everything that they do. Students are told to stay in school and to have high expectations for themselves and for their community. But, instead of encouraging developing businesses, especially in the minority community, gleeful and disparaging potshots are taken by some segments of the blogosphere. Your remarks, and other visible societal road markings, tend to be less than encouraging to students and adults in underserved communities.

In regards to some type of plot for revenge against June Atkinson, please remember (or learn) that NCAE endorsed and worked hard for the general election campaign of Dr. Atkinson. Also, she has been invited to attend and speak at each of the NCAE state conventions since becoming State Superintendent. Clearly, there is no plot for revenge. This could have been confirmed through a simple telephone call to me, rather than receiving "one-sided" information from other sources.

If I decide to enter the race for State Superintendent, the early interjection of race and the hint of anti-unionism that RaleighSoup provided in August of 2007 will inspire me. Even though I will heed your literal and photographic admonition to "lighten up", I will keep your recent commentary within the context of my historical experiences. Even so, I will suggest to students and to all North Carolinians that we have to work hard each day to overcome the remaining obstacles to success for all.

Thanks, RaleighSoup, for providing an important dose of reality in August of 2007.

Eddie Davis
NCAE President