DAYTONA BEACH -- If the top two vote-getters in Tuesday's primary for the mayoral race are not making "race" an issue in the results then why is the print newspaper? If race were an issue than no non-white would ever get elected president. I believe President Obama is black.
The story by the Daytona Beach News-Journal headlined, "Primary results for Daytona mayor indicate race plays factor," is overly simplistic and lacking any depth beyond looking at polling districts.
The first two paragraphs in the story says it all: "DAYTONA BEACH -- A day may come when Daytona Beach voters are all colorblind, but Tuesday's primary suggests it won't be Nov. 6, when residents choose who they want to lead the city until the end of 2016."
The second paragraph states: "Whoever makes it to the mayor's office -- primary winner Edith Shelley, who is white, or runner-up Derrick Henry, who is black -- might well be the candidate who does a better job of breaking down the racial divide. A look at results in each of the city's 15 precincts in this week's mayoral primary contest shows strong racial leanings."
So what's the point?
If you're black you'll vote black and if you're white, you'll vote white? Really?
How about looking beyond the racial stereotypes and getting to the heart of the matter? Those same voter districts show the vast majority of black residents do not live on the beachside nor own businesses that close to the World's Most Famous Beach, the city where until the late 1960s, schools were still segregated by color and blacks not long before that could even go to the beach with the whites.
They had to drive 30 miles or more out of their way to go to the black beach, Bethune Beach, south of New Smyrna Beach. New Smyrna Beach was "whites only" as well.
Courtesy photo / Dan Warren marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in St. Augustine against the KKK in 1964, and later wrote a book about it called, "If It Takes All Summer."
Daytona Beach was home to the late Dan Warren, the former state attorney, who actually marched with Dr. Martin Luther KingJr., St. Augustine near the start of the Civil Rights movement. Warren wrote a book on his experience, "If It Takes All Summer" and subtitled, "Martin Luther King, the KKK, and States' Rights in St. Augustine, 1964."
His wife, Stasia Warren, ran for state attorney in Tuesday's primary, narrowly losing to incumbent RJ Larizza in the 7th Judicial circuit, which comprises Volusia, Flagler, Putnam and St. Johns counties. Stasia Warren did win the majority of votes in Volusia, though. And the Warens' son, Adam Warren, fished second; good enough for a November runoff against primary winner Christopher Kelly in the race for county judge, group 4.
Daytona Beach is a far greater place for people of all races to live now in the 21st century than when Dan Warren was marching with Dr. King, less than a year before John F. Kennedy was shot, and four years before MLK and Bobby Kennedy were assassinated.
The issue of race nowadays has become secondary to issues like gay rights, bullying and the fear of Muslim extremists in a post-9/11 world.
If blacks in Daytona Beach were voting for Henry, were they also possibly voting against the incumbency in local government where the proposed municipal budget calls for a double-digit tax increase closer to 20 percent than 10 percent? Edith Shelley is white and she's accountable for the 17 percent budget increased as it is now proposed, isn't she?
To some extent, though she's not the incumbent mayor, at least not yet. Perhaps she'll be able to persuade her elected colleagues to whittle it down some or maybe she'll be able to justify it.
It's too simplistic to say voters are going for candidates based on race. They're tired of the entrenched recession, high unemployment and general living expenses like food and gas.
Anyone who takes a drive through Daytona Beach -- including west of thew railroad tracks, will see black-dominated neighborhoods that are being neglected while much of the city's focus is on the beachside and tourism.
Edith Shelley is an experienced city commissioner who has served the people in her district, white and black. She knows what needs to get done to improve the quality of life.
Derrick Henry is an educator, who has invested time and money in the community's poorest areas for black and white children and their families. He, too, knows the issues.
The real story in this mayoral election is not about the color of one's skin. It's about the economic doldrums that have made life that much harder for poor people, many of whom in this city happen to be black.
Why is the Shelley-Henry race any different from the 2003 mayor's race between the late Yvonne Scarlett-Brown, who was black and defeated Mike Shallow, a white candidate, who lost to her in the next election?
The racial make-up was no different. The biggest difference is Scarlett-Golden had the support of Daytona International Speedway and the economy, as previously stated here, was not as bad as it is now.
A story the News-Journal focused on regarding race was far more appropriate and news worthy, published Aug. 8, under the headline, "Complaint: Flagler school discipline biased."
The first couple of paragraphs read: "BUNNELL -- A federal civil rights complaint filed Tuesday against Flagler County schools alleges black students are suspended and expelled at a rate far higher than white students.
"The Southern Poverty Law Center filed complaints with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights against Flagler County and four other Florida districts -- Bay, Escambia, Okaloosa and Suwannee."
That story was clearly a defined look at racial inequities and the impact on the local community.
If Edith Shelley or Derrick Henry wins, it's because that candidate's message resonated with the majority of the voters.
To a lesser extent, how much each candidate raised and how they are covered by the media will be factors a well. That media coverage includes how well each candidate is grilled on the economics of this city, its quality of life and what they plan to offer to make things better.
As for race, unless the candidates and the electorate are making an issue of it, then why is the newspaper which has done an excellent job otherwise in its election coverage? This is not a knock on the reporter who is top notch, but rather the scope of editorial coverage with this issue. Far be it for me to tell the newspaper what to do.
Headline Surfer is Florida's first 24/7 Internet newspaper based in New Smyrna Beach, covering Volusia County and throughout the greater Orlando metropolitan area via HeadlineSurfer.com, NSBNews.net and VolusiaNews.net. "Headline Surfer" is a registered trademarked owned by NSB News LLC.