Doug Fox, North Carolina Official, Resigns Over Racist Email

North Carolina's top liquor regulator resigned Tuesday after sending an e-mail that reportedly showed a watermelon patch outside an altered photo of the White House.

Gov. Beverly Perdue demanded and received the resignation of Alcoholic Beverage Commission Chairman Douglas A. Fox after the e-mail mocking the first black U.S. president was shown to Perdue's staff.

"I have accepted Doug Fox's letter of resignation. E-mails and images of this nature are offensive and unacceptable," Perdue said in a statement.

In his resignation letter, Fox offered to stay on until his successor was ready, but Perdue spokesman David Kochman said the resignation was immediate.

Fox was paid $110,000 last year in the job he held since being appointed by Gov. Mike Easley in 2004. The commission handles liquor law violation cases, sets prices and runs the state warehouse from which all ABC stores buy their liquor. The stores at which spirits are sold are run by local ABC boards.

The News & Observer and Charlotte Observer reported it acquired the e-mail sent from Fox's law firm to Bill Hester, a lobbyist for Southern Wine & Spirits, a major liquor distributor. The e-mail was sent on Nov. 14, 10 days after Barack Obama was elected president.

The e-mail, which had been forwarded by others several times before reaching Fox, showed the image of the White House, the watermelon patch on the South Lawn, and the phrase "There goes the neighborhood..." printed above the photo, the newspapers said. The e-mail contained no other text, but the subject line stated: "how true."

Hester declined to comment when contacted by The Associated Press. Message left Tuesday evening at Fox's Wilmington law office and a listed residential number for Doug Fox were not returned.

For the last year, Fox also has been president of the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association, which represents the 19 states with government-run liquor sales.

Comments

[newhouse1]

01:02 PM on 05/07/2009

A poster asks, what's the problem with the White House and watermelon refence?

Of course, the problem is using symbolism and coded messages to avoid saying what you really feel or think. Because... although you do in fact feel and think racial superiority or inferiority is something you are in a position to arbitrate, you are not so wedded to your beliefs that you're willing to come out of the shadows and say it out loud, consequences be damned. So you lurk in the shadows of society, spineless to defend your beliefs in full view, and draw paychecks paid in part by those who you abhor, and make decisions that are not rooted in fairness, rather, that reflect your racist beliefs.

The problem is David Duke and Michael Savage make no bones about their racially provacative views, and in America, you can have those views all day long without fear of reprisal or physical threat. But if that's how you feel, and especially if you work in government, stop taking paychecks (stealing) from citizens you would like to see sent to the moon.

[Cynth]

03:22 PM on 05/06/2009

It's about time.

[militarymomforobama]

03:18 PM on 05/06/2009

Good. People who send these kinds of emails are only showing their own ign@rance, not to mention h@teful attitudes. People don't need to be sending or receiving non work related emails at work anyway--it's unprofessional and a waste of time and money.

I encourage anyone in the workplace to report abusive, h@teful emails--if the management/owners don't do something about it, report it to the proper state agency.

[TN60]

03:09 PM on 05/06/2009

There is ABSOLUTELY no place for ignorance, bigotry and racism in the United States of America.

I don't care if a black, yellow, brown or white person is the Leader of the Free World.

That's what you get when the likes of Sarah Palin goes around the country using codes words for racism while showing her ignorance and expecting people to vote her only a heartbeat away form the presidency and all those fools eating her words up like the second coming.

We have a President, that I believe is trying to change this country and needs our support.

BTW...I like watermelons and I'm a white...In fact, a neighbor is planting a patch on my property..so what does that make me. ????

Like fried chicken and BBQ, too :-)

[JackND]

02:58 PM on 05/06/2009

Government run liquor stores?

Sounds very unrepublican.

[TheFirst]

02:44 PM on 05/06/2009

There are some people who refuse to learn that racist comments or imagery will result in outcomes contrary to their ridiculous beliefs. Bottom line – Everybody has to answer to somebody. There are no exceptions to this rule. His investment and time resulted in ending his $110,000 a year salary. I hope he saved for a rainy day. These are tough times.

[constitutional 1]

02:30 PM on 05/06/2009

Glad this guy resigned. Well Deserved. For the name callers, he's a democrat and was appointed by the last gov.yes a democrat. Gov Purdue (yes democrat) took way to long to force him to resign. Sorry ignorance doesnt have party lines.

[NTexasHillbilly]

02:29 PM on 05/06/2009

Fox, Foxx? Is this trend in the Tar Heel state?

[rubygreen]

02:25 PM on 05/06/2009

I seem to remember another official, maybe a mayor, who did the same thing at Easter. A different kind of Easter Egg Hunt. He resigned too.

What is wrong with these people?

[politicaljunkie41910]

02:15 PM on 05/06/2009

It seems that if you've got a government job that pays well during the current state of the economy, you may not want to dis the nation's leader particularly if your state voters put that guy over the top.

Now welcome to the ranks of the unemployed and don't let the door hit you on the way out. There goes the neighborhood, indeed.

[kittyma]

02:11 PM on 05/06/2009

I wonder if white anglo-saxon protestants realize how much racial stereotypes hurt the people who they are stereotyping? So often I see comments like "so what is the big deal??". As an AA, let me assure those who think that way that it is a big deal. It is hurtful and insulting.

[kirkm]

01:57 PM on 05/06/2009

Although I'm quite ecstatic that Mr. Fox was made accountable for his choce and resigned, unfortunately (and perhaps even unwittingly), you've spread the original "message" of the email by posting it here for all to view! I suppose, however, that that's the paradoxical beauty of having a free press.

[motoGpifupleez]

01:51 PM on 05/06/2009

The winner of the GOP/RNC Christmas Card design Contest!

[KDay]

01:33 PM on 05/06/2009

And how many people did he discriminated against while holding that position? How many times were violations given to non-whites based on his racist agenda? How many people lost their businesses,were fined in excess,etc etc due to his racist nature?

[clearthinker2008]

03:20 PM on 05/06/2009

Yes, I hope they investigate because if he feels this way about African Americans or others who are not like him, I bet he screwed a lot of them.

[JiminNC]

01:14 PM on 05/06/2009

Herding them out of the state one at a time.