So, a couple weeks ago, I drove into my driveway, entered my garage, and closed the door. Just a few minutes later 3 police officers arrive at my door asking me to produce proof that I live in the home in which I’ve resided for the past 13 years. I have to go get my license and upon returning, I see one of the officers darting around to the rear of my house thinking I might be trying to escape out the back…of my own home…when I had done absolutely NOTHING remotely illegal or even appearing to be doing something nefarious.

This didn’t happen to me.

But it did happen to a prominent attorney from a well-respected firm in Nashville. A neighbor called the police because “a black man” entered a home that she “knew was vacant” and he “wasn’t a realtor”. This happened about 45 minutes down the road from where I live. That this woman was oblivious to who her neighbors are isn’t surprising. She believes the entire world revolves around her and her gorgeous Brentwood home. She is blinded by her own place and possessions and privilege. She’s probably a good church-attending Christian and “has black friends”. Am I making assumptions? Damn right I am. I’m absolutely profiling her. She fits the profile.

I fit a profile too. I’m a white southern male. In my little, extremely RED town, it’s assumed that I am conservative, Republican, tRump supporting, pro-birth Christian who thinks “all lives matter.” I’m profiled every day. But the difference is I’ve never had a police car (much less 3) show up in my driveway simply because I happened to enter my home. I’ve never had to show proof of residence. And I’ve never been a black man.

I get the privilege this woman assumed and her impulsive and thoughtless phone call to the police who are paid by her extremely high property taxes to protect and serve her. She’s oblivious to anything beyond her own freaking nose. She is completely self-serving and narcissistic. She feels threatened by anything or anyone who might infringe on her rights to be all those things.

However, It’s incomprehensible to me how 3 professional law-enforcement officers could respond to a call, show up at a door and perform what I believe to be an atrocious breach of this man’s very basic rights as a homeowner and a human being on the basis of a ridiculous phone call. It seems to me, with all of the resources available to these “professionals” one of the first bits of info before making any assumptions about what they are going to find is, “who owns the residence we are about to storm?”

I’m tired of the bullshit. God knows people who fit my profile haven’t had to deal with an infinitely small fraction of the bullshit black people have had to endure. But I’m definitely tired. Let me say this extremely clear, so no assumptions are made about this particular “white southern man.” BLACK LIVES MATTER. This bullshit has to stop. There are exactly ZERO excuses. A human being’s life shouldn’t have to come into danger simply so some privileged white people can have a “teachable moment”. I’m ashamed of this. It simply shouldn’t be a reality. But, make no mistake. It is. —Mike Young