Tyler Perry: A Rich Hollywood Jerk Playing the Race Card

Racism is a very real problem that has destroyed and ended countless lives.  To think of all endured by those who have suffered brings sincere tears to the eyes and anger to the heart.  The lack of compassion and the presence of absolute evil that was shown in the worst historical accounts makes it easy to doubt the existence of a human conscience.  It is only when an inspiring moment filled with a genuine love is experienced that some of the disgust can subside.

Sadly, the examples of racism in American history are countless.  One of the most tragic is the story of  Emmett Till – a young African American boy who was tortured to death in Mississippi  by white racist men simply for allegedly whistling at a white woman.  When I first learned of Till, I cried for weeks.  Anytime I saw a young kid walking down the street, I’d think of him. 

It would be nice to think that our government had been innocent after slavery was abolished or at least after

 the right to vote was given to all, but that’s just not the case.  Whether discussing the portion of COINTELPRO which outlined the government’s participation and orders to infiltrate the original Black Panther Party (no association to the gang by the same name today) and to illegally take it down using both deception to the community and narcs on the inside.  There’s the Tuskegee Syphilis Study where unsuspecting impoverished African American men were allowed to die from syphilis while being told they were being treated for “bad blood.”  Whether discussing individuals who were lynched by sociopaths or men and women who were simply harassed for being black by authority, America has a lot to be ashamed of.  That said, when people utilize racism in situations where it does not exist, they should be held accountable.

The unfunny and untalented religious filmmaker Tyler Perry is claiming to have endured racial profiling at the hands of two white officers.  Now, Perry admits he made an illegal left turn from a far-right lane.  He claims that his security advised him this was a good precaution to ensure that no one was following behind.  Regardless, he broke the law.  Motor vehicle laws are around to ensure the safety of everyone – not just the egotistical rich.  If Perry is overly concerned with people following him, perhaps he should always travel with a companion – for example the security guard who advised him to take an illegal turn.  Most certainly, we as citizens are not going to make special rules for people who are actors.  By Perry’s comments he was more upset that the white police officers didn’t recognize him and bow down to his greatness.  To paraphrase Dirty Harry, “he’s a legend in his own mind.” 

So, Perry claims the officers badgered him.  How you ask?  Did they use vulgarity?  No -not by any accounts.  Were they racist in their manner of speak – did they utter the “n” word or refer to him as “boy” or in any other derogatory way that could be perceived as racist?  No – not by any accounts.

Perry states that one of the officers asked, “Who would want to follow you?”  which makes perfect sense as Perry admits that it is not until a black officer arrives that the white officers realized he was a “star.”  I would have asked the same thing.  If I was a policewoman and stopped someone for making an illegal turn and they said they feared someone may be following them, my immediate question would be “why?”   Perry obviously saw this as racist…or at least he claims to.

The other officer was banging on his tinted windows.  Now, for all I know the tinted windows could have been illegal as well.  Regardless, the police officer probably couldn’t have seen in the car and was trying to get Perry to roll the window down.  Whatever the case, Perry was not just pulled over for DWB.  IF he was despite the fact that I find his movies annoying and can’t understand his popularity, I would be up in arms with him.  No, he broke the law!  He committed an illegal turn and he’s acting like a baby because he wants preferential treatment.  Being treated like everyone else – is not racism.

Now, the Atlanta police department is investigating Perry’s claims of racism.  Ridiculous!  First, Taxpayers should not have to pay for Perry’s tantrum nor should the department have to take this nonsense seriously.  Secondly, police officers risk their lives to protect us.    Now, I’m not saying that all police are good.  There are bad apples.  After all, they’re human.  Sometimes despite the many exams one must take to become a police officer, a bad apple sneaks in.  Or as Joe Friday once said, a good apple turns bad.  Still, the vast majority of police officers are servants of and for the community. They should be respected and appreciated for what they do as most people, including Perry, haven’t the courage to walk in the line of fire to protect society.  The job of a police officer is often thankless, difficult, and dangerous.  It doesn’t pay as much as a Hollywood filmmaker, but they still do it.  For a rich jerk among the top 1% to try and make himself a victim, falsely claim racism, while knowingly and proudly ruining the reputation of two men who by all accounts were just doing their job, pisses me off!  I hope that these two men are cleared and file a lawsuit against Perry for slander.  If I were them, I certainly would.

The bottom line is that Perry knows he wasn’t racially profiled.  That’s not his beef but it makes a better story and most people shy away from topics of race out of fear that they’ll be called a racist.  It sucks.  I seriously doubt the media will call Perry out for this absurdity.  Instead, they’ll just allow him to claim racism simply because he was asked to follow the same rules the rest of us do.  Perry was pissed off because (a) he wasn’t recognized and (b) he wasn’t immediately given better treatment than everyone else.  That’s what he wanted.

Perry needs to understand the definition of racial profiling.  Racial profiling is when law enforcement utilizes a discriminatory practice of formulating suspicions of guilt or involvement in a crime on race, national origin, ethnicity, or religion.  It is not being held to the same standard as everyone else.  Perry was pulled over for making an illegal left turn.  He wasn’t pulled over for being black. 

If a police officer is prejudice, he isn’t worthy of the badge; but no one should get a free pass either.  Tyler Perry is just a jerk who thinks his wealth buys him privilege and when it doesn’t he cries racism.  His actions accomplish several things –all bad.

The police are going to be afraid to do their job and taxes are going to go up as we are forced to pay for unjustified investigations.  I don’t want to live in a society where the rich are permitted to do whatever they want and when they don’t get their way cry to an all too welcoming media who eats up the tale of racism – regardless of how absurd the claim.

Citizens are going to be afraid to go to their police because they’re going to see the quick snippets and believe their police department is racist. 

People will stop paying mind when claims of racism are mentioned and real justified cases will be ignored by the media.  It’s sad that something as important as fair treatment is being reduced to this, but it’s true.  When people use the race card again and again it loses the impact it should give.  The mere mention of racism should make one cringe or get angry or a lump should develop in the back of their throat.  Something chemically should happen in response to how absolutely wrong discrimination is!  Instead, the word is thrown around constantly in cases where race is not an issue and suddenly it doesn’t mean anything anymore.  It’s just another insult.  Being called a ‘racist’ is transformed into being called ‘stupid.’  I, unlike Tyler Perry, take racism very seriously.

 I’m Cherokee Indian, my husband is Latino, and our ancestral histories are filled with unfair treatment and racist accounts.  That said, 3 years ago my husband got his first speeding ticket. He was speeding.  He took the ticket and thanked the officer.  I didn’t get a call from him saying, “it’s because I’m Mexican – isn’t it!?!”  He didn’t call the precinct and label the police racists.  No, he’s a man.  He admitted his mistake and paid the ticket.

On another occasion, my husband was having issues getting his trash picked up at his apartment complex.  There was a Wal-Mart a few blocks away that he would bring his trash to.  It was never anything big.  It was just 1 or 2 small bags a week.  He was a bachelor after all.  Well, he was cited with dumping.  He was given a $50.00 ticket.  He didn’t agree with the ticket, because he had complained several times to the county about the trash not being picked up.  Nonetheless, he knew that the officer who wrote him the ticket was doing his job.  He knew it was not because he was Mexican but rather because he was in fact dumping by the letter-of-the-law.  Also, even he knew that Wal-Mart should not have had to pay even slightly more to get rid of his trash.  He broke the law and he paid the fine.  That’s what grown-ups do.

This is probably going to be an article that irritates some.  People who have actually encountered racism may take exception.  To those I say when the racism is REAL – I abhor it.  I tried to make that clear throughout, but in this case with Tyler Perry – the man is an idiot.  He’s an egotistical glory hound who wants to see himself as a Malcolm X or Medgar Evers but he couldn’t be further away.  He is instead just a crybaby whiner who refuses to abide by the law and uses excuses for not doing what he is supposed to. 

It is ironic that his movies have a religious base because he seems to lack any moral judgment and most certainly does not act in the fashion one would expect from a self-proclaimed Christian.  He hasn’t an issue attacking two police officers and putting their job at risk without cause.

Lastly, I found it even more offensive when Perry alluded that once the African American officer arrived he talked common sense into the white officers advising them who they had stopped.  I don’t doubt that the third police officer recognized Perry and let the other police know.  Perry makes a big deal that they apologized as if they admitted fault of some kind.  No, all indications is that they apologized for not necessarily believing the story to begin with about making the illegal turn to avoid someone following him.  All three officers were probably just trying to be cool.  They let him go without issuing a ticket.

I intend to contact the Atlanta Police Department and ask them to immediately stop the unjustified investigation into the police officers based on the allegations by “filmmaker” Tyler Perry.  I understand their fear on being called out for not taking action, but this is a situation where action is not only unneeded but where stated inaction is needed.  The Atlanta Police Department needs to stand by the officers and the law.  Perry was committing an illegal act and was pulled over because of it.  By all accounts, there was no verbal or physical confrontation.   For lack of a better term, Perry is just a rich douchebag.

This is one of the rare occasions where if I enjoyed anything Perry had ever released, I would have threatened boycott….but it would be disingenuous to say that I am going to “stop” watching his movies.  I will say that if he ever accidentally puts out something worth watching, I will not until he apologizes to the police department and to the two officers.

 Contact Info for the Atlanta Police Department:

Office of Communications:

55 Trinity Avenue, Suite 2500

Atlanta Georiga 30303

Telephone:  404.330.6004

Email:  communications@atlantaga.gov