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Media mogul Tyler Perry is well-known for giving back to the community.
In addition to revitalizing Atlanta’s economy with Tyler Perry Studios, Perry has played host to President Barack Obama… donated thousands to rescue area cub scouts… built homes for elderly fire victims… and recently looked out for Whitney Houston’s daughter Bobbi Kristina by offering her a job.
Unfortunately all those “Good Deeds” haven’t prevented Tyler from being a victim of racial profiling.
Perry shares his story about being unjustly interrogated by Atlanta police and says that racial profiling should be a crime investigated by the FBI.
A few days before President Obama was supposed to speak at my studio, I was leaving the studio, headed to the airport. Most times when I leave the studio I have an unmarked escort. Other times I constantly check in my rearview mirror to be sure that I’m not being followed. It’s a safety precaution that my security team taught me.
As I got to an intersection, I made a left turn from the right lane and was pulled over by two police officers. I pulled the car over and put it in park. Then, I let the window down and sat in the car waiting for the officer.
The officer came up to the driver’s door and said that I made an illegal turn. I said, “I signaled to get into the turning lane, then made the turn because I have to be sure I’m not being followed.” He said, “why do you think someone would be following you?”
Before I could answer him, I heard a hard banging coming from the passenger window. I had never been in this position before so I asked the officer who was at my window what was going on and why is someone banging on the window like that. He said, “let your window down, let your window down. Your windows are tinted.”
As I let down the passenger window, there was another officer standing on the passenger side of the car. He said, “what is wrong with you?” The other officer said to him, “he thinks he’s being followed.” Then, the second officer said, “why do you think someone is following you? What is wrong with you?”
Before I could answer the officer on the passenger side, the one on the driver’s side had reached into the car and started pulling on the switch that turns the car on and off, saying, “put your foot on the brake, put your foot on the brake!”
I was so confused as to what he was doing, or what he thought he was doing. It looked like he was trying to pull the switch out of the dashboard. I finally realized that he thought that switch was the key, so I told him that it wasn’t the key he was grabbing. I reached down into the cup holder to get the key, not realizing that the key had a black leather strap on it.
As I grabbed it they both tensed up and I dropped it as I heard my mother’s voice from when I was a little boy.
My mother would always say to me, “if you get stopped by the police, especially if they are white policemen, you say ‘yes sir’ and ‘no sir’, and if they want to take you in, you go with them. Don’t resist, you hear me? Don’t make any quick moves, don’t run, you just go.” My mother was born in 1945 into a segregated hotbed town in rural Louisiana. She had known of many colored men at the time who were lynched and never heard from again. Since I was her only son for ten years, growing up she was so worried about me. It wasn’t until after I heard her voice that I realized that both of these officers were white.
The officer on the driver’s side continued to badger me, “why do you think someone is following you?” I then said, “I think you guys need to just write the ticket and do whatever you need to do.” It was so hostile. I was so confused. It was happening so fast that I could easily see how this situation could get out of hand very quickly.
I didn’t feel safe at all. But one officer stopped his questioning and said, “we may not let you go. You think you’re being followed, what’s wrong with you?” At this point, I told him that I wanted to get out of the car. I wanted the passersby to see what was happening.
As I stepped out of the car another officer pulled up in front of my car. This officer was a black guy. He took one look at me and had that “Oh No” look on his face. He immediately took both officers to the back of my car and spoke to them in a hushed tone. After that, one of the officers stayed near his car while one came back, very apologetic.
I said all of that to say this: do you see how quickly this could have turned for the worse?
Now I know that there are many great officers, patrolmen and security guys out there. I am aware of that. But although we have made significant strides with racial profiling in this country, the world needs to know that we are still being racially profiled, and until this situation has improved greatly, I’m not sure how a murder in Florida can be protected by a “stand your ground law.”
And in another case that I have been screaming at the top of my lungs about, also in Florida, is the case of Terrance Williams and Felipe Santos, a young black man and a young Mexican man. Eight years ago, in Naples, FL, they were both put in the back of Deputy Steve Calkins’ police car and never heard from again.
They were never arrested, never brought to jail. They were put into the back of Deputy Calkins’ car and never heard from again. And to this day Deputy Steve Calkins is a free man.
I guess it’s time to march in Naples now.
RACIAL PROFILING SHOULD BE A HATE CRIME INVESTIGATED BY THE FBI!!!
That way local government can’t make the decision on whether or not these people get punished.
-Tyler
I totally agree with Tyler. It’s time to put a stop to racial profiling.
Do you agree with Tyler that Racial Profiling should be labeled as a “Hate Crime”?
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DAYUMMMMMM!!!
I GUESS NOW HE KNOWZ HOW NORMAL DWB PEOPLE FEEL
DWB in a nice car..
the racism is this society is insidious in some parts because some whites and those want to pretend to be white)no longer obviously wear the mask of hatred. now they are in key positions blocking any minority that does not say yes sir and no sir.
when will it ever stop? i am tired of it because the racism is everywhere in the education system,in the job market, in law enforcement, and even in the graveyard. i do not get harrass for dwb i get hit on and if i have my kids it seems like a scene from sally hemmings story of thomas jefferson.
it is tiring because even minorities that get off the boat and come from some of the most poorest remotest places on the planet then to think that they are better than the black man or black woman.
but when a certain group of people believe that they have a right to be here compared to anyone else. and repeat it and teach it over and over again this a result a society that is full of racism, ignorance, poor education system, and falling apart.
I GET STOPED AND THEY TRY 2 TALK 2 ME IN SPANISH AND ASK IF I HAVE A VISA CARD OR PERMIT 2 WORK CUZ IM LATIN EVERY TIME I GET STOPPED BY POLICE YES ITS RACIL
It can be considered a Hate crime because the verb “Hate” is very broad–thus if you have not broke any laws and was profiled, what’s the difference between random profiling and Jim Crow?
yes I think it is a hate crime.
yes, but they can never prove it because “denying racism is the new racism” they’ll jus pretend they looooove black ppl. smdh
Where’s the racial profiling? Tyler said himself that he made an illegal turn. The police saw the illegal turn and pulled him over. Then Tyler stated that someone could be following him. Hell, I’m sure the police thought he was a bit psychotic. I mean, how many times does someone tell a police officer that right out the blue? If driving makes you that paranoid then maybe you should never drive. Hand your keys over to your security team.
I GUESS HE GOT HIS WAKEUP CALL. SMH ALOT OF THESE CLEBRITIES THINK THEY ABOVE ISH LIKE THEY BECAUSE OF WHO THEY ARE AND WHO THEY KNOW.
I’m sorry dude. You made an illegal left turn and then said someone was following you. That’s a bit pyschotic.
i know i am wrong,but ooutrun heir ass next time in one of them fast ass cars u probarly got,and throw it up in the fence in your yard,justmessing with you.Sorry that happened to you,we love you no matter what,your name says it all
That I can say it happens every day in Georgia. I am happy for who you are, but think of all the people that are not up there as you are… Be bless and hope it stops….
If he felt it was profiling it probably was. He may not have told the story in the best way to show it. It was also how he was treated after being stopped.
This queen is crazy what she thought was going to happen when she made the wrong turn u still my bitch but u one crazy rich punk have a car pick the bois up and bring them to you because girl ur a nervous wreck behind the wheel
Hmmm. He made an illegal turn though? If he had just been driving, and was stopped for no reason then maybe we can say he was pulled over for DWB. Then when questioned, he just told them he thought he was being followed like these officers are supposed to automatically know who he is? It sounds as if his tint was too dark to tell who was driving the vehicle anyway…I don’t buy the DWB thing in this instance.
The minute Obama gets out of office (in 4 more years) I’ll bet even he will be profiled within a year. Won’t matter about the car. He’ll just be lucky to have the secret service there before they put that knee on his neck.
After a through check of the logs for the officers on 2nd shift going back 8 days before President Obama’s visit there is NO report of stopping a vehicle for this and NO report or request from a supervisor to arrive on the scene.
Dude always have a sob story when he has a movie out
Yes….Its a hate crime!
DWB is everywhere. Whenever I am in ATL I do get stopped more often. They must feel if your car is nicer than their personal car then you must have aquired it by ill gotten means. Only in GA do I hear "Does the owner of the car know your driving the vehicle?" So what your really saying is there is no possible way this is my car, huh.
"it is tiring because even minorities that get off the boat and come from some of the most poorest remotest places on the planet then to think that they are better than the black man or black woman."
This statement is so true. Their is a large African culture here in MD where I live 4-6months out the year. Some of these Africans look down on us African Americans and find themselves superior, why are you superior because your ancestors wasnt captured or sold, Please.
With all his money he could afford to hire a white driver. That way, he would never get pulled over. That’s what Vince Herbert and Russell Simmons do. Makes no sense to be a mega millionaire and drive yourself to the airport.