Maybe it’s me but I don’t see anything racist or racial about what happened to Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. at his home.  I do believe he made it a racial issue.

Before launching into that though, I want to say something else.  I have a great deal of respect and admiration for Mr. Gates.  In this instance, I do believe he made an error in judgment by getting indignant with the officers who were there to do their job.  Let them do their job and call the whole thing square.  Doing what he did made a bad situation worse.

Apparently, Gates had a problem gaining entry to his home via the front door.  Someone called the police thinking a man or men were breaking into the home.  First, I’m grateful someone was paying attention and thought — right or wrong — to call the police.  After the police were called, they approached Mr. Gates, who was by then inside his house, and asked him to step outside.  Gates refused and the officer followed him into the house where he retrieved his Harvard ID and his Driver’s License.  That is where it should have ended.  Gates then demanded the officer identify himself and the officer apparently refused to do so.  Instead of the incident ending civilly, Gates follows the officer outside yelling “Is this how you treat a black man in America?” I’m lost.

I had a similar incident many years ago.  I locked myself out of the house and I too had to break through a screened rear window in order to gain access to my house.  Someone saw me, apparently the person did not know me or did not know it was me and they called the police, rightfully so.  Glad they did it.  When I finally entered my home, I retrieved my keys and went to lock the side doors and that’s when I noticed someone near my front gate.

When I looked out my front window I saw the police, one in the yard looking through my window, one on my steps, another at the side gate and I later learned there were more in my back yard — they jumped my fence.  I opened the front door and met the officer on my steps.  He did not look like a friendly chap but most officers I’ve seen, particularly when meeting you for the first time under strange circumstances, don’t know who you are and they tend to wear their game faces.  I don’t take it personally.

The officer told me he received a call at my address for a break-in.  I laughed and told him it was me.  He was not amused.  All of the officers in my front yard — including the one I greeted at the door — were white.   They did not have on their person — as far as I could see — KKK emblems.  The officer I greeted on the steps wanted to come in and he wanted to see some ID.  The one black officer at my house was in my back yard.  I had no contact with him.

After securing my dogs, I grabbed my bag, showed him my ID and he then wanted to go through the house.  I agreed and they went through every room — checking closets and all — the basement, everything and the whole ordeal was over in 10 minutes, if that.  Well, a little longer for two of the officers because the one officer that didn’t look too friendly actually appeared to like animals more than people.  He just loved my big 120 lb plus dobe.  I later called the station to give him the name of the breeder and he called me back to thank me.

You see, they came to do their job.  I could have become rowdy, hot and black and gone off on all matter of racism when the truth was they were there to do their job.  They later told me the reason for checking the whole house — which I figured out before they told me — was to ensure no one had actually broken in and was hiding in the house somewhere holding me hostage.  I personally was happy they did that and hope they do that for everyone.

My ego was not bent out of shape about this.  I did not feel they were trying to do anything to me or break me down for being black.   They didn’t know who I was and certainly, I could have been anybody.  When my alarm has gone off around here, particularly if I meet them in my driveway, they want to know I am who I say I am and they want to check around the house.  I don’t mind them doing their job.  My ego and my blackness ain’t tied in with them doing their job.  I will grant you there are some rogue cops out there, but for the most part, all they want to do is do their job.

Again, maybe it’s me but some folks get too caught up in black, the black experience, or a black thang where none existed, particularly in this case.  Please save those for times it really is happening and it really does matter.  Gates’ digression on the treatment of blacks in history is valid but not in this instance.  This was not about racial profiling or how black men are treated in America.  It cuts much deeper than going off on an officer because you won’t allow him to do his job, or worse, your ego was damaged because he thought nothing of your Harvard ID.

Finally, please do not lump yourself in with brothers who are really taking heat.  In the future, allow the officer opportunity to follow his playbook so he can get back to the donut shop, chase down real criminals or save cats from trees.