RACIAL PROFILING: Saddened by neighborhood response to visitor

I was incredibly disheartened to receive the below email from the secretary of our neighborhood HOA: “Today, May 5, between 3:00 - 3:06 p.m. we had a young black man walking in the middle of the street heading east on * Avenue, then headed north on * Street towards the city park, turned around, walked south on * Street, stopped at our driveway, started talking with a neighbor… He had a black hoodie on and the crotch of his pants was down to his knees. We noticed that he was making a point of talking to a few people as he walked through the neighborhood. Other neighbors also watched his activity. If you see anything suspicious, please call the police department.”

Let me paraphrase: For exactly six minutes, a black man walked through the neighborhood and talked to some people. And this has been deemed as suspicious. While I am, unfortunately, not surprised to discover I live in a neighborhood where people of color are so blatantly profiled, I am saddened to confirm that my family members with dark skin will not be safe visiting my home.

Lest anyone claim this has nothing to do with race, perhaps I’ll start issuing the same kind of report regardless of race: “ALERT: Today, a white girl with blonde hair walked through the neighborhood for 6 minutes and said hello to some folks.” If anyone had any doubts, you probably shouldn’t visit the Legacy Place neighborhood unless you are white and well-dressed.

ABIGAIL HEATH

Coeur d’Alene