Media mogul, entrepreneur, personality, and iHeart Radio’s Jason Lee was in Harvey, LA (a suburb of Jefferson Parish and a 20-minute drive from New Orleans) on Wednesday night for the release of his inspirational new book titled, GOD MUST HAVE FORGOTTEN ABOUT ME was racially profiled or as some call it traveling while black as he waited for his plane at the MSY Airport-New Orleans in Jefferson Parish. Yes, he went through TSA and was at on the concourse at the gate.
Jason traveled alone and did not hire security nor tour guide for his overnight visit. If you attended the book signing, you found Jason dressed in a red hoodie that read ”Stockton vs. Everyone” sitting in the back of the bookstore seated at a table with a display of his books waiting to be signed and taken home to be read by his awaiting fans.
This was no ordinary book signing, Jason came with a seeping pot of tea, and he poured the words of motivation and the power of God into his fans. There was No Mess, No Shade, or Gossip that came from his lips. Jason came to speak from the heart show the Jason that fills the pages of GOD MUST HAVE FORGOTTEN ABOUT ME. Not only did he leave fans inspired, but he had them believing that God had not forgotten about them either. He encouraged them to continue to push through dark difficulties guaranteeing them that if they do, they will be able to enjoy the sunshiny days that are to come.
This is why it angers me to know that he was treated in this manner. He bounced in, delivered a powerful message to his fans and bounced out. I’m not sure if he was here for a full 24hrs. Now had he been in New Orleans and with his entourage it’s quite possible they could have raised an eyebrow or two, but I do not believe that’s enough time to cause being tailed by Jefferson Parish Police. Which is why I believe it was racial profiling. His event was in Jefferson Parish and it’s possible they questioned ”Who is Jason Lee” just as Wendy Williams asked, why is he coming here and how is it that he accomplished all that he has. Even if he had a prison record a mile long the manner in which they approached him looks very intimidating and could have caused him stress. I wonder what Jefferson Parish Police Department to put Jason on their watch list and stalk him after he went past TSA and was at the gate? I hope they at least brought and read his book.
As a little girl, I recall hearing the names, Sheriff Harry Lee and David Duke. They were family members. I would soon learn who they were on a visit to my great grandmothers who lived in Kenner. I remember the instant look of fear on my Mom’s and Uncles face as we approached the line the separated Orleans Parish from Jefferson Parish. That line did more than separate and divided the cities; it also separated blacks from whites; it proved that segregation and racism still existed even now. I’m pretty sure you heard the stories of Katrina trying to get into Jefferson Parish to survive, but were greeted with deputies arm with guns who denied them entry. Many New Orleans rapper’s lyrics are filled with lines of being racially profiled by Jefferson Parish. I have witnessed with my innocent 7year old eyes a man being beaten by Jefferson Parish Officers, and that’s when I found out who Harry Lee and David Duke were. They were the KKK with badges and political power, which I grew up to despise and pray to God that my relatives and I would never cross paths with them, with my great grandparents having property out there it was unavoidable, and they were always stopped along Airline Highway. I wonder how many others continue to endure racial profiling in Jefferson Parish but remained silent due to fear?
I am emphasizing Jefferson Parish because everyone outside of the city of New Orleans seems to think that New Orleans is Louisiana, but it’s not. New Orleans is New Orleans, Louisiana and the cityline extends into New Orleans East and the Westbank of New Orleans which is Algiers anything beyond that is not New Orleans or Orleans Parish.
I hope this incidentdoesn’t affect his decision to come back to host an event in the city of New Orleans, because the urban community needs to hear him speak and have access to his book. I also hope he is able to look back on his his visit here and remember the impact he left on his fans.
Here’s what Jason Lee had to say on Instagram:
Repost from @theonlyjasonlee using – I’m sitting at the New Orleans airport, and these two fake morherfuckers come over and pretend to be undercover detectives. Clearly they don’t know who I am. So when I challenged them and started recording their bitch asses ran off. Here I am a new author or telling my story, and these people think I changed. Not today! •
Update: I made a whole scene and demanded the Sheriff. Turns out they were narcotics detectives doing a “random check”. Sounds like stop and frisk. Thankfully I know my rights and challenged them and when fans walked up asking what was wrong they backed off. Know your rights folks cause these police don’t care. Source: Jason Lee Instagram
Dat NOLA Chic 