Performer Boots Riley, the one that got booted at Boogaloo Bayou Festival, the one who yelled a variant of the f-word…he’s mad and fighting back.

Here’s what he says in his defense. He contends that he only got in trouble because he’s black. By intimidating potty-mouthed “artists”, by forbidding curse words from the stage, the city of Norfolk is trying to discourage black people from attending public concerts. That’s what he said.

Well, now. If I were black, that would make me mad. According to this fellow, black people only go to events which feature dirty talk.

Excuse me? On my block, I’m the only white homeowner. And all of my neighbors, without exception, are the kind of people who pay attention to the niceties. I have never, ever heard one of my black neighbors erupt into potty talk. Not one time.

My neighbor to the left is extremely fussy about language. Once, sitting on my porch, I watched her walk by the apartments across the street. A young fellow on one of the porches over there said to her, “Hey, bitch.” He won’t do that again. She gave him such a tongue lashing…using all nice words…that she probably scarred him for life.

My neighbor to the right is so respectable that she makes me look bad.

A family one house away, that dad is Mr. Fussy. When they first moved in, he knocked on my door, introduced himself, “Ma’am, my wife and I work hard, and we’re very caring parents. We want our kids to grow up right. If you ever see my kids involved in something they shouldn’t be doing or saying, I’d appreciate if you’d let us know. I don’t want my kids to talk trash, do trash, or be trash. I want them to be proud, educated, and able to contribute. Please, if you witness something that needs my attention, tell me.” And with a dad like that on the job, you realize that I’ve seen nothing but good behavior.

Who are these black people who only enjoy dirt? They don’t live near me, that’s for sure. My neighbors are the type that if Boots Riley came along our street, spouting his nasty talk, somebody would take issue with him right quick.