I love how white America is dealing with the news items the past few months about black people and police shootings; jury verdicts of not-guilty for white defendants; grand jury refusals to indict white policemen, etc. Let’s play pretend; let’s pretend that the black people shot in the past year in these U.S. news stories did not get shot for any reason having to do with the fact that they are black. Ha.

I also love the reaction of a local Maine high school reacting to posters put up by students (including some black students who have emigrated here from Somalia, Chad and other African countries) that said: “BLACK LIVES MATTER.” The principal said take the signs down; he said you can only put them up if they say something like: “ALL LIVES MATTER.”

Yeah, that’s good. Black lives do not need to be singled out for protection over white, yellow, brown visages. It’s not like, say, oh, a bunch of blacks have been shot and killed recently or anything like that.

And, yes, it is crucial, vital and desperately needed that white people get some protection and attention in the form of posters on the walls of local high school cafeterias.

Do you know what I, a middle-aged white man, need?

Nothing.

You know what I could benefit from for protection, advocacy so I can have equal rights in this country?

Zip.

Here is what happens to white males in this country.

Anything they want to have happen.

Two weeks ago, I bought something at the biggest retail store chain in the country. It was for my daughter’s art class. She found out soon the item was the wrong one. She needed me to bring it back to the store, and get a different item.

I had no receipt. I went at noon one day to Customer Service. First, they called me up from the back of the line. I went, in a suit and tie. “You look like you are on your lunch hour, and pressed for time,” the lady said. I said no problem. I will wait in line just like everyone else. She then said, no sales receipt? No problem. Here is your money back. Stunning. How often have you seen people without a receipt and they either cannot return the item, or they return it but just for a “store credit?”

I could have played with this item like a pin?ata at a children’s birthday party, and still returned it.

Why?

Let’s not play games. Look in a mirror or at least my mirror.

Six weeks ago, I was stopped by a cop. None of your business why.

He asked if I had been drinking. I said no, but I would like to soon.

He said is there any reason why you were driving poorly. Just the balloons, I said.

“OK, sir,” he said. “Sorry to bother you. Please drive carefully. Have a good evening.”

Sir.”

Sorry to bother you?

Have a good evening?

Quick, trivia question: How many of the dead, black guys got treatment similar to what I got?

Trevon Martin, dead near a 7-Eleven.

The guy in Ferguson, dead with his hands up.

The guy in New York state the one lying on the sidewalk, contraband cigarettes in his pocket, five cops lying on top of him, his crying out “I can’t breathe.”

It pays in this country to be white.

Why do whites pretend this is not so?

Dan Warren is a Scarborough trial lawyer. He can be reached by private Facebook message at the Jones & Warren Attorneys at Law page, or by email at jonesandwarren@gmail.com.