NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Dr. Andrew Patrick does not like being in the spotlight.

“I don’t like any sort of attention like this,” he said. “This is not me.”

However, he decided he needed to break that rule this week.

“I have to get this story out there because any sort of story like this, like wow, that’s horrible that that’s happening,” he said.

A few weeks ago, his home was one of a few vandalized with hate and anti-Semitic messages in Sylvan Park.

“We had three swastikas painted and two white power statements on the front of our house,” said Patrick.

Patrick isn’t Jewish, but he believes his house was targeted because of a “Black Lives Matter” sign in his front yard.

“It was an act of political intimidation,” he said. “You are going to express these views on your lawn well we are going to express [our] views on the side of your house.”

Patrick, who teaches history at Tennessee State University, said this issue is one he’s been tracking.

“There’s been anti-Semitic literature passed around Nashville in the last few years and probably longer, a lot,” he said.

He’s right.

According to the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) recent audit, there have been a total of 40 anti-Semitic incidents in Tennessee reported in 2022.

In 2019, the ADL’s audit showed nine incidents in Tennessee. That number has gradually increased over the last four years.

“This is a problem,” said Patrick. “This is a stain on our state, and on our city, and it was a stain on my house just a few weeks ago. Something has to be done.”

Patrick said he’s disappointed in the response from lawmakers

Meanwhile, with everything that’s been happening in Tennessee over the last few weeks, he’s left questioning a lot of things, including businesses looking to come here.

“White supremacists on the march in your place of business, the place you’re hoping to expand business, are you okay with that?” asked Patrick.

News 2 reached out to Metro police, who said they still have not made any arrests in this case.