Racial Profiling

If you have never been told you are not an American by a police officer, if you have never, at the age of 16 years, been been dragged a city block on the street, beaten with a nightstick and told by two police officers that "You are a dirty, f*cken Mexican and we're sending you back to Mexico" (despite the fact that I have never been to Mexico), if you have never been lead into a room in a police station where at least a dozen white cops had their clubs ready to bash your head in, stripped naked and paraded before a female police officer who laughed non stop, if you have never had a police officer shove his hand up your ass for sport in front of those same officers. If you have never been degraded, dehumanized and shamed beyond your imagination and had to rise above all that to continue living as a man, if you have never been made to feel like worthless coward because there was nothing you could do than you don't know what the fuck you are talking about. On the other hand, if you have,... Read more

In most cases, racial profiling is counterproductive and evil, but I'm still trying to figure out why grandmothers of Scandinavian descent recieve more stringent attention from Department of Fatherland Insecurity personel than Saudi Arabian "students"?

Racial profiling is just plain wrong. There are bad people in every race. It is wrong to target a group just because of their skin color. I think it's time, be it politics or whatever the issue might be, that people grow up and start realizing where the real problems lie. Bad people need to be taken off the street, no matter what the skin color.

Racism has ended. Witness the election of a black president. Racism doesn't exist any more except toward middle aged white men.

Has anyone ever seen Soul Man w/C. Thomas Howell and James Earl Jones? Great movie!!!

I rate this a two because I think that racial profiling makes sense and is necessary for crime prevention. I hate the concept, though. I don't like it at all.

So if middle eastern looking men are looked at a little more carefully then the rest of us, could that be it is because middle eastern men are trying to kill us. Unfortunatly this is a necessary evil and a sign of the times.

I agree with DarthRater.

Let's use common sense. If we only stop Arabs at the ticket counter, then that will make it too easy for non-Arab terrorists to get through. Looking for a white dog when a white dog bit you isn't racial profiling. Looking for a white dog when a dog you didn't see bit you because it was a white dog that bit you last time is.

Something fascinating happened regarding racial profiling after the events of September 11, 2001. African-Americans were admitting that they were looking at Arab-Americans and visitors with suspicion. This response evidences that racial profiling seems to be a natural human reaction; however, that doesn't mean we must institutionalize the process. Frankly, the only real problem with profiling is when the law enforcement authorities use the process as a crutch as opposed to a tool. In other words, merely fitting the profile based on race, etc alone should not amount to reasonable suspicion; however, if there is something extra that along with the profile amounts to reasonable suspicion, that should be actionable by law enforcement, especially under the present circumstances.

If it's statistically likely, then it's statistically likely.

I think racial profiling is largely institutionalized racism. As to the comments that Eagle Scout makes, in that If it didn't work, law enforcement wouldn't use it, don't get me started on the various techniques and sciences that law enforcement has used in the past, often well after they were discredited, or proved useless.

If certain ethnic groups are prone to commit certain crimes at a much higher rate than other groups, then wouldn't racial profiling be valuable?

This is a joke, right?

When it comes to something like this the question we should as is is it effective? not does it make everybody happy? It is a tool used and works often enough that it is still used. If it didn't work law enforcement wouldn't use it.

This is stupid. White people say it's because of the precentage of blacks/minorities committing crime. But really, crime is a socio-economic issue. Poor people steal and people with no hope have less to lose. Regardless of color. But I don't need a survey to tell me about profiling or stereotyping. I (who would never, ever steal anything) get watched like a hawk whenever I enter a store, while the white lady on the next aisle robs them blind. If I fit a profile that's fine...just like most serial killers and pedophile's fit one too (white males)...it's just that it's frustrating getting pulled over for DWB (driving while black) on my way to church. It makes me late for Sunday School.

Newsoul, I am appalled at how you accuse ALL whites of being racist. You doing racial profiling when you say this.

RACIAL PROFILING WORKED FOR ME. Some people say terrorsits win when we use racial profiling. Why would terrorists want that, its how you catch them. I'm hispanic and i ai'nt never killed nobody. SUBMIT

Well, first of all, this is a very confusing forum. We are rating things as IMPORTANCE in political issue, not whether its good or bad. Many arguments against it have sounded really good but are only rated with 1 star. This issue has so much over attention that people miss the fact that this is not a political issue at all. Racial profiling has worked for thousands of years, by almost every single form of government. Racial profiling is used by whoever wants to enforce it. This means that no one can ultimately control racial profiling. If white people flew planes into buildings, whites probably would become profiled. But, whites are not flying that planes, Arabs and Muslims are. Anyone can be a racial profiler, its not some kind of new law or anything. Not even close to being a political issue.

Every kind of profiling (not just racial) should be used by experienced detectives, to help solve crimes. This is the real world and crime is a real problem. It disturbs me that the definition supplied by this site starts with the inflammatory words, "discriminatory practice". Obviously, racial profiling is being singled out to help stir up a controversy. I'm in favor of any kind of profiling that is done honestly and is based on evidence. This should not even be listed as a "political issue."

Racial profiling is a severe problem in America today. Yes, I have read time and time again that blacks account for 12% of the population and perform 55% of the crimes. Yes, but not all blacks are criminals. And whites are sure to involved in some of the remaining 45% of crimes, so why not stop them on the streets and ask them where they were at the scene of the crime? Stop anyone you see and ask them what they saw, not just picking and choosing blacks and hispanics to question. Using racial profiling as a way to catch killers is a direct contradiction of the foundation of law that a person is "innocent until proven guilty". It seems now that blacks are "guilty until proven innocent".

If it works, use it. If it's true that the black 12% of our population makes up over 55% of violent crime than hey, if the shoe fits...

This is a ridiculous, racist, self-fufilling prophecy. A cop hears that more black people commit crimes so he starts looking at black people more as potential criminals. He pulls more black people over, often on false pretenses, does sometimes illegal searches and WOW more black people are caught. This, in the minds of the police, goes to prove the idea correct and so they keep pulling over more black people. Meanwhile police are overlooking the white guys who apparently hardly commit any crime. Be realstic: crime statistics don't represent who commits crimes, only who gets caught more. If police are looking for black guys then most likely they will find more of them.

There are times that racial profiling can be a helpful law enforcement tool. For example, if I know a Middle Eastern Muslim will be entering the US on April 10th and committing a terrorist action, then I'm going to be suspicious of all Middle Easterns I meet around that date. That would be appropriate. However, just because an African American brother is driving a Benz in the rich part of town does not make it perfectly logical to pull him over. If he breaks a traffic violation, then stop him. Used judiciously, Racial profiling is a powerful tool. Unfortunately, it is abused all to often.

lets be realistic, you can profile someone without being a racist. Yes it's true blacks are responsible for a larger percentage of crimes. So if it helps to catch someone faster and before they committ a crime again it's only common sense. Take a pedophile for example, white men tend to be the perps of these cases more often. Wouldn't it make sense for the police to go after who is more likely to committ the crime," if it was my child I'd want them to do that". We certainly need to watch out for racism and fire those responsible asap. So why mess around and check a 90 year old womans luggage when there is an arab behind them. It is only efficent to go after who did the crime as opposed to checking people you know are innocent to appease the RACIST minorities who only breed more racism. Who cares what color someone is lets worry about the victim and give them justice.

I'm all for racial profiling. I believe it is a useful tool to aid law enforcement in the crackdown on crime and especially terrorism.

Some of the defenders of Racial profiling claim that race is neccessary to identify people who have committed crimes. The problem with their arguement: That is not what racial profiling is! It involves suspecting people of being criminals due to their race **before a crime has even occured**! That I find wrong. To clarify something, I do believe in identity profiling. That takes place when a person seems to fit the identity of an actual criminal. In which I think it is ok to check to see what is going on with that person.

I think it is absolutely disgusting that the lasdt time I was in the airport, I watched two men wearing turbans have their luggage gone through with metal detectors, whereas I, a Caucasoid female, was permitted to pass with no questions asked. The white guy behind me in the business suit was every bit as likely to be carrying a box-cutter in his backpack! If they are going to do it to the Arabs, they should do it to everyone, or otherwise it's discrimination...no matter what silly code name people decide to give it. Now, let's go back to what noah says: "Racial profiling is a logical result when 12% of the population is responsible for 55% of the violent crime in this nation." I'm not debating who is responsible for what, when or where. the fact is that there are many perfectly peaceable black youths in my community who have been victims of this procedure. It's discrmination and needs to be stopped. It's easy for those who are not discriminated against to brush it away, but that ... Read more

I’m all for racial profiling along with gender, eye color, hair color, DNA, religious and professional affiliation profiling if it’s relevant. And while you’re at it check for bloodstains and fingerprints. Pahleez! Compiling and checking the obvious clues concerning a crime is just basic good Criminal Science. That is if your main concern is solving the crime rather than placating the criminal.

Racial Profiling is terrible, but the importance is enorm of course! I just can't get my self to say that the importance is great. That's why I'm giving it only one star...

While I completely dispise the premise behind racism and everything it stands for, I believe that it is inevitable that there are going to be police forces who use racial profiling as a means to find suspected criminals. I support legislation to curb the incidence of racial profiling, but that won't do much when a very high proportion of minority youths are involved in criminal activity. The statistics are there and law enforcement simply reacts to this unfortunate reality. Something must be done to make sure kids who may be high risk stay out of trouble. In light of the terrorist activities occuring throughout the country, it is inevitable that law enforcement officials are going to pick up people of Arab origin that look suspicious. It is common sense to do that. Obviously, there are indicators as to whether someone is the perpetrator in a crime, and race unfortunately turns out to be an indicator in this.

Think about it. A robbery has just occurred at the corner of Central and Main. The criminal is a white man around six feet tall. He has blond hair and blue eyes. Who should the police stop first? Maybe they should stop the first Hispanic woman who is 5' 2". Afterall, we can not have the people who are charged with protecting and serving us to conduct "racial profiling". That would be wrong, wouldn't it? "Racial Profiling" is a red hering. Another tool for minorities to throw their weight around. FACT: Blacks, who make up 12% of the American population, commit 55% of the violent crimes. It is only logical that the police should go after the people who fit the description. This is such a non-issue.

Judging people solely based on their looks is just plain wrong.

It is offensive that racial profiling takes place. Don't feel paranoid because of the way someone looks! That is pure hatred.

A non-issue. "Racial Profiling" is merely the logical result when 12% of the population distinguishes itself by accounting for 55% of the violent crimes committed in America every year.

Magellan’s position is well taken. I live in the northeast and am constantly amazed and appreciative of the differences that surround me. Whether we can accept it or not diversity enriches us all from the food we eat and the music we listen to to the broader issues of culture and race. As far as the idea that crime comes disproportionately from the minority segment of society, I just don’t buy it. Such judgment is one of the many destructive legacies of slavery, if you ask me, and we have to give it up along with policies that promote singling out individuals as possible perpetrators of crime based on race alone. Racial profiling is a disease and we must safeguard ourselves and society against it.

I guess it all depends how you define the "importance" of a political issue. If you define it in terms of how much it affects your own little world, I would have to say that Racial Profiling is not that big of a deal. As a white male, I do not get randomly pulled over because of the color of my skin making this issue quite unimportant in the scheme of things. However, this definition of "important" does not capture the way I really feel about this issue. There are some things that make me proud to be an American, and some things that make me cringe - and it's those things that make me cringe that tend to take on a heavy significance for me, whether or not they affect me personally. The idea of people being treated differently due to the color of their skin by a police force that my tax dollars help to sponsor does not sit right with me. An activist by the name of Geoffrey Canada does a pretty good job of summing up my feelings on the subject in a recent Time Magazine article - "W... Read more