The Early Show on, I think it was, CBS presented an abbreviated debate about whether or not racial profiling should be used to help identify potential terrorists.
One side of the argument claimed that it was an infringement of civil rights. Which is true and I agree that is a bad thing. Hell, I'm very much against portions of the Patriot Act for the same reason.
The flip side of the coin is that, in this age of Islamic militancy against western culture and interests, it could help.
While it does seem that most of the terrorists that have emerged since the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Centers do appear to be of middle eastern origin and Islamic in terms of religious preference, this does not mean that they all are.
But what does it really matter if racial profiling is officially announced as a "tool" to help in the crusade against terrorism? It has been used for years and will continue to be used regardless.
Police will always nail African Americans to the wall when it comes to making busts or remain extra watchful when black people are around. Airport personnel are always going to worry when they see someone of middle eastern descent on their flights. Hispanic families will always be perceived as lowering property values in neighborhoods where they live. White males are always going to be serial killers.
Sad as it is, this is the nature of the beast. Saying that racial profiling is illegal is the truth, but nothing will ever stop it, period.
And what makes it worse is that racial profiling causes tension. If you are Muslim and heading into an airport, you are automatically going to be on edge because you know the possibility of you being treated with prejudice is 100% greater than if you are of any other heritage in the world. Even if you have no reason to be suspected whatsoever. This edginess will make you defensive which will, in the eyes of law enforcement and airport personnel, make you appear like you are guilty and hiding something. Hence, you become a target. If you try to file some kind of lawsuit due to racial profiling, your case is shot down nearly automatically because law enforcement will just say that you were acting suspiciously. They have their justification.
Racial profiling is evil. But I don't see anything happening to it, ever.
I have personally witnessed what can happen as a result of racial profiling. I have spoken with black friends who have been pulled over for doing nothing more than driving a car or walking down the street in what is otherwise perceived as a white neighborhood. I have heard white people talk about the "negative influence" a household of some other race has had on their neighborhood. I see Muslim people constantly watching out the corners of their eyes as they walk down the street.
Heck, if you have been a reader of my site since 2001, you will know that I was part of an instance of racial profiling while on my honeymoon. When a pair of middle eastern men came on board one of our return flights from Hawaii (I want to say the LA to Chicago leg), I was asked by a male flight attendant if I would help to take them down should they both get up at the same time and move towards the cockpit. I am a big man who is relatively strong (at least in my mind) and I was sitting on the aisle a few rows behind them. The flight attendant said he hated to make it look like he was performing racial profiling, but he and others were scared as this was only a month after 9/11. The crew even went so far as to announce that the forward restrooms were "out of order" - the ones right by the entrance to the cockpit - thus giving these potential "terrorists" no reason to move forward in the plane whatsoever.
I didn't agree with the rationale behind the request, but I agreed to help should something happen. Not that I expected it to, but, in light of 9/11, I would never sit back and just accept it should something actually begin. Not anymore. A terrorist shows up on a flight I'm on, I'm doing everything in my power to bring him down. Should I succeed, I will make him or her pay for it.
Nothing happened, thankfully. But I did score myself a free bottle of pretty decent champagne for my "willingness" to help. And, God knows, the flight attendants were at Katie's and my beck and call the entire flight. If it hadn't been so early in the morning, I would have been drinking for free the whole time. Damn my timing.
