Monday, August 28, 2006

Report On Racial Profiling Of Muslims In The U.S.

Amy Goodman reports on racial profiling of Muslims in the U.S., including Muslim Americans.

This has been a big topic over the past few weeks. I was recently involved in a heated discussion at Lashawn Barber's Corner regarding this issue. Of course LaShawn Barber was in favor of profiling.

This issue became a big topic of discussion after British authorities began to debate whether profiling should be used at UK airports.

Watch/Listen to this story from Democracy Now. Muslim Americans discuss their ordeal. One family in particular was held for over 5 hours.

________________________


Related Stories

Britian Considers Racial Profiling

LaShawn Barber- Muslims On A Plane


________________________

My response to a reader of LaShawn Barber's Corner.... who stated that racial profiling was a legitimate tool of Law Enforcement.

I tried to explain to the reader that there was a difference between "profiling" and "racial profiling". These are two completely different concepts as they relate to law enforcement.

Profiling- YES
Racial Profiling- NO

I don’t think many people understand that there is a difference in Law Enforcement between those two concepts.

Profiling- Looking at a combination of factors that when put together= “probable cause” or “reasonable suspicion”. That is perfectly legal and legitimate.

However, racial profiling- Looking solely or predominantly at the race of an individual and using that as a determination to stop, frisk, question, detain, harass, etc… IS NOT a legitimate law enforcement tool and is not ethical and in most cases is not legal. It’s unconstitutional and could never hold up to legal scrutiny. It violates the 14th Amendment (section 1 under Equal Protection).

So you Conservatives can talk about it all you want… It can never be made into “official” policy here. Although it has been in practice (unofficially) for years.
If you want the law changed, it would require an amendment to the Constitution. (which won’t happen).

I have a feeling that if it were not for the Constitution & the Judicial System in this country (the only branch of government that the people have left)… we would still be swinging by our necks from tree branches.

Muslims wouldn’t be the only people being persecuted.

No comments: