Rainbow gangs: A ticklish topic
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/n...al/5756064.htm
By Monica Yant Kinney
Inquirer Columnist

Intersting, minorities are more involoved in organized crime, but you can't use ethnicity as a way to profile members as that would be wrong?! Talk about over sensitivity and PC BS! What are your thoughts?

I think it makes perfect sence to not profile. It's not like Arab men in their 20's are more likely to have a bomb strapped to their chest. Let's stop granny and make her take her shoes off.

On another note, Terrorism reports released today say that terrorism is the lowest its been in 40 something years, since the sixies. It heard it on the morning news, but don't have a link. It is down 44% from last year. Looks like the war on terrorism wan't effected by the war in Iraq, like all the doubters thought.

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Jason
Lynn Swann 06'

"Individualism is absent when other peoples' standards, not reality and reason, are ones primary guide."

The problem with racial profiling is that my rights, time, and safety (because all run ins with armed people have inheirent dangers) are sacrificed because a police officer wants to satisfy himself that I am "not up to no good."

The other problem with racial profiling is that it creates an us against them mentality. Those profiled become distrustful of the profilers and as a logical extension the un-profiled.

Racial profiling indicts the majority for the acts of the minority. Imagine if everyone assumed you were stupid because your cousin is. Gets frustrating.

Finally, it encourages lazy police work. If I wanted to smuggle something, or blow something up, I'd dress up a 40 year old white guy in a suit and tie and send him with my package.

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Granted, 9-5 is how you survive
I ain't trying to survive
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That is the problem. Profiling, using race as one of many characteristics in determining potential suspects and tracking down criminals is a valid tactic. Racism and descriminatory policing, which is used a lot less than group such as NJ's Black Minister's Council would would have you believe, are problems. But not nearly as big as they are made out to be.

Profiling, such as providing a description of a criminal makes it possible to solve crimes. Unfortunately, responsible police officers who have used this as PART of a method of tracking down criminals have been lumped in with the few bad apples.

Is it true that certain crimes in certain areas tend to be carried out by people who fit certain profiles? YES. Without any doubt. Knowing this, how can you argue that it is wrong to use that knowledge to help save lives?

It is NOT as simplistic as just pulling over people of one race. That is descrimination. That is wrong. Some groups have tried to tie the two together to gain political clout and have unfortunately been successful. Some individuals have been guilty and deserve tobe punished for their descriminatory policing. But to lump all of the law enforcment officials into one groups would be to profile them in a descriminatory manner. :wink:

[quote="SteveJohnston"]Unfortunately, responsible police officers who have used this as PART of a method of tracking down criminals have been lumped in with the few bad apples. quote]


My point exactly. The 1-2 "bad apples" actions have been imputed on the rest of the concienious police officers. seems silly doesn't it.

The problem with racial profiling is not using race as one of many factors to support a "terry" stop, or describe a perp, the problem lies in making it the only one.

For example, I recently witnissed a trial where the defendant was pulled over for speeding. once stopped, the man, a jamaican in his mid-30's, was asked to step out of the car, and handcuffed while police ran his license.

while it is "by the book" to secure a suspect, when is the last time you have been handcuffed while your license was ran?

yes, there are plenty of black males standing on plenty of corners selling plenty of drugs, and all of them need to be sentenced to plenty of years. But they are not the majority. and the majority can't be held responsible for the acts of the minority. period.

even the bible has that whole "sins of the father..." thing going on.

__________________
Granted, 9-5 is how you survive
I ain't trying to survive
I'm trying to live it to the limit
and love it alot

Here is the important question: Why? Why did the police officers cuff the individual? Was he belligerent? Did he match the description of a suspect? Were the being careful since they had had bad experiences in the past?

If the man was cuffed because he was blak and that was it, then that was wrong. But things are hardly ever as simple as they are made out to be. I will say that in some cases the race card is thrown out before any other questions are asked. A Black man is arrested, the first question is not what did he do, but what color were the officers who arrested him? Was he framed? That is a perception that the police must overcome, but also one that people must also realize is inaccurate.

the officer conceaded that he was not troublesome at all. the officer simply took "precautions" while he ran his license. now granted this is not typical, I just use it to say that the 1 or 2 officers who use profiling wrong have (rightly) spoiled it for the bunch.

Again race can be and should be a factor in composing a composite of a suspect. just not the only one.

this is the frustration felt not only by blacks, but also by arabic muslims on planes, and burly white guys with long hair who ride harley's. just want people to realize that when your the one being profiled, the idea isn't as good as it used to be when you weren't.

__________________
Granted, 9-5 is how you survive
I ain't trying to survive
I'm trying to live it to the limit
and love it alot

I've been the result of profiling. As a college student with long hair, in a car with several other dready long hairs, I was pulled over in rural North Carloina. Our car was searched and we were arrested for possesstion. They found a few seeds and a couple stems and held all four of us on possession. The officer used the old, "I smelled marijuana" as a reason for the search. There was no way he smelled anything. We were returning from spring break, ran out of the good stuff before we left and were driving with the windows down for hours. Regardless, profiling in that case is just wrong, as with using color. However, pulling over a black male in his twenties, because a black male in his twenties just committed a crime close by should not be illegal. Profiling can be a legitamite form of police work.

And being suspisious of Arabs is not bad, it's safe. If they are good Americans and have nothing to hide, than a few extra minutes at the airport shouldn't be a big deal. It's not too much to ask for the saftey of our country.

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Jason
Lynn Swann 06'

"Individualism is absent when other peoples' standards, not reality and reason, are ones primary guide."

When does it cross the line between ensuring safety and bigotted paranoia? Do you think that Arab Americans are accepting of this?

I think arab americans that are really Americans understand and are willing to talk to an agent for a few hours. It really is little to ask for the freedom they receive here.

I saw a list of atrocities committed since 9/11. Among them are the detention of two arab men that rented a van for a week, brought it back an hour later and lost their security deposit. The owner of the van rental place called the cops. They brought in the two men, found they did not have Visa's and deported them. The Horror. God forbid we actually send home people that have no right to be here.

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Jason
Lynn Swann 06'

"Individualism is absent when other peoples' standards, not reality and reason, are ones primary guide."