Up to now, Americans have witnessed the abolishment of slavery, the fight against segregation, and a slew of civil rights issues that brought war to the courtrooms. Recently however, an issue has surfaced that will yet again be a definite landmark in the timeline of our nation's history. The only problem is that no one is positive that it even exists, which leaves us with one very important question: Does racial profiling exist in the politically-correct world of today? The answer to this question is of great importance to the legal well-being of minorities across the country, as the existence of a program that prejudges on basis of race and demographic is a complete abomination of the bill of rights. Wars have begun over less, and if …show more content…
One example is a testimony from a Mr. Alberto Lovato, a 29-year-old Latino man that who was pulled over for allegedly using a turning lane to pass other vehicles, even though police records show that the area the police officer stopped Mr. Lovato was more than 15 miles away from the site of the alleged violation. The police officer apparently drew his pistol, held it on Mr. Lovato, and ordered him to get out of the car and lie face down on the ground, where he was put in handcuffs and dragged toward the back of the police car. He was then held in custody based solely on his race, and questioned about gang activity, and drug and weapons trafficking. He spent several more hours in jail even after interrogation; reportedly stopped on the side of the road because of passing illegally.
Why should anyone care about racial profiling? The injustice caused by labeling criminals before they act is something any American citizen should feel wronged by. It is an infringement of the rights expressed within the constitution of the United States and its amendments; a conflict that wars have been started over. Prejudice on the government's behalf is something nobody would be happy to hear about as discrimination is something most Americans make a conscious effort to avoid. One thing that comes to mind is the recent debates
Racial profiling impacts the lives of African Americans, Asians, Latinos, South Asians, and the Arab communities (Persistence of racial and ethnic profiling in the United States: a follow-up report to the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination 12). Profiling based on race stems from racism, and has lastingly marked and structured the society of the United States (10). In some aspects, it is considered a violation of human rights; therefore, acts then started to develop (12). For example, the United States introduced the Subsequent End of Racial Profiling Acts to Congress in 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2009, but they
Just what is racial profiling? Racial profiling is a law enforcement and security agency practice that encourages officers to stop, search, and investigate people based on race, ethnicity, nationality or religion. While racial profiling is most commonly committed against ethnic minorities, many instances of racial profiling occur in reaction to specific crimes, making any racial or cultural group subject to more intensive scrutiny by the authorities. (ebscohost.com) This is what I think bout racial profiling, it like it occurs when the police targets someone for investigation on the basis of that person's race, national origin, or ethnicity. Examples are the use of race to determine which drivers to stop for minor traffic
Every individual in the world is different in some way from the person standing next to them. People differ in their culture, ethnicity, race, religion, personality, styles, interest, appearance and more. It is understood that someone may be similar to you not one person will be exactly like you. Growing up it is important for one to understand the differences of other people and show a level of respect for them. As human-beings, people typically learn through experiences. However, these experiences have the tendency to alter the way people perceive other individuals. Racial profiling, a term used more frequently when dealing with law enforcement, is defined as “any action undertaken for reasons of safety, security or public protection
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, categories all human beings as free. Article one identify all human beings as born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. Article two states, Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust,
Since the birth of our nation, racial profiling has been an issue longstanding and troubling among minority groups and still continues to exhibit severe consequences in communities.
There are many types of racism in America that cause people to make accusations against law enforcement for discrimination. One type of racism is racial profiling. It is a strategy that encourages police officers to stop and question minorities only because of their race. It takes place in a variety of routine police encounters. Unmotivated searches occur everyday among the minority groups. Could you imagine waking up and being scared to walk outside your house because of the color of your skin? This is a fear of almost everyone belonging to a minority group. This continues to be a widespread problem throughout the country.
Even the United States struggles with issues of racial discrimination despite being a society highly based on immigrants and multicultural diversity. On one hand, people frown on treatment based on race, whether that is on an individual or group level. On the other, people are tired and annoyed by the seemingly constant call of discrimination. All of these feelings culminate into the debate pertaining to the use of racial profiling. Likewise, there are some individuals that hold a certain level of acceptance in regard to racial profiling. However, what is lost in the process because of that acceptance? There are many components that need to be thought about in reference to the use of racial profiling. In addition, it can be viewed
The public police are the primary crime-fighting organization in the government and it is necessary for police and the public to respect one another (Roberg & Novak, 2014). To rebuild trust with law enforcement, communities should educate themselves about their rights. This will allow them to know what exactly law enforcement can ask for and what they must or not answer when it comes down to simple traffic violations or any minor interaction with law enforcement. It does not matter if the individual is of Mexican, Asian, American, or any other origin, there are rights that every individual has. In the case of traffic stops or encounters with law enforcement in the streets, there are rights in place that everyone should be familiar with to prevent situations that could lead to police using force (ACLU,
Before any argument can be made against racial profiling, it is important to understand what racial profiling is. The American Civil Liberties Union, defines racial profiling as "the discriminatory practice by law enforcement officials of targeting individuals for suspicion of crime based on the individual's race, ethnicity, religion or national origin"(Racial Profiling: Definition). Using this definition we can determine that racial profiling excludes any evidence of wrong-doing and relies solely on the characteristics listed above. We can also see
Innocent minorities may be portrayed to do be doing something bad. According to Sameera Hazif, Policy Director of Rights Working Group, an African American named Mahari Bailey was driving in his Range Rover and was asked to stop four times just because the police thought he was acting suspiciously (Hazif). Latino-immigrant, Angel Castro-Torres was stopped on his motorcycle by two police officers because he looked Latino.
There are many types of racism in America that cause people to make accusations against law enforcement for discrimination. One type of racism is racial profiling. It is a strategy that encourages police officers to stop and question minorities only because of their race. Racial profiling is a serious issue of social importance in the United States. George Will opens by casting doubt with his tone on the idea that racial profiling is a serious issue in America. His tone is sarcastic and critical of how politicians and news people are talking about the issue, and The focus of the article is to use Heather Mac Donald as the primary evidence for Will's view that racial profiling is not necessarily bad. I believe there is racism still happening to black people and Muslim people. Racial profiling is an unfavorable thing, and it can be a huge problem lead to a scuffle and law enforcement should work to stop racism forever in the whole world.
One of the major and most well known cases of racial profiling is the case of Amadou Diallo. Four white officers members of the anti street crime unit fired 41 shots at Diallo hitting him 19 times. The officers contended that they fired in self defense. On Feb 4, 1999, after Diallo,22, reached for an object they thought was a gun while he was standing in the vestibule of his apartment. The object turned out to be his wallet. All four officers were charged with second-degree murder as suspended from there jobs. The officers said that Diallo darted into the entrance of his building and took a combat stance. He pulled out what they perceived as a weapon and opened fire on him. The officers contended that Diallo's death was a tragic case of self-defense. The officers were found not guilty on all charges. Diallo was just another black man that fit the profile of a drug dealer simply because he was black. In the case of Alton White, this similar situation occurred, fortunately for him he was not shot and was set free. He and three other black men were humiliated by being accused of being connected to a crime that they didn't even fit the description of the two Hispanic men. "Everything from being handcuffed strip-searched, taken in and out of questioning, to be told that they knew exactly who I was and my responsibility to the show and the in fact they knew
In America’s judicial system, the color of skin or race are often equated with criminal behavior. Dr. King once said “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” As United States citizens, we are not convicted of a crime until proven guilty. However, racial profiling aids law enforcement on deciding when to pursue or detain a suspect based on race. This method undoubtedly categorizes that certain races are more prone to commit crimes. Nevertheless, racial profiling is a violation of constitutional rights thus protected by federal law; oddly it is often disregarded by states.
Racial profiling has become a severe obstacle in the U.S. today though most Americans know very little of this vital issue. Every day, people are being pulled over, harassed, and even killed for being of a certain race. There are new laws that politicians are trying to pass that promote racial discrimination. Racial profiling is immoral and does not increase public safety.
In the U.S, people are judged every day, whether it be by the way they look, talk, dress, or act. Humans are judgmental people who look for the faults in another. Race is one of these faults, and is a huge cause in civil rights violation. The dictionary defines racial profiling as, “the use of race or ethnicity as grounds for suspecting someone of having committed an offense”. However, in reality, racial profiling is violating the civil rights of minorities and Muslims. According to the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) “Racial profiling by law enforcement is commonly defined as a practice that targets people for suspicion of crime based on their race,