not have enough space to discuss the race and age profiling that takes
place across the country in a wide variety of other governmental and social
institutions.
Picture this: a middle-aged white man wearing an expensive jogging suit is
sprinting down the street in an affluent, largely Caucasian neighborhood.’ The
man runs by a cop who thinks, ‘#145;He’#146;s out for a run’#146; and applauds the man’#146;s
athleticism.’ But what if the runner was a slovenly-dressed 14-year-old white
male?’ The cop might stop the boy to make sure he hadn’#146;t vandalized a car or
house in the area.’ Perhaps the runner was a 20-something Latino woman, what would
happen then?’ The cop would probably ask if she were lost and direct her to a
poorer section of town.’ Finally, picture the runner as a 17-year-old black male
in urban street-wear.’ The cop would have his gun drawn and the kid on the ground
before a single word of explanation could be given.
This is a pessimistic and simplified example, but it conveys the underlying
truth of profiling. American stereotypes of certain ethnic, age, and economic
groups have created governmental standards of conduct.’ Once a link between race
(economic class or age) and a negative behavior (such as theft or terrorism) has
been forged, every member of the minority is seen as a threat by authorities and
the general public.
African-American men have long been subjected to racial profiling, and since
Sept. 11, Americans of Middle-Eastern decent have also found themselves
under intense scrutiny.’ That these men and women are watched, searched and
harassed based solely upon their skin tone and religious ideologies makes a
person question the validity of America’#146;s motto ‘#145;innocent until proven guilty.’#146;
By profiling a group of people, American society has robbed them of their civil
liberties and of their basic freedoms.
If you disagree with what I’#146;ve said so far, contemplate how easily racial
profiling could become individual profiling on a national scale.’ I’#146;m not just
talking about convicts and radicals having files at the FBI, I mean everyone.
Regardless of race, background or education, the government would be watching.
They would know what tooth paste you buy, how often you walk your dog, and the
likelihood that you could blow up a plane, rob a drugstore, or become a serial
killer.
The problem with this kind of profiling, aside from the fact it violates every
privacy law on the books, is that a person is judged before they have committed
a crime.’ In essence, the government creates the criminals as well as the
law-abiding citizens.
Perhaps I’#146;m just being paranoid or have read “1984” too many times, but in our
world of internet and magnetic ID cards, it’#146;s not that far-fetched.’ It would
only take a few small steps and a few quashed civil liberties to turn America
into a glass ant farm.
