2. Some Insight
Generally, racial profiling has always taken a large role in the public
discourse—especially among the minorities, following high-profile
events “such as the killing of Amadou Diallo or the beating of Rodney
King” (Shally-Jensen 633). It’s not that civilians do not recognize the
big issue, for they often express outrage when these big events occur.
Mostly, people have generally acquired these actions as “a
consequence of race-based policing” (Shally-Jensen 633).
One of the biggest tragedies ever laid on the United States—
September 11, 2001. Following the event, association of terrorism with
any form of Middle Eastern identity followed; suddenly America’s
attitude towards foreigners of all sorts started to change. And even
individuals who never practiced racial profiling found themselves in
this position. One of the worst sides of America was shown through
“National security”; for paranoia concerning this issue started to barge
into many civil liberties. “Although with the passage of time, this
apparent dichotomy has subsided.” (Shally-Jensen 633)
3. Hurricane Katrina
When Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast of the United State in
2005, people all around the world were grieving with those affected here.
What people saw through television broadcasting and news reports was “a
city devastated, its citizens homeless, and its government paralyzed”
(Ethnicity 14-16). Another big image of the tragedy however, was that the
victims were poor and black.
What people argued and observed was a huge group of black people living in
“desperate poverty” without any means of getting themselves out of their
situation. “They contended that it showed how race and poverty in that
city, and the entire country, are highly correlated, but largely ignored.
(Ethnicity 14-16).
• Slow government reaction to Katrina resulted in the public anger by Black members of
congress ; what’s interesting is that many asserted that race played a big role in the slow
response to the tragedy.
• And so the event sparked a national debate about race in America.
• “Obama pointed out: "I hope we realize that the people of new Orleans weren't just
abandoned during the hurricane. They were abandoned long ago--to murder and mayhem in
the streets, to substandard schools, to dilapidated housing, to inadequate health care, to a
pervasive sense of hopelessness“”(Shally-Jensen 14-16).
• Despite all this, many still did not believe that the event had not raise any racial issues.
• It was interesting that Whites and nonwhites simply perceived the issue very differently.
4. Hurricane Katrina
• “As many news analysts, both black and white, pointed out, the
disaster and its aftermath was an unfortunate reminder that
dialogue about race in the US is fraught with tension and, because
of deep differences in outlooks between different ethnic groups,
resolution is rarely achieved”.
• “Events such as Katrina make clear that below the surface, racial
animosities continue to foment, and despite important advances,
Americans still have not come to grips with its racialized past”.
• “Katrina prompted some critics to argue that in the 21st century
minorities are still second-class citizens who for all practical
purposed do not enjoy the full complement of rights taken for
granted by whites”. (Ethnicity 14-15)
5. 9/11
Ever since 9/11, immigrants have been kept on the red-eye in terms of
whether they’re national origins are “terrorist-harboring nations” or if their
customs appear to be slightly more traditional—in regard to dressing for
example. If this event did not increase racial profiling, no other event in
American history would be worthy enough.
• “All are forms of profiling are controversial law-enforcement practices because
they discriminate against the targeted groups.
• Profiling can be seen as a form of harassment of targeted immigrant communities.
It is viewed as a discriminatory cause of differential crime rates between groups
because people from profiled groups are more likely to be stopped by law
enforcement or the U.S. Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
• Nevertheless, officers need to identify unauthorized entrants and criminal
suspects” (Shally-Jensen).
It is the method of identifying actual criminals from innocent civilians that has
aroused a huge controversy. The irony of it all is that many citizens still
unaware of the extent to which their own rights are being hindered from
them “within 100 miles of a national border or by legislation passed to fight
the war on terror” (Shally-Jensen).
6. Police-Minority Relationship
• “In a recent study, researchers used conflict
theory to discuss the police-minority relationship
and how the law is differentially enforced against
minorities in order to protect white interests.
• Other research looks at a conflict theory variant,
group-position theory, to describe how dominant
groups view the police as allies. Some researchers
have discussed how cognitive bias and its
associated concept of in-group bias explain the
disproportionate numbers of minority motorists
stopped by the police” (Shally-Jensen 635).
7. Unauthorized Immigrant Racial
Profiling
In a way, immigrant racial profiling was a result of—well, the countless
attempts by Latin, Mexican citizens to illegally cross the border; therefore
they would be more likely to be stopped than any other nationalities.
• “In 1975, the Supreme Court decided in United States v. Brignoni-Ponce
that since Mexicans were estimated to make up 85 percent of
undocumented entrants, an officer could use “Mexican appearance” as a
“relevant factor” for investigation provided that it was not the only ground
for suspicion” (Shally-Jensen 638).
• Among the many, one result has been the high likelihood of Mexican
deportation.
• However, Immigration profiling may be unfair to other citizens or rightful
residents in the United States. “For if Mexican profiling occurs, then
Hispanic citizens, permanent resident aliens, and individuals with visas
may be stopped, interrogated, and detained as well as individuals of other
ethnicity who are mistaken as Hispanic” (Shally-Jensen 638).
