Racial Profiling or Racist Profiling?

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According to the Encarta Dictionary, Racial Profiling is the assumption of criminality among ethnic groups without probable cause. Since the September 11, 2001, Al Qaeda attack on the World Trade Center, racial profiling has been the temporary tactic used to stop terrorism. After more than ten years since implementing this practice, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has made little progress. Some American citizens are still skeptical of Middle Eastern and Muslim people even though TSA has caught no terrorists through racial profiling. Although racial profiling has the potential to catch terrorists, it should not be used because racial profiling can justify terrorist acts, it will not improve airport and airline security, and it is discrimination. Those in favor of racial profiling, like Clifford S. Fishman, believe the potential to catch terrorists exists. They believe this because it is careless not to single out a class since it takes too long for TSA to scrutinize everyone and all terrorists are all Middle Eastern or Muslim. According to the opposition, it is irresponsible not to practice racial profiling since security cannot “properly scrutinize” every person and item that is on a plane (527). TSA does not have resources to check every person that is in an airport. How is it, there are enough resources to have extreme security checks for all people of a certain ethnic group, but not enough for more thorough checks of everyone? It takes too long for TSA to check every person who walks through the security check point. Selecting a stereotypical race makes security lines move much faster. If the security equipment is incapable of checking everyone, shouldn’t better security systems be used? Fishman believes all ... ... middle of paper ... ...Q Researcher 14 Dec. 2001: n. pag. Rpt. in Current Issues and Enduring Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking and Argument, with Readings. Ed. Sylvan Barnet and Hugo Bedau. 9th ed. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martin’s, 2011. 527-528. Print. “Racial Profiling.” Encarta Dictionary: English (North American). Electronic. “Amendment 14.” The Constitution of the United States. N.p., 1787. Military and Government Collection. Web. 7 Mar. 2012. . Civil Rights Act of 1964. N.p.: n.p., 1964. Military and Government Collection. Web. 7 Mar. 2012. .

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