Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Racial Profiling a Problem?


Racial profiling is Racial profiling is the use of race as one consideration in suspect profiling or other law enforcement practices These racial profiling activities carried out by the police has led to problems in many aspects of their lives and and even the most routines ones like driving or shopping. .A year-long study conducted by the Domestic Human Rights Program of Amnesty International USA has concluded that the acts of racial profiling since the September 11 attacks have certainly gone up considerably. The study further found that state laws di not provide enough protection against racial profiling. Despite promises by President George W. Bush to end racial profiling, the number of American ethnic, racial, and religious groups whose people are at high risk of being subjected to racial profiling has alo increased considerably.

Here are some examples the AIUSA(Amnesty International United States of America)have posted and have really found to be disturbing, injust and has attracted the attention of many:

While driving: A young African-American schoolteacher reports being routinely pulled over in his suburban neighborhood in San Carlos, California, where only five other African-American families live. Native Americans in Oklahoma report being routinely stopped by police because of the tribal tags displayed on their cars. In Texas, a Muslim student of South Asian ancestry is pulled over and asked by police if he is carrying any dead bodies or bombs.

While walking: In Seattle,Washington, a group of Asian-American youths are detained on a street corner by police for 45 minutes on an allegation of jaywalking. While a sergeant ultimately ordered the officer in question to release them, the young people say they saw whites repeatedly crossing the same street in an illegal manner without being stopped.
While traveling through airports: An eight-year-old Muslim boy from Tulsa, Oklahoma was reportedly separated from his family while airport security officials searched him and dismantled his Boy Scout pinewood derby car. He is now routinely stopped and searched at airports.

While shopping: In New York City, an African- American woman shopping for holiday presents was stopped by security at a major department store. She showed the guards her receipts. Nonetheless, she was taken to a holding cell in the building where every other suspect she saw was a person of color. She was subjected to threats and a body search. She was allowed to leave without being charged three hours later, but was not allowed to take her purchases.

While at home:
A Latino family in a Chicago suburb was reportedly awoken at 4:50 a.m. on the day after Father’s Day by nine building inspectors and police officers who prohibited the family from getting dressed or moving about. The authorities reportedly proceeded to search the entire house to find evidence of overcrowding. Enforcement of the zoning ordinance, which was used to justify the search, was reportedly targeted at the rapidly-growing Latino population.

While traveling to and from places of worship: A Muslim imam from the Dallas area reports being stopped and arrested by police upon leaving a mosque after an outreach event. Officers stopped him, searched his vehicle, arrested him for expired vehicle tags, and confiscated his computer.
www.commondreams.org/.../images/071100-01.jpg

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