What is racial profiling? Racial profiling is a form racism that focuses on certainracial groups. Since 9/11 there have been certain groups of people thathave been focused on while in airports. Random searches do work; racialprofiling helps identify people who know attacked the U. S. , and keep peoplesafe.
On the other hand, there are people who would disagree with thesearguments. They would say that racial profiling is ineffective, randomsearches do not work, and is discriminatory. Racial profiling is the mosteffective tool that is used to prevent another attack; however, racial profilingshould only be used as a security measure only in airports. Racial profiling in airports is effective because random searches do work. Random searches work because they have the potential to stop not only foreignterrorists but also domestic terrorists from attacking airports.
With the attacks on September 11, random searches can be used to screen morepeople who have intentions of harming innocent people. “Understanding thenature of the threat is the first step in the process of determining thebest way to mitigate it” (Pistole1of 4). In the same way random searcheshelps and makes sure that passengers, planes, and airports will protectedfrom any terrorist attacks or bombers. In a sense random searches aregood because it can stop a potential terrorist attack and it will make passengersfeel safe at airports and while on airplanes.
Racial profiling helps identify people who know attacked the U. S. It is not hardto see who attacked us on September 11; all of the evidence points to theArab community. Spencer writes young Muslim Arab males are responsible forthe overwhelming majority of terrorist violence around the world today (1 of 3). Some of the recent attacks that were committed by Arabs are the Madrid train bombers in March 2004, London bombers in 2005.
These groups of peopleare able to do this on a mass scale we need racial profiling more thanever. These people are willing to unthinkable acts to get their messageacross not matter how much the cost is even if it means that it willcost them their lives and the lives of others. If we are to learn from this, we need to profile any and everybody that fits the description of the peoplewho flew planes into buildings that killed thousands of Americans. How long do we have to wait until profiling can become a securitymeasure inairports, maybe until there is another terrorist attack? Keeping people safe is another reason for racial profiling. We need racial profilingto stop these Muslim Arabs from committing terrorist attacks usingairplanes. They are responsible for all of the hijackings that took placeon September 11th.
All are willing to kill Americans even if it means sacrificingthemselves. Last but not least many lived in America for a long time. In order to keep these people in check, airports need the latest technology, “Body scanners such as advanced imaging technology (AIT) machines” (Ott1 of 5). This machine is capable of giving the screener an imageof a person’s body without them having to take all of their clothes off. It shows that the person has no weapons in or around their body that couldcause harm to others.
Since 9/11 cockpit doors have become more securedthat hijackers or anybody else for that matter can get inside and takethe plane over. U. S. Marshalls are now on planes to make people feel saferand to diffuse any situation that occurs if one was to come up. Furthermore the one tool that can keep people safe is each other.
If every bodykeeps an eye open for suspicious activity it will make it easier for authoritiesto keep all of us safe in airports. Not only will these securitymeasures and procedures help cut down on attacks, but also drasticallyimprove airport security. Racial profiling is ineffective because it only focuses on certain group of peopleinstead ofevery body. To think that all terrorist look a certain wayare more likely to be terrorist.
A terrorist could beany bodyin the worldthat has a plot to blow something up. Kleinerwrites, “It is the positionof this note that racial profiling is wrong because it is both ineffectivein ensuring security and constitutionally unlawful” (112). If lawenforcement spent all of their time on a group of people who may look liketerrorist then they have less time to get the actual people who are tryingto cause harm. The terrorist that hijacked those planes on September 11th were of Middle Eastern descent, but all terrorist and bombers do not fitthis description of young Arab men. Now that most Arabs are being targetedit gives others who feel the need to get a point across and blow somethingup.
Homegrown terrorist are now becoming the new group that wants tocause harm. A number of these terrorists could be young, old, white or blackand people would never know the difference. The time spent just profilingArabs could be used in a more productive way in catching the terroristwho do have something planned in the future. For the people who saythat racial profiling their opinion terrorist do not have to look like aterrorist to be one.
People who do not support racial profiling in airports say random searches donot work. Random searches do not work because they are not meant to catchanyone. If we randomly check every body that was going through securitycheck points it would take hours and many people would miss their flights. This would be a good thing because people would feel more secure thatthere is no threat on the plane that can potentially harm them.
The majorityof these people would not fit the profile of a terrorist. In fact itdiminishes security because it wastes so much time and effort on people whoare obviously no threat. Most people would feel that by doing random searchesit would be a violation of their rights. The use of racial profiling, the terrorist have scared us into giving up our own rights. By givinginto the terrorists they have succeeded into changing are ways. Racial profiling in airports can also be discriminatory.
The group that was involvedwith September 11th was of Arab background. These are the groups ofpeople who need to be stopped at all check pointsthrough outthe airport. Not to say that all terrorist attacks have been done by these groupof people, but many may say that this is some type stereotype or an actof racial discrimination. However these people are not American citizens. They are foreigners who do not have the citizenship of this country;therefore, theycan notbe discriminated against.
But most people whofit this profile are innocent and others are completely guilty. Still peoplewould say this is racial profiling. This is why we do not need racialprofiling in airports because it is not fair to the people who are nottrying to be a terrorist. Racial profiling is a tool that is being used to keep potential terrorist attacksfrom happening.
The main focus of racial profiling is to target one specificgroup for a particular situation that their race may be a part of. In public opinion some would say that racial profiling is something that is neededonly at airports because of the attacks that occurred on September 11 th. It helps to keep those who look like potential terrorist from trying to doit again. On the other hand people who do not support racial profiling maysay that it is mostly a waste of time and resources. Most people that gothrough airports on a daily basis do not fit the profile or come off as athreat as a terrorist.
But in today’s world would it be better to be safe orsorry?
