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ASIAMS.NET |
ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
RACIAL PROFILING TO FIGHT TERRORISM?
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:57:07 PM)
acial profiling has come to represent the most fearsome form of institutionalized racism. For minority Americans what could be scarier than the prospect of being subject to systematic discrimination by powerful law enforcement agencies capable of invading every sphere of one's life? For Asian Americans the dangers of racial profiling are amply illustrated by the World War II internment of Japanese Americans and the more recent Wen Ho Lee case.
The September 11 terrorist attack suggests a scenario in which racial profiling might not only be acceptable but necessary. Fact is, every terrorist linked to the plot was an Arab male. One wonders if the horrible tragedy that took thousands of innocent lives and plunged our economy into crisis could have been averted had our intelligence, law enforcement and security agencies been given a freer hand to subject airline passengers to intensive searches and background checks on the basis of nationality or ethnicity.
Rational Americans may question whether it is even possible to conduct a workable campaign against terrorist attacks on American soil without intensive resort to racial profiling in airports, at border crossings and hotels. After all, terrorists are fighting a holy war premised strictly on religion and nationality. Despite the obvious dangers of racial profiling, it seems reckless to suggest that the United States can fight terrorists in a race-neutral fashion. Why subject every American to the same levels of delay and discomfort when only a small percentage fit the profile of potential terrorists? On the other hand, are we ready to undermine the constitutional and moral high ground on which our society is built?
The newly declared war against terrorism may well be the ultimate test of our sincerity in rejecting racial profiling. Is it time to rethink our position?
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WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
Historian,
you wrote "Things would be a lot worse without immigrants in this country"
You didn't direct this comment to me, but I disagree with your argument. In order to make a difference there has to be several commonalities. Commonality of thought, of purpose and of determination. Those commonalities are not in place and the type of increased immigration you suggest is not worth the trouble. It increases minority vs. minority racism. It erases racial progress.
NYhomeboy, what's your feeling on this. I'm interested.
Political Observer
Thursday, July 18, 2002 at 16:06:04 (PDT)
Historian
I keep forgeting that New York - where I abode - is not "America".
Enron and Worldcom - just plain pure greed and stupidity helped by the urgency of the roaring 90's to grab a much as you can - i.e. there was a bit of loss of control as everyone was trying to grab a much as they could before the music stopped, no?
I think that the immigrants bring the fresh blood/energy, they work very hard for one generation, then get seduced by the American dream. It is America's secret weapon.
NYhomboy
Wednesday, July 17, 2002 at 22:34:56 (PDT)
If there is another terrorist attack on U.S. soil I'm afraid that the public will not only allow, but will demand racial profiling of Middle Eastern and South East Asian men. Cooler heads will probably not prevail. I don't want to sound any alarm bells, but we'll be at a critical stage if Osama bin ladin and his crews target more innocent American civilians.
Again, I don't believe that racial profiling is either constitutional or smart police/investigative work. However, the public will be in such a frenzy that politicians will have to make audible and very visual moves in order to convince the American people and terrorists that the government means business. This really frightens me because the political reactions will not be smart, warranted or legal. Fear is a powerful emotion and politicians will be forced to find some means to lay Americans' fears.
I just read where Spanish police caught 3 guys who had video tapes of Disneyland, Universal Studios and the Golden Gate Bridge. That's unbelievable! There's no doubt in my mind that we will be attacked again and this time it'll be on the west coast, too. Unfortunately, bin ladin will not be satisfied until every American and Jewish person is weakened or dead. We're in a fight for our lives. We've fought world wars and a civil war, but this one is different. It's so covert, cowardly and intensely hateful. I just hope and pray that order will be maintained as much as possible and that our constitutional freedoms will not be dismantled wholesale.
I remember last September when an African-American woman told me how she went to buy some gasoline, but when she saw the owner appeared to be Middle Eastern she told him "no thanks."
As I've stated before, if we save the union at the expense of professional police work, equal protection laws and civil liberties, then what is there left to defend? Not much.
Geoff DB
GeoffDB02@aol.com
Tuesday, July 16, 2002 at 22:06:23 (PDT)
"Don't forget the contributions (still continuing) of the Jews. Their brilliant - if we teach them to increasingly accpet the darker-coloreds/non-whites, maybe they won't notice we are not white - strategy."
It is debatable whether Jews are really white. Many white Americans do not thinks so.
And in all your praises you conveniently ignored my comments on Enron, WorldCom, etc., all a result of WASP culture. Things would be a lot worse without immigrants in this country.
Historian
Friday, July 12, 2002 at 12:54:30 (PDT)
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