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ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
RACIAL PROFILING TO FIGHT TERRORISM?
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:57:05 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.]
Louisiana Lebanese American:
"It is not the internment that bothers me, but the discrimination regarding the response"
They should both bother you. Internment and discrimmination work hand in hand. In fact, discrimmination will inevitably lead to internment or some type of confinement of Middle Eastern and South Asian men. I'm saying this to caution you because there will be another attack, unless our intelligence community get their act together. We need our FBI, CIA, and other intelligence agencies on the same page and thinking straight.
I'm afraid our country is headed for troubled times all because of that crazy lunatic in the Middle East. He's going to keep trying to destroy all Americans.
All those radical Muslim sympathizers who cheer when the US is attacked need to think about how it's affecting their relatives here in the United States. The problem is they're so blinded by their hatred and anti-Americanism that they don't give a damn.
I'm afraid for our country.
Geoff DB
GeoffDB02@aol.com
Wednesday, August 07, 2002 at 21:46:40 (PDT)
Geoff B:
Basically, it boils down to this. If you are not white you will be targeted like my sister who works for the federal government was targeted last week in Detroit on her way to Europe. Yes, we are South Asian, and from South India...and we can pass for African American in the eyes of many whites. Meanwhile, as per her report, most Arab women who looked white were not profiled. It basically comes down to anti-non-white attitudes among the white American population. White skin color privilege and regarding Affirmitive Action they (especially the Thernstroms from Harvard) want us all to be color blind! Double standards!
Historian
Wednesday, August 07, 2002 at 19:17:33 (PDT)
Louisiana Lebanese American,
you wrote
"If another Oklahoma City happens, and if America detains white Americans in internment camps, I have no problem with the country detaining Arab Americans for a terrorist attack"
Dude, don't be silly. Foreign terrorists have proven to be a more acute threat and white terrorists have proven to be an aberration.
you wrote
"And yes, I do not like the fact that Arab Americans, particularly the women who looked white took part in black lynching festivities during the early part of this century"
Yep, it seems like everyone who was fair skinned took turns beating up on african americans during that terrible time without any shame. It's embarrasing and hurtful to read about.
Things have changed though. Just think about it, it is common practice for the white house and the president to issue a statement when hate crimes are committed (james byrd, amadou diahlo, tyisha miller). It's not perfect, but times have changed for the better.
Like I've said before, foreign terrorists must have their elusive capabilities taken away. We'll need to enact some type of legal means to restrict movement of certain foreigners. It will come to that.
Political Observer
Wednesday, August 07, 2002 at 15:18:59 (PDT)
Geoff DB, Political Observer and Historian:
If another Oklahoma City happens, and if America detains white Americans in internment camps, I have no problem with the country detaining Arab Americans for a terrorist attack. But, obviously they are not going to detain all white Americans with Anglo-Saxon names, are they? It is not the internment that bothers me, but the discrimination regarding the response. And yes, I do not like the fact that Arab Americans, particularly the women who looked white took part in black lynching festivities during the early part of this century....and this included some of the grandmothers of some famous southern politicians who now want to run from their heritage and who even call Arab Americans diaper heads (while they themselves are one).
Louisiana Lebanese American
Tuesday, August 06, 2002 at 07:28:53 (PDT)
Historian:
My guess is the US media will use African Americans and Hispanics as a sounding board for racial profiling of Middle Eastern and South Asian men. You will see polls conducted and street interviews of black and Hispanic people asking them if racial profiling is acceptable for foreign terrorism when the nation's security is at stake.
If African Americans and Hispanics provide considerable political leverage for the government to conduct wide-spread racial profiling for foreign terrorism, then you'll see it conducted alot more on federal, state and local levels. It will be a FBI, INS, Border Patrol, Customs, Coast Guard (you name it G-man) frenzy to check and double check all Middle Eastern and South Asian men. There will be a lot more detainees.
However, once this pandoras box has been opened, you'll also see more black muslin organizations targeted, too. Al Quaeda wants black muslin guys who are willing to betray their homeland. This will get the country back to a basic discussion of civil rights again, because whenever the government targets any sector of African Americans you'll see Democrats in Congress and civil rights leaders asking more and more questions about racial profiling and it's fairness.
I don't know what the result will be, but I'm not anxious to watch it unfold.
Geoff DB
GeoffDB02@aol.com
Monday, August 05, 2002 at 22:32:35 (PDT)
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