Shortcomings of Racial Profiling System - Essay Example

?Argumentative Essay INTRODUCTION Racial Profiling or identity on which the enforcement or law decides to engage a person in a particular kind of legal proceeding has raised volleys of debatable arguments. The most potent factor under consideration across the globe lies in the sanctification of the system of Racial Profiling through the law enforcement. However, the acute shortcoming of the system of Racial Profiling lies in the fact that determination of an individual behavior should never be articulated or determined by the race or ethnicity to which the individual belongs. Moreover, the racial biased activity cannot be sanctified under any legitimate body and across the history of human crimes, it has been noted that at times the Racial Profiling gets limited to a very narrow activity, but there are also evidences where the act of Racial Profiling has been very stark and broad as in the past, police authorities have been found critical of a particular race or ethnic class in forming a reaction against suspicion and taking action against an individual based on a racial suspicion. In the United States particularly, the issue of Racial Profiling is gaining a very serious and a growing ground. With Americas first African American President elected four years ago, a considerable point of turning in the century old battle of America’s racial equality was being noticed. Yet, the government and the society of America have still left miles to cover when instances like frisking another former president and a global dignitary prop up. Former President of India Dr, APJ Abdul Kalam was frisked twice at the JKF airport, New York, under a suspicion framed on his being a south East Asian and Muslim moreover. This essay shall throw light on the narrow shortcomings of the system of Racial Profiling and will also uphold the subtle factors that are hampering the growth, unity and position of the United States for maintaining Racial Profiling in the global domain and within the country as well (Debate.org, “History and Debate of Racial Profiling”; The Times of India, “Former President APJ Abdul Kalam Frisked Twice in US”). RACIAL PROFILING AND ACCEPTANCE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT PRACTICE At the outset of the argument itself, it is quite evident to quote that Racial Profiling should not get a proper and uniformed sanctity from law enforcement authorities across the nation. Already in many jurisdictions in the United States itself, the practice of Racial Profiling facet has been termed illegal. In the year 2001 itself, former president of America George W. Bush summoned a Joint Session of Congress and made a declaration that Racial Profiling is viewed by America as illegal and America is soon going to put an end to the practice. The United States of America, from its name to its founding ideals, envisage the philosophy of liberty, equality and fraternity. Upon these three pillars of liberty, equality and fraternity, did the founding fathers laid the pavement for America’s unity and integrity. However, the founding fathers of the nation while framing the constitution of America were least aware of the complexity, it was about to face. Suspecting any individual based on his race or ethnicity without a probable reason of suspicion actually curbs his or her individual liberty and dignity (Department of Justice, “Racial Profiling”). Under this light, Racial Profiling can be viewed as a battle of an individual against his race or color. African Americans, Hispanics or Asians who have the citizenship in America and pay a considerable amount in the development of the nation are also not being spared. A man black in color if waits long at the corner of the street, waiting for his bus, definitely will be picked up by the patrolling van and asked questions about his backgrounds. Black teenagers in America are the softest targets of interrogation and they actually fear their free movement within the country. Situations for the Asians and specially Southeast Asians after the attacks of 9/11 are worst; they are stopped, interrogated and at times usurped of all their rights and liberties. These actions taken by police actually hinder the nationalistic sentiments of these people and make them more and more clustered which in turn is very dangerous for the social and economic growth of America (Leff 65-220). The sluggish mentality of the racial profiling not only threatens the internal integrity and unity of America, but it has a far reaching effect in terms of the global scenario. The way police are taking action against a particular race or ethnicity owing to the national security or anti-terrorism protection is grossly wrong. The staunch immigration policies, the severe profiling of the Muslims and a pertinent Islam phobia have degraded the position of the United States in the socio-political domain world-wide. The stark monitoring of the Muslims, or even the intolerance or fear of the general people towards these races has actually evolved from the continuous criminal profiling of these people by FBI and civil police. No one can undermine the amount of boost in economy America has received from the trade transaction with the Middle East countries. America needs to understand that random checking in the airports and profiling anybody and everybody as a suspect of criminal transaction or cross-border terrorist will only lead to a phobia and naive approach towards the United States in the global domain. Situation is very serious and controlling terrorist attack upon the nation is the greatest challenge of present day. Nevertheless, for that the liberty, dignity and security of every individual coming to the land cannot be threatened. A strong network of intelligence is more approachable and desirable means to control the external threat upon the land (Amnesty International, “Threat and Humiliation”). The Racial Profiling in America is actually given birth to too many criminal offences typical of a race or ethnicity. Racial profiling is serious than a mundane inconvenience or hassle. Recent surveys and reports from ORHC or American Psychological Association indicates that Racial Profiling has direct and indirect consequences which form its seat deeply rooted in the minds of the victims forming a society of their own kind. Especially, the teenagers who are pulled by police for being clustered together with other fellows of their community are affected mostly. Zero tolerance for the crime already keeps the Hispanics or the African Americans at bay from the whites. Moreover, an interrogation of police, or a threat builds a negative psychological impact upon the victims of juvenile Racial Profiling at times thwarting them to leave the school and get lost in the drug abuses and dark world actually paving their first step towards criminal world. Criminologist Scott Wortley rightly said: “To argue that racial profiling is harmless, that it only hurts those who break the law, is to totally ignore the psychological and social damage that can result from always being considered one of the “usual suspects” (Ontario Human Rights Commission, “The Effects Of Racial Profiling”). If one is a critic of Racial Profiling then it’s very easy to call Racial Profile as dehumanizing act. However, every coin has two sides and the lop-sided view antagonistic towards the dehumanized value of racial profile leads to another serious context. Researchers also ponder upon the fact that there are certain minorities and many potent socio-demographic statistics which hints towards a certain inclination of the minor groups and their active participation into certain specific criminal activities is established over the years. Therefore, only on the grounds of moral integrity, ignorance to those factors would definitely lead to an injustice to the moral and professional integrity associated with the profession of investigators and police. Nonetheless, with so many threats and challenges which the Racial Profiling is bringing in the socio-economy and socio-political realm of United States, a road somewhere between both these means will have to be framed for the benefit of every individual and collective as a nation. CONCLUSION Racial Profiling and its practice definitely challenge the human rights and integrity and unity of a nation and its internal fraternity. It also evokes a kind of threat in the international diplomacy owing to the position of the nation. It fails to attract foreigners and foreign investors as well. Yet, there are also certain avenues, certain basic foundation upon which the sanctity of Racial Profiling lies and this cannot be undermined grossly. But then the enforcement of the Racial Profiling by law will actually make it uniformly acceptable. The moderate path where it is not been enforced by law and also practiced at certain levels can actually be beneficial on mutual grounds. However, Racial Profile is a very discriminating act, and in a universe when the coming generation dreams of a global society with resources equal for all, Racial Profile can be a threat and hindrance on the path of the development of civilization. Works Cited “Threat and Humiliation.” The Human Impact of Racial Profiling. Amnesty International, 2004. Web. 02 May 2013. . “History and Debate of Racial Profiling.” Opinions. Debate.org, 2013. Web. 02 May 2013. . “Racial Profiling.” Fact Sheet. Department of Justice, 2003. Web. 02 May 2013. . Leff, Laurel. Buried by the Times: The Holocaust and America's Most Important Newspaper. United States of America: Cambridge University Press, 2005. Print. “The Effects of Racial Profiling.” Home. Ontario Human Rights Commission, n.d. Web. 02 May 2013. . “Former President APJ Abdul Kalam Frisked Twice in US.” Home. The Times of India, 2011. Web. 02 May 2013. . Read More