Racial Profiling Critique - Essay Example

Critics argue that racial profiling is not reliable because of various reasons such as failure to denote clear biological lines. Critics of racial profiling also argue that the use of racial features as predictors of behaviour is unethical, immoral, or illegal. In other words, racial profiling is equated to stereotyping. I disagree with the argument made by the critics because the issue of ethics and morality in racial profiling depends on whether an individual uses the criteria as a means, an end, or both (a means and an end). In other words, “answers depend on philosophical and religious determinations of whether ends justify means in situations such as aviation terrorism, and whether certain means, such as racial profiling, can never be justified by ends” (Bloom, 1). If racial profiling continues to give accurate predictions about developing aviation terrorism, then the issue of stereotyping, by definition, does not occur.        

In other countries like Canada, racial profiling is not explicitly endorsed in the anti-terrorism legislation. However, this does not indicate that racial profiling does not happen in Canada. Canadian law does not target individuals openly based on their race but it tends to keep out groups seeking equality through its application. A few indicators suggest that Canadian Muslims and Arabs are subjected to racial profiling. For instance, several high-profile cases indicate that racial profiling takes place in Canada in its fight against terrorism (Bahdi, 297). In Canada, racial profiling is not given any comfort or solutions to problems of security. It is only heightening the sense of vulnerability and disempowerment of racialized groups in Canada (Bahdi, 316).