why is racial profiling any different than size profiling in sports?

Question

try to get a contract with the celtics, or any other team, if you are 5'2'. (you may be the best free throw shooter in the history of the game, but you won't get a chance to prove it.) If a woman says a black man tried to hijack her car, why is it necessary to include whites, mexicans, etc. in a police lineup? If is is known tht islamic terrorists make threats to the usa, why is it wrong to closely scrutinize all islamic members? the terrorists don't wear a sign saying "i am the terrorist you are looking for". in fact, they hide behind the very facade of innocence.

Answer 1

Without rehashing the examples which have already been provided- the reason racial profiling isn't an option is because of the all-too-well documented abuses it opens the barn doors for.

It's not as if there isn't a history in this country of corrupt cops "fitting up" suspects for a crime- finding a couple of teenagers in the wrong place at the wrong time, and letting them take the blame for something simply to close a case and advance their own careers. Let alone the elements of racism- in the 1950s, you can bet when a white woman got raped, it wasn't the rich son of the governor who'd be blamed, especially if people got paid to change their stories.

Which brings us to the lineup issue- in many cases, it's a control to weed out inconsistencies in eyewitness testimony. If an asian woman had her car stolen by her brother or boyfriend but is trying to avoid implicating him, she may claim that a white/mexican/black guy did it, but under the stress of being questioned and having to identify someone, may have difficulty keeping her story straight, if it's something she quickly made up when the police arrived.

Including others who don't fit the initial description also can reveal medical conditions- if someone can't see well enough to tell the east indian from the mexican in a lineup, maybe they really didn't see the suspect clearly at all, but don't want the fact that their eyesight is failing to be publicly known, or they might lose their job, etc. None of these controls consititute "blaming" or "attacking" the victim- in cases where people are telling the truth, these methods don't hinder the investigation at all.

Bottom line is that protecting the innocent is equally as important as punishing the guilty. Suppose a system results in convicting 100% of the terrorists by racial profiling but results in 30% of the bunch getting imprisoned being innocent people who happen to be the same race- that's not a viable system.

Besides, you're not looking for 99% of the worlds 2 BILLION Muslims, you're looking for that very small percentage who belong to radical, violent groups. You do realize it's like saying why not round up all the Christians? If the nutters who think all of Islam is the problem were anywhere close to correct, there wouldn't be a city in the world that didn't have bombs going off every day!

Now obviously, if a high percentage of perpetrators share common traits (like a country of origin, or more broadly- young middle eastern males) then that obviously gets looked at, but that can't be ALL you consider... Just look at the primary targets of insurgent attacks in Iraq these days, like the Iraqi police- overwhelmingly they are ALSO young middle-eastern male Muslims... Unfortunately to an airport screener in New Jersey, a Sunni businessman, a Kurdish soldier and a Shiite cleric might all look the same...

Answer 2

Being the best free shooter in the history of the game would be irrelevant to getting a job in the NBA, as the whole of the game is more than that. Spud Webb, Tyrone Bogues (5'3"), Earl Boykins are three examples of extremely short men who have been successful NBA players. They established themselves at every level of the game leading to that point, however...most 5'2" men would be disqualified long before the NBA level.

If a woman says a black man committed a crime, it is not necessary and indeed undesirable to have the suspect (a black man) in a lineup of non-black men.

As for the Muslims, what does "closely scrutinize" mean to you? A white, clean cut ex-military man Tim McVeigh blew up the Oklahoma City government building...do we profile those characteristics and closely scrutinize?

Answer 3

The main difference is context. Getting the opportunity to play in the NBA versus getting pulled over by a policeman unnecessarily are not connected in the way that you describe in your question. The same goes for scrutinizing all Muslims, because many terrorist attacks are carried out by followers of Islam. All of the IRA terrorists who blow stuff up in Great Britain are white Christian guys. By your logic, we should scrutinize every white, Christian, Irish guy because it is known that they are the ones responsible for making bomb threats and often carrying them out. Or members of the KKK who carry out terrorist acts regularly are all American, southern, Christian men--so, by your logic, we should be scrutinizing them as well. Racial profiling does not work, because people who commit crimes are not representing the values of every single person of their same race or gender or religion. You end up invading a lot of people's personal liberties and civil rights, just because they happen to be of the same race and religion as someone else who committed a crime. NOT FAIR.

Answer 4

If at 5'2" you can play you bet your sweet a.ss you're on the team.

What about being black makes me a criminal????? I don't know anyone whos been arrested except my white husband. Why as a black person am I not able to own a mercedes benz or Jaguar? Why as a black person must I have 6 daddies for my 5 children? Why am I a HO? A booty shaker?

Come on Yankee, its not the same.

Answer 5

Care greater the innovations than the race. Now you have white switched over to Islam and bear in mind the meanest are the only we instructed in Europa or in the States the whiter ....with a small bart and a undeniable physique gesture. we would desire to care them first in our countries we would desire to scrub our very own back backyard first befor to combat at yet another place.No traitor at the back of us whilst struggling with no malicious program different than at Yahoo ..... once you hire a muslim at everywhere you permit enter the wolff into the sheepbarnes. all of us comprehend them for lot greater time conflict of Poitiers 737 !!!! close up roockies your feets are glued . the reality which you communicate English do no longer prouve which you have considered all. My accountability is to coach you have been are located the main issues. A bon entendeur salut!

Answer 6

Is this a question...........because it appears to be an incoherrent rambling nonsense?