Quote:
Originally posted by sequel_1913
While I to understand where you are coming from, please understand me when I say if we do not take this percaution and check them ALL then how will our safety be granted. I, personally, don't think it was racial profiling as much as I think it was a percautionary action. Take a moment and think about this, what if they did not remove those persons and they hijacked that plane, then everyone would critisize the airline for not checking them and we would blame the airline for being careless, in light of what just happend.
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I understand both sides of this issue. However uneasy I may have felt boarding that particular flight, I would have to realize that this (by definition) IS racial profiling. Racial profiling can appear to have both positive and negative effects, and the intention of the racial profilers can be a "good" one, for example, preventing further terrorism by singling out certain "suspicious" individuals (that happen to be of a certain group). Although this type of profiling "makes sense," it is just a step away from a group of people being detained and mistreated based on religion and ethnicity. For instance, many Arab Americans have been targeted for the actions of certain extreme Muslim terrorist groups. However, the overwhelming majority of Arab Americans are Christian...which does not fit the stereotype.
While you may think even this type of profiling is justified, think about the store clerk that follows black customers around because you "never know which one of them is going to be shoplifting or robbing my store...you might as well be safe than sorry and get them all." Terrorism is more extreme than this example, but racial profiling is conducted regardless of the extremity of the offense...nonetheless, it should not be encouraged or tolerated.