Roberta M. Helming: Racial profiling shouldn’t be an acceptable practice

Roberta M. Helming: Racial profiling shouldn’t be an acceptable practice

For The Norwich Bulletin
Posted May 13, 2010 @ 10:35 PM

Racial profiling, though nothing new and ever present, is at the forefront of the news with Arizona’s controversial law. This law lends itself to blatant racial profiling to ascertain the legality of those from south of the border residing in the United States.

Racial profiling is not new and occurs frequently. Has it now become acceptable and necessary?

We’ve heard and read how being nonwhite could result in being pulled over, removed from a car and interrogated by police. How is this fair when there’s an equal chance that the individual is a legal, law-abiding citizen?

I find myself soul-searching for answers to the moral questions. What tools can we offer law enforcement, especially those in border states, to help them identify those illegally in this country without causing hurt and embarrassment to those who are here legally, but who have been singled out because of facial features? No one deserves that. But how is legality determined without profiling?

It’s very disturbing to be racially profiled when you are a citizen just because you’re from another country. People who look Middle Eastern, for example, face profiling and removal from airports and airplanes because they have a “profiled” terrorist appearance.

It doesn’t matter if they are citizens born and raised here. An appearance of Middle Eastern heritage equates to a precedent for innate fear because of past terrorist acts. But often, action is taken first; innocence to be determined later.

What happen to the premise of innocent until proven guilty? Or is it now unsafe to take a chance and assume innocence? Are innocent lives placed in danger if we do?

Do citizens born and raised in the United State, but who appear to be Hispanic, Middle Eastern, Asian, etc., have to begin redefining and accepting what it means to “look” American, which is continually changing?

Just live with it?

Is subjection to profiling something one must now accept in becoming a citizen, or having been born and raised here, but from a Middle Eastern heritage?

What has the Time Square bombing attempt by an American citizen from Connecticut, of Pakistani decent, done for the furtherance of profiling? Is profiling even more necessary now?

Caucasian American citizens aren’t free of committing terrorists acts — remember the Oklahoma City bomber?

Shouldn’t this equate to racial profiling of caucasians, ensuring that it’s fair to all, and truly random and the reality of all people regardless of race or facial features?

The bottom line: For every terrorist there are far more law-abiding citizens undeserving of profiling. Profiling is a broken system. Is there hope for changing this disturbing, unfair, arbitrary practice?

Is it an unnecessary practice or is it truly needed?

Racial profiling: a conundrum in need of careful evaluation and change.

Roberta M. Helming is a freelance writer from Ledyard and can be reached at RMHelming@aol.com

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