Targeted Profiling

The actual definition of racial profiling is any use of race religion , ethnicity , or national origin by law enforcement agents as a means of deciding who should be investigated ( HYPERLINK "http /www .civilrights .org /publications /reports /racial_profiling /what_i s .html http /www .civilrights .org /publications /reports /racial_profiling /what_is .html ) This is also true when people are pulled over because of their age . The Fourteenth Amendment of the U .S . Constitution requires that states treat people equally , but we all know that targeted profiling happens everyday by the police , by businesses , by the law

system , and of course by all of us . Does a White person feel just as comfortable in an all Black neighborhood then they would in an all White one ? Probably not . Why ? Because most believe that just because they are in a Black neighborhood there is more crime . In 1999 , California implemented something called Operation Pipeline ' which has actually been used around the country to train police officers on how to identify potential drug runners . The only thing it accomplished according to reporter Gary Webb , was that the guidelines by the California Highway Patrol has meant the unjustified and discriminatory stops of drivers of color in California for no legitimate reason ( HYPERLINK "http /www .aclunc .org /discrimination /webb-report .html http /www .aclunc .org /discrimination /webb-report .html

And ever since September 11 , 2001 , people have seen all Muslims as dangerous terrorists , even if they have lived in the United States their entire lives . A person who was born in the U .S . and born Muslim is not a terrorist , and even though we know that in our minds , we also need to accept that in our hearts

After 9 /11 , I know I was a little leery of any Middle Eastern person coming into where I work . I knew my thoughts were unfounded , but at the same time , thousands of people had just died because of people of this particular background . I also know that driving through certain neighborhoods make me drive just a little bit faster and lock my doors Again , nothing has ever happened to me , but the thoughts are always in the back of my head . But I do not believe it is right for officers of the law to use targeted profiling . People 's own personal feelings should not interfere with their work and this is especially true with the police because they have the power to really affect someone 's life even ruin someone 's life , just because of their ethnic background or color . This is not acceptable behavior in today 's society . No matter what we read in the or see on television , we cannot allow ourselves to pro an entire group of people no matter what is happening in the world . It may be that while a Black man is being pulled over by an officer because of his color , a White man may be the one driving off with ten million dollars worth of cocaine in his car . I...