Racial Profiling

Introduction

When Abraham Lincoln made his epoch making decision to let American Blacks enjoy freedom as much as the whites did, little did people realize that the progressive society would retain some of the old mental shackles of negative stereotypes well into the 21st century. While time and again we are told that we live in a free and fair country where all citizens are treated equally, events often remind us that all is not fair and square in this country where even the custodians of the law violate legal processes just because the defendant has a dark skin. In fact, many blacks feel that the police often devise ways to mistreat them as a people. In this respect the happenings in the US is not very distant from the grave violations of human rights in other countries that discriminate people on the basis of their race. Even though there is a difference in the magnitude to which the crimes are perpetuated, the essence behind these crimes remains the same. It is therefore quite upsetting to note that Analysis

Racial profiling is not restricted to the black community. After the September 11 incident, religious groups have also been included in the list of social untouchables. Government records show that racial profiling by the authorities is not a fictitious or isolated situation. It is indeed a part and parcel of the American society. The constant rise in racial profiling has stunned the nation and thrown open an array of questions from the troubles ethnic groups. There has been a mushrooming of several civil liberty rights organizations that protect the interests of minorities. Over ten states in the United States, including Oklahoma have passed laws to make racial profiling a punishable offence. Recent events such as law suit settlements and written agreements have done their share in creating awareness against encouraging racial discrimination. The Maryland Board of Public Works has passed a historic agreement that puts an end to public racial profiling on the state's highway, announced the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland [Clarence, 2003]. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) had filed a suit regarding the unnecessary attention attracted by black and brown people while using vehicles on public roads. In similar events, the state of New Jersey has consented to pay a compensatory sum of around 775,000 to motorists who have been victims of racial profiling

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