A problem

Submitted by J. Sentara (Canada), Jan 24, 2003 at 11:12

Here's the problem -- both in the United States and in Canada, racial profiling is generally regarded as "racist." Why?

How do you determine as a security person what "religion" a person practices? You can't know. So you base your decision on looks -- the appearance of the person. Does the person "look Middle Eastern?" As a consequence, anyone having dark hair, dark complexion, fits a racial profile (this includes people of Jewish origin and religion) will become "suspects." The suspects are then subjected to increased scrutiny at airports, building entrances, etc.

Hence, the problem is not necessarily a "singling out a class of persons by their religion." It may be a problem of singling out a class of persons based on their appearance (which indirectly may indicate their religion.)

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