INFORMEDdebate
GE T T Y IMAGES
YES
from members:
Louis Badalament
Oakland Township, MI
If a certain subdivision
of people, whatever
their nationality, ethnicity, etc., have an established history of
criminality, we should have the
right to look for those traits.
Jeffrey Luettich
La Pine, OR
Profiling is not politically correct but
seems to be the best
way, simply because
you see certain ethnic, religious backgrounds more
susceptible to terrorist acts.
Should airport security
Elaine Hauck
Las Vegas, NV
Those who have nothing
to hide welcome the
opportunity to prove it.
Preserving our safety is
vital to all honest citizens.
procedures include ethnic
and religious profiling?
NO
from members:
The British government plans to introduce airport
security measures that would allow staff to focus on passen-
gers who they believe pose the greatest risk. This not only
involves selecting people who are behaving suspiciously and
have unusual travel patterns but will include travelers with
certain ethnic or religious backgrounds. Proponents believe
the new policy will be more effective at identifying potential
terrorists than the existing random searches. Opponents
argue that such a policy amounts to racial profiling, a
human-rights violation of international standards. Should
the United States adopt this policy? What do you think?
Jeffrey Okun
Encino, CA
Everyone is potentially at risk and
potentially a terrorist. Profiling is a way
to make things
quicker, not safer.
Bernadette Waters
Chelmsford, MA
My mother always
said “Don’t judge a
book by its cover.” I
don’t think we should
judge people that
way either.
Find out more about this topic on the Web:
www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2313135,00.html
www.fed-soc.org/Publications/Terrorism/racialprofiling.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4794975.stm
Geneva Anderson
Southfield, MI
Ethnic profiling goes
against everything we,
as U.S. citizens, want
and believe to be a part
of our lives.
