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Caitlin Beltran

DiSomma

ERWC, Period 5

10 October 2016

Inequality

Both my parents are bilingual speakers. Although they lived in mexico for most of their

lives, they're both fluent in english. In elementary school, I remember always having to go to the

district office before the school year started to have my english tested. I remember thinking how

ridiculous it was that I would be asked to name things like a car or a banana. It was unnecessary

considering my family is, and always has been, completely bilingual and bicultural. This was all

done simply because of my familys race. Racial Profiling is not necessary because it encourages

crime, makes people feel inferior, and is disrespectful.

Racial Profiling affects the way people of America think. It can affect the way people of

different races view each other and it is a social control. This can be seen here: ...extreme

scrutiny as behaving more as social control over a particular group of people generated by

political candidates (Pitt 55).The government can really control the way American citizens act

towards each other through social aspects. This social control teaches people that minorities are

known to take more part in criminal activity, which encourages them to do so. Because of racial

profiling, minorities are watched more closely. The higher rates of incarceration in minorities

can be seen here: The American Civil Liberties Union considers it a form of discrimination that
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is manifested in, among other things, the relatively much higher rates of incarceration of

minorities (El-Khoury & Jadallah). Higher rates of incarceration in minorities could be a result

of minorities being watched more closely. If the government makes american citizens believe

that minorities are typically worse when it comes to criminal activity, everyone will believe it.

This causes mistrust between citizens of different races.

Racial Profiling can make people feel totally inferior, like in 2001 when, Prior to

September 11, 2001 Japanese immigrants were often denied U.S. citizenship during WWII

because they were profiled as not being loyal to the U.S. after Pearl Harbor attack (Pitt 53). This

is unfair to the Japanese immigrants who were struggling only to keep their families safe.

Racial Profiling makes people feel ashamed of who they are. Even the most hard working people

are forced to deal with this in the U.S. ,like when, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, one of

three black Republicans in Congress, revealed Wednesday that he had been pulled over seven

times over the course of one year. The vast majority of the time, I was pulled over for nothing

more than driving a new car in the wrong neighborhood or some other reason just as trivial, he

said in a speech on the Senate floor (Vega 1). The senator is clearly a giving man. He does not

deserve to be looked down upon because of his race.

Racial profiling can be extremely disrespectful, like when, ...numerous incidents

perpetrated by the U.S. Patriot Act have targeted Muslim Americans as profiled terrorists in

airport security searches, banking, investments, and expressing freedom of religion as a means of

providing national security (Pitt 54). Even extremely professional people of color constantly
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have to deal with this kind of inferiority when theyre going about their everyday lives.

Minorities who have worked hard for their successes deserve to be respected just like everyone

else. This is a big problem in racial profiling. It can be seen here, For Eddie Hailes...those types

of interactions with police produce anxiety and shame. I have achieved a certain level of

academic achievement, but I want to be respected... If I have to die, I'm going to nobly die,

Hailes said (Vega 1). This issue is something that white men don't have to worry about. It is

unfair and disrespectful that people of color are watched so closely no matter who they are or

how successful they are in our country. Another example of this can be seen here: "Clearly when

I'm at work dressed in my white coat, the reactions I get from the individuals and officers I deal

with on a daily basis is much different than what I would get outside the hospital in regular

clothes, he said. And my fear and some mild inherent distrust of law enforcement that goes

back to my own personal experiences over my entire life, as well as hearing the stories from

friends and family that look like me that have had similar experiences." (Vega 1). These

incidents create mistrust between minorities and law enforcement. Minorities should be able to

feel as safe and protected as white folks, in the comfort of their homes.

Discrimination has been a problem in the United States for a really long time. It is seen

and dealt with everyday in our country. Racial Profiling should not be used in America because

it encourages crime, makes people feel inferior, and is disrespectful.