Other essays on this theme

Essay: "Racial Profiling"

by Timothy M. Starr
When some people think of racial profiling they often assume that people of color are the sole victims of this policy. Being a European-American I would like to refute this mode of thought as I have been subjected to such profiling on numerous occasions.

Being a young, white, Southern male I am already suspect in the eyes of the police due to my failure to submit to the yoke of conformity that has been imposed in the name of political correctness.

In 1998, a skating rink was burned to the ground in my hometown that was frequently used by African-Americans. I was unaware of the motivation or reason behind the arson, and didn't give it any thought until I was brought in for questioning. I learned, to my dismay, that I was the primary suspect in the crime. Without any proof or evidence it was decided that I was the perpetrator because I am proud of my European heritage and don't believe that I should have to atone for something that happened hundreds of years ago and is beyond my control. Because of my views on certain matters I found myself being charged with Hate Crimes.

It is racial profiling that lead the police to suspect me without a shred of evidence other than I fit the category of someone who "might commit such a crime." Due to the lack of investigation conducted by the police my lawyer was able to prove beyond a doubt that I had nothing to do with this crime. Once I was cleared the police actually investigated the crime and found the real perpetrator (Incidentally, it turned out to be an African-American expressing his suppressed emotions in a most creative manner as he did not wish to be reminded of the loss her suffered every time he viewed the establishment, as his girlfriend had broken up with him at said location).

Racial profiling is often used to justify laziness and persecute the wrong people simply because they fit into some niche. It is this type of prevalent mentality among the law enforcement community that proves that anyone who has unorthodox views is subject to profiling and it applies to all people not just a certain segment of the population. America is the land of opportunity so long as you don't challenge the established doctrine of stupidity that now prevails. Any pretext is sought to suppress people in America and freedom on expression is under increasing attack along with ethnicity. What's next?