Americans Support Racial Profiling

[Jenn! 918]

Americans OK with Passenger Profiling

August 31, 2006

- Many American adults believe certain passengers should be searched or questioned based on their background or appearance, according to a poll by the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. 60 per cent of respondents believe authorities should be able to single out people who look like they might be of Middle Eastern origin to prevent terrorism.

On Aug. 10, London’s Metropolitan Police Service announced that more than 20 people had been arrested in connection with an alleged terrorist plot. According to the authorities, a group planned to destroy airplanes flying from Britain to the U.S. by detonating bombs manufactured with materials that could be brought on board as part of a passenger’s carry-on luggage.

Al-Qaeda operatives hijacked and crashed four airplanes in the U.S. on Sept. 11, 2001, killing nearly 3,000 people. In July 2004, the federal commission that investigated the events of 9/11 concluded that "none of the measures adopted by the U.S. government from 1998 to 2001 disturbed or even delayed the progress of the al-Qaeda plot" and pointed out government failures of "imagination, policy, capabilities, and management."

On Aug. 29, homeland security secretary Michael Chertoff published an editorial on the Washington Post and called for broader access to passenger lists in foreign countries, writing, "All governments bear a responsibility to prevent terrorists from boarding aircraft, and information sharing is a critical way we can work together to limit terrorist mobility, screen for unknown threats and investigate terrorist cells." 62 per cent of respondents are very or somewhat worried that there will be another terrorist attack in the U.S. in the next few months.

Polling Data

In order to prevent terrorism at places like airports and subways, should authorities be able to single out people who look like they might be of Middle Eastern origin to search or question?

Yes

60%

No

37%

Not sure

4%

How worried are you that there will be another terrorist attack on the United States in the next few months?

Very worried

15%

Somewhat worried

47%

Not too worried

24%

Not worried at all

13%

Not sure

1%

Source: Quinnipiac University Polling Institute

Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,080 registered American voters, conducted from Aug. 17 to Aug. 23, 2006. Margin of error is 3 per cent.

http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/index.cfm/...em/itemID/12981

[pedroh 21]

no surprise.. american's can't distinguish nationalities lololol.. they have to use stereotypes..

brown with arab name = terrorist

brown with funny accent = mexican

[Ban Hammer 13,619]

in vj it's 23 for, 7 against, 5 maybe

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...=29394&st=0

[Jenn! 918]

in vj it's 23 for, 7 against, 5 maybe

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...=29394&st=0

Now it's 24-9-5!

[gimygirl 0]

29-9-5

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

One of the folks arrested as part of the foiled jet bombing plot the other week was actually a caucasian male, as was the so called 'shoe bomber'. Would racial profiling have 'detected' these people? I'm not sure…If the powers that be call it what it is, namely religious profiling, I'm sure the public debate would shift enormously.

From my own experience I did find it a little bit odd flying out here in 2004, to see a middle-aged irish couple stopped and having their bags rifled through while a mid 20's white guy travelling alone could apparently walk straight through unchallenged, carrying two black bags.

[Jenn! 918]

It surprises me that for having such a diverse crowd here on VJ, the percentage of votes "for" is higher here than the national.

[pedroh 21]

It surprises me that for having such a diverse crowd here on VJ, the percentage of votes "for" is higher here than the national.

easy, because they are white americans that will never be profiled. As someone stated in the poll, people that are for is because they've never been profiled, they don't know what it feels. As someone who has been profiled before for stupid reason, I'm against it. Unfortunately the non-minorities think its fair, but they've never been in a minority shoes.. and I don't think they intend to be simpathetic with them

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

It surprises me that for having such a diverse crowd here on VJ, the percentage of votes "for" is higher here than the national.

easy, because they are white americans that will never be profiled. As someone stated in the poll, people that are for is because they've never been profiled, they don't know what it feels. As someone who has been profiled before for stupid reason, I'm against it. Unfortunately the non-minorities think its fair, but they've never been in a minority shoes.. and I don't think they intend to be simpathetic with them

Agreed.

[Jenn! 918]

It surprises me that for having such a diverse crowd here on VJ, the percentage of votes "for" is higher here than the national.

easy, because they are white americans that will never be profiled. As someone stated in the poll, people that are for is because they've never been profiled, they don't know what it feels. As someone who has been profiled before for stupid reason, I'm against it. Unfortunately the non-minorities think its fair, but they've never been in a minority shoes.. and I don't think they intend to be simpathetic with them

Yes, I know what you mean. It is quite humiliating being made to feel like a criminal because your skin is darker.

[pedroh 21]

ayy los blanquitos..

It surprises me that for having such a diverse crowd here on VJ, the percentage of votes "for" is higher here than the national.

easy, because they are white americans that will never be profiled. As someone stated in the poll, people that are for is because they've never been profiled, they don't know what it feels. As someone who has been profiled before for stupid reason, I'm against it. Unfortunately the non-minorities think its fair, but they've never been in a minority shoes.. and I don't think they intend to be simpathetic with them

Yes, I know what you mean. It is quite humiliating being made to feel like a criminal because your skin is darker.

yep, yep.. so, that's why, wait until they start profiling whitey, everybody's gonna fukcin rally to washington claming racism..

[Alex+R 0]

Pedroh

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

It surprises me that for having such a diverse crowd here on VJ, the percentage of votes "for" is higher here than the national.

easy, because they are white americans that will never be profiled. As someone stated in the poll, people that are for is because they've never been profiled, they don't know what it feels. As someone who has been profiled before for stupid reason, I'm against it. Unfortunately the non-minorities think its fair, but they've never been in a minority shoes.. and I don't think they intend to be simpathetic with them

Yes, I know what you mean. It is quite humiliating being made to feel like a criminal because your skin is darker.

Which is what makes it a racist policy. It's the assumption that because you look a certain way you must be extremist. Again its rather like the way black males are treated with suspicion by the police because it is assumed that they are more likely to be involved in crime. The old "is that your car?" deal….

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I'm dark. I'm male. I used to be in my 20s until recently, lol. I fly quite a bit. I've driven across the US-Canada border quite a bit.

I believe I've been profiled many times. More times than I can count.

With one exception, every time I believe I've been profiled, the officers were (IMO) thorough yet completely professional and courteous.

With one exception, I've never "felt like a criminal".

The VJ poll is now 32-9-5

Edited September 1, 2006 by Gupt

[Jenn! 918]

I'm dark. I'm male. I used to be in my 20s until recently, lol. I fly quite a bit. I've driven across the US-Canada border quite a bit.

I believe I've been profiled many times. More times than I can count.

With one exception, every time I believe I've been profiled, the officers were (IMO) thorough yet completely professional and courteous.

With one exception, I've never "felt like a criminal".

The VJ poll is now 32-9-5

Different strokes for different folks, I guess. When someone thinks that I have a better chance at being a criminal because I'm dark, that makes me feel like a criminal. But I know that the way I feel has nothing to do with our "national security"