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The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) utilizes a multitude of various profiling schemes to aid them in singling out potential threats to the United States and its people. This is a process of profiling is a formal summary of certain characteristics and distinctive features. Profiling can be applied to people, groups, and countries. Racial profiling as the name suggests uses a persons race, in this case mainly denoted by shared physical features, shapes of noses, eyes, facial structure and skin color. The FBI and other intelligence agencies, such as the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Defense (DoD) have been very uneasy about using racial profiling as it is taboo in American society. However, since the events of September 11, 2001, when a group of Muslim fundamentalists, believed mainly to be of Middle Easter origin and classified as Arabs in race, terrorized the United States by flying two large commercial airplanes into both World Trade Centers (WTC) in New York. And crashing two others in Pennsylvania and Washington DC, the latter ravaging the Pentagon. Rampant racial profiling and persecution has taken place since the events of September 11th, ranging from discrimination of middle eastern passengers on airplanes and in airports, to the persecution of middle eastern men in a restaurant in Florida. Racial profiling should not be used by United States intelligence agencies to aid them in pointing out potential terrorist threats, in spite of the events of September 11.
In theory one might say that the right kind of racial profiling can be beneficial, and even essential to the prevention of threats to national Security. At this point it is believed that all the terrorists on September 11th were or Middle Eastern origin and were Arabs. Along this train of thought one can easily assume that the next terrorist are also likely to be of middle eastern origin, and perhaps using racial profiling and screening to scrutinize people of this particular race would be very beneficial to upholding national security. The attackers of September 11th are part of a fundamentalist Muslim group, mainly from Afghanistan known as Al-Qaida. Al-Qaida, otherwise known as "the Islamic World Front Struggle against Jews and the Crusaders, is a home base and financier for a global network of participating Islamic groups." (Hudson 168) These groups are comprised of Islamic fundamentalists who despise America and its way of life and also share a hatred for the Jews, who they see as intruders on their God given land.
Even though these groups are stationed mainly in the Middle East, many of the terrorists making up these cells are foreigners to the Middle East, but share still their ideals. For example John Walker Lindh was discovered in Afghanistan fighting alongside members of Al-Qaida, and its facsimile in Afghanistan known as the Taliban. "He was a white American born male who spent his childhood and teenage years on the West coast, playing baseball and catch with his best childhood friend Andrew Cleverdon." "He was [also] a soldier in the Taliban, he did it for religious reasons, he did it as a Muslim, and history over came him" (CNN Article 1-2). Seeing pictures of him clean shaven you would not for a minute fit him into a racial profile of an Arab terrorist. People all over the world condone what the Taliban and Al-Qaida do, they come of all racial backgrounds and both genders. It is very unlikely that the leader of this group, Osama bin Laden, would send in terrorists who fit some sort of racial profile ignorantly associated with Islamic terrorists. Racial profiling simply has no way to factor into preservation on national security.
Even though it is clearly seen that racial profiling is not a viable tool to help combat terrorism many journalists and politicians cry to the public to put away "outdated sensitivities" and allow the use of racial profiling as a device to prevent terrorist threats. In fact "a committee that was investigating why the various Federal Bureaus responsible for the upkeep of national security did not follow the tips that Middle Eastern men were training to fly airplanes in groups, suggesting that it was for the purpose of terrorism." And what was their ingenious key argument? "You know, like Willie Sutton said when asked, 'Why do you rob banks?' "That's where the money is."' Well, where have so many terrorists come from? From the Middle East." (Boyer Washington Times) Well yes I would agree that some terrorist have come from the middle east, but that does not make them all Arabs or share the same race, and does not give enough of a reason to utilize racial profiling. Indeed it is my belief that the use of racial profiling, of any kind is destructive to American ideals. I want to introduce you to my take of the idea of America. That’s right America is more than just an economic giant, more than just a landmass between Canada and Mexico, it is more than the sum of its people. America in fact is an idea, it is an idea upon which the country itself was founded on, liberty and freedom. Freedom from persecution based on race, gender, creed, and age. This is what the Taliban is fighting, this is what Al-Qaida has such a problem with that they would plot to kill thousands of innocent Americans. This idea of liberty and freedom is one thing that cannot be killed with airplanes, or bombed out existence, it is something that lives with people all over the world, from the barren deserts of Afghanistan to the lush green hills of Ireland. People know and feel in their hearts that freedom is right and they love and cherish it. And it is something that can only be hurt by America’s actions. To allow racial profiling is to lower the dignity and humanity of other people based on their race. This and this alone can destroy the grandeur of idea of America. I would like to bring up the events of September 13th 2002, when three medical students appearing to be of the Arab race, were detained and questioned by the police, because a waitress in a Florida Shoney’s believed that she overheard them talking about a terrorist strike and then talking in Arabic. Last time I checked, and I stand to be corrected if I am wrong but talking about terrorism and speaking in Arabic is not against the law in this country. It is my firm belief that they were only detained because they were of a middle eastern origin and fit to a racial profile of a middle eastern terrorist. It is these kinds of action on the part of the United States that have detrimental impacts on the way Americans and the rest of the world perceive us and realize that maybe the idea of America is rather a fallacy that they dream about and not even something that the "Land of the Free" can live up to. These quips of racial profiling destroy the confidence that our loyal allies have in us. For many people who reside countries in the world that do not encourage freedom and liberty, America shines brightly as their beacon of hope. And if we cannot treat everyone with equal respect no matter what their race, then again this idea of America falls short, and in that, there is no hope.

 
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destroy the confirdence of our loyal allies?? I don't know about all but MOST of our loyal allies have profiling of their own.. for instance if you show up in Japan off a flight and appear to not have much money or have a hippie or gypsie like apperance "same for costa rica and many other countries" and can't prove you have money ....guess what ..back to where you came from . WE are profiling to try to prevent an attack of terrisiom in our own country, I've flown to Canada with nothing but a back pack and when ask what I was doing the reply was I am just here to see Montreal and then go home... guess what .. into the interegation room I go.. they didn't strip search me but they treated me like had an alternative reason for being there.. I've been to many countries usually without customs giving me flak but it does happen . I know you may think racial profiling is different but it isn't its the same ideology . Persons mathcing these discriptions maybe in our country to do things we do not promote..

As for people coming from all walks of life to join in jihad.. ya you're right its not just middle eastern men ..however their profile seems to be the one that is commiting these acts in our backyard, but the islamic religion is huge especially in indo china , africa.. its everywhere. You mentioned John Walker.. John Walker is someone who wants to be a part of the struggle.. when he was living in N. California he was writing radio stations that he and his black brothers are being oppressed by the white majority ..

What really stuns me is that why you think they hate us , your thoughts on what the idea of america I agree with strongly .. however I do not agree thats whay they hate us. They hate us because they feel we are a threat.. we the crusaders the west the ......evil empire.. they feel that we have no morals that we will do anything for a buck.. if it be sell our bodies for money or start war for oil or to force our ideologies on other countries. They fear us , I really believe that , they fear that we will pollute their way of life and will die or kill trying to prevent it.

Ameirca is a great place to live.. we do in fact have it easy.. and if you don't believe me it doesn't take much to hop on a plane to mexico or somewhere in the eastern caribbean to see just how easy we have it.
I just hope that in the future things change and the world is a better place.. ever read history books and think how backwards things used to be .. just think of our great great grandkids reading their history of us... I would love to be there..

Again I wish racial profiling didn't have to exsist but fact of the matter is that it must .. for now.

Take Care

 
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beh i was just taking a side for some essay i really dont care one way or another thanks for the input though.