Misunderstood Immigration Debate Rages On

Once again my brethren, the proletariat, has disappointed me, disheartened me. I recently did a survey vis-à-vis Arizona’s new immigration law, and the debate thereof. It, the law, has ignited heated debates of epic proportions in Arizona and California. The survey was simple, three questions. Have you read the Arizona law? What is the definition of profiling? And what is the definition of racial profiling? The results were stunning.

Seven out of ten people had not read the law and nine out of ten didn’t know what profiling meant, let alone racial profiling. Most thought is was to categorize an individual or group in order to discriminate against them. None knew the federal immigration law was the archetype for the Arizona law, or that it was less draconian than the archetype.

Let’s see if I can clear this up a bit, in less convoluted words. Profiling is an analysis of the behavioral and psychological characteristics of an individual in order to assess or determine their capabilities. Their ability to do, act, or respond in a certain manner, good or bad. This sounds more like a tool to me. I ask you, is there anything wrong with that?

We, all of us, profile every day of our lives. It’s intrinsic, almost visceral. When one wishes to join a country club they profile. Determining what religion to practice or church to attend, we profile. You profile for a wife, husband, friends and even those you wish to date. Truck drivers are profiled to determine their capabilities or propensity to fall asleep at the wheel, take drugs, or exhibit road rage. Hell, I even heard Whoopi Goldberg profile on the View not long ago. It was the hoary, wealthy, fusty, white man that was running the country, and it’s time to make a change. She was right! Good thing she profiled to find out what’s wrong with America.

But what about racial profiling? Whoopi would never do that. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, “racial” means “of, relating to, or characteristic of race or races.” That in itself sounds like profiling to me. So, if you have racial profiling, wouldn’t that be an analysis of the behavioral and psychological characteristics of a race to assess or determine their capabilities? I ask you again, what’s wrong with that? It’s a tool, used for good or bad.

Unfortunately, the only reference I can find for “racial-profiling” (it is not a compound word) comes from the ultra-liberal Princeton University. “A form of racism consisting of the (alleged) policy of policemen who stop and search vehicles driven by persons belonging to particular racial groups.” I am not making this up folks. What we have here is some snot-nosed professor doing a hack job on our English language in order to hyperbolize and incite those who don’t know any better. And herein lies the rub, what causes this fool’s paradise, and fosters my heartbreak. My brethren buy this demagoguery. The pander, the grandiose and hyperbolic prose. Does this self-proclaimed pundit, this authoritative figure on the inner-workings of life, truly know from whence he  speaks? No, I don’t think so!

Take it upon yourself, educate yourself, and be your own counsel. Read the law, understand the terms and the English language, and by all means, don’t bite on the rhetoric and hyperbole of those who wish to convince you they are smarter or know best. To ask a person, any person, to provide authenticity of citizenship upon a legal stop by a police officer is good policy for our citizenry. It’s good for you, and it’s good for me. It’s time to stand up and let your voices be heard.