November 1, 2016

Dear Next President,

I am not sure if you are aware but many people throughout America are getting racially profiled because of their skin color. Racial profiling is ”the practice of singling out people by race or ethnicity for suspicion or arrest, this affects people of color almost exclusively” (“Racial” 1). Profiling has been used in the United States and other countries for traffic stops, routine questioning by police officers, and airport security searches based on people's skin color or religious beliefs. Law enforcement should not use racial profiling against a certain race, because it treats people unfairly and is a prejudice act towards a specific group of people.

One example of racial profiling occurs on the reservations where Native Americans live. Native Americans use the phrase “driving while Indian” to describe police stops and searches that have no merit. They claim that “police officers sit in areas near reservations and stop Native Americans for no reason” (Racial 4). This shows how the law enforcement is targeting people just because of their skin color and the way that they dress. “During some of these stops, police officers have given Breathalyser tests to the drivers—even without reasonable suspicion of the driver being impaired by alcohol” (Racial 4).

The harassment of Muslims is the most recent form of racial profiling. Since 9/11 Muslims have been profiled at many major international and domestic airports. Some Middle Eastern looking men are stopped and questioned just because they have a beard and are dressed differently than most. They are more thoroughly searched and more closely watched than any others entering airports and secure facilities.

     Although I do understand why the FBI and police use racial profiling as a tool, I think this is an unfair act that is prejudice to a certain group of people. However, there are some people that are doing bad causes but that doesn't mean the whole culture has to get affected by it. “People are getting pulled of the streets just because of the way they look and the color of their skin” (Racial 2). Racial profiling should be ended because it is an unfair practice that is prejudice towards specific groups of people. A person’s race or religion should not be the only factor in why a person is stopped and questioned. I believe there should be a legitimate reason other than a person's looks or religious beliefs for them to be detained by the police. As Americans, we all have the same Constitutional rights to follow our own religious beliefs without being questioned or judged.