Racists, Airplanes, and Constant Terror

A three hour wait at the airport is normal for me, but to my parents, it is ridiculous. Granted, they understand why, but it is still an inconvenience. While the wait may be time consuming, prior to reading the articles I was unaware of the frustration felt by those who are profiled and undergo stricter security guidlines because of their ethnicity or skin color. These essays have shown that it is clear  that national security and racial profiling have greatly increased.

There are both positive and negative impacts and aspects of increased concern for national security.  I now understand how racial profiling has different effects on different people. I think it is important to be tight with airport security, and in order to  be cost and time effective, I think racial profiling can be a positive thing. However, there is a fine line between protection the  nation using selective racial profiling and offending people. Often times this line is blurred. It is hard to be fair and just when only a few groups of people are really closely being observed. While the essays gave me a small peek into what it might be like to be in a profiled group, it is still hard for  me to judge. I can imagine the embarrasment one might feel from getting treated like you are hiding something, but because I am not in that demographic, I don't really know.

One thing that I found interesting in "Close Encounters with U.S. Immigration" was that the man felt like he was exclusively being questioned intensluy because of his race. I felt like the questioning was too severe. In a country where we are supposedly innocent until proven guilty, this man was treated in a manner that deemed otherwise. He was questioned as if he had something to hide, and was treatedas if he was guilty until proven innocent.

I think the increase in national security is meant for the best, but on occasion it is simply offensive. The government needs to perhaps behave in a manner that does not allow for ignorance and racism built on fear to be the ruling power.