Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Social profiling

roachboy · 01-08-2009, 08:02 AM

i was thinking about this just now for some reason---the term "profiling" in this context isn't correct. profiling is used by bureaucracies as a device for narrowing the pool of all possible people who might theoretical do x to a particular pool. whence the famous profiling cases involving the nj state cops a few years ago, which if i remember involved looking for cars that fell under the "driving while black" profile to stop just, you know, in case there drugs aboard. the assumption is obviously racist. in an aerodrome, where you'd get profiling is with the rent-a-cops at the "security" charade checkpoints--and it is at this point that many folk i know get to spend extra time with those fine security folk in those nice little rooms apparently for "flying while arab."

the incidents that prompted the thread are examples of the effects of marketing the "war on terror".
to my mind, they're spontaneously produced examples of officially sanctioned racism and paranoia.

that's why i think that a more appropriate response to such is to if not stigmatize then at least place the burden of inconvenience on the people who make the complaints.

remove the complaining people, let them bounce flight to flight until they find one white enough to be comfortable with.

no production has to be made about this--no need to embarrass them i suppose---but make it more difficult for them so they won't be so free with this stuff.

and that way, paranoids can feel comfortable and regular folk who happen to be of the wrong skin color of attire can get on with traveling.

it's a win/win idea.

01-08-2009, 08:02 AM	#26 (permalink)
roachboy Super Moderator Location: essex ma	i was thinking about this just now for some reason---the term "profiling" in this context isn't correct. profiling is used by bureaucracies as a device for narrowing the pool of all possible people who might theoretical do x to a particular pool. whence the famous profiling cases involving the nj state cops a few years ago, which if i remember involved looking for cars that fell under the "driving while black" profile to stop just, you know, in case there drugs aboard. the assumption is obviously racist. in an aerodrome, where you'd get profiling is with the rent-a-cops at the "security" charade checkpoints--and it is at this point that many folk i know get to spend extra time with those fine security folk in those nice little rooms apparently for "flying while arab." the incidents that prompted the thread are examples of the effects of marketing the "war on terror". to my mind, they're spontaneously produced examples of officially sanctioned racism and paranoia. that's why i think that a more appropriate response to such is to if not stigmatize then at least place the burden of inconvenience on the people who make the complaints. remove the complaining people, let them bounce flight to flight until they find one white enough to be comfortable with. no production has to be made about this--no need to embarrass them i suppose---but make it more difficult for them so they won't be so free with this stuff. and that way, paranoids can feel comfortable and regular folk who happen to be of the wrong skin color of attire can get on with traveling. it's a win/win idea. __________________ a gramophone its corrugated trumpet silver handle spinning dog. such faithfulness it hear it make you sick. -kamau brathwaite Last edited by roachboy; 01-08-2009 at 08:06 AM..