The latest and greatest on CNN iReport, brought to you by Team iReport.
Racial profiling has been a hot topic in the news since the controversial arrest of prominent Harvard University scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr., at his home in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
iReporters responded to the case by sharing their own opinions and even providing their own stories of times they felt they may have been racially profiled. The iReport accounts were shown on CNN and discussed by experts with police and cultural relations backgrounds (watch the second half here ). Citizens' video commentary shed an important light on the issue and helped form the backbone for the on-air discussion.
For example, TimothyDark discussed an alleged misunderstanding on one occasion when he was running for a bus. On the flipside, EWillies1961 said he felt he was racially profiled by another black person. mrinspector1 and blue4ever also shared their own stories. From there, CNN arranged to have their stories discussed and debated by people with experience dealing with racial profiling.
Richard Weinblatt, director of the Institute for Public Safety and a former police chief, said officers are under tremendous pressure and must walk a fine line in dealing with members of the public. He shared his views on iReport.com as well. Amos Brown, senior pastor at Third Baptist Church of San Francisco, also participated in the on-air discussion along with CNN's Don Lemon and Estuardo Rodriguez, Jr. Rodriguez is a principal at The Raben Group and an expert in marketing to Hispanic communities.
The discussion became far richer and more meaningful with the contributions from the iReporters. What do you think about this issue? Comment below with your thoughts or let us know what's on your mind with a video commentary.
racial profiling is not just an act of the police. Many companies practice racial profiling in a manner that they believe in too subtle to be noticed.... but it is very much noticeable to anyone who reads between the lines.
In various job postings you can see racial profiling. One job posting is seeking to hire appx. 120 attorneys for a project in Brooklyn---they continued to state in parentheis "N and R" trains. I believe that is racial profiling. Why list the train line for this particular job. Could it be that they are simply (innocently) listing the nearest train for those that have to commute???? I think not!!!!! No other information on directions to the office was listed, just "N and R". Lisitng n and r trains in parenthesis leads me to believe that this job is offered to "whites" only being that the n and r trains run in a predominately white neighborhod, they are saying that black people need not appply.
In his lifetime, MalcolmX spoke of how police in Los Angeles always seemed to aim for the groin area of black men. That much seems to have not change.
Excerpt from the autopsy report of a man with 43 bullet wounds killed in Tennessee by police.
Quote: "Police said the officers fired a total of 59 shots.
The shots ranged from one near the mouth to one on the lower right leg. Many of the wounds were near the groin area, while others were in the chest and several on the legs."
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_156067.asp
I am sure they will be white folks out there justifying 59 shots been fired at a black corpse. The same way they defended 45 shots into Diallo in NYC.
Nothing new here!!
Obama really disappointed me because he is letting the world know that he is not willing to use his authority to stop the racial injustices in this country like racial profiling. If this "black" president is not willing to use his power to make a change who will? could a black republican like colin powell or condi rice do any better? when will the change come that is needed before this country falls totally apart? The u.s.a 's politicians can challenge other nations for police abuse but our own system is flawed.
If you look at sgt crowley's police report it conflicts with what the person who called 911 ms whalen said happened . is it ok for a cop to lie in a police report regarding the arrest of a person? then later be rewarded with a beer at the white house ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHZ_mpptuSA
PRESIDENTIAL BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR THE OBAMA
VIRTUAL PARTY
GUEST
GIFTS
CAKE
MUSIC
http://www.slide.com/r/E6FzNOEN5j_FSIfA1J5JtcZkgN4TmXr1?previous_view=lt_embedded_url
ENJOY
I agree MYIREPORTER... the message white Amerikkka sent to Obama is that you may be President, but dont think for a second you will tell us and our Gestapo Cops what to do or how to treat our Negras. The message is you have NO power to protect your brothers and sisters from white power and abuse. Nothing will change if Obama sells us out to White Folks. Sooner or later he will have to decide whether he stand up to racist white AmeriKKKa and its death squads and Storm Troopers or stand up for justice, respect and dignity for Black folks. Thats the problem with a Black man seeking power or rising to the top in AmeriKKKa...U have to sell your SOUL to the Devil to get there and stay there!! Only Ali Jim Brown, the brothers who gave the Black power salute at 1968 Olympics and a few others had the gonads to tell Racist White AmeriKKKa to their job/position and shove it where the sun dont shine!!
We need more Brothers & Sisters like that!!!
Question for Don Lemon - I seem to remember an incident involving Mr. Lemon when he was a reporter in Philadelphia, being followed around in a shoe store as a potential shoplifter? "Racial profiling" had not entered the popular lexicon yet at the time, but that's what it was. I have tried to look this up on the internet to refresh my memory but coming up empty. If I am totally misremembering this or confusing Mr. Lemon with someone else I apologize.
Minorities need to understand-
You got the white to remain silent.
If you are not white, anything you
say can be used against you in the couurt of law.
You can have a white attorney.
But, if you can't afford one.
A monority one will be given to you at no cosr,
Do you understand these whites, oh I mean rights
that I just mentioned?
Racial profiling in opinion is ok.If we keep having bleeding hearts for everyones feelings we will be sitting here having a discussion how come we got
terrorized again by terrorist.Its time to tell the bleeding hearts of the world to shut up and do something to make our country safe.I mean if you try to please everyone your setting yourself up for failure who cares how someone feels if makes us safer then do it you keep tring to protect people you will never be successful.keep
being sensative to everyone you will find your self in trouble and be wondering why did that happen wake up america stop be sensative to everyones needs.
Tell Obama to show the world he truly believes in transparency, health care, and charity.
$10,000.00 in charity will be donated to the hospital where he was born if he simply releases his LONG-FORM birth certificate.
http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-308776
Or are you afraid of the truth?
I am neither a terrorist nor a rabid conservative. I am a US citizen. You, on the other hand, are all liberals supporting a muslim extremist who is going all out to destroy the economy of this nation. Yes, I am a good republican who cares for my country. You somehow tend to represent us as anything but normal. Well, my opinion of you is far lower than anything on this earth. You have never seen a story that you can't twist or lie about.
There was racial profiling by Obama and the idiot Professor. The cop was just doing his job. Say thanks to the cops, it makes life so much easier. And has anyone else noticed the "Beer Summit" was an utter failure?
I DEAR ANY CNN REPORTER TO LOOK AT THIS STORY AND IF YOU BLIVE IN JUSTICE LOOK AT JOSEPH MCNAIR ON YOUTUB AND HERE A MAN LAST WARDS ASKING THE SEPTA COP IS HE GOING TO SHOOT HIM HE SHOOT HIM 5TIMES AND THE DA RISA V FERMAN STILL WONT PRESS CHARGES YET LOOK UP TAPE CASTS DOUBT ON SELF DEFENSE CLAIM CALL ME AT 215-518-4667
I hate to comment on this story without fully knowing the details but I've read enough and watched enough that I would like to say something. I really think that who's more a fault is the Woman who called the Police to report a break in and for not knowing who her neighbors are. Not had Henry Louis Gates, Jr. just showed ID and quickly explained maybe it wouldn't have escalated. Now had the officer persisted beyond that yes then of course there was a problem. While yes I believe the Officer was being more cautious because they were African Americas I also believe they were making sure it wasn't a break in because Grandmas have been robbing banks because of the economy. Also had the White Woman who called in to report what she saw instead had saw two White Men there's a strong possibility she would have never called in the first place and I just wonder how she feels now that it's been all over the News.
I had a chance to witness some BLATANT racial profiling at Halls department store in Kansas City, MO. I was shopping with my boyfriend who is black, I am white. A black in store security woman followed him around the store the entire time we were there. She did not follow me when I walked away to look at other items, but kept tailing him the entire time. We tried several times to see if she would follow me instead, but she kept on him the entire time. She was obvious, blatant, and made no attempt to hide the fact that she was following him. When we asked one of the floor sales people why this woman was tailing him he said, they had had an "upswing" in shoplifting and were attempting to make security presence known. couldn't this be done my having a guard stand at the door and not tail a person around because of the color of their skin? He didn't have an answer to that and he asked us to please leave as we were getting pretty upset by this point. The female security guard approached and asked if there was a problem-to which my boyfriend responded, "Yes you are a racist, THAT is the problem." and we left the store gladly.
I will NEVER shop at this over-priced Hallmark owned dump again.
Dose racial profiling exist? You bet it does and it's not just white against black- it can go any way. All it takes is stereotypes and mentally inept people.