religious profiling

On life, there are many issues confronting the world, and in particular our country. Fear, aggression, despair, and drudgery are rampant. But if we were engaged in their defeat, by simply and honestly looking at the problems, wouldn't they subside? Racism has long been an issue of historical and inevitable consequence. What we fear of it by talking about it, is that we will discover that we ourselves have ingrown prejudices, faults and errors in our thinking that cloud our judgment, if only for a moment. All of us are guilty of this, if not in dealing with race, then in other matters. And to remove this doubt, we must face it. Racism is no different.

What in fact are we talking about though? Racism is a word. Words convey ideas, but in fact those words convey many ideas. Herein we are conveying principally two similar ideas but which have different connotation and use. The first being the idea that the generalized, inherent differences, whether actual or imagined, of the different sets of humanity subscribe to the idea that some set is superior, or that at least the members have greater inherent value and consequently, achievement. There are many instances of this, but I would venture to say that the idea of the supremacy of race is far from many people's minds when they use the word "racism". Supremacy is still a popular idea for many, for the convenience that it offers in decisions by demeaning others for our amusement or some other misfortunate use. But its basically confined to secrecy or at least, open mockery for most.

But in general, what we are instead referring to when this word comes up is a term more in line with discrimination or intolerance. The standard of conduct designed to demean a particular group on the sole basis of racial profile. This is still distinguishable further from the legal term of racial profiling, which at times, has use. A cop hearing a description of a thief is not going to set about detaining people who do not fit that description in an attempt to apprehend a criminal. But conversely, they shouldn't set about haressing people who are merely driving around what appears to them 'a nice car'. We have dealt with this problem of late in relation to the airport security (a stupid idea on its face, but if we're going to do it, at least get it right).

What we are faced with is the idea that someone who looks Arabian is somehow dangerous, when in fact, I can recall Sikhs being beaten on 9/12. WW2, Chinese or Korean shops were vandalized or their owners haressed for similar reasons when Imperial Japan attacked us. Racism in this form does not know nationality, does not see differences in reality, but merely sameness in that difference. It is a cold, almost scientific, calculation by its sweeping generality. We fall prey to this distinction when we detain people for resembling our fears, when in fact there are those among our own who we might be far more appropriate in placing our fear. Militant Islam and the terrorist tactics that it employs in its worldwide assault on Western Civilization (and Eastern for that matter) has no distinction in its fight. All who stand in the way are subject to random acts of violence, even other Muslims. But to distinguish a singular individual, even when the power they might weild is so terrifying, is folly. An average Muslim or Arab is not violent, not militant in their daily endeavours, though there are many who are. They conduct business and daily lives just as we, perhaps different in custom and certainly in different garb or tongue. But human beings are pretty much the same.

The difference up till now had been that here, and perhaps somewhat in Europe, a person could air grievances publically without violent measures. Today however, we live with both the fear that our grievance may be met with deafness but also with militancy in response to our most basic fascinations and dreads. To question a faith is a human moment. It is a basic weakness of all to seek verification of what they seek. Religions have some answers, some practices that restore our spirits. But what they lack is often tangible proof of the mysteries they seek to explain. Many of the Western traditions have been embattled by this process, tortured by the questions that come about from our daily experiences and sufferings. Islam has stubbornly refused to subject itself to this worldly and natural problem. And in the process, it has gained itself many enemies, and many misunderstandings. One can only hope that we, in our quest to understand what drives this hatred of the 'infidel' and quell it, do not forget their mistakes.