Law and Order is a popular t.v show and one of my personal favourites. It is a show about the investigation of crime and the judicial system for those of you who have never seen it. I inserted the word "racial" in the middle of the title as a visual representing how those involved in law inforcement often place their behaviours and assumptions towards victims and suspects on the hierarchy of race (this is a play on the words law and order, not meant to be taken as the intended meaning pertaining to the television program).

2Pac - Changes

This song is a flashback from the 90's - but that's ok
not much has CHANGED.





I suggest playing this song as you scroll through my blog, the lyrics are highly representative of the subject matter I have displayed. The main focus of this song is how African Americans are treated poorly by law enforcement and stereotyped as drug dealers, robbers etc. I really like this song because it gives a direct perspective from an individual who feels that his race is unfairly treated. Also, suggestions on how changes can be implemented are included which I find to be effective in both how they are worded and that they are stated as a closing after the perpetuation of problems in African American society are mentioned.

My favourite part is when it is stated that a black male can only be responsible for what he does, not how every other member of this race acts or the type of person they choose to be. This is powerful because if we all try and put ourselves in this position it is easy to imagine how difficult it would be to have to take responsibility for the choices of several others who we have no control over - it is impossible. Change can only take place when individuals make personal choices to better their lives and the lives of others, perhaps others can be encouraged or influenced by those around them but true improvement comes from within.

Diversity and the Police

I find this picture very compelling. What I took it to represent was that a handcuff around a person who is white is the same as a handcuff around a person who is African American, or any race for that matter. It represents either doing something wrong, making a bad decision or being accused. Having your hand movement restricted is just as dehibilitating, embarassing and frusterating for members of all racial groups.


Police protect and serve ...

THEY ALSO DISCRIMINATE.

The role of police in society is to exercise authoriy in a justified manner when it is needed in order to maintain peace among the general public. However, the power of police officers can be used to unfairly treat citizens of minority in a demonstration of racism and discrimination in a number of situations involving the law and
otherwise.Considering Canada is a multicultural country, this treatment is therefore an act of violation on the public in itself.

Who's job is it to protect diversity?

This graphic shows all of the different countries in the world (represented by their national flags) connected to make a colourful globe that contrasts the standard "water, land, borders" version most of us grew up with.

I love this picture because it shows how beautiful the world is when unique nationalities are all put together. Society should learn from different cultures and races within it because it would form something as stunning as this globe instead of the ugly reality of ignorance, stereotypes and exclusion that appears to be so presently common.

New York Police brutality & racism against blacks.

In this video clip it is clearly seen how
police protect some in the public and
serve others with nothing but negative
assumptions based on racial stereotypes.

This video is interesting because it combines
sarcasm with reality and actual members
of society. The fact that Michael Moore is a
white American male fighting for this cause
is a fabulous example that I think should be
highly regarded and carried on by other
Caucasians in the fight for racial equality.

A personal critique I thought of regarding
law enforcement and the "accidental shootings,"
mentioned here is that these "mistakes" are
rarely presented in the media to the public.
This is a diservice to the victims and the police
themselves, because shining the spotlight away
from these issues makes them seem unimportant
and easily forgotten.

In the largest survey ever conducted in the United States regarding contacts with the police, the Bureau of Justice statistics found that African Americans and Hispanics were more likely to experience a threat of force, or the actual use of force, by the police as a result of contact with the police. (Langan, Greenfield, Smith, Durose, and Levin, 2001, p. 7) Also, African American drivers stopped by the police were more likely than white drivers to be ticketed arrested or have their vehicle searched (Langan et al., 2001, p.22).

The vicious cycle of the police accusing minorities.

From the perspective of some members of the police force the reason that they are more likely to suspect certain minorities (such as African Americans or Hispanics) of committing crimes or participating in unlawful behaviour is because they “appear” to be the groups that act in the most suspicious manners and tend to disrespect police and the work that they do. But the truth is , wouldn’t it make sense that if the authorities are constantly targeting the same groups over and over again, and giving others assumed privilege and trust that based on who gets caught it would be the members of minorities considering they are the ones being questioned, searched and stopped on the most frequent basis?

This creates a disturbing cycle among crime and crime prevention within society. The relationship between the police and members of certain minorities becomes one against another instead of the police protecting a community as a whole from harmful behaviour and maintaining order. It is an obvious assumption that racial groups who are repeatedly victims of police brutality, racial profiling and unfair treatment in general are going to resent authority that treats them this way, and in some cases figure that if “they can’t beat them, they might as well join them.” This is called a “self-fulfilling prophecy,” people who are treated according to assumptions instead of reality begin to act in ways that fulfill a specific prophecy others have set in place for them instead of basing their decisions and behaviour on personal choices as an individual citizen.

“The events of September 11, 2001, have sparked a fierce debate over racial profiling. Many who readily condemned the practice a year ago have had second thoughts.” (Gross, Livingston 1413)

The thought that people are capable of hi-jacking airplanes and flying them into buildings in America in the 21st century is scary. When people get scared they get angry. When they get angry they want somebody to blame and direct their frustration at. The target of America’s (among many other countries including Canada) infuriation of the 9/11 attacks has been directed at Islamic people, considering those who planned out the events of September 11, 2001 were of this nationality.

This has caused an increasingly favoured view of racial profiling, with beliefs from some including that “it seems entirely appropriate to look harder at such people,” (Gross, Livingston 1414). After all, we have to protect the safety of our countries and people. How would it look in respect to the reputation of authorities and government if a repeat of 9/11 were to happen?

Question: Isn’t it better to violate the rights of some, and treat individuals wrongly based on their appearance in order to protect a greater number of the population?

Answer: NO.

September 11th happened over nine years ago and racial hostility towards Muslim people has still not noticeably declined.


Time to grow up

It is wrong to base an entire opinion about a nationality or religion on an isolated event and the actions of select individuals. Have we all forgotten what we were taught as children regarding not judging people based on their appearance? The “don’t judge a book by its cover” metaphor appears to currently be overshadowed by stereotypes and racism is just grown up bullying.

Racial Profiling: It's Time to Face the Truth

This video clearly states that racial profiling has never
been shown to make us safer, and includes several
shocking examples to prove the point.

I chose to include this video in my blog because it
demonstrates my argument and personal belief that
all people are equally capaable of crime regardless
of their race and the notion that certain minorities
are increasingly likely to behave in devient ways is
a social construction based on nothing but wrongful
assumptions and bias.