United Methodist leaders sound alarm: racial profiling is "out of control"
"A report that 32 million people have been victims of
racial profiling practices since September 2001 should move United Methodist
churches to speak out on injustices against racial and religious minorities,
according to two denomination leaders."
"The unlawful use of race in police, immigration, and airport security
procedures has expanded since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on
America, and threatens to affect an estimated 87 million people in the United
States, according to the report by Amnesty International USA. The report,
'Threat and Humiliation: Racial Profiling, Domestic Security and Human Rights
in the United States,' was released at a press conference Sept. 13 at the
National Press Club."
"'During our research, we collected testimony from Native Americans who were
profiled going to and from religious ceremonies, Hispanics who were profiled
while in the sanctity of their homes, African Americans who were profiled
walking down the street, and a Boy Scout, who happens to be Muslim,
constantly being subjected to airport searches,' said Benjamin Todd Jealous,
director of Amnesty International USA's Domestic Human Rights Program."
"The Rev. Chester Jones, top staff executive of the United Methodist
Commission on Religion and Race, said the sheer number of people reporting
that they've been racially profiled 'is out of control for any nation.'"
"'The church should weep over the national use of racial profiling against
such a large population of the nation,' Jones said."
United Methodist News Service
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