B2 – Upper Intermediate
Racial profiling has been a hot topic for the past few years. The reality of it is getting to be more and more common.
Read about racial profiling and express your thoughts about it.
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/05/11/us/everyday-racial-profiling-consequences-trnd/index.html
Discussion Questions:
1. What images spring to mind when you hear the term ‘racial profiling’?
2. Is racial profiling OK if it leads to a reduction in terrorist attacks?
3. Which races are targeted most under racial profiling? Is this fair?
4. Which is worse – racial profiling or religion profiling?
5. Do you think racial profiling will alienate those profiled and thus lead to greater social problems?
6. How would you feel if you were suspected of wrongdoing because of your colour or race?
One reply on “Racial Profiling”
1. What images spring to mind when you hear the term ‘racial profiling’?
Maybe some images about some news on TV when police have shooted to black skin people and apparently there were not guilty of anything and at the end even it wasn’t a dangerous situation for the security of policeman. Also when you here some bad comments of “white” people assuming bad connotation for “black” people, and also when they think and/or say they have less rights beacuse of their physical appearance (immigration).
2. Is racial profiling OK if it leads to a reduction in terrorist attacks?
Racial profiling won’t reduce terrorist attacks. In fact, black skin colored people are rising their families and they’re not in a terrorist context. We should not assume anything because of our physical appearance. There has to be any other solutions. In fact, nowadays in the social media context terrorist are picking up people from all over the world…
3. Which races are targeted most under racial profiling? Is this fair?
Mainly, black colored skin people (African people) and also Muslim people.
4. Which is worse – racial profiling or religion profiling?
I can’t choose between any of them, because I thing both are wrong. One is related of what you first see of someone and the second is related about thoughts and feelings.
Skin color doesn’t make you a better or worse person, as also I really think that there’s no better religion (and what about if a person is an atheist?).
5. Do you think racial profiling will alienate those profiled and thus lead to greater social problems?
If we don’t realize and do something to change our minds, specially in crisis situations, it for sure will create deep social problems into society. But at the same time it is very difficult because as human beings we always try to classify everything around us and we tend to feel that people similar to ourselves are better.
6. How would you feel if you were suspected of wrongdoing because of your colour or race?
I think that first of all, as the kids of the second video, I will feel scared, vulneralbe, and really I won’t know how I should react or what to do. It is something that no human being is prepared for.