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Trayvon Martin's Argument Against Profiling

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Profiling is something we see, and do, daily. Everyday we make decisions based on when we see people’s skin color, clothes, hair, hear how they speak. All of these things are what we take into consideration when we are assuming who someone is, or in other words, when we profile. I understand the thought that profiling is necessary for safety, but its not okay to justify profiling when only considering race and ethnicity. When we see law enforcement and airport screeners “consider race”, that usually ends up meaning ‘be more cautious around the people of color’. There has been many instances within law enforcement that proves that, and it needs to change.
Trayvon Martin was a 17-year-old Black American who was reported suspicious to the police while walking home from a convenience store. With his hood on, an Arizona Iced Tea and a bag of Skittles in hand, a neighborhood watch volunteer started an altercation with him that ended with Trayvon shot dead in the chest on February 26, 2012. …show more content…
Rodney King was a victim of excessive force by several officers at the time of his arrest by the LAPD. This beating resulted in King suffering from 11 skull fractures, permanent brain damage, broken bones, kidney failure, and emotional/ physical trauma. All was caught all on tape an released to the public, then sent to trial. Four officers were tried on the use of excessive force, three had been totally acquitted.
These are just two examples of what profiling does when it is biased, and unregulated. The neighborhood watch shot Trayvon Martin because he saw a black man and instinctively thought ‘danger’. Trayvon Martin had his hood on and some snacks from the store that should not be considered reasonable grounds to report suspicion, or is it because he’s black and the “profiling” stereotype is that black men are dangerous and carry

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