The recent global protests arising after the murder of African-American George Floyd, democratic societies like the US have started acknowledging the role of women in ending racial profiling....
racism
Racial profiling is done mindlessly against many people, when only their race or ethnicity becomes a ground for suspicion. Racial profiling, however, is not limited only to an individual's ethnicity or race, but can also be based on the individual's religion, or national origin. Racial profiling is a violation of human rights; it is unconstitutional, socially corrupting and counter-productive.
The recent global protests arising after the murder of African-American George Floyd, democratic societies like the US have started acknowledging the role of women in ending racial profiling.
While talking at a webinar through an audio link, pro-Pakistani and Pro-Muslim US Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee said more than ever the US needs the leadership and power of women from all backgrounds who understand peace. As educators, they can teach children the value of each other whether or not they are of the same colour. “After the recent murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, systematic racism has come to fore but with the Muslims’ ban and stigma on Muslims, attack on immigrants, stereotyping of the Muslim community, we are facing this with all perspectives.”
The webinar was attended by civic leaders, faith leaders, educators, elected officials, law enforcement and minority communities who spoke on the role of women on ending racial profiling and observed that successful character of any country reflects the way they treat their women.
A member of Congressional Caucus and a fellow Californian, Sheila said, “You are not only women; you are mothers, sisters, wives, and custodians and caretakers. Show this nation and tell your law enforcement that it is not just federal laws that are trying to change their behaviour, but you too want to change their hearts.”
Earlier, Anila Ali, President American Muslim Multipath Women Empowerment Council (AMWEC) while opening the discussion said women are maternal pillars of the society possessing unique perspectives and skill sets. Racism, bigotry or hatred can be addressed through dialogues across racial, religious, political and cultural differences and by forging a greater sense of solidarity and social cohesion and bridging the divide. “As a society we have to determine which differences are important because these differences are not natural or static but socially constructed,” she informed.
She said it was after a personal experience post 9/11 attacks when she along with her family was stopped while crossing US borders and disembarked from the aircraft due to her being a Muslim and a Pakistani. Instead of resorting to protests, she looked for a creative and positive solution to this issue which was affecting thousands of people visiting the USA from different countries and generating false database matches and diverting law enforcement to target Muslim Americans. “I contacted the Asian American Law Caucus who put me in touch with New York University School of Law. I partnered with a Jordanian-American woman to make a documentary on our personal profiling encounters. The film and the activism around it pushed the deptt of Homeland Security to develop what was called the ‘Trip Program’ which allowed frequent travellers to get a redress number attached to their flight reservations to avoid false data matches. Later, millions of citizens benefitted from that program.”
Elucidating the fact that racism isn’t born, it is taught, Shelly Moore Krajacic, Executive Officer, National Education Association, board member Amwec and an educator, who represents over three million public school educators from across the nation, said, “We need to recognise the biases that exist within the structures, and within the educators. About 80 per cent of all public school teachers are women and the preponderance of those are white women. That puts a question mark on how educators are taught and trained.”
“Most of the textbooks taught in schools are written in Texas, and that shows some bias right there. Secondly, so much of what happens in our schools is dictated by policy at local, state, as well as national level. The current Every Student Succeeds Act not only encourages but requires that members of the community are involved in taking action in regard to the plans that each of our school districts and states submit for federal funding. Besides being educators in our classrooms, we need to be fierce advocates there and educate all students to the best of their abilities, which are not dictated by specific and narrow religious, gender, sexuality or race-based perspective,” she added.
Shelly Krajacic insisted on being intentional while talking about race. “Some of the educators of early childhood might think that children already come with pre-conceived racial biases planted in them. But one is never too young to start having conversation about race. As educator, we got to have serious explicit talk about race with the students of colour as we have failed them so far in the history of this nation,” she suggested.
Dona Thomas, an educator with a 26 years’ experience of teaching students with IEPs (students with special needs), shared her personal experience, “In the initial years I was the only black teacher in my school. You can imagine the kind of conversation that I would walk into the teachers’ lounge and hear. Sometimes I would educate or to have a conversation but a lot of times I would just let it roll off or ignore it.”
On the importance of communication and getting to know each other, Chief of San Diego Harbour Police, Mark Stain Brook accepted that most of the hate and violent crimes are committed by males. “Sometimes, young males have wrong-headed thoughts. Idea of matriarchs is great here because the impact women can have on young men’s lives just by a word or a look can shut them down,” he maintained.
In the 21st century, where there is an effort to building bridges to bring people and countries together, racial profiling is simply misfit and misplaced. There is need to adopt a multipronged approach to address racial profiling. The recent COVID19 pandemic has opened up so many vulnerabilities and the greater divide between have and have-not. However, it has taught us one lesson that in a calamity like this we are all together. Only through dialogue and coexistence we can make this world a peaceful place to live.
The author is a staff member of The News International and
can be reached at: sheheronline@gmail.com
