Love Thy Neighbor: No Racial Profiling

The letter below was published in The Clarke County Tribune on August 10, 2006 and is reprinted here for everyone's enjoyment. Dear Editor,

Why is it that in the "Arrest" section of The Clarke County Tribune people are referred to as "black" or "white?"

There is no such thing as a white race or a black race.  There are Caucasians, Hispanics, Asians and African Americans and criminals are criminals regardless of the color of their skin.

To pick up the newspaper and see people arrested listed as "black" or "white" is racial profiling and unnecessary. These people have already been arrested and whether they have black skin, white skin, yellow skin, red skin or are green aliens from Mars does not matter in the least! Once someone is behind bars who cares what color the are!

Publishing the fact that someone was arrested and has "black" or "white" skin tends to create a divide in people's minds and to degrade society such that people are thought of as "white trash" or "black trash" and are somehow no longer all God's children.

Certainly the police department takes photographs and makes mug shots so they know what someone who breaks the law looks like. They also take finger prints and copy their personal information.  So where is the need to report to the public if someone is "white" or "black?"

If you are an alcoholic, a drug addict, a child molester, a rapist, robber, killer or other criminal, I don't care what color your skin is, I just want you off the street! I commend the area law enforcement officers for doing their duty in this regard, but I am perplexed to know how does reporting "black" or "white" reduce crime, make people get along better together or contribute to the safety of the community?

Certainly when someone commits a terrible crime posting their photograph and giving a full description on the television, the Internet or in the newspaper helps make the community aware and even sometimes helps lead to an arrest.  But once someone is arrested, especially for minor offenses, how does publishing the color of their skin contribute to either public awareness or serve any further useful purpose whatsoever except to make people paranoid or promote racial prejudice, hatred and disharmony between people?

I was always taught to hate the sin and love the sinner. This means that you try to always forgive people when they trespass against you.  You don't condemn them because they were born with "black" or "white" skin.  Yet that is exactly what listing the color of one's skin in a newspaper does! Besides, I thought that in America everyone is innocent until proven guilty by a trial with a jury of their peers. Reporting the color of one's skin unjustly convicts people in the public's eye based upon racial profiling and prejudice without benefit of a trial.

We are a relatively small community of good, loving, caring and God fearing people. We should do everything to project a good image of our community. In this regard I think arrest announcements should list only a person's name, age and the reason they were arrested.

Only when there is a criminal on the loose who is a danger to people and society is it necessary to give a full and complete physical description of a person, which should be accompanied by a recent photograph.  Therefore I would like to urge that The Clarke County Tribune to stop racial profiling; to cease and desist from further publication of "black" or "white" in regard to arrest reports and that law enforcement agencies not report the race of people to the newspaper when they are arrested and before they are even tried and convicted for a crime.

Taking this action will immediately project a better image of our community. It will generate a better feeling between people and not convict them in people's minds before they are given a trial. In the majority of cases where there may be no trial this also serves to take the moral high ground in regarding people as sinners who can be forgiven for their sins or made to do restitution for their crimes without labeling them with racial profiles. Everyone deserves a second chance and by the media not reporting people as "black" or "white" a neutral position is taken which is best for all involved.
 
Sincerely,
Terry Lynch

The above letter was submitted via email and resulted in a response that said The Clarke County Tribune "only prints what the jail docket writes." I do not believe this is an excuse for The Clarke County Tribune to participate in racial profiling and permitting this form of racial profiling to continue.

I remember when water fountains were labeled "black" and "white." Everyone only drank out of the labeled fountains because these were what were provided to them. I remember when African Americans were asked to sit at the back of the bus. Everyone only sat where they were asked to sit and this form of racial profiling and discrimination continued until Rosa Parks had the courage to not give up her seat to a white man which began the bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama.

The Clarke County Tribune is a nice newspaper which reflects Christian and family values. It is tarnished by the reprint of a jail docket which uses racial profiling. The Clarke County Tribute has several options. It can refuse to reprint the jail docket with "black" and "white," and/or edit the jail docket so as not to mention race. It can reprint the jail docket with a disclaimer that this is "Paid Advertising," should this be the case, and that The Clarke County Tribune does not support or endorse racial profiling. Or it can do nothing and fail to take a stand or take the high road on this moral issue.

I for one will be considering whether or not to renew my subscription to The Clarke County Tribune. However, it bothers my conscience to be supporting a newspaper which knowingly promotes racial profiling. Therefore I urge that The Clarke County Tribune please stop participating in this form of racial profiling,

In any case certainly The Clarke County Tribune, its owners and editors, can adopt, print and publish a policy which does NOT permit racial profiling or any other form of racial discrimination. Then appropriate notice would be given that the jail docket must submit material which does not use racial profiling. As a private newspaper you have the power to adopt such a policy and it is my opinion that by doing this you would be making our community a better place, one which promotes goodwill and love between all its citizens.

I regard racial profiling as a serious issue and hope that you take this matter under consideration. It simply is not right to convict anyone in the public's eyes based upon their race and that is exactly what is done by a jail docket that is published with an emphasis upon the color of one's skin.

I would hope that The Clarke County Tribute would take the moral high ground on this issue as I firmly believe that to not do so endorses racial profiling, contributes to tension between people, fosters racial prejudice and discrimination and over all contributes to a negative image of our community. This is exactly the opposite of the goodwill and love for Quitman and Clarke County which I am engaged in promoting.

I would hope you see the wisdom and the light and take a stand against racial profiling by refusing to continue to permit your newspaper to be a party to this form of convicting people based upon race as is associated with behavior before they are even tried in court. Racial profiling by the jail docket is unjust and hurts our community; refusing to participate in the process can only help contribute to a better life, one which promotes love, goodwill, charity and compassion among all citizens.

Sincerely,
Terry Lynch

Put Your Ad Here This space is available. If you would like to advertise on this page or any of our Popular Portals please contact Terry. See our economical Advertising Rates.