Racial profiling is ok, but has to be matched with a reasonably swift dispension of justice.

Submitted by rk683 (United States), Oct 18, 2010 at 13:17

I am a brown south-asian, non-muslim man. And I have experience with heightened attention by airport security directed at me. I find it irksome, & time consuming but not exceedingly so. And I think that it just makes sense to direct your attention & resources to those areas where it is most required.

however what is disturbing about the Abdullah-al Kidd story, is how racial profiling was followed by blatant misuse of the legal system by law enforcement authorities. It is evident that the law enforcement acted badly. They failed to ask if he would appear as a witness voluntarily. They lied to a judge about the nature of his travel, hid the facts about his citizenship & purpose of travel. And then held him for 16 days, treating him like a suspect. I fail to understand what could have caused the epsiode where he was held naked and shackled.

Mr Kidd has the right to sue, and he should be able to sue the department of homeland security, out of large sums of money and the agent, wardens of the facilities he was held at out of a job. Racial profiling shouldn't be used to deem someone guilty without trial and then treat them as such. Which is what has happened in his case.

It is perfectly acceptable to question someone because of their association, but it is not an excuse to suspend the rule of law.

I would hope that Mr Kidd and his lawyers pursue his case on the basis of the actual wrongdoings of the case and not on what the motive could have been. Afterall, he was wronged & he has the right to get justice, just like anyone else.

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