Racial Profiling

Racial profiling has been an issue for as long as racial tensions and prejudice have existed, but it was brought to center stage following the terrorist attacks of 9/11. After the destruction of the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, anti Middle Eastern sentiment became more prevalent and some individuals even lost their lives for being of Middle Eastern descent. Another consequence of terrorism was the tightening of airport security, which went so far as to forbid the transportation of liquids and to require passengers to take off their shoes for examination. Unfortunately this also led to the unofficial procedure of detaining passengers who looked like they were from the Middle East.