Legalizing Racial Profiling
The recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to legalize racial profiling by allowing anonymous armed masked ICE members to arrest and interrogate anyone who “looks illegal” or speaks Spanish, works at a car wash or construction site without probable cause heightens the virotic racism of Trump and his minions. Why target “Hispanics”? They are the largest growing demographic in the U.S., and this frightens the insecure racist white population. There are 10 million undocumented non-citizens of Latin heritage in this country. Asians seemingly are not a threat. Demolishing the Voting Rights Act is controlling people of African descent. As Noam Chomsky said: “If you want to control a people, create an imaginary enemy that appears more dangerous than you, then present yourself as their savior.” Its right out of the dictators playbook to do so.
What to do. There are good lessons from history. In World War II, Denmark’s citizens, including its king, wore yellow stars in support of Jewish people who were forced to do so. We can do the same in support of all immigrants.
As tens of thousands hopefully gather to protest this Supreme Court decision, wear or otherwise display “the Yellow Star” with the inscription “NO NOSOTROS,” send messages to your congressional reps to wear them.
We are not powerless in the face of legalizing indiscriminate targeting of any group.