Kevin

Seavers
SOC 001

Racial profiling is when a police officers initiates action based upon race or

ethnicity rather than a persons behavior. Michael Brown is an example of racial

profiling. Reportedly, the 18-year-old boy stole cigarettes from a convenience store

in Ferguson, Missouri. The police officer arrived on the scene after receiving a call.

The police officer ran into likely suspects. Michael Brown was unarmed and was

shot 6 times. Racial profiling happens all across America. I have been the victim of

racial profiling in department stores. When I turned 21, I wanted to buy myself a gift

for my birthday. I went to the Louis Vuitton store to purchase a wallet I had been

researching for weeks. When I walked into the store, the store clerk followed me

around. All of the supplies at this store were behind the glass. Eventually, he walked

away. I asked another clerk to help me purchase my wallet. I felt like I stole

something when the clerk was following me around the store. Racial profiling is also

used among Arab groups because of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. They receive racial

profiling at airports. Contact hypothesis can help because we are co-operating for

one common goal. If police officers view all citizens as individuals and equals, then

the stereotypes and generalizations may cease to exist.

Prejudice, racism, and the color-blind system are all practices used

historically by those in power. Many times the group in power is unwilling to

address the issue at hand. How can we address the issue when some people dont

believe that racism exists? Some groups judge other groups based upon standards of

their own. How can one succeed when there are systems of inequality?
 The social construction of race is based upon the stereotypes and races of

how races are typically portrayed. Race is not biologically identifiable. You dont

have to look like what mass media or what society says to be apart of that culture.

Mass media can portray a certain image of a group of people. In a symbolic

interactionist, race can provide a strong symbol of identity. If Sally never met a

Mexican-American, she might use the symbols portrayed in movies to identify with

Jose.

A model minority is a group of people that have succeeded economically,

socially, and educationally. The textbook provides us with an example of Asian

Americans. Despite the past prejudice of being thrown into interment camps during

World War II, Asian Americans have succeeded. The advantage is that they are

striving as a whole group. The disadvantage is that they are all being grouped

together and not being acknowledged as individual ethnicities.