Profiling: Dov Bear vs. Al Jazeera

Dov Bear recently posted an interesting article (he has quite a few of those) on profiling. In it, he makes the case that profiling could be used against whites generally, and Jews specifically. For instance, Dov Bear brought the issue of Jewish slumlords as a possible target for special watch by the Housing Authority.

I personally would have suggested profiling Jews for embezzlement of government funds and retailer tax evasion in ultra-Orthodox communities, but his point stands, and I am willing to allow profiling for broader crimes including ones DB feels are appropriate for targeting the Jewish community if that is the only way he will agree to profiling.

Of course, I might prioritize crimes not of the white collar variety in communities that don’t wear black hats. Fair is fair.

However - his proof that profiling hurts the many for the crimes of the few I agree with, as it illuminates the point that we aren’t always profiling smartly.

I would refer Dov Bear to consider that issue that Al Jazeera raised in a recent story on how passengers intent on boarding have been grounded because their infant or child’s name is “the same as or similar to those of possible terrorists on the government’s no-fly list.”

Perhaps the problem is not that we profile, but how we should profile. Perhaps we need a more personal and individualistic approach.

Profiling, if ubiquitous, makes no sense. No more than random searches. Or no profiling.

One profile does not fit all.

Even Al Jazeera would ostensibly agree.

With me.