Cardin Op-Ed: We Must Put an End to Racial Profiling in America

3/29/2012

By U.S. Senator Ben Cardin

Racial profiling – the targeting of individuals because of race, ethnic identity, national origin or religion – has no place in our nation. The recent, tragic and avoidable shooting death of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed African-American teenager in Florida, has focused national attention on the need to make sure minority communities are protected from hate crimes and racial profiling, a practice that is ineffective in crime prevention, undermines effective law enforcement, and erodes civil rights.