Racial Profiling and Terrorist Acts

“When Racial Profiling Is Appropriate,” Opinion, Sept. 30: Vikram David Amar asked, “How do we know how we would react if a different and less dark ethnic or racial group were tied to a terrorist act?” We can answer that question easily because Timothy McVeigh--male, white, American, veteran, militia member, blew up the Oklahoma federal building. We did not and will not racially profile white Americans.

Is racial profiling a product of insidious American racism? You bet it is. America should have totally supported the Durban conference on racism because America is intrinsically racist in all facets--overt, subtle and institutionalized. Racial profiling in a free and diverse society is never appropriate, never warranted and never beneficial.

Donna J. Warren

Los Angeles

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Marlon Mohammed (Voices, Sept. 29) takes the best possible position for Muslims in the U.S. He denounces the terrorists’ acts and makes no excuses for them. He does not claim victimhood for himself just because of “dirty looks on the street.” Clearly, the victims are those who were murdered at the World Trade Center, at the Pentagon and in the crash of Flight 93 and their surviving families.

If all American Muslims voice the same denunciation whenever they have access to a microphone, those hostile stares will soon be gone. I hope that not only American Muslims but also other American ethnic, racial and religious groups will learn from Mohammed’s example whenever their brethren turn terrorist.

J.S. Bonorris

Los Angeles