Is it really profiling?

Benjamin Felder addresses a very controversial issue on his editorial When I say Muslim, you say…. He talks about profiling by The Department of Homeland Security, and how Muslims/Arabs are the targeted demographic. The article is well written and it’s pretty easy to move through it. Certain comments though are ambiguous and a bit extreme and racy. "No one here illegally should have the same rights as U.S. citizens." this comment was rather disturbing when I first read it. As I finished reading the article I was left with the idea that the author was against profiling but all for kicking anybody suspicious or not to date with their papers out. Lets take a moment to think about the facts, most terrorists at least up to now turn up having legal papers, as opposed to illegal immigrants how usually come here not with the dream to destroy the place but rather to be saved by it.

Another thing that puzzled me is how the article states that is doesn't approve of profiling but it understands why it’s being done. The author says that in the last ten years the majority of terrorist attacks have been by Muslim/Arabs, and thus it is understandable why they are being targeted. This idea seems contradictory and is very confusing.

“Would you rather have a proactive Homeland Security that does their best to save American lives by inconveniencing some foreigners or a reactive government that responds after an attack by going to foreign soil where the potential of many more innocent foreigners may die?” This one really caught my eye. The author seems almost insensitive to foreigners, and then goes on to say its for the best that way the US doesn’t have to go and invade your country.

To recollect, the article is well written and it’s an easy read. Certain ideas and thoughts explored in it are rather vague and ambiguous. I’m assuming the targeted audience was US citizens, because as a foreigner myself I found it hard to relate or understand.