Posted on 11/09/2007 9:35:27 AM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
LOS ANGELES - Civil rights advocates criticized plans by the Los Angeles Police Department to map the city's Muslim communities, calling it racial profiling.
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The LAPD's counterterrorism bureau plans to identify Muslim enclaves in order to determine which might be likely to become isolated and susceptible to "violent, ideologically based extremism," said Deputy Chief Michael P. Downing on Thursday.
"We want to know where the Pakistanis, Iranians and Chechens are so we can reach out to those communities," said Downing, who heads the counterterrorism bureau.
Downing said the plan is still in its early stages, but the LAPD wants to work with a Muslim partner and intends to have the data assembled by the University of Southern California's Center for Risk and Economic Analysis.
Downing testified about the plan before a U.S. Senate committee on Oct. 30.
In his testimony, Downing said his bureau wanted to "take a deeper look at the history, demographics, language, culture, ethnic breakdown, socioeconomic status and social interactions" of the city's Muslim communities.
There are an estimated 500,000 Muslims in Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside counties.
On Thursday, several Muslim groups and the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California sent Downing a letter expressing "grave concerns" about the program.
"Singling out individuals for investigation, surveillance, and data-gathering based on their religion constitutes religious profiling that is just as unlawful, ill-advised and deeply offensive as racial profiling," said the letter.
It was signed by representatives of the ACLU of Southern California; Muslim Advocates, a national association of Muslim lawyers; the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California and the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
The plan "basically turns the LAPD officers into religious political analysts, while their role is to fight crime and enforce the laws," said Hussam Ayloush, head of the Los Angeles chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, who signed the letter.
However, another group, the Muslim Public Affairs Council, is considering working with the LAPD on the project.
"We will work with the LAPD and give them input, while at the same time making sure that people's civil liberties are protected," said Salam al-Marayati, the council's executive director.
This is interesting. Just a short while ago there was a post where the police were planning on mapping the Amish as well: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1923422/posts
CA: 12 arrested in counter-terrorism and drug-trafficking investigation
Sounds good to me!
This is to protect them from the local yokels if there is another 9/11-like attack. I have a hunch they will need protection, and I wonder how vigorously they will be protected if a large number of people decide they know longer want them in our country.
Why is it racial? Aren’t a lot of muzzies caucasian?
Islam is not a "race".
The Amish story was a parody of this one. It even had the same deputy chief named.
Somehow I just knew this was going to make it on FR...I was RIGHT!!!
The whole idea that the media got a hold of this to shine the light on this is almost laughable...
If anyone here believes that this has “not” been going on, and the investigations haven’t gone deeper than what is mentioned in this joke of an article...
I got some land out in Louisiana I wanna sell ya...
Everyone laughs about the whole black helicopter thing and the “clicks” on your phone lines and all that...Thats what they want you to pay attention to...And it works for the most part...
Well, it’s a start. There are a few races in the LA area that should be profiled but quick. Where are the violent murders taking place? Duh!
As one other person pointed out already, “Muslim” isn’t a race. It is a religion, which would also be problematic if it weren’t for the threat level potential.
It isn’t RACIAL profiling. Islam is not a race. Except to the Islamic Supremacists who see all kufir to be second class citizens and subhumans.
While I agree that there are certainly aspects that reflect what you are saying, I still think it’s hard to support the case you are. With mosques all over the world and calls to prayer numerous times per day, I don’t see how you can deny that it is a religion. It may be a false religion, but it is a religion.
Do you disagree?
If they don’t like it they should be out protesting the terrorists - that’s whose fault it is. If the mysterious, reclusive, moderate muslim would protest and complain against the terrorists half as much as they do against Americans who are reasonably concerned for their saftey they might be able to get a posivitve movement started. If moderate muslims DO exist they better figure out real fast they will be the first victims of the massive (fear inspired) backlash which would occur should a small nuke or dirty bomb get set off in a major city. No, it won’t be right or reasonable but you can bet it will happen and it will be very very ugly.
I think we should protect their bank acccounts, phone calls, places of worship, donations, magazine subscriptions...
We wouldn't want something bad to happen at their places of worship, ergo video cameras and mics in their places of worship. Let us be unstinting in our generous protection...!
We also want affidavits of their comings and goings, fingerprints, voice-scans, and other biometric data --maybe an ankle bracelet, too, come to think of it...
For their protection.
You would think they would simply get this information from any of a variety of public and commercial demographic sources, but no, there must some grant money to spend on consultants to reinvent the wheel.
Thanks E.
Map ‘em and tag ‘em.
Too funny...
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