December 17, 2014
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Racial Profiling: Fruit from a Poison Tree
Community
fabric won’t
repair itself
by
R ep . L ew F rederick
As
e v e n ts
have u n fo ld ed
o v e r the p a st
w ee k s,
I ’ve
struggled to put
together the right
words, because
on some level my
emotions are indescribable. I
want to yell, loud, over and over.
Then I am just sad. And then I
realize that I want fervently not
to inflame or incite. Then it starts
all over again. I know too well
that it’s safer to be quiet while
such emotions rage. But being
quiet would be wrong.
E very person o f co lo r in
America knows profiling. That
is the context here. We know it.
It is a reality that we walk out the
door into every day, the first
thought at the beginning of any
encounter with law enforcement:
“Am I going to die today?” It’s a
reality that becomes a special
terror when we become par
ents, and our children go out
into the same reality.
No matter what happened
on that street in Ferguson, or
that sidewalk on Staten Is
land, if you tell me that it
w asn’t the fruit of the poison
tree of profiling, I’m going to
have to ask you to prove it. That
might have been sorted out in
trials, with the evidence for all to
see. But that door was closed,
those opportunities lost.
How many times must this
happen? Every time profiling is
studied, it is confirm ed, and
people like me think, “Well I
could have told you that.” And
yet, every case follows the same
predictable trajectoiy, as if it
doesn’t matter that the story has
been repeated countless times.
“Protect and Serve.” I yearn
for a world in which we can all
believe it, a world in which the
tools of law enforcement are the
tools of peacekeeping, and a
world in which all of us can look
to the uniform and badge for
protection. I have to believe it’s
possible. But it’s not our world
now. It’s not our country now.
Folks, it’snot our city now. What
are we going to do about it?
And “we” doesn’t just mean
people of color. It doesn’t just
mean civic leaders. It doesn’t
just mean the Portland Police
Bureau. It doesn’t just mean
white people either. It means all
people of conscience. We need
each other, now and always.
Our pain and our grief at a
time like this may not be the
same pain and grief, but every
person of conscience feels it.
There are police officers of con
science. They are victims, too. will not repair itself. We either
The fact is that when the fabric weave trust and respect or we
of our American community is rip them apart. There is no neu
tom or frayed, we are all in tral position.
danger, and no arsenal or fortifi
I have to believe we are
cation will protect us when the better than this. I believe that
danger comes from within.
the arc of the m oral universe
Abiding and obvious respect bends tow ard justice. I ’m frus
for all hum an lives m ust be a trated with how long the arch
fundam ental qualification for is, and along with our P resi
the jo b of police officer. The dent, I believe that, “It bends
mere suspicion that the tools because each o f us in our own
o f law enforcem ent are per way puts our hand on that arc
ceived or deployed as instru and we bend it in the direction
ments of domination rather than o f ju stic e ....” These conditions
peacekeeping and protection did not fall out o f the sky. They
frays that fabric. Nothing about are the re su lt o f d ecisio n s
th ese g rand ju ry p ro cesses made by hum an beings. And
quelled that suspicion; in fact hum an beings, people of con
these failures just-m agnify all science, can decide to change
the failures that have com e them. The question isn ’t, “Can
before. Every additional case it be done?” The question is,
m akes it harder to evaluate the “Are we up to it?”
next as anything but another
Rep. Lew Frederick repre
confirm ation of system ic op sents north and northeast Port
pression.
land in the Oregon Legisla
The fabric of our community ture
Racial Bias Diminishes Optimism of Latinos
Growing less
hopeful about
future 1
by
B arbara
F errer
M igration
of
L atin o
fa m ilie s to
America is an
inspiring story of men, women
and children leaving their native
countries, often searching for
better opportunities and safety
for their families. Yet, the W.K.
Kellogg Foundation's recent poll
of Latino families also reveals
that a different narrative devel
ops - frustration from racism
and discrimination is wearing
down Latinos over time in the
United States.
The newest Latino immigrants
are brimming with hope, as they
pursue opportunities to better
educate their children, improve
personal finances and find af
fordable housing. Meanwhile,
those and social services, but as
they assimilate into American
society, they enjoy the expected
immigrant who have travelled a over time.
and invited to fully participate teachers about academic per
similar path - Latinos with gen
For instance, while Latinos and engage in our society, and in formance, 74 percent had meet
erations o f family roots in the respect police and cite a need making it a better society.
ings with a counselor or prin
U.S., as well as those with more for law enforcement, they are
Here is a stunning example of ciple, 71 percent attended events
education and higher incomes - deeply concerned about police how racism, or just the perception
and 63 percent volunteered for
are decidedly more sceptical and brutality - 18 percent said they of bias, plays out: asked how they
class projects.
disappointed.
know a Latino friend or relative would proceed if facing difficult
Still, their participation would
Clearly, a significant gap ex abused by police. Moreover, an financial problems, 47 percent of
increase and be broader if the
ists between the life experiences astonishing 68 percent fear that
Latinos earning between $40,000 schools did more to welcome
of Latinos and those of many police will use excessive force and $75,000ayear said they could
parents. Survey respondents
other immigrants. Historically, against Latinos, and 37 percent not depend on a loan from a bank
noted that m ore tran slato rs
immigrants arrive on American said law enforcement officers
or credit union, while 38 percent should be available, especially
shores and the prospects for their treat Hispanics unfairly. But ra earning more than $75,000 also
for school board meetings, PTA
life outcomes vastly improve. cial bias is not limited to law had no confidence they could turn
meetings and other policy-set
They may harbor initial fears enforcement. Latinos also fear to this traditional means of finan
ting sessions. All parents must
and anxiety about finding jobs, they may face discrimination in cial help.
feel welcomed in the schools
housing experience of having the workplace and virtually any
Energized by the hope and their children attend.
their quality of life improve for place they may go in public, such promise of this nation, Latinos
Our poll has identified the role
each generation.
as stores and restaurants.
are coming to the U.S. wanting discrimination plays in diminish
But that narrative is reserved
For America to progress, this to be vibrant members of their ing optimism and opportunities
for mostly white immigrants.
must change. How can a nation new communities.
for many Latinos. In reality, when
For people o f color, and as the be perceived as just and fair,
Furthermore, Latinos clearly one group is held back, it hurts all
survey demonstrated, especially when it's fastest growing demo care about their children's fu
of us; we need everyone's best
for Latinos, there is a far, far graphic lives in such fear?
ture. The vast majority of Latino effort to build a secure future.
different reality. The longer
As a nation, our first step parents are attending parent- As we learn from each other,
Latinos are in the U.S., they should be to abandon talk of the teacher conferences and school
we recognize that our strength is
grow less and less hopeful about mythical "colorblind society" and functions, as well as volunteer
our diversity. Addressing dis
their opportunities in this coun instead focus on understanding ing at the schools and working
criminatory practices and poli
try.
the diversity rooted in our com with administrators and teach cies is paving the way for a
O ur poll discloses that as munities and the strength that ers. For Latino parents of pre-K
better United States of America.
Latinos face discrimination at can be drawn from these differ through second grade students,
Barbara Ferrer is c h ie f
individual and institutional levels, ent cultures. Immigrants should
89 percent attended teacher con strategy officer fo r the W.K.
their fears and anxieties increase feel respected in this country ferences, 77 percent contacted
Kellogg Foundation.