The killing of Trayvon Martin has led a federal panel to revisit the issue of racial profiling in America. As Sascha Cordner reports, the “End Racial Profiling in America” hearing was called Tuesday by the U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Human Rights.
When neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman shot Trayvon Martin, Florida Congresswoman Frederica Wilson says that’s a textbook example of racial profiling. She says there’s a connection between the 17-year-old’s death and how black boys have been treated throughout history.
“Years of economic and legal disenfranchisement, the legacy of slavery and Jim Crowe, have led to serious social, economic and criminal justice disparities and fueled prejudice against black boys and men. Trayvon Martin was a victim of this legacy. Trayvon Martin was murdered by someone who thought he looked suspicious.”
Wilson joined a panel of U.S. lawmakers and experts to discuss the issue of racial profiling, focusing mainly on how it affects law enforcement officers throughout America. It’s been more than a decade since the last U.S. Senate hearing was called to address the issue.
