Throughout the past year of 2014, racism has been a prominent topic in America. With the Ferguson trial, the death of New York man, Eric Garner, and a trending series of “walk-outs,” “die-ins,” and protests. Many people accuse police, (especially white policemen), of racial profiling, which is assuming that African Americans, specifically in poor areas, are up to no good.

Eric Garner, a Staten Island man was arrested on July 17, 2014 for selling “loosies”, loose unpackaged cigarettes. Garner resisted arrest. Police eventually started to use force, and Garner was put into the prohibited choke-hold by the NYPD. Garner was then forced to the ground. After being cuffed, an officer applied pressure to Garner’s head as he pressed it into the sidewalk. While in a facedown position on the ground, he told the officer he couldn’t breathe repeatedly. An hour later Garner died at the hospital.

The Ferguson case was about African American teenager, Michael Brown, who robbed a Missouri convenience store. A few moments later after a struggle between the two. he was shot by responding cop, Darren Wilson on August 9, 2014 . There are allegations against Brown saying that he was trying to harm Wilson before he was shot to death. Officer Wilson testified to the grand jury that he felt his life was in danger. Following the shooting, the grand jury had to decide whether Wilson would go on trial or not. The verdict determined Wilson not guilty, leaving Wilson with a bigger burden: facing the public’s harsh opinions. Across the country protests arose as acts of violence became more severe. Many African American activists are starting movements against racial profiling.

In recent times, racial profiling has proven to be very controversial. Racial profiling refers to the targeting of particular persons for suspicion of crime based on their race or ethnicity. In 1996, the television network ABC aired a report entitled “Driving While Black,” in which it paid three younger black men to drive around the city of New Brunswick, New Jersey, in a Mercedes-Benz. Three officers in the city pulled over the car for a minor traffic infraction and then proceeded to search the car and the young men. This report demonstrated a form of racial profiling. Another case that brought racial profiling to attention was when the Florida police department stopped a man 258 times, repeatedly charging him with trespassing at the convenience store where he worked. Racial profiling is a very serious issue that has become more prominent in recent times.

Now in 2015, it is up to America to find rational solutions to the problems of extreme racism. Many people think of racism as a thing of the past, however it is still alive in America. America is in danger. When the purpose of law enforcement is to ensure our safety and the police are being accused of not doing their job the right way; sometimes even committing crimes themselves, who will keep us safe?