All Black Men in Charlottesville NC Are Suspects. Racism or Not?

A serial rapist in Charlottesville NC, has police stumped for the moment. The only clue that they have at the moment is that this was a black man. This information came from the victims. In an effort to help find this person, police in Charlottesville have started taking DNA swabs from any black man that they stop for any reason. (Read Story Here)

My question is why is this considered racial profiling. The facts are that a black man is the one commiting the crimes. Police have narrowed the criminal down to a man. So women are not questioned. Couldn't you make the same comment that it was sexual harassment? Since they were only targeting men? NO! The cry of fear is only raised because black men are targeted. If they did not commit the crime, what are they afraid of?

I've witnessed a similar incident on a military base. A clerk at a store witnessed a black man, with the name Johnson on his uniform, stealing items from the store. The MP rounded up all black enlisted members with the last name of Johnson for the clerk to pick out. The cry of "racism" was heard for weeks. But isn't this just common sense? Should they have included a few white men named Johnson when the suspect was black? These alarms of racism, when there is clearly none, have to stop! It ruins it for the times when it is really needed.

Racial profiling and criminal profiling are a different tactic.

Racial profiling concerns any crime and the assumation that people fitting a certain criteria are potential criminals who should be looked into further to find said crime.

That is wrong and racist.

Criminal profiling is concerning a specific crime. I'm sure (at least I'd hope) that if the criteria were more specific, so would the search. I remember the sniper case in my area when they were pulling over anything even close to a white van.

It is standard police practice and not specifically racist as far as I see it.

I do, on the other hand, find it hard to believe they would employ such a far reaching tactic should the suspect be white.

Originally posted by dbates
A serial rapist in Charlottesville NC, has police stumped for the moment. The only clue that they have at the moment is that this was a black man. This information came from the victims. In an effort to help find this person, police in Charlottesville have started taking DNA swabs from any black man that they stop for any reason. (Read Story Here)


My question is why is this considered racial profiling. The facts are that a black man is the one commiting the crimes. Police have narrowed the criminal down to a man. So women are not questioned. Couldn't you make the same comment that it was sexual harassment? Since they were only targeting men? NO! The cry of fear is only raised because black men are targeted. If they did not commit the crime, what are they afraid of?

I've witnessed a similar incident on a military base. A clerk at a store witnessed a black man, with the name Johnson on his uniform, stealing items from the store. The MP rounded up all black enlisted members with the last name of Johnson for the clerk to pick out. The cry of "racism" was heard for weeks. But isn't this just common sense? Should they have included a few white men named Johnson when the suspect was black? These alarms of racism, when there is clearly none, have to stop! It ruins it for the times when it is really needed.

this isn't racial profiling, and if it is considered it, it just goes to show how completely rediculous some minority rights groups have become.

I think that is the issue, as well would they do these things if it was a white suspect. I do think it is easier to mail down a white suspect, because of Eye Color, Hair Color Etc. I think people have used racial profiling as a cry tactic, but people seems not to cry this as much when targeting Arab Men after 9/11.
I als think much more care not to look like they are profiling is taken care in cases involving certain races.

FOr instance, WHen I was a Kid, there was a rash of robberies made by a long haired kid. I was pulled over and treated like crap, when I said I do not know what your talking about , I was clubbed by 3 cops.

I have a feeling today that would still happen to me in this case, but probaly not a black person.

I wish people could give up the whole color thing and just be logical about this stuff. But black people have a strong distrust of the police and for good reason in alot of cases. Remeber we are not far away from the 60s and the Fire hoses. We have made long strides, but I would be lery myself.

Well here is something I think you guys over looked. I don't think even criminal profialing should be done because it is possable to get face make up to look as if you were another race. For example, I just thought of this but say I was a white male and I wanted to rob a bank. It would be a good amount of work but I could use face make up simular to what actors wear and make myself appear to be a black male. After robbing the bank I wash the make up off and I am home free becasue the police are looking for a black male.

This is my frist post on this board, I read this topic and I had to say something. Tell me what you guys think about this. If "crimnal" profiling commonly accepted aroud the United States what would stop me from putting in the effort to pulling off a perfect crime?

It could be possible to pull of something like that, but in this case they have already have DNA from the suspect. And this wasn't a one time thing. They have been trying to figure out who this person is for almost 7 years.

Yeah your right it really wouldn't apply to this situation. I would have to say that I agree with everyone else that says this is criminal profiling. In times when someone needs to be punished for a crime you can't overlook race. However, I could understand people getting upset over being put in handcuffs because of criminal profiling. Also, there is a high potentional the criminal profiling could be abused and that would change it to racial profiling. There is not enought information to decide if that was happening or not in this case.

Yes, it is criminal profiling, not racist. Just because they black doesn't mean it is racist. Unless you are implying all blacks are criminals.

Anyways, if I say a green man with three eyes robbed me, would it be racist profiling to put every grenn three eyed man in a line up?

Of course it isn't racist....cause it ain't happenng to you!

"In an effort to help find this person, police in Charlottesville have started taking DNA swabs from any black man that they stop for any reason."

So, the person doesn't have to commit a crime, the cops don't have to have reasonable suspicion or probable cause, they can just stop ANY black man for ANY reason and violate his civil rights b/c he may be the (duh-duh-DUH-DUH!) rapist!

No wonder I have to yell at you all ALL the time.

[Edited on 14-4-2004 by Colonel]

I still don't think it is racist because I don't believe the intent is there. Seems more like desperation to me.

UVA is a pretty uptight place. A serial rapist would be a huge deal.

I do find it really hard to believe that a serial rapist (as in raped MORE than two girls) can do what he has, and the ONLY clue they have is that he is black.

No idea how tall.
No idea how big (wide)
No idea what type of hair style
No clothing indicators
No marks

NOTHING? He has raped a few girls and all they know is he's black?

Sounds rediculous to me. Like I said, this stinks of desperation rather than intentional racism.

Without intent, it is only unjust, not racist.

[Edited on 14-4-2004 by KrazyJethro]

I can see Colonels reasoning (for once). They shouldnt be able to grab you and take some of your DNA without viable cause.

I think someone said "if you have nothing to hide, whats the problem?" Its not the fact that you have to get swabbed, its the morals behind it. I dont see it as racist, though. It could happen to white guys, too. I see it more as another violation of our rights, as Americans.

I think they should investigate more on the case to try and find out who the rapist is, rather than going out on only the fact that he is a black male. The victims should know more. At least height, weight, etc...

(Boy, I thought I would get flamed.) ANyway, remeber the white girl who said she got car jacked by a black man and he kidnapped her kids. Had ALL the SOuthern states looking for those poor white kids...little did they know that the kids were at the bottom of a lake, killed by their mother. That's what I'm talking about.

Plus, EVERYBODY knows that black men don't get involved in simple kidnapping.

I can't believe ANYONE in this thread is defending taking DNA swabs of everyone you pull over for a single piece of circumstantial evidence...in this case being black.

And yes, this is the very definition of racial profiling.

Originally posted by RANT
I can't believe ANYONE in this thread is defending taking DNA swabs of everyone you pull over for a single piece of circumstantial evidence...in this case being black.

And yes, this is the very definition of racial profiling.

There really is not real defense of something this encompasing, but I do not think that it is the very definition of racial profiling mainly because it involves a specific crime.

This in no way is a support for their actions being that I don't think it is racist, only unjust and too broad.

Again, I find it hard to believe that a man can rape a number of girls, and all they take away from it is his skin color?

It really makes no sense that that is the ONLY clue.

Originally posted by KrazyJethro


Again, I find it hard to believe that a man can rape a number of girls, and all they take away from it is his skin color?

It really makes no sense that that is the ONLY clue.

Well, this IS Bush's America and a clue is all you need to strip away rights, starting with the most maligned people.

[Edited on 14-4-2004 by Colonel]

Originally posted by Colonel

Originally posted by KrazyJethro


Again, I find it hard to believe that a man can rape a number of girls, and all they take away from it is his skin color?

It really makes no sense that that is the ONLY clue.

Well, this IS Bush's America and a clue is all you need to strip away rights, starting with the most maligned people.

[Edited on 14-4-2004 by Colonel]

I don't think Bush has anything to do with it. It's not like race relations have not been strained always in this country.

It really seems odd to me though that this is what they have.


Incidentally, I highly doubt that if the ONLY clue was that they were white that these measures would be taken.

This has to be costing tons of money considering over 550 black men have already conceded to the DNA test.


[Edited on 14-4-2004 by KrazyJethro]

And peopel wonder why I refuse to travel to the south but for Orlando and further down.

i'd say racist. y not all the white guys? the women could've mistaken a white man for a black man since he could've been wearing one of those stockings. this has racism writtne all over it.

Originally posted by KrazyJethro
UVA is a pretty uptight place. A serial rapist would be a huge deal.

I do find it really hard to believe that a serial rapist (as in raped MORE than two girls) can do what he has, and the ONLY clue they have is that he is black.

No idea how tall.
No idea how big (wide)
No idea what type of hair style
No clothing indicators
No marks

NOTHING? He has raped a few girls and all they know is he's black?

That was my thought too, so I did a search to see what I could find. Turns out there is quite a bit of info on this case and they even have a composite sketch that rates a 7 out 10 for accuracy.

At a news conference Monday, Chief Timothy J. Longo announced a new composite sketch based on the recollection of the rapist�s most recent known victim, a former UVa student attacked in an apartment on Jefferson Park Avenue in April.
Longo said she got a �really good look at him� � a potential windfall in a case dominated by widely varying descriptions. He has been linked forensically to six attacks since February 1997.
The chief suggested the rapist may be �enjoying the chase,� and said he and the rest of his department are taking the rapist�s attacks personally. He added that the rapist should feel �pressured� that a composite with an accuracy rating of 7 on a scale of 10 is in circulation.

The Willoughby victim said the rapist conversed with her, asking about her children and whether her family had remodeled the floors.

Another thing the victim in the Willoughby attack noticed about the rapist is that he seemed to be �talking himself through� the ordeal. �Now we�re going to do this. Now we�re going to do that,� she said, imitating his manner of speech.

�He lives in the community. He shops in a store. He probably attends church. He probably has a job,� Longo said last week.
Geographic profiling studies have shown that serial rapists often live just a few miles from their preferred target area, though there are many exceptions.
A 1998 study co-written by Dr. Janet Warren at UVa�s Institute of Law, Psychiatry and Public Policy found that 83 out of 108 serial rapists traveled fewer than 20 miles from home to commit their crimes. On average, these 83 rapists traveled 3.14 miles. Nearly half of them raped at least once within a half-mile of their home.

Turvey said investigators should pore over old burglary reports involving unforced entry, if they haven�t already, and try to find a connection to the serial rapist. Also, the rapist probably has a history of domestic violence, Turvey said, so detectives should look for a link there, too.
www.dailyprogress.com...

With all of this info, and a victim that remembers so much, down to the rapist's manner of speech, I can't see any justification for such sweeping and invasive tactics. This is supposed to be a country where everyone is innocent until PROVEN guilty, but they are treating these men like they are guilty unless they prove their innocence by submitting to a DNA swabbing. They are swabbing people who fit the composite sketch, but also people who are reported as "acting strangely". That is what they did after 9/11, and it led to 100's of baseless accusations against Arabs across the US.

Longo stressed that officers are not stopping black men at random. In most cases, he said, police are responding to reports from residents about men who resemble a composite sketch of the suspect or who seem to be acting strangely.

So far, the names of 690 "candidates" have surfaced in the investigation, Longo said. Detectives quickly eliminated 400 because their DNA samples already were in the state database or because they were in jail when one of the attacks occurred. Of the other men, 99 were placed on the list when someone reported that they resembled the sketch, Longo said. He said 116 were added because someone reported "suspicious behavior." The remaining 75 had criminal histories.

So 690 black men fit the sketch or were reported as acting strangely? What exactly constitutes strange behavior? I know that some people say all oriental, black, mexican, etc. look alike, but this is ridiculous!! Why did the 75 men with criminal histories get swabbed, if it wasn't because they fit the sketch or were acting "strangely"? The whole thing seems like an excuse to start pressuring Americans into giving up their rights. They have already started a state DNA database, and just saying they won't add these to it, doesn't mean sh*t. Black men, especially in the south, are more likely to submit to DNA testing, because they often fear unfair treatment by the justice system. I don't think that, were this tried on white men in N.C., it would stand a chance in hell.

Originally posted by jezebel
They have already started a state DNA database, and just saying they won't add these to it, doesn't mean sh*t. Black men, especially in the south, are more likely to submit to DNA testing, because they often fear unfair treatment by the justice system. I don't think that, were this tried on white men in N.C., it would stand a chance in hell.

Good post, I hadn't had time to look deeper into this.

After reviewing the new information and gotten knee deep in this...

I say BULL#. This can not stand.