John Derbyshire

Racial profiling—when law enforcement uses race as a factor in determining which people pose a criminal threat—at airports will help America fight terrorism, John Derbyshire asserts in the following viewpoint. He contends that racial profiling could have thwarted the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Derbyshire acknowledges that while it may sometimes be difficult to accurately identify Muslims of Middle Eastern origins (all the September 11 hijackers were Middle Eastern Muslims), airport officials must use profiling because it will help identify people who may intend to attack Americans. Derbyshire is a columnist for the National Review and a literary critic for several publications, including New Criterion and the Washington Times.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to Derbyshire, what should be included in all emergency legislation before it...