Better late, than never ... the old saying goes.
In wake of Ferguson protests, US Attorney General to announce plan to target racial profiling
by Kate Brumback, Associated Press; startribune.com -- Dec 1, 2014
[...]
Holder traveled to Atlanta to meet with law enforcement and community leaders for the first in a series of regional meetings around the country. The president asked Holder to set up the meetings in the wake of clashes between protesters and police in Ferguson, Missouri.
[...]
"In the coming days, I will announce updated Justice Department guidance regarding profiling by federal law enforcement, which will institute rigorous new standards -- and robust safeguards -- to help end racial profiling, once and for all," the prepared remarks said. "This new guidance will codify our commitment to the very highest standards of fair and effective policing."
[...]
Better than doing nothing. But what about ending racial profiling, at a state level?
What about guidelines, and better yet accountability there -- on the mean streets of America?
Perhaps A.G. Holder can take steps to make sure this wide-reaching Right, is enforced and protected at a State level, too?
Make sure this Constitutional Guarantee -- is actually guaranteed.
Fifth Amendment: Due Process
billofrightsinstitute.org
The government may not deprive citizens of “life, liberty, or property” without due process of law. This means that the government has to follow rules and established procedures in everything it does. It cannot, for example, skip parts of trials, or deny citizens their rights as protected by the Bill of Rights and by law. This protection helps to ensure justice.
[...]
This right was so important we
were guaranteed it TWICE -- once at the Federal level, and once at the State level too.
Imagine that!
Due process
law.cornell.edu
Introduction
The Constitution states only one command twice. The Fifth Amendment says to the federal government that no one shall be "deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law." The Fourteenth Amendment, ratified in 1868, uses the same eleven words, called the Due Process Clause, to describe a legal obligation of all states. These words have as their central promise an assurance that all levels of American government must operate within the law ("legality") and provide fair procedures. [...]
Equal Protection of the Laws.
If the courts stretched Fourteenth Amendment “due process” to apply the Bill of Rights to the states, they stretched Fifth Amendment “due process” to require the federal government to afford equal protection of the laws. The Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment forbids the states from establishing segregated schools or otherwise discriminating invidiously against some of their citizens. [...]
Perhaps Eric Holder can take steps to
hold to account those who deprive American citizens of this doubly-guaranteed-right, be it a one-sided Prosecuting Attorney or a one-minded Officer patrolling those streets,
who are the ones doing the Due process depriving.
Perhaps, those who offend the Bill of Rights that way, deserve to face a bit of 'rights depriving' themselves. With the Department of Justice, actually guaranteeing Due process "justice" -- gets applied to even state citizens, by virtue of the 14th Amendment.
For ALL of the Constitution's citizens. Not just the 'empowered or favored few'.
Here's a hint: A right doesn't really exist -- if that right is routinely and abruptly denied. As a matter of due course.