Monday, May 27, 2002

"And secondly, there is other forms of racial profiling that goes on in America. Arab-Americans are racially profiled in what’s called secret evidence. People are stopped, and we got to do something about that. My friend [...] is pushing a law to make sure that, you know, Arab-Americans are treated with respect. "


Al Gore?

Bill Clinton?

Janet Reno?

Joe Lieberman?

Dennis Kucinich?


Nope.

George W. Bush, second presidential debate.


Follow up:


On the issue of secret evidence -- another creation of the Clinton/Gore Justice Department -- I am also troubled by the disturbing stories of how this policy is being implemented. More and more, new immigrants, often Arab or Muslim immigrants, face deportation or even imprisonment based on evidence they've never seen and never been able to dispute. That's not the American way. Here, too, the security of our country and of our people is of course the foremost consideration. Yet that doesn't justify a disregard for fairness, dignity, or civil rights. As President, I will work with leaders like Senator Spence Abraham and Congressman Henry Hyde to ensure respect for the law -- and for all law-abiding citizens.


Quoted by the ACLU here.