Conrad Black says racial profiling is an 鈥渙ffensive鈥� concept, but it may be justified, 鈥渦p to a point,鈥� particularly when it can help to prevent terrorist acts.
Speaking on CTV鈥檚 Power Play, Black was commenting on presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump鈥檚 response to the recent murders of 49 people in a gay nightclub in Orlando.
The shooting suspect, who died at the scene, has been identified as Muslim American Omar Mateen.
Following the tragedy in Orlando, Trump has suggested that the U.S. should consider police profiling of Muslims living in the country, as a means of fighting terrorism.
Black said Wednesday that Trump 鈥渕ade his point鈥� that more security is needed in places such as the 鈥渟cene of the tragedy鈥� in Orlando, adding that: 鈥淩acial profiling in this case, while the concept of it is offensive, I think it may be in certain respects, justified up to a point.
鈥淟et鈥檚 face facts: The perpetrators of these acts of terror rarely surprise us by their appearance,鈥� Black said.
鈥淚 certainly wouldn鈥檛 want that translated into a segregation of visible minorities on grounds of all of them being suspect in terrorism matters, but I think there may be some way of playing the actuarial averages in a way that isn鈥檛 offensive to the ethnic and racial sensibilities of a liberal society.鈥�
Black said that, while Trump should present his ideas more clearly, the businessman-turned-politician doesn鈥檛 have a 鈥渞acist bone鈥� in his body.
鈥淗e鈥檚 an equal opportunity employer, he has absolutely no problem with anyone鈥檚 ethnic or religious affiliation or lack of them,鈥� Conrad said of Trump, who he claims to know personally.
鈥淏ut the fact is, he is calling for a greater public security and I don鈥檛 think that is a bad thing as long as it鈥檚 not done in a fascistic or undemocratic way.鈥�
