Opinion
Is it Racist to Mention the Race of a Missing Person?
Why is such a key descriptor not included in the missing persons alert?
There was a time when missing person alerts included the individual’s height, approximate weight, hair and eye color, and race. Not anymore.
Has it become racist to mention the race of a missing person?
This morning my phone alarmed with an Amber Alert for a missing baby girl. She was described as being six months old, 2 feet tall, and weighing 14 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.
The alert added that she may be in the company of a 22-year-old man who is 5 feet, 8 inches tall with black hair and brown eyes.
Could the possibility of someone recognizing the pair have increased if the description added that they were both black?
A photograph of the pair was included in the online news reports and I could see what race they are. But I wouldn’t have known that from the alert on my phone or if I had been listening to the radio or even reading one of the alert signs…
