Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The Myth Of The Anti-Muslim Hate Crime Wave
Captain's Quarters ^ | Dec. 04, 2007 | Ed Morrissey

Posted on 12/04/2007 5:42:32 AM PST by jdm

To hear CAIR tell the story, Americans have conducted a wave of hate crimes against Muslims that put them at greater and greater risk as time goes on. They highlight every perceived injustice as a means of shaming Americans into believing that Muslims in our midst have been the greatest victims of terrorism, thanks to our innate bigotry. However, as Investors Business Daily discovered when they looked at the FBI's numbers, anti-Muslim hate crime has dropped dramatically since 9/11 -- and another group remains far more likely to be victimized:

Not only are anti-Islamic hate crimes way down, but they're a fraction of overall religious hate crimes. The overwhelming majority of such crimes target Jews, something CAIR and other Muslim groups don't seem all that concerned about.

In 2006, a whopping 66% of religiously motivated attacks were on Jews, while just 11% targeted Muslims, even though the Jewish and Muslim populations are similar in size. Catholics and Protestants, who together account for 9% of victims, are subject to almost as much abuse as Muslims in this country.

Last year's anti-Islamic hate crimes totaled 156. While just one hate crime is one too many, that's a 68% drop from 2001.

The FBI report gives lie to CAIR's alarmist narrative of "Islamophobic" lynch mobs marching on mosques across America. In reality, Americans have been remarkably, and admirably, tolerant and respectful of Muslims and their institutions since 9/11.

The actual statistics can be found at the FBI's website. Out of almost 1500 anti-religious hate crimes committed in the US in 2006, 967 victimized Jews, while 156 victimized Muslims. Put together, Catholics and Protestants were the targets of 135 attacks.

That means on a per-capita basis, Muslims would be much more at risk for a hate crime in the US than a Christian. However, since Jews and Muslims have similarly-sized populations in the US, Jews are six times more likely to be victims of hate crimes than Muslims. Unlike with anti-Jewish hate crime, "intimidation" accounts for more than a third of all reported anti-Muslim victims. For Jewish victims, actual destruction of property accounts for two-thirds, while intimidation accounts for less than a fifth.

Qualitatively as well as quantitatively, the Jews have much more risk for hate crimes than the Muslims in America. Does that make our nation anti-Semitic? Hardly; we have provided perhaps the best opportunity for Jews to live in peace and prosperity than any other nation in the world. The same can be said for Muslims as well, but CAIR wants Americans to believe that we are a nation of Islamophobes who have to be scolded and legally harassed into giving Muslims a fair shake.

CAIR sells anger and fear. Americans have shown their hospitality to all peoples around the world, including Muslims, but CAIR isn't interested in truth. It's interested in power, and anger and fear make great shortcuts to it.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: fbi; jews; muslims

1 posted on 12/04/2007 5:42:34 AM PST by jdm
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: jdm
I'd be more comfortable with islam if they abandoned the north American continent entirley and absconded back to their dung-and-straw huts.

Statistically, it would make my children, and their children, much safer, IMO.

2 posted on 12/04/2007 5:47:04 AM PST by -=SoylentSquirrel=- (I'm really made of people!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jdm

CAIR is anti-American period. Don’t doubt it,don’t ever forget it


3 posted on 12/04/2007 5:50:07 AM PST by Doogle (USAF.68-73..8th TFW Ubon Thailand..never store a threat you should have eliminated))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jdm

Delusional CAIR fantasizes that America hates ‘em, but the vast majority of Great Satan Nation doesn’t even know they exist (and the vast majority in our Dem-dominated media and academia actually seem to approve of and support CAIR).


4 posted on 12/04/2007 5:54:33 AM PST by flowerplough (America is the most benign hegemon in history, according to Mark Steyn.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jdm

CAIR is obviously using the liberal playbook to get their agenda accomplished.

I wonder if Liberal organizations are going to help perpetuate this lie CAIR is putting out there?


5 posted on 12/04/2007 5:54:45 AM PST by Fox_Mulder77
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jdm
CAIR in my opinion is a terrorist support organization and anything they say is a lie. Just my opinion of course.
6 posted on 12/04/2007 5:55:42 AM PST by YOUGOTIT (The Greatest Threat to our Security is the US Senate)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jdm

It’s even less significant than this. Other threads here over the past year have noted that alleged (and therefore included in the statistics) “hate crimes” against Muslims include such outrages as shopping carts being bumped, refusal to grant incredibly indulgent time absences, remodeling, and other accomodations for five-a-day prayer rituals, etc.


7 posted on 12/04/2007 5:58:31 AM PST by jiggyboy (Ten per cent of poll respondents are either lying or insane)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: YOUGOTIT

An opinion held by many. Now, how many crimes have been committed by muslims against others. I can think of nearly 3,000 in 2001 alone in America.


8 posted on 12/04/2007 6:07:34 AM PST by Long Island Pete
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Fox_Mulder77

YES


9 posted on 12/04/2007 6:11:00 AM PST by A Strict Constructionist (We have become an oligarchy not a Republic.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: jdm

Wait until naming your stuffed doll “mohammad” becomes a hate crime. Or not admitting that mo was a true prophet. Then we’ll see an epidemic of hate against muslims.


10 posted on 12/04/2007 6:34:16 AM PST by DManA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jdm
CAIR sells anger and fear. Americans have shown their hospitality to all peoples around the world, including Muslims, but CAIR isn't interested in truth. It's interested in power, and anger and fear make great shortcuts to it.

This, of course, places CAIR on par with just about every other civil rights organization in the country.

11 posted on 12/04/2007 6:55:51 AM PST by Captain Rhino ( If we have the WILL to do it, there is nothing built in China that we cannot do without.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jdm

I wonder if I could be arrested for a hate crime since just about every time I’ve seen a hijab wearer I’ve taken off my shoe and shown her the sole of my foot.


12 posted on 12/04/2007 7:15:53 AM PST by manic4organic (Send a care package through USO today.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: manic4organic

You may have your taboos tangled, m4o. “In Thailand and other countries where Buddhism is prevalent, it is offensive to point the sole of your foot, with or without a shoe on, toward another person,” according to a site called “Traditions Abroad”


13 posted on 12/04/2007 7:51:40 AM PST by flowerplough (America is the most benign hegemon in history, according to Mark Steyn.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: flowerplough
I have no respect or tolerance for Sharia
14 posted on 12/04/2007 8:06:24 AM PST by Kid Shelleen (Aztlan My Azz: La Raza is Spanish for Tan Klan)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: DManA
Wait until naming your stuffed doll “mohammad” becomes a hate crime. Or not admitting that mo was a true prophet. Then we’ll see an epidemic of hate against muslims.

This fella's WAY ahead of you. And, BTW, we've got a local entrant in training for the annual pig races at Katy, Texas, and I bet you can just about guess what his name is.

15 posted on 12/04/2007 11:29:56 AM PST by archy (Et Thybrim multo spumantem sanguine cerno. [from Virgil's *Aeneid*.])
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: manic4organic
I wonder if I could be arrested for a hate crime since just about every time I’ve seen a hijab wearer I’ve taken off my shoe and shown her the sole of my foot.

It gets the Turks mighty riled up, but you don't need to bother taking your shoes/boots off to make your point. Indeed, a shuffling motion like a bull getting ready to attack gets the message to them: they're something you've picked up on your shoe, nothing more.

That's also the reason for the Iraqis wailing away on the toppled Saddam statues with their shoes, even though more destructive implements were available. Muslums across the world knew exactly what they meant.


16 posted on 12/04/2007 11:34:39 AM PST by archy (Et Thybrim multo spumantem sanguine cerno. [from Virgil's *Aeneid*.])
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson