History
Interactions between Americans and the Islamic world have a history of being somewhat troubled. Going back as far as the Crusades, Peter the Venerable referred to Islam as a “heathen religion” with the prophet Muhammad coming from a foul and false lineage who told “utterly laughable and insane fables” that made him a disciple of the devil.
According to the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, religious discrimination involves treating a person unfavorably because of his or her religious beliefs. Although there has been religious discrimination and competition since the beginning of religion itself, only a few religions have surfaced to the top. One of the top religions in the United States today, is Christianity. Nationwide, Christian holidays like Christmas, Easter, and Palm Sunday are celebrated. Grocery stores have specific sections in their stores to load up on products to celebrate. This leaves non-Christian religions with the short end of the stick. People who are employed can expect time off for Christmas and to be getting paid time and a half for working on Christian holidays, but people of other faiths get swept under the rug. The nationwide recognition of Christianity as the main religion in the United States has brought about a number of hate crimes. The day that will live in infamy, September 11th, 2001, killed thousands of American people. Since that moment, Americans nationwide held American-Muslims responsible for the actions of a few terrorists. Just last year, the New York Times published an article about the rise in hate crimes against American Muslims since 9/11.
The use of the term ’Islamophobia’ has grown since the 1980s and as recently as of 2010 it began to be used more often in articles, journals, news reports and even in political affairs. Islamophobia is defined as the prejudice towards or discrimination against Muslims due to their religion, perceived religion, or their national or ethnic identity that is associated with Islam. Within islamophobia are mentalities and actions that demean an entire class of people. Today the issues people have regarding Islam often result in physical attacks, mosque vandalism and destruction as well as government profiling and discrimination.
According to the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, religious discrimination involves treating a person unfavorably because of his or her religious beliefs. Although there has been religious discrimination and competition since the beginning of religion itself, only a few religions have surfaced to the top. One of the top religions in the United States today, is Christianity. Nationwide, Christian holidays like Christmas, Easter, and Palm Sunday are celebrated. Grocery stores have specific sections in their stores to load up on products to celebrate. This leaves non-Christian religions with the short end of the stick. People who are employed can expect time off for Christmas and to be getting paid time and a half for working on Christian holidays, but people of other faiths get swept under the rug. The nationwide recognition of Christianity as the main religion in the United States has brought about a number of hate crimes. The day that will live in infamy, September 11th, 2001, killed thousands of American people. Since that moment, Americans nationwide held American-Muslims responsible for the actions of a few terrorists. Just last year, the New York Times published an article about the rise in hate crimes against American Muslims since 9/11.
The use of the term ’Islamophobia’ has grown since the 1980s and as recently as of 2010 it began to be used more often in articles, journals, news reports and even in political affairs. Islamophobia is defined as the prejudice towards or discrimination against Muslims due to their religion, perceived religion, or their national or ethnic identity that is associated with Islam. Within islamophobia are mentalities and actions that demean an entire class of people. Today the issues people have regarding Islam often result in physical attacks, mosque vandalism and destruction as well as government profiling and discrimination.
Statistics
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s most recent hate crime statistics, in 2015, the number of hate crimes and intimidation crimes against Muslims, and their property, were the highest they have been since 2001. In 2015, the number of reported physical assaults against Muslims in the United States increased from 56 assaults, in 2014, to 91 assaults (Pew). Of the 301 individual crimes perpetrated against Muslims in 2015, 71% of the crimes were perpetrated directly against Muslim people, as opposed to their property. Recent hate crimes perpetrated against Muslims in the United States have, percentage wise, been far more violent than hate crimes perpetrated against other religions (Pew). FBI statistics show, “64% of anti-Jewish and 51% of anti-Catholic offenses in 2015 involved vandalism, compared with just 23% of anti-Muslim offenses” (Pew).
While the FBI hate crime statistics for 2016 and 2017 have not been released yet, the Southern Poverty Law Center has tracked an enormous amount of hatred against Muslims in recent years, as well as a tremendous spike in anti-Muslim crimes and activities during and following the election of Donald Trump. In the five days following the recent election of Donald Trump in 2016, there were over 30 reported incidents of anti-Muslim hate crimes (Pew).
The record of hate crimes against Muslims in America in 2015 marked the highest level of anti-Muslim hate crimes since 2001 post 9/11. These attacks included the vandalism and arson of mosques, assaults, and threats of violence. The F.B.I’s current hate crime statistics are not due to be released until this November, but researchers from California State University have compiled data to determine that hate crimes against Muslims rose 78% through 2015.
This rise in hate crimes has affected both Muslim American adults and youth. Statistics from Soundvision and a Columbia University study estimated that 75% of young Muslims claimed that they or someone they knew had been discriminated against, and that in New York public schools alone, 28% of Muslim students reported being stopped by police due to racial profiling and 7% of students claimed to have been physically assaulted for being Muslim. Nationally, there has been a reported 660% increase in young Muslims seeking help for issues including bullying, depression, and substance abuse.
While the FBI hate crime statistics for 2016 and 2017 have not been released yet, the Southern Poverty Law Center has tracked an enormous amount of hatred against Muslims in recent years, as well as a tremendous spike in anti-Muslim crimes and activities during and following the election of Donald Trump. In the five days following the recent election of Donald Trump in 2016, there were over 30 reported incidents of anti-Muslim hate crimes (Pew).
The record of hate crimes against Muslims in America in 2015 marked the highest level of anti-Muslim hate crimes since 2001 post 9/11. These attacks included the vandalism and arson of mosques, assaults, and threats of violence. The F.B.I’s current hate crime statistics are not due to be released until this November, but researchers from California State University have compiled data to determine that hate crimes against Muslims rose 78% through 2015.
This rise in hate crimes has affected both Muslim American adults and youth. Statistics from Soundvision and a Columbia University study estimated that 75% of young Muslims claimed that they or someone they knew had been discriminated against, and that in New York public schools alone, 28% of Muslim students reported being stopped by police due to racial profiling and 7% of students claimed to have been physically assaulted for being Muslim. Nationally, there has been a reported 660% increase in young Muslims seeking help for issues including bullying, depression, and substance abuse.
Anti-Muslim Groups
In 2015, the SPLC reports there were 34 anti-Muslim hate groups in the United States; that number increased to 101 anti-Muslim hate groups in 2016 (SPLC).
Along with the frequent occurrences of Muslim-targeted violence, these anti-Muslim hate groups spread fear and intolerance with their completely false, and highly dangerous, hate speech regarding Muslims. These anti-Muslim organizations spread the ideas that all Muslims are terrorists, or potential terrorists, aiming to “bring down America” and “impose Shariah law.” In order to attract support, these hate groups frequently attempt to attract members of other groups that have been previously targeted by Muslim extremists to “join in” on their hatred towards Muslims. These organizations portray Islam as, collectively, violent and intolerant towards women, Jews, and the LGBTQ+ community. Here in Tucson, AZ, an anti-Muslim hate group titled “ACT for America” currently has a chapter. The hate group currently has over 280,000 members nationwide and over 1,000 chapters (SPLC). In Phoenix, AZ, there is currently an anti-Muslim hate group titled “Bomb Islam,” and in Flagstaff, AZ, there is another active anti-Muslim group titled “Soldiers of Odin.” |
Presidential Role
It has been a consistent thought that the increase in intolerance comes from language used by those deemed important and high up in government. Only days after the 2016 presidential election there were a total 300 reported hate crimes with a significant portion of them being anti-Muslim and Islamophobic. When it comes to the current administration, there have been statements and actions that some people take as a reason to espouse hate. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has recently received awards from the Center of Security Policy, an organization that has been deemed a hate crime by the Southern Law Poverty Center. Michael Flynn was appointed the national security advisor after referring to Islamism as a “vicious cancer inside the body of 1.7 billion people” and promoting the idea that it needed to be “excised”. Even the president himself has used language that refers to Islam as a whole in a negative connotation. In an interview with Anderson Cooper, President Trump stated his views saying, “I think Islam hates us. There’s an unbelievable hatred of us”. Not only does the president have this viewpoint about such a large group of people but he proudly stated it and believed nothing was wrong with it.
According to the New York Times, some scholars determined that—besides the recent terrorist attacks across the globe—some of the rise in hate crimes against Muslims in America had occurred immediately following some of President Trump’s most controversial rhetoric during his campaign. In December 2015, Trump compared a Muslim ban to the Japanese internment camps from WWII by defending a plan for the “total and complete shutdown of Muslims.” Just a month earlier, he confirmed his full support for implementing a Muslim database while being questions by an NBC news reporter. Another memorable instance was Trump’s response after the Miami nightclub shooting, where 49 people were killed by a man who reportedly pledged his allegiance to ISIS. In a tweet that same morning, Trump said “Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism.”
According to the New York Times, some scholars determined that—besides the recent terrorist attacks across the globe—some of the rise in hate crimes against Muslims in America had occurred immediately following some of President Trump’s most controversial rhetoric during his campaign. In December 2015, Trump compared a Muslim ban to the Japanese internment camps from WWII by defending a plan for the “total and complete shutdown of Muslims.” Just a month earlier, he confirmed his full support for implementing a Muslim database while being questions by an NBC news reporter. Another memorable instance was Trump’s response after the Miami nightclub shooting, where 49 people were killed by a man who reportedly pledged his allegiance to ISIS. In a tweet that same morning, Trump said “Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism.”
Citations
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"Anti-Muslim." Southern Poverty Law Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2017.
"Hate Map." Southern Poverty Law Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2017.
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/ideology/anti-muslim
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/11/21/anti-muslim-assaults-reach-911-era-levels-fbi-data-show/
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/intelligence-report/2017/year-hate-and-extremism
"Jeff Sessions: Champion of Anti-Muslim and Anti-Immigrant Extremists." Southern Poverty Law Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2017.
Kaczynski, Andrew. "Michael Flynn in August: Islamism a 'vicious cancer' in body of all Muslims that 'has to be excised'" CNN. Cable News Network, 22 Nov. 2016. Web. 12 Apr. 2017.
Lichtblau, Eric. "Hate Crimes Against American Muslims Most Since Post-9/11 Era." The New York Times. The New York Times, 17 Sept. 2016. Web.
McCausl, Phil. "The number of anti-Muslim groups nearly tripled last year, report says." NBCNews.com. NBC Universal News Group, 16 Feb. 2017. Web. 12 Apr. 2017.
Middlebrook, Hailey. "Hate crime tracking: Fascinating, unreliable." CNN. Cable News Network, 12 Jan. 2017. Web. 12 Apr. 2017.
Mujahid, Abdul Malik. "Islamophobia Statistics USA 2011." SoundVision.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2017
Mujahid, Abdul Malik. "It's Not Easy Being a Young Muslim in the United States Today." SoundVision.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2017.
News, CBC. "'I Will Say What I Want to Say': Hair-raising Quotes from Donald Trump." CBCnews. CBC/Radio Canada, 15 July 2016. Web.
"Shouting Across the Divide." This American Life. WBEZ, 15 Dec. 2006. Web. 10 Apr. 2017.
Team, Written By Bridge Initiative. "Islamophobia: The Right Word for a Real Problem." The Bridge Initiative | A Research Project on Islamophobia. N.p., 06 Apr. 2016. Web. 12 Apr. 2017.
"What is Islamophobia?" The Bridge Initiative | A Research Project on Islamophobia. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2017.