No rise in hate-crimes against Muslims in 2009

When it comes to the 2009 hate crime statistics there is good news and bad news. The bad news is that there is still hate crime. The good news is that overall the number of reported hate-crimes in 2009 was down 15% from the previous year. More good news is that 2009 saw no statistical rise in hate-crimes directed against Muslims in America when compared to the flat trend that has held since 2002.

The table below shows the hate-crime statistics for the years 2001-2009 (all data from the FBI Civil Rights division website):

YEAR - -	Blacks - -	Jews - -	Gays - -	Muslims - -	Total
2009	2,725	965	1,397	128	6,604
2008	2,876	1,013	1,237	105	7,783
2007	2,658	969	1,221	115	7,624
2006	2,640	967	1,148	156	7,722
2005	2,630	848	971	128	7,163
2004	2,731	954	1,147	156	7,649
2003	2,548	927	1,225	149	7,489
2002	2,486	931	1,234	155	7,462
2001	2,899	1,043	1,375	481	9,730

[Totals include other categories of hate-crimes not listed.]


This year we have been inundated by hysterical accusations about a wave of Islamophobia sweeping across America. It was specifically claimed that the strong opposition to plans to build a mosque at Ground Zero (or an "Islamic Cultural Center" in "Lower Manhattan", whatever) was proof of a sinister fascistic trend in America that would soon rival the anti-Semitic horrors of the mid 20th century.

The 2009 FBI hate-crime statistics clearly demonstrate that opposition to the Ground Zero Mosque is not symptomatic of some long-gathering groundswell of religious bigotry directed against Muslims. That is good news.


Also see these earlier posts from this blog:

• "We plead for the universality of freedom of expression."
• Islamophobophobia Meets Reality: Shining some statistical light on the dark fantasy of Islamophobia
• "most Americans do not buy the 19 fanatics story"
• The right to oppose Islam