Debunking the ‘Islamophobia’ Myth

Charting FBI Hate Crime Statistics

Islamists and their leftist media allies have been promoting a false narrative of Muslim victimhood. Their claims of skyrocketing and out of control hate crimes against Muslims are being exploited by Islamists to silence voices of reform, and push feelings of separatism and supremacism within Muslim communities – which leads to further radicalization.

Islamist Watch research fellow David J. Rusin has published an outstanding quantitative analysis of FBI hate crime statistics in the National Review. Rusin delivers a devastating blow to the “Islamophobia” myth.

A detailed analysis of FBI statistics covering ten full calendar years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks reveals that, on a per capita basis, American Muslims, contrary to spin, have been subjected to hate crimes less often than other prominent minorities.

The dark portrait of America as a nation of violent bigots uniquely hostile to Muslims does not withstand quantitative scrutiny.

Below are three charts that illustrate Rusin’s important research. (Free to use with attribution to “Islamist Watch, a project of the Middle East Forum”)

Per capita, Jews and gays have been the victims of hate crimes far more than Muslims in post 9/11 America:

Islamist Watch, a Project of the Middle East Forum

Only a tiny fraction of hate crimes in six major categories have been directed at Muslims in post 9/11 America:

Islamist Watch, a Project of the Middle East Forum

Anti-Muslim incidents fell dramatically from 2001 to 2002, and have been level ever since:

Islamist Watch, a Project of the Middle East Forum

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