QUESTION: Is America Islamophobic, Racist or Homophobic? Not According to the U.S. DoJ and FBI.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau the official estimated resident population of the United States was 333,287,557 on July 1, 2022.

QUESTION: Is America Islamophobic, Racist or Homophobic?

What Has Happened in America since Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr. took office?

On March 14, 2023 NPR’s Jonathan Franklin reported, “Hate crimes reported in the United States increased nearly 12% in 2021 from the previous year, according to newly updated data from the FBI.” 

QUESTION: Why?

This question can be, in part, answered by the March 2023 DoJ/FBI report titled “Supplemental Hate Crime Statistics, 2021.”

The report states, “For more than three decades, the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program has collected and published data on hate crime incidents in accordance with the Hate Crime Statistics Act of 1990. The UCR Program defines hate crime as a committed criminal offense which is motivated, in whole or in part, by the offender’s bias(es) against a race/ethnicity/ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender, or gender identity. The goal of collecting data about these offenses is to better understand the scope of hate crime in our nation and the various facets of this unique crime phenomenon.”

Please view the infographic: Comparing 2020 Hate Crime Data to 2021

According to Table 1:

Number of States/District     Incident Volume Difference 2020

                                                     to Supplemental 2021

15                                                  1 – 75 less incidents

1                                                     No change

26                                                   1 – 100 more incidents

6                                                     101 – 250 more incidents

3                                                     251 – 450 more incidents

Note: The number of incidents, offenses, victims, and known offenders all increased in 2021 when compared to 2020.

Also note: The majority of the states/districts, 84% had less, no change, or 1-100 incidents. However, 16% of the states/districts had over 101 to 450 incidents. Hate is prevalent in only 9 states/districts in America.

Let’s take a closer look at three specific categories of hate crimes to determine if America is Islamophobic, racist or homophobic.

Religious Based Hate Crimes

Table 1A  of the FBI Report shows that there were a total of 10,840 incidents, 12,411 offences, 12,822 victims and 9,606 known offenders of religious based hate crimes.

The 2021 FBI data shows the top four religious groups who are victims of hate crimes are:

1. Anti-Jewish: 817 incidents, 851 offences, 869 victims and  583 offenders.
2. Anti-Catholic: 97 incidents, 99 offences, 102 victims and 71 offenders.
3. Anti-Protestant: 40 incidents, 42 offences, 46 victims, and 29 offenders.
4. Anti-Islamic (Muslim): 152 incidents, 177 offences, 190 victims, and 130 offenders.

Taken together we are seeing these hate crimes offenders are 2.8% of our total population. However, of the 1,144 offences reported by the FBI 74% were against Jews, 12% were against Christians and 15% against Muslims.

FINDING: America does not have a significant religious persecution problem. Additionally, America is not Islamophobic.

Race Based Hate Crimes

According to Table 4A – Part 1: Crimes Against Persons – Single-Bias Incidents

In terms of racial incidents the 2021 FBI data shows the total  number of offences are as follows:

1. Anti-White: 1,303
2. Anti-Black or African American: 3,790
3. Anti-American Indian or Alaska Native: 148
4. Anti-Asian: 820
5. Anti-Arab: 131
6. Anti-Hispanic or Latino: 886

According to Statista there were in 2021: 6,531,976 property crimes; 2,967,229 larceny-theft crimes; 2,335,159 violent crimes; 584,913 burglaries; 554,618 motor vehicle thefts; 166,782 sex offences, 121,103 robberies and 15,249 homicides.

Taken together we are seeing these race based hate crimes offenders are infinitesimal compared to the many other crimes which took place in 2021.

Additionally, race based 3,790 anti-black/African America hate crimes account for 0.0016% of violent crimes in America in 2021.

FINDING: America is not a racist nation. However in 2021 America has become a more violent and criminal nation.

Sexual Orientation Hate Crimes

Hate Crimes due to Sexual Orientation totals are: incidents – 1,707; offences – 1,929; victims – 1,979 and known offenders – 1,671.

In terms of sexual orientation the 2021 FBI data shows the top five gender queer categories are:

1. Anti-Gay (Male): 948 incidents, 1,034 offences, 1,043 victims and  992 offenders.
2. Anti-Lesbian (Female): 187 incidents, 225 offences, 227 victims and 180 offenders.
3. Anti-Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgender (Mixed Group): 521 incidents, 610 offences, 649 victims and 453 offenders.
4. Anti-Heterosexual: 13 incidents, 14 offences, 14 victims and 8 offenders.
5. Anti-Bisexual: 38 incidents, 46 offences, 46 victims and 38 offenders.

Taken together we are seeing these sexual orientation hate crimes offenders are 4.9% of our total population.

FINDING: America does not have a significant sexual orientation persecution problem.

Numbers don’t lie. Even though we have see a rise of both religious and sexual orientation hate crimes since the inauguration of Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr. America is not Islamophobic, racist nor homophobic.

©2023. Dr. Rich Swier. All rights reserved.

RELATED ARTICLE: New FBI data show reported hate crimes in the U.S. jumped in 2021

---