A Hate Crime Every Hour in USA; Hate Crimes Against Hispanics, LGBT People Dramatically Increased.
The prevalence of hate-crimes should not be news to any of my readers. I blog about it routinely. There is a new report out, however, that indicates a hate crime occurs every hour in the US–more than 7,500 such crimes per year.
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“In the nearly twenty years since the 1990 enactment of the Hate Crime Statistics Act (HCSA), the number of hate crimes reported has consistently ranged around 7,500 or more annually — that’s nearly one every hour of every day,” says a new study by the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Education Fund (LCCREF), the research arm of the oldest and largest civil rights coalition in the United States. “Violence committed against individuals because of their race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation remains a serious problem.”The report expresses particular concern for the rising number of hate crimes committed against Hispanics and those perceived to be immigrants, which LCCREF says is closely correlated to the increasingly intense debate over U.S. immigration reform and “anti-immigrant vitriol on radio, television, and the Internet.” According to LCCREF, inflammatory rhetoric by high-profile national media personalities and groups opposing immigration reform “veers dangerously close to — and too often crosses the line beyond — civil discourse over contentious immigration policy issues.”
Findings also indicate that the increasing demonization of immigrants, combined with the economic downturn and the election of the United States’ first Africa-American president, have fueled a significant surge in white supremacist groups. Extremists have relied largely on the Internet to grow their ranks and organize attacks.
Moreover, hate crimes committed against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals have risen to their highest level in five years, notes the report, Confronting the New Faces of Hate: Hate Crimes in America 2009.
“All Americans have a stake in reducing hate crimes,” writes LCCREF, emphasizing the urgent need for a comprehensive nationwide effort to halt bias-motivated violence. “These crimes are intended to intimidate not only the individual victim, but all members of the victim’s community, and even members of other communities historically victimized by hate. By making these victims and communities fearful, angry, and suspicious of other groups — and of the authorities who are charged with protecting them — these incidents fragment and isolate our communities, tearing apart the interwoven fabric of American society.”
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The marked increase in hate violence against Hispanics correlates closely with the increasingly heated debate over Comprehensive Immigration Reform and an escalation in the level of anti-immigrant vitriol on radio, television, and the Internet. Warned an April 2009 assessment from the Office of Intelligence and Analysis at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), “in some cases, anti-immigration or strident pro-enforcement fervor has been directed against specific groups and has the potential to turn violent.” As inflammatory rhetoric targets immigrants at the same time that the number of hate crimes against Hispanics and others perceived to be immigrants steadily increases, a heightened sense of fear has gripped Hispanic and other minority communities around the country.In one of the most disturbing developments of recent years, some groups opposing immigration reform, such as the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), and NumbersUSA, have inflamed the immigration debate by invoking the dehumanizing, racist stereotypes and bigotry of hate groups. While these seemingly “legitimate” advocates against illegal immigration are frequently quoted in the mainstream media, have been called to testify before Congress, and often hold meetings with lawmakers and other public figures, their virulently anti-immigrant rhetoric veers dangerously close to - and too often crosses the line beyond - civil discourse over contentious immigration policy issues.
…..Fear and vilification of immigrants has combined with the worst economic downturn in decades and the election of the first African-American president to cause a surge in the activity of white supremacist groups. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), the number of hate groups operating in the United States increased more than four percent in 2008 and has grown by 54 percent since 2000. “Barack Obama’s election has inflamed racist extremists who see it as another sign that their country is under siege by non-whites,” said Mark Potok, editor of the Intelligence Report published by the SPLC. “The idea of a black man in the White House, combined with the deepening economic crisis and continuing high levels of Latino immigration, has given white supremacists a real platform on which to recruit.”
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Eliminating the prejudice that underlies hate crimes requires that Americans develop respect for cultural differences and establish dialogue across racial, ethnic, cultural, and religious boundaries. Education, awareness, and acceptance of group differences are the cornerstones of a long-term solution to prejudice, discrimination, and bigotry. Hate crime laws and effective responses to hate violence by public officials and law enforcement authorities can play an essential role in deterring and preventing these crimes, creating a healthier and stronger society for all Americans.All Americans have a stake in reducing hate crimes. These crimes are intended to intimidate not only the individual victim, but all members of the victim’s community, and even members of other communities historically victimized by hate. By making these victims and communities fearful, angry, and suspicious of other groups - and of the authorities who are charged with protecting them - these incidents fragment and isolate our communities, tearing apart the interwoven fabric of American society. Thus, the damage done by hate crimes cannot be measured solely in terms of physical injury or dollars and cents. For these reasons and more, hate crimes demand a priority response from governmental authorities.
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Anti-LGBT violence has increased significantly in NY (as it did here recently in CA). I imagine this trend will continue across the nation.
Following a gay pride weekend marked by hate-motivated violence, advocates in New York City planned a press conference on Wednesday morning to discuss a new report showing increased severity of crimes against LGBT people in 2008, despite a 12% fall in the overall number of crimes in the city.
According to the New York City Anti-Violence Project, the 2008 anti-LGBT hate violence report documents that 17% of the nation’s 29 anti-LGBT murders last year — or five homicides — occurred in the city. Sexual assault against LGBT individuals in New York City rose by 171%, and the use of weapons in the commission of hate crimes also rose.
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The “moral values” crowd has all but dropped the “we love everyone” facade and is once again showing its true colors, and it isn’t pretty. In fact it’s downright terrifying. People shouldn’t have to suffer and die over the chosen personal bigotries of others.
Related posts:
RRRW Actively Supports Bullying of LGBT Students.
The Hate Crimes Bill, Critical and Long Overdue.
‘They kill people like us,’ says gay Iraqi
Anti-LGBT Hate Crimes Highest Since 1999.
