Throughout the month of February and the onset of March, hate crimes across the United States have significantly increased, specifically, anti-Semitic hate crimes. An estimated four out of ten JCC Association Locations in the United States and Canada have received bomb threats this year. Recipients of these threats as well as acts of vandalism have included Jewish neighborhoods, community centers, and schools. The Muslim community in the United States has not been spared either. A wave of arson has plagued mosques all over the country. According to the FBI, anti-Muslim hate crimes have risen by 67 percent from 2014 to 2015. The Council of American-Islam Relations indicates that mosques were primary targets for vandalism, arson and other forms of destruction 80 times in 2015. Sadly, there has been an over 400 percent increment in the number of these crimes from 2014. Anti-Semitic attacks through the country have been mainly through acts of vandalism, arson and bomb threats.
Vandalism
February 20th, 2017, St. Louis – Gravestones were found overturned and damaged in a cemetery in University City. Chesed Shel Emeth Jewish Cemetery, had over 100 of its headstones damaged. It was cleaned up soon after its attack.
February 26th, 2017, Philadelphia – A Jewish cemetery in Wissimoning was desecrated. The Mount Caramel Cemetery, where the heinous act was committed, had numerous of its gravestones turned over. Philadelphia police said at least 100 headstones within the cemetery had either been toppled over or damaged. The outcome? Fear. Devastation. Jewish residents in the Wissimoning section were afraid for their lives and the lives of their families. Public outrage soon ensued, as members of the Wissimoning community and concerned citizens took to social media to express their condemnation of the hateful act. Soon after, the FBI opened a civil rights investigation into the occurrence of this incident.
February 26th, Miami Beach, Florida – On the same morning of vandalism at Mount Caramel Cemetery, residents of a predominantly Jewish neighborhood in Miami Beach found some of their cars vandalized. They woke up to find the swastika symbol-keyed onto their vehicles.
This event happens soon after a large swastika symbol was found painted on the car of a resident in Boca, Raton. West Boca is a popular residential area for Holocaust survivors. Further, two buildings in Seattle, Washington were found defaced with anti-Sematic graffiti. Jews regard the swastika as a symbol for generations of murder and genocide. It has profound psychological effects especially on senior citizens who survived those difficult times. However, they are not the only community under attack.
February 24th, 2017, Tampa, Florida – A mosque in this area was almost burned down. Authorities later reported that the fire was caused by arson. Luckily, there were no casualties in the incident. This is the third fire a mosque in Tampa has experienced. Due to the fire, morning prayers for worshippers at the mosque were moved to a different venue. Afternoon prayers at the mosque were canceled. In July and August of 2016, five of Tampa’s mosques caught fire. Authorities later determined that two out of those fires were as a result of arson.
January 28th, 2017, Victoria, Texas – Residents of this area discovered the remains of a mosque destroyed by fire early in the morning. Previously, within the same month, a mosque in Bellevue, Washington was set on fire by unknown assailants.
Bomb Threats
An estimated 16 Jewish community centers have been targets for bomb threats over the last month. This wave of threats totals the number of centers that have received bomb threats within the United States to 61. The threats have caused a wave of shock and fear among members of the Jewish community.
Also, Jewish Schools across the country have also received bomb threats. 89 bomb threats have been received across 30 states in the country. The threats have interrupted learning for some members of the Jewish community. This is because the schools they attend were evacuated for the safety of students and staff. Despite regular learning having resumed in these institutions, fear remains amongst Jews within affected areas.
The Effects
As a result of these occurrences, members of the Muslim and Jewish communities continue to live in fear for their lives and the lives of their families.
Ben Herzig, a clinical psychologist and research fellow at the Institute for Social Policy has outlined the detrimental effects that current hate crimes and prejudice have against the Muslim community. Mr. Hezrig says that despite no one seeking his treatment exclusively for Islamophobia, the present state of issues worsens their mental conditions. The members of these Semitic communities feel targeted and vulnerable.
Reports have further shown that discrimination on these people dehumanizes them, making them feel less than others.
“If you are an American Muslim who is depressed, it’s going to exacerbate your depression. If you are anxious, it’s going to exacerbate your anxiety. If you are a Muslim under stress, or who is having trouble concentrating, or who is having trouble getting along with other people — all of this is going to add another layer of complication to your life,” Mr. Hezrig said in an interview with Vox.
What is America doing?
So far, there have been positive milestones in working towards more unity for members of the two communities. Politically, Vice President Mike Pence has openly spoken against the anti-Semitic attacks at a dinner he had with members of the Jewish Republican Coalition. Further, Pence had joined affected communities in their fight against anti-Semitism, most notably when he helped clean up the Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery with members of the local community. Missouri Governor Eric Gretens also joined in the exercise.
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer has also spoken against anti-Semitism, saying the Trump administration “denounces them in the strongest terms.”
Notably, all US senators have also come together and signed a letter to the President asking for swift action to be taken against the rising number of bomb threats within the country.
Within law enforcement, arrests have been made with regards to cases of arson. One such arrest was of a man who is believed to have caused the mosque fire in Texas. Further, 31-year-old Juan Thompson has been put under arrest for making at least eight of the reported bomb threats.There has been significant progress. Only, can the progress be faster? Time will tell.
