It’s time to call “hate crimes” what they really are – Terrorism. There really is no difference.
Here’s a list of reported incidents against Muslims and Mosques since the San Bernardino attack:
Dec. 4: Windows broken at Palm Beach Islamic center
A member of the Islamic Center of Palm Beach discovered that someone had broken about half of the building’s windows overnight and overturned furniture in the Islamic center. Police are not yet investigating the incident as a hate crime.
Dec. 4: Man threatened to cut off Muslims’ heads
A man left numerous threatening voicemails at the Council on American-Islamic Relations in St. Louis, mentioning the attack in San Bernardino. He threatened to cut off Muslims’ heads if they came to his home. The FBI reportedly arrested a suspect, but he may not be charged.
Dec. 5: Muslim store owner punched by man who yelled “I kill Muslims”
A Muslim store owner in Queens says he was repeatedly punched by a man who yelled “I kill Muslims.” The man first asked if a newspaper with a report on the San Bernardino was free, and then asked if other items in the shop were free as well, according to store owner Sarker Haque. Police are investigating the incident as a hate crime, but the suspect told CBS News that he did not say anything negative about Muslims while he was in the store.
Dec. 5: Muslim congressman received death threat
Muslim Rep. Andre Carson (D-IN) said that he received a death threat.
Dec. 5/6: Man threw stones at Muslim woman’s car
A Muslim woman wearing a hijab said a man cut her off and threw stones at her car while she was driving away from a mosque in New Tampa, Florida.
Dec. 6: Sikh temple vandalized in California
Graffiti mentioning Islam and the Islamic State was discovered at a Sikh temple in Buena Park, California.
Dec. 6: Woman threw hot coffee at Muslims praying in park
A woman yelled anti-Islamic slurs and threw hot coffee at a group of Muslims praying in a park in Alameda County, California. Police are investigating the incident as a possible hate crime.
Dec. 7: Man asked restaurant workers if they are Muslim, slapped one employee
A man started yelling at workers in a Manhattan restaurant, asking if they were Muslims. He slapped one worker and later returned to smash a glass partition at the restaurant with a chair. Police have charged the man with a hate crime, according to the New York Daily News.
Dec 8: Pig’s head found outside Philadelphia mosque
A pig’s head was found outside the Al-Aqsa Islamic Society in Philadelphia. Surveillance video shows someone throwing the pig’s head at the mosque from a red pickup truck.
Dec. 7: New Jersey mosque received hateful letters
A mosque in New Jersey received several hateful letters, one of which called Muslims “evil.”
Dec. 9: Passengers attack ride-share driver in Seattle
Passengers attacked the driver of a ride-share in Seattle, accusing him of being a terrorist and punching him. Police are investigating the incident as a hate crime.
Dec. 9: Man calls woman “trash,” kicks her in the leg
A man confronted a woman at a Brooklyn bus stop and said, “I can’t wait for the U.S. to get rid of you trash.” He then kicked her in the leg. Police are investigating the incident as a bias crime, according to the New York Daily News.
Dec. 10: CAIR receives hateful mail with unknown substance
The offices of the Council on American-Islamic Relations were evacuated after the group received a letter with a powdery substance that referenced a “painful death.” Tests found that the substance was not dangerous.
Dec. 10: Vandals broke windows at Phoenix mosque
Broken windows and a busted light were found at Islamic Community Center of Phoenix on the morning of Dec. 10. Police are not yet investigating the incident as a hate crime.
Dec. 10: Man set fire to Somali restaurant
A man was charged with arson after he allegedly set fire to a Somali restaurant in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The fire came just a few days after Nazi symbols and the phrase “go home” were found painted on the restaurant.
Dec. 10: Muslim woman’s car shot at while leaving mosque
The car of a Muslim woman wearing a hijab was shot at while she was leaving a mosque in Tampa, Florida, according to the Council on American-Islamic Relations of Florida.
Dec. 10: Muslim family had windows of house smashed multiple times
A Muslim family in Plano, Texas, said that they had the windows on their home smashed two days in a row — just six weeks after they moved to the area, according to CBS Dallas-Fort Worth.
Dec. 11: Man set fire to Mosque in California
A man set fire to the Masjid Ibrahim Mosque in Coachella, California. Police are investigating the incident as a hate crime.
Dec. 12: 20 people hold armed protest at Dallas mosque
About 20 people held an armed protest outside a mosque in Dallas, Texas, according to ABC News.
Dec. 13: Two southern California mosques vandalized, fake grenade found in one mosque
A plastic replica of a hand grenade was found in the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Baitus-Salaam Mosque in Hawthorne, California. The fence around the mosque was spray-painted with the word “Jesus.” Police also found the phrase “Jesus is the way” painted in front of Islamic Center of Hawthorne.
For a nation supposedly terrified of terrorism it’s obviously our go-to response.