US Muslims Concerned That 'Few False Reports' of Hate Crimes Will 'Unfairly Discredit' Real Ones

[TomCADem]

Source: ABC News

After two reports of anti-Muslim hate crimes were determined to be fake by authorities this month, the Muslim community is concerned that these "few false reports" are going to "unfairly discredit and delegitimize the dozens of real anti-Muslim hate crimes and instances Islamophobia out there," according to the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC).

"The way our community is treated in the media is unfortunately very monolithic," MPAC spokeswoman Rabiah Ahmed told ABC News today. "When one person acts out -- whether it's making a false report or some other type of bad behavior -- it's often looked upon as if the whole community is responsible for it, and it's saddening."

One recent false report was made in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where a woman fabricated a hate crime incident in November, city police announced on Wednesday.

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"These false reports unfortunately give ammunition to the industry of Islamophobes who promote the demonization and dehumanization of Islamic Muslims," he said. "But one or two false reports should not take away from the credibility of dozens of other real ones."

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/US/us-muslims-concerned-false-reports-hate-crimes-unfairly/story?id=44345100

[mopinko]

1. OLDEST.TRICK.IN.THE.BOOK.

puleeeeeeeeze people.

[pfitz59]

2. Very likely the false reports were sparked or funded

by the opposition, in order to deflect attention from the real crimes that are happening. very old political trick..

[Behind the Aegis]

3. They should be concerned.

It is a particularly powerful weapon used by bigots and those looking to discredit people via personal attack by insinuation. It is similar to false reports regarding rape and sexual assault, and when a person is raped or sexually assaulted, people spew "facts" about false reports along with talking about a person's sexual history. When Jews are attacked or anti-Semitism is raised, people bring up past false events or screech "but...but...Israel did such and such!". African-Americans suffer the same with false reports being treated as "the norm" and then people whining "but...but...black-on-black crime, what about that?!".

It is something many of us who are minorities and/or have suffered/endured rape or sexual assault know much about and that is "exceptions" (false reports) being treated as "the rule". They will have to stand strong and not be afraid to stand up for possible victims of Islamophobia. If it turns out to be false, then they should distance themselves while reminding people, it is "an exception" and bigotry against Muslims is a real thing and one or two false reports do not change those facts!

They will also need to rely on other minority communities to assist them in dealing with fallout for bullshit of false information.

[ck4829]

4. If Susan Smith, Ashley Todd, Bethany Storro, etc. didn't discredit

all white women who say a black person attacked them, then it would be absolutely unfair if a few false reports discredited all Muslims who make reports.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. AAs have suffered centuries of "false reports"

including being accused of raping/assaulting white women (or God forbid - "whistling" at one like Emmett Till) or stealing <fill in the blank>, or most recently "having a gun" (as reported by LEO before summarily executing their latest unarmed AA victim at a traffic stop)... the difference being the result of the false accusation - lynching (on the spot) or otherwise railroaded, sentenced, and executed or thrown into prison.

Blaming every non-white and/or non-Christian community for the (real or perceived) ills of an individual from that community is "The American Way™". But when a Timothy McVeigh blows up a federal building killing 169 men, women, and children, the entire white community is never blamed or held accountable for producing him. Nor is a Dylan Roof made the albatross around the necks of the entire white community (including the enforcement of such a connection by profiling, targeting, harassing, stalking, arresting, and imprisoning anyone like him).

[heaven05]

7. +1000

[heaven05]

6. no worries

there will be enough real attacks in the coming years that social media will be afire. Like the hidden slaughter of unarmed people of color going on for generations in this country, until social media exposed the lie of ameriKKKan inclusiveness, they will be able to at last understand the big lie.....that a vast majority of PoC have had to endure for generations....