Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing to address the rise in hate crimes against minorities, but, according to the Huffington Post, “left out a critical group” – Muslims. “There was no Muslim on the panel, titled ‘Responses to the Increase in Religious Hate Crimes,’ to address the rise in Islamophobia against the Muslim community…. Although the panelists did touch upon the rise of hate against Muslims, the panel lacked any Muslim leader or Muslim organization.”
Included in the panel were: Jonathan Greenblatt, the CEO and national director of the Anti-Defamation League who discussed anti-Semitism; Dr. Prabhjot Singh who discussed the Sikh community; Vanita Gupta, CEO of the Leadership Conference For Civil And Human Rights; and finally, Will D. Johnson, the Chief of Police of Arlington, Texas.
The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) submitted written testimony which was read by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) but expressed disappointment “that no Muslim was invited to speak, despite the clear data of anti-Muslim hate crimes.”
The FBI documented a 67% uptick in anti-Muslim hate crimes in 2015
