BY KEN CHITWOOD

At the end of last year, the uptick in antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents in the U.S. and around the globe captured headlines as part of the fallout from the Israel-Hamas War.

Reactions were swift and widespread, as university presidents resigned, demonstrators took to the streets in places like Berlin and Paris and the White House promised to take steps to curb religious and faith-based hate in the U.S.

The topic of rising discrimination and incidents of hate remains contentious, as debate over definitions and political polarization challenges us as we try to understand the issues.

As students of religion, it is important to exercise caution when approaching these hot-button issues. Hot takes are not helpful. Instead, students of religion should carefully observe the debates, examine the variegated histories and definitions of the terms, and uncover both antisemitic and anti-Muslim hate’s cultural, political, and ideological antecedents.

Worrying Statistics

The statistics are worrying, to say the least, with pronounced upticks in both antisemitic and anti-Muslim incidents since Hamas' attack on October 7, 2023, and Israel's subsequent invasion of Gaza.

According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), antisemitic incidents increased by 388% in the U.S. in the four weeks following the attack. And in a new report by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization said it received a total of 1,283 requests for help and reports of bias between 7 October and 4 November -- a 216% increase.

In a call with reporters, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said they saw an increase in threats against both Jewish and Muslim communities. Although not providing specific numbers, FBI director Christopher Wray told The New York Times that they feared further hate-based violence in the U.S., like that of the October 15th fatal stabbing of 6-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume, 6 at his Illinois home in what police said was an anti-Muslim hate crime.

Swelling statistics were also noted in Europe, with the United Kingdom and Germany both reporting increases in antisemitic and Islamophobic hate. For example, the British organization Tell MAMA received a sevenfold increase in reports since early October.....

https://www.patheos.com/articles/hate-surge