CAIR

Discrimination Up, Hate Crimes Down: Picture Mixed For American Muslims, CAIR Report Shows

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 3, 2009, 4:56PM

The state of Muslim America in 2008, according to a new report from the Council on American-Islamic Relations out today: Civil rights for Muslims are in peril, even as America becomes a less dangerous place to practice Islam.

The data comes from CAIR's annual "Seeking Full Inclusion" report, which aggregates and analyzes the civil rights violations reported to the group throughout the year. The report on 2008 was released today, and shows a rise in discrimination against school-age Muslims and Muslim institutions, but a sharp decline in hate crime violence. Despite the increases, though, there are signs that the country is becoming more tolerant toward Muslims.

Eight years after the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C., CAIR legislative director Cory Saylor told TPMDC the report suggests the darkest days American Muslims faced after 9/11 have past.

"Our thinking is that the spike after 9/11 has dissipated," he said. "I hate to say it like this, but it's looking like violence against Muslims in America has returned to normal level."

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