Muslims share their encounters with intimidation in Cincinnati

Rasa - Concerns about instances of intimidation and ethnic hate episodes are growing in Greater Cincinnati as hate crimes against Muslim-Americans appear to be on the rise nationally

News ID: 425725

Date: 13 December 2016 - 00:05

RNA - Concerns about instances of intimidation and ethnic hate episodes are growing in Greater Cincinnati as hate crimes against Muslim-Americans appear to be on the rise nationally.

According to a report this fall by the Southern Poverty Law Center, hate crimes against Muslims in this country increased by 67 percent last year, a huge jump from the previous year.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations has been tracking and detailing hate crimes that occurred during the super-heated atmosphere of the presidential campaign.

In the post-election environment, the local CAIR office referenced three instances it found alarming. In one case, a woman wearing a hijab was called a terrorist. In another, a Muslim shopper at the grocery was confronted by someone and told to "go back to where you came from."

While neither example is a hate crime, both reflect what Karen Dabdoub, of CAIR, believes is a more conducive atmosphere for lashing out at Muslims.

"They probably felt the same way before the election, even before the campaign season started," she said. "But, now that Trump has won the Presidency, they feel comfortable and they feel free to come out and say these things to people and say them in a very hateful way and a very violent way."

One local mother of five, a Muslim who has lived in Cincinnati for nine years and in America for the past 20 years shared her story Wednesday about a frightening encounter she had with a stranger two mornings after the election.

She was taking her two boys, ages 9 and 11, to school when a car stopped along Springdale Road in Colerain Township and did not move.

When she beeped to encourage the driver to get going, she told us "He opened his window and he flicked me off."

She initially thought it was an unfortunate instance of road rage, but began to suspect a different motivation as the man angrily approached after exiting his vehicle.

"When he saw me wearing a hijab, the scarf, he come toward me and he started saying these words to me."

She said he was swearing at her and then "he made like a gun and his fingers, and he pointed to my car and my kids and he, like, shooting me and my kids and then he drove away."

Whether it was anger borne of road frustration or ethnic religious hatred is hard to know, but the victim said she was petrified by the experience, filing a report about it with Colerain Township police.

The told us there's no crime if someone decides to be a jerk, but that they've documented the incident and have it on file, noting the subject's license plate, just in case it's needed in the future.

The incident left such an impression on her, she doesn't want her name used.

"Because he saw my face and I'm afraid he's going to know me, my name and where I live, and he gonna come and hurt me or hurt my kids."

Although heartened by support it's receiving throughout Greater Cincinnati with an uptick in volunteers and donations and calls of support, the local Muslim community is very wary.

"We're seeing reports basically daily of people being attacked physically, people being hurt seriously, beaten up around the country", related Dabdoub.

She believes the anti-immigrant atmosphere has worsened.

Alfonso Cornejo, of the local Hispanic Chamber, senses it as well.

He told us Wednesday there has been a noticeable increase in bullying of Mexican-Americans and Latinos.

"We've never been free of it," he said. "But, since the election, there have been more reports of it over the phone."

The concerns coincide with a growing American melting pot in the local community.

From Oct. 1 of last year through Sept. 30 of this year, Catholic Charities has resettled 333 refugees in the Cincinnati area.

In the fiscal year ahead, 450 are projected to be resettled, about 50 this month.

A Congolese family of 13 was just recently placed in the community.

A caseworker said there have been no complaints from clients and that the area has been welcoming and helpful.

A spokeswoman for Catholic Charities told us there has been an increase in volunteers to show support for the immigrant families.

While that is the positive side of the experience, the Muslim mother has been unnerved by the negative side.

"The other day one of people here told my daughter, she's 17, they told her take this thing off of your head if you want to live in the United States."

When asked who said that to her, the mother answered, "In the school, in their school."

Dabdoub has been at CAIR since 2004 and believes the recent election has made life more worrisome for Muslims in this country.

"Now that Trump is going to be president, it's okay and you should feel free to spread your messages of hate," she said. "I think that's what some people think."

She agreed the country is full of good people, but that voices of hate gain the most attention.

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