Over the last several days, we at CAIR-Ohio have been grieving for the families and friends of those killed by a white supremacist targeting the Black community in Buffalo, New York. Our anger, sorrow, fear, anxiety, and questions have not subsided.
How many lives must we lose to racism? How do we protect our communities? Who will stand with us to combat white supremacy?
It is critical for all Americans to be educated on the rise in white supremacy and how conspiracy theories inspire violence against our communities.
This attack was allegedly motivated by the “great replacement” theory. This racist ideology claims immigrants, specifically people of color, are brought to the U.S. to demographically “replace” white people.
Once considered to be on the fringes, today, this conspiracy theory is believed and promoted by many, including voices in Ohio. The normalization of this ideology from public figures has led to attacks on Black, Asian, Muslim, Jewish, and additional minority communities in the U.S. and abroad.
Here are the facts: immigrants and people of color have always been a vital part of America – in our economy, in our communities, and in our democracy. They strengthen the fabric of our nation and our state. At the same time, they face personal and systemic oppression, racism, and violence. In 2021, reports of hate crimes in the U.S. surged to the highest level in over 10 years. CAIR saw the highest number of civil rights complaints from American Muslims the same year. And we know many hate crimes go unreported.
As a civil rights organization for Ohio Muslims – a diverse community of predominately Black and Brown Ohioans – we will not be intimidated by those who espouse white supremacy, and we will continue to fight hatred.
We condemn all those in positions of power who have propagated this dangerous rhetoric and misinformation. We call on our federal and state governments to do more to combat white supremacy in all its forms.
