Times of India (April 20, 2012)
WASHINGTON: As many as 92 US lawmakers have urged the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI) to collect data on hate crimes against
Sikh-Americans as their appearance makes them acutely susceptible to
violence.
"The more information our law enforcement agencies have on violence
against Sikh-Americans, the more they can do to help prevent these
crimes and bring those who commit them to justice," the lawmakers wrote
in a letter to FBI.
"The Department of Justice and FBI have carried out important outreach
efforts in coalition with the Sikh community, but these efforts must
also be paired with data collection to ensure we are doing everything
possible to crack down on hate crimes against the Sikh community."
Sikh-Americans are often targeted for hate crimes because of their
distinct identity and common misperceptions with respect to their
attire and appearance, wrote lawmakers led by Democrat Joseph Crowley,
chief deputy whip in the US House of Representatives.
Attackers often appear to erroneously believe that Sikh-Americans are
affiliated with extremists and were somehow responsible for the Sep 11,
2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.
Over the past year, Sikh-Americans and their religious institutions
have been threatened or attacked in highly-publicised incidents in New
York, Michigan, Virginia and California, where two men were murdered.
Advocacy groups believe it is likely that many other incidents have
occurred but went unreported.
A former six-term member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee,
Crowley currently serves as co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on
India and Indian-Americans. He has often taken up issues related to
Indian-Americans and the Sikh-American community
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