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SALT LAKE CITY — A recent BuzzFeed News analysis of activity from politicians and other elected officials found that since 2015 at least one public figure has openly attacked Islam in every state in the nation, except for one: Utah.
To the contrary, the BuzzFeed article cites an example of a former Utah GOP lawmaker expressing gratitude for Muslims’ presence in the country.
Before he died in 2016, Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, told his family members he wanted to thank Muslims for being in the country and to apologize to Muslims for the election of President Donald Trump, according to The Daily Beast. Bennett served for three terms from 1993 to 2011 and was succeeded by Republican Mike Lee.
In other states, though, anti-Islam rhetoric has come from the mouths and social media accounts of public figures from a variety of positions, including state and local lawmakers, political party leaders, law enforcement officials and other government workers, BuzzFeed’s report found.
That rhetoric comes mostly from Republicans, though it cites “a couple of incidents” from Democrats.
David Bowers, then-Democrat mayor of Roanoke, Virginia, in 2015 suggested government agencies in the region stop helping relocate Syrian refugees. He pointed to the American use of internment camps for Japanese-Americans in World War II as a reason for ending help for Syrians but later apologized for the remarks.
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Trump stokes anti-Muslim sentiment; censured in US, abroad
Stoking the same anti-Islam sentiments he fanned on the campaign trail, President Donald Trump on Wednesday retweeted a string of inflammatory videos from a fringe British political group purporting to show violence being committed by Muslims.The BuzzFeed report includes multiple instances of Republican figures speaking out against Muslims, including former Nebraska state lawmaker Bill Kintner, who in 2015 suggested Muslims who want to enter the U.S. should be forced to eat pork first.
Also in 2015, Rhode Island state Sen. Elaine Morgan suggested Syrians should be housed in camps and said Muslims were murderous. In 2016, Florida lawmaker Tom Goodson asked a pro-Islam lobbyist if it would be safe to ride an elevator with her.
BuzzFeed’s analysis also cites a report on anti-Muslim activity from public figures published by Washington, D.C. think tank, New America. New America’s report tracks anti-Islam rhetoric and policy moves since 2012 and notes that the activity has spiked since late 2015.
The report found 675 separate incidents since 2012, including proposed anti-Sharia legislation, opposition to refugee resettlement, opposition to mosques, cemeteries or schools, anti-Muslim actions or statements by public officials, and media reports of anti-Muslim violence or crimes.
None of those incidents happened in Utah, which has an estimated Muslim population of about 5,000, according to New America.
Most states in the western U.S. had fewer than 10 documented anti-Muslim incidents, according to New America.
Texas and California are tied for the most incidents of any state, with 44 each. Among western states, Washington has 22 incidents and Arizona has 13, New America’s report found.
