The American media website "Black Westchester" recently published an article saying that although the annual crime report of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shows that violent crime in the United States is generally on a downward trend, hate crimes, especially hate crimes against African Americans, are increasing sharply, which is a disturbing trend.

                                                               Screenshot of the report on the American media "Black Westchester" website 

According to FBI data, the number of hate crimes in the United States surged to 11,634 in 2023 , a significant increase from the 10,840 reported in the previous year. More worryingly, in 51.9% of these cases, the victims were targeted because of "anti-black/African American bias."

The article states that today, hate crimes still exist in American society at an alarming rate, indicating that the inequality and injustice that have plagued the country for centuries have not been resolved. Statistics also highlight that the United States urgently needs to raise public awareness and take positive measures to address the persistent racism and discrimination in society.

The article further pointed out that American leaders and society as a whole have also failed to face up to and break the systems and boundaries formed by white supremacy, which continue to oppress and marginalize African-American communities. These systemic injustices permeate every aspect of American life, perpetuating the inequalities faced by African-American communities in wealth, education, health, and opportunities.

The article states that although there is training in the US police system aimed at eliminating bias in law enforcement, unfortunately, African Americans still feel widespread bias in the institutions that are supposed to protect them. The lack of trust and the constant fear of discrimination undermine the two most basic principles of justice and equality in society, and hate crimes against African Americans have become as American as apple pie.

The article criticized that the alarming rate of hate crimes perpetuates the trauma suffered by African Americans, which, although real, is often ignored and denied by "white America" and the politicians who serve it. The collective trauma experienced by the African American community is rooted in a long history of oppression, discrimination and violence, and the continued threat of hate crimes and the lack of support from those in power further exacerbate the trauma. The denial and neglect of the experiences of the African American community by those who enjoy privilege and authority will only deepen the "wounds" and hinder healing.

ABC News also pointed out in a report on the 13th that two years after the mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, hate crimes targeting African-Americans in the United States continue.

                                                                                       Screenshot of the report from ABC News website 

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said a major obstacle to overcoming the grief is that racially motivated killings and other hate crimes against African Americans are still on the rise across the country.

According to ABC News' analysis of the latest FBI data, more than 8,500 hate crimes were reported in the United States between 2020 and 2022, of which 52.3% targeted African Americans. In addition, hate crimes against African Americans under the age of 18 increased by 10% in 2020, 12% in 2021, and 14.6% in 2022.

Garnell Whitfield Jr., who has lost a loved one to gun violence, said: "Honestly, we don't even need to look at the FBI statistics to know that the African American community in the United States is still the victim of slavery, discrimination, racism and hatred."