FBI hate crime report distorted reality

In response to the article, “FBI: Hate Crimes jump in Iowa and Nebraska,” page 4A, July 10, from the Associated Press:

Whenever I see an article like this and the news agencies conglomerate Iowa in with another state it raises my suspicion. I did some investigation on the FBI website, specifically FBI Hate Crime statistics, table 12 and 13. Yes the hate crimes jumped 21 percent. However Iowa's stayed consistent at 10 in both 2018 and 2019. It actually went down from 11 in 2017, a 9 percent decrease. I say again, decrease.

In Nebraska, hate crimes went from 34 in 2018 to 46 in 2019 a 21% increase. However, in 2017 there were 45 reported hate crimes. This is a 2 percent increase from 2017 to 2019. Using the 2017, 2019 statistics, the sum of Iowa and Nebraska remained the same. Dead even.

I love our state of Iowa; this story is misleading. The Gazette should have vetted this story better.

One hate crime, in Iowa or Nebraska, is too many.

I don't consider this a right or left issue but I'm sure many do.

Kevin Ciha

Coggon