While hate crimes against Middle Eastern people may have occurred in a few communities in the United States since the war with Iraq, NIU remains a safe environment.

“Most of the people around us are educated; students know that you can’t blame a group or individual because of the world,” said Maie Seif, a sophomore business major and co-president of the Muslim Student Association.

According to the Chicago Tribune, some Arab and Muslim immigrants, including some in the Midwest, have been victims of hate crimes since the United States’ invasion in Iraq.

On March 11, a Villa Park mosque had its windows smashed as 100 people prayed inside.

University Police Lieutenant Matt Kiederlen said the first time a hate crime is committed, it is classified as a Class 4 felony punishable by no less than one and no more than three years in jail. The second and any offense thereafter of a hate crime is classified as a Class 2 felony, which is punishable by no less than three and no more than seven years of jail time.

NIU Judicial Director Larry Bolles said if a hate crime was to come through the judicial office, the punishment for the crime could range anywhere from a letter of warning to dismissal from NIU.

Sociology professor Kristen Myers had some input as to why such hate crimes are committed.

“People want to feel control because they feel threatened … they are expressing their anger because they want control,” she said.

Myers also said that most people don’t engage in hate crimes because it would bring about more problems.

People who appear Middle Eastern are subject to people’s gawking.

“Its nothing physical or verbal,” Seif said, “you get used to the looks after a while; maybe people are staring longer at us because of the present situation of the world, but it’s nothing out of the ordinary.”

Seif said that during the Sept. 11 attacks, the pressure that people who appear to be Middle Eastern felt was greater because the situation was close to home.

“It’s hard to pinpoint terrorism, it is natural for people to get mad,” Seif said.