Here's a myth in need of squashing: Five recent reports of damage to property at and around Islamic faith centers in St. Cloud is nothing more than typical vandalism in that neighborhood. "B" as in "B," "S" as in, well, you know the rest. Seriously, that's not true.

In fact, when St. Cloud Police Chief Blair Anderson was told of the claim, he laughed in that "really?" eye-roll sort of way and quickly debunked it. "No, it's not typical of that neighborhood," he said, adding that several other places of worship in that area have reported no similar acts of vandalism.

In other words, that lack of similar reports provides reasonable grounds to believe hate (or perhaps ignorance, intolerance, fear or all of the above) of Islam is behind the vandalism at or near the Central Minnesota Islamic Center and the Islamic Center of St. Cloud.

In a nation founded upon freedom of religion and in a fast-growing community with an increasingly diverse population, allowing such actions to go unpunished is not acceptable.

That's why anyone with even the smallest piece of information is encouraged to contact St. Cloud police or Tri-County Crime Stoppers.

The department is investigating five reports of damage to property at and around these faith centers that happened between Nov. 7 and Dec. 3. It included broken windows to one of the buildings and broken windows on vehicles parked outside one of the centers.

Leaders of the centers had reported the incidents to police as they occurred and went public about the acts Dec. 4.

Such actions are unacceptable. What if such vandalism occurred at your neighbor's church or to their car while they were at church? Would you misleadingly claim it's just part of the neighborhood? Or would you want your community to help solve it?