It is high time we heard from and about Arabs and Muslims who are ordinary citizens and not terrorists or alleged terrorists. This type of coverage that sheds light on the human face of Arabs and Muslims will go along way in diffusing myths and stereotypes about them that sadly remain prevalent among many.

Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) believes peace activists from Egypt should be greeted at O’Hare Airport with a hefty dose of institutionalized discrimination. Their offense? Being of the same age group and national origin as Mohamed Atta. “I’m OK with discrimination against young Arab males from terrorist-producing states,” says Kirk.

Terrorists should be viewed as members of organized crime, made unique only by their attempts to gain legitimacy through false invocations of faith.