After watching the short film, the viewer is encouraged to visit the website, where dozens of Americans have already submitted short YouTube stories about a Muslim they know and admire.

The Quranic imperative is to help to those in need; the religion of the beneficiary does not matter. Voluntarism is thus integral to the daily lives of many Muslims, both in Muslim societies and in Western societies.

WASHINGTON (RNS) Barely two weeks after House Republicans held hearings on the threat posed by radicalized American Muslims, the Senate’s No. 2 Democrat announced his own hearings on threats to American Muslims’ civil rights.

“Pluralism is an American bedrock value that speaks to one of our greatest strengths,” said Aziza Hasan, Southern California Government Relations Director, who attended the City Council hearing.

About the best thing that’s said about Muslims these days is they can’t all be bad. Maybe so, others insist, but they all have that potential. This is the logic of prejudice, which holds up the worst elements of a community and fears that the rest will follow.

Now, I know that Bill Maher has it out for all faiths. I saw his feature-length documentary, Religulous, where he found ignorant religious people to mock, and his spurn for faith leaves no religion untouched.

Ugliness abounds. It is to be somewhat expected given these trying times. Americans are struggling, and those struggles have added a sense of edginess to our public life. It doesn’t feel like politics as usual.