I enjoy watching Real Time with Bill Maher whenever I can, and I especially appreciate the wittiness and humor of his New Rules. Alas, whenever the subject of Islam and the Middle East pops, the show turns ugly.

Criticism of Muslims, when warranted, is a legitimate exercise in public discourse. But our national interests are ill-served if we only criticize and never appreciate.

With stereotyping in general, it is the classic case of "it takes one to know one." If the person in front of you falls into a category, then you will too.

Although it may seem harmless to assume someone's religion based upon their name, it's becoming apparent that this type of judgment is unnecessary and irrelevant, especially for Muslims in America.