When we think of diversity, it is often to stress how we are different. Society tends to focus on these things, and drives a wedge further between different groups, blurring truth and unity.

For Islam Awareness Week, UIC clinical psychology professor Jaleel Abdul-Abid spoke Wednesday night in the Holmes Student Center’s Skyroom. He discussed how Muslims have been misrepresented, and how Islam offers a peaceful solution to global struggles.

“We Muslims do not have a history of blowing things up,” he said. “We have a history of building things up, through Islam. Check for yourself.”

Abdul-Abid lectured about how the media usually presents Islam as Arabs with guns, when in fact only 15 percent of Muslims are Arabs. Although Muslims know they are not all terrorists, their portrayal does not suggest this.

“It’s because of what we see in the news all the time,” said junior FCNS major Chelsea Edwards, who attended the lecture. “It’s sick, but at the same time, it’s all we know.”

Abdul-Abid also said that against popular understanding, there is no current government that correctly applies Islam, and the proof is the existence of corruption.

He said the world can defeat corruption, and that each person can act as a spark. The only thing one must do is stand up for what is right, despite the cost.

This same philosophy can be seen as Jewish students celebrate Passover this week, a holiday celebrating when the Israelite slaves sacrificed their security and stood up against Egypt for what was right, and God delivered them. As a tradition ever since, Jews all over the world eat matzot (unleavened bread) every year. During Passover in the Dark Ages, Jews battled stereotypes and accusations that matzot were made from the blood of Christian babies. They stood against this misperception, often being killed or tortured in the process, rather than giving in to a ridiculous popular movement.

Cary Wolovick, the president of NIU Hillel, has had his own battles against misunderstanding this week. He has had to make sure Neptune lives up to an agreement to serve food that NIU’s Jewish students can eat during Passover, as Star columnist Nial Maloney documented in a recent column. Although Wolovick is grateful for Housing and Dining’s help in correcting NIU’s failure to accommodate freedom of religion, he hopes NIU will continue to “do the right thing” in years to come.

The First Amendment also allows Christian students to observe Good Friday by not attending classes. Easter stresses a similar theme, whether you accept Jesus or not: The story of Jesus’ crucifixion is about standing up for what is right, even in the face of death. Although I hate to give away the ending, Jesus comes back and shows that doing the right thing leads to a greater reward in the world to come, a phrase that can mean either heaven or Earth depending on your theological perspective.

Toward this end, Christians face constant criticism, battling against stereotypes and inaccurate portrayals of their theology. Yet Christians who fight for what is right are similar to both Muslims who denounce terror and Jews who believe a promise is a promise. Popular stereotypes and media portrayal of ethnic groups and religions often stress our differences, when in fact the three perspectives are very much similar.

They all say one thing specifically: Standing up for what is right, no matter what the cost, is the right thing to do.