Islamophobia goes against the grain of the great Canadian experiment, one that is the envy of the world; it undermines those who can make a significant contribution to our society; and, if left to fester, it can lead to some pretty scary scenarios and history tells us that fear and hatred can foster unspeakable horror (the Holocaust is one example). We as Canadians and as global citizens have a duty to stand up to this open sore in our midst.