Communications Intern Jenn Schanz weighs the pros and cons of the image being portrayed by the a new Arab video game character.

“If you enter any Islamic mosque or center and talk to Muslims there, almost every single one has been a victim of discrimination or harassment of some kind,” Sharif said.

A Gallup Poll released last week showed that 53 percent of Americans view Islam negatively and more than four out of 10 admit to being at least a little prejudiced against Muslims.

“The core of the problem is that Muslims are seen as a Monolith by the media and so when one Muslim commits and act of terror or error, all Muslims are brought to bear for that Act. And that kinda of mentality does not exist for other communities because of the nuanced understanding of other communities,” said Ahmed Rehab.

“I would love the opportunity to talk about my faith proactively when there isn’t something terrible happening. And everyday, good things are going on, but the one day that something bad happens, that’s when people become interested in our faith and that is troublesome,” said Ahmed Rehab, CAIR-Chicago Executive Director.

Sharif engaged the class in a discussion on misperceptions of Islam and how extreme images of Muslims in pop culture and mainstream media often feed into ignorance and intolerance.

A new study reveals one in four Americans still hold stereotypes of Muslims.

The study, sponsored by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, found many Americans still believe Muslims teach their children to hate and that they value life less than others.