This is the third article in a three-part series on the current political discourse leading up to the midterm elections. (Click here for Part 1 and Part 2)

This week we take a closer look at the impact of Islamophobia on the midterm election:

This week, we witnessed the most recent outrageous example of a pundit crossing the line of decency. In an email to supporters and on the Tea Party Nation's website, Judson Phillips, the founder of Tea Party Nation, argued that a sitting member of Congress, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), must be ousted because "he is the only Muslim member of Congress." His statement is not only factually incorrect (Rep. André Carson, D-IN, is also Muslim), but is a blatant display of his bigotry.

There can be no question that Islam and Muslims have been aggressively played in a political football game leading up to next week's midterm election. It is clear that no matter what people's grievances or biases are rooted in, scapegoating Muslims has been deemed politically acceptable and comes with no cost. Gaining notoriety through wacky and outrages statements about Islam and Muslim works, and increasingly, mainstream media does not fail to give anyone who claims to be an expert a platform.

If you are running for Senate in a national race and you claim that two cities in America are ruled by Shariah, you can rile the crowd with complete impunity. If you are a commentator on FOX News and allege that NPR is part of a "vast jihadist inquisition" for firing Juan Williams, no one will question your journalistic credibility. These and other outrageous statements have injected a high level of fear toward the "Muslim extremists" threat. Unfortunately, the statements are not limited to media pundits, but are being made by candidates hoping to bring out voters who value national security.

It is that understanding that motivated us to stand up against Williams' firing for expressing his fears and apprehensions about flying with people dressed in "Muslim garb." We also know the consequences of outright racism, bigotry and scapegoating throughout our history. Phillips and the many opportunists currently seeking political gain by manipulating the all-too-real (and often irrational) fears of Americans should be called out for who they truly are; the remnants of racism, McCarthyism, anti-Catholic prejudice and anti-Semitism all rolled up in one.

The type of political grandstanding that compels Lynne Torgerson, an Independent also running against Mr. Ellison, to call him "Keith X. Hakim Ellison" might grab headlines and secure a few votes from people who know no better, but it will no doubt go down in the annals of our history as atrocious bigotry and fear-mongering.

Rather than focusing on the real issues affecting Americans -- such as the 9.6% unemployment rate, a broken immigration system, healthcare, unprecedented foreclosure levels and two wars -- some choose to focus on the religion of a member of Congress.

We must remind ourselves of "our better angels" and the foundation upon which our country was built. A foundation that refused to consider the religion of a man or woman when considering their aptitude for public service or elected office, as was clearly said in the words of the father of our country George Washington in a letter to the United Baptist churches in Virginia who were facing religious bigotry at the time: "Every man ought to be protected in worshipping the Deity according to the dictates of his own conscience."