In this polarizing discourse, Islam and the West appear irreconcilable. Fear and its accompanying emotional and often irrational reactions have become part of the public mindset. Such reactions, while often legitimate and understandable, are also being exploited with increasing frequency for political ends.

Arguments that were, yesterday, the sole province of extreme right wing parties unfortunately now resonate with mainstream ones. Lacking creative ideas for promoting pluralism and solving socioeconomic problems, politicians prefer the dangerous rhetoric of protecting “identity” and “cultural homogeneity,” of defending “Western values,” and of course the whole apparatus of new security laws to fight terrorism.

Such rhetoric plays upon apprehensions and perpetuates confusion over the terms of debate now reduced to “We Westerners” and “They, the Muslims,” even when these Muslims are citizens.

Muslims, meanwhile, alerted to this highly charged atmosphere and deepening suspicions naturally complain and criticize the racism and daily discrimination they must endure. But in the final analysis, nothing will change until they accept full responsibility for themselves, become constructively critical, and self critical, and respond to the creeping evolution of fear with a firmly grounded revolution of trust.

This trust for which we appeal will depend, first and foremost, on self-confidence; the task is to re-appropriate one’s heritage through a positive yet critical intellectual attitude. It is also critical to distinguish what is strictly religious in nature from socioeconomic or immigration-related issues and then analyze how cause-and-effect relationships are established at the grassroots.

Our societies are awaiting the emergence of a new “We” -- one that would bring together citizens of all persuasions to resolve contradictions in their societies, to find innovative solutions to socioeconomic problems, to unite against racism, discrimination and all offenses against human dignity; citizens who seek to take up the challenge in the name of their shared values at the heart of their societies.

Against fear, emotional, even hysterical reactions, they stand firm for rationality and dialogue.

Muslim theologian Tariq Ramadan is a professor of Islamic Studies and senior research fellow at Oxford University. The “On Faith” panelist is considered a leading voice on Muslims in the West and the Islamic revival in the Muslim world. Georgetown University's Berkley Center is hosting three satellite conversations this week with Ramadan.