The obvious fear was these unknown men could be a danger to campus, fostering apprehension toward the multitude of MSU students with Muslim or Middle Eastern heritage.

But these feelings are misplaced.

MSU’s Department of Police and Public Safety sent out a universitywide e-mail asking students to help identify three Pakistani men after an incident Wednesday at the Business College.

Police said the three men did not do anything illegal but “made several comments of an unusual nature that caused some concern” after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Because MSU police are releasing very little information about the incident - such as what the men said that was intimidating - we’re left to wonder how serious a threat these men could have been.

But a lack of knowledge often leads to alarm about the unknown. It’s unfortunate MSU police have not been able to release further information to students about why these men are perceived as a possible threat. Because we’re left in the dark about the details of this investigation, some students could be quick to overreact toward people of Middle Eastern or Muslim heritage.

If university officials believed the possible threat of these men was serious enough to send a campuswide e-mail, we should know exactly what kind of danger we could be in. Lack of such information too easily fans the flames of ethnic stereotyping.

Stereotyping is a dangerous practice that can easily lead to ethnic intimidation and discrimination. We need to set an example for the rest of the nation, if not the world, as a community with respect for all its members.

Muslim and Arab students are an important part of our Spartan community, and discrimination against them cannot be tolerated.