captioning sponsored by the lilly dowment >> abernethy: welcome. i'm bob abernethy. it's good to have you with us. in the wake of the failed christmas day airplane bombing, the obama administration took new steps this week to improve airline safety. president obama ordered u.s. agencies to move faster and more accurately to prevent future terrorist attacks. he said while the vast majority of muslims reject al-qaeda, the u.s. must develop a strategy that addresses the challenges posed by lone recruits. under new t.s.a. procedures, passengers traveling from 14 nations, most of them predominantly muslim, are facing enhanced screening. many american muslim groups say while they are concerned about security, they are still worried that their community is being unfairly targeted by what they call "religious profiling." joining me is salam al-marayati, executive director of the muslim public affairs council in los angeles. mr. marayati, welcome. what's the matter with tougher airline security? >> nothing wrong with tougher airline security, but when we stigmatize and profil

bob abernethy was joined by a panel of journalists to talk about the coming year. >> abernethy: we take our look ahead now to the stories we expect to cover in the new year with the help of jason byassee of the duke university divinity school where he directs its faith and leadership project; e.j. dionne of the brookings institution, "the washington post" and georgetown university; and with kim lawton, managing editor of this program. welcome to you all, and happy new year. jason, we have a recession. what's going to happen to it, do you think? and what effect has it had and will it have on the churches, the denominations, the charities-- all those people that you cover? >> i am struck by how you can't have a conversation with a religious leader now without talking about what the financial downturn mea for their organizations. this is across the board, from left to right, whatever position one has. at this means is that people are laying people off. they are cutting back on ministries. i wonder if this isn't the story upcoming. lots of our denominational infrastructures were built at a

i'm b abernethy. it's good thave you with us. in the wakef the failed christmaday airplane bombing, the oma administration took new steps this week tomprove airline saty. president obama orred u.s. agencieso move faster and more accurately torevent future trorist attacks. he said while the vasmajority of muslims rejt al-qaeda, the u.smust develop a strategy that addresses t challenges sed by lone recruits. under new t.s.a. proceres, passengers treling from 14 nations, mt of them predominantly muslim, arfacing enhancescreening. many amecan muslim groups say while they are ccerned about security, they are sti worried that their community is beg unfaiy targeted by what they call "religio profiling." joining me isalam al-marayati, executivdirector of the muslim publiaffairs council in los angeles. mr. marayati, welce. what's the matter with toher airline secuty? >> nothing wrong with ugher airne security, but when we stigmatize and profile opulation, that divides our country, making imore difficult to counter e threat. we have be uni