Discussion | Ground Zero Tolerance: Religious Freedom and America's Culture War

The clearance by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission for the so-called “Ground Zero mosque” to be built in lower Manhattan received national coverage amidst a raging debate. Initiated by Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich and then weighed in upon by Mayor Bloomberg and President Obama, the debate focuses on whether Park 51, the 13-story Islamic cultural center, should be allowed to be built so close to 9/11’s Ground Zero. Those who oppose Park 51 argue either that the project is insensitive because Ground Zero is unique and a kind of “hallowed ground,” as journalist Charles Krauthammer put it, or that it is politically motivated by an anti-American agenda and should not be treated with the same tolerance as a religious institution. Those defending the Islamic center have been quick to label opponents as bigots and claimed the center will be a bridge to cultural harmony by promoting moderation, non-violence, and diversity.

Is this apparent new backlash against Muslims in Western nations a new version of the “culture wars”? While religious freedom has been a consistent part of the Enlightenment tradition, does the increasing antagonism towards Muslims in the West express a feeling that we tolerate what some consider the intolerant at our peril? How should today’s American society deal with clashing belief systems? Does the current preoccupation with Islam, whether sympathetic or hostile, reflect a deeper lack of certainty about what Western values are?

This panel is moderated by Alan Miller, co-director of NY Salon. Its speakers include Zead Ramadan, chairman of New York Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR); Wendy Kaminer, lawyer, social critic, and correspondent for theatlantic.com; Brendan O’Neill editor of spiked and feature-writer for the Christian Science Monitor in America and for BBC in the UK; and Kristen Saloomey correspondent for Al Jazeera.