“Americanization of Islam” or the “Islamization of America”?

It is a difficult time for Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf.  The Imam has gone from being a poster child for positive relations between Islam and American society to being singled out as a pariah on conservative political talks shows and labeled as an “extremist” and a “radical”.  The controversy surrounds a proposed Islamic cultural center to be developed near “Ground Zero” the site of the September 11th attacks.

For 27 years the Imam and his Mosque Masjid Al-Farah have been welcome residents in the Lower Manhattan district of Tribeca, located just twelve blocks from “ground zero”.
The community has served as the example par excellence of moderate American Islam. As a result the Imam has received significant admiration and numerous awards for articulating a tolerant vision of Islam that is in harmony with western democratic values. He was even selected by both the Bush and Obama administrations to travel to the Middle East in an effort to help improve the image of the United States in the Arab world.

Now Imam’s plans to develop a new Islamic community center located two blocks from “ground zero” is prompting a national public outcry. Apparently for an Imam with a reputation for building bridges between Muslims and the west, 10 blocks closer to    where the twin towers once stood is a bridge too far.

According to the Imam the facility being proposed is intended as a contribution of his community to the betterment of the lower Manhattan area. While the building would include a Muslim prayer space it is not a mosque it would also offer a pool, a gymnasium, a banquet hall, and art exhibitions.  He says “the Center is open to all regardless of religion”. He compares the project to other religious centers such as YMCA’s and Jewish Community Centers found in New York and cities throughout the country.

The issue hit a national nerve when a local conservative blogger in New York began to challenge plans for the Center and formed an activist group “SIOA: Stop the Islamization of America”. National media outlets eventually picked-up on the story and national political leaders began to speak out against what came to be known as the “Ground Zero Mosque”.  Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House and potential Republican presidential candidate in 2012, is one of the most strident voices in opposition. He states, “the construction of the 13 story building is, in fact, a statement of Islamic triumphalism rather than message of religious tolerance”.

The issue continued to snowball when President Obama publicly voiced his support of the right of the community to build the center. He stated, “Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country”. He later seemed to pull back on his initial remarks by saying that he never commented on the “wisdom” of building the center so close to the location of the attacks.

“It is a surprise and it should not go unnoticed that the Muslim leaders being attacked are the most open and liberal those seeking to make constructive contributions to American civic life”, comments Matt Weiner, Program Director of the Interfaith Center of New York, an organization whose mission is to create understanding and respect among the different religious groups of New York City,

Weiner believes that “political opportunists” are seeking to capitalize on existing fears and suspicions people have of Islam.  There is wide spread public sentiment against the structure being built in close proximity to  “ground zero”.  Many 9/11 families are against the project but there is certainly not consensus on the issue.

A CNN poll indicates that 7 in 10 Americans do not favor the location of the community center even while polls also indicate that 61% of Americans believe they have the right to build it. For many the issue comes down to whether the project is in good taste. It is clear that by American constitutional standards the community is exercising their right to freely practice their religion.

But there are signs that there is a new perspective emerging on the entrance of Muslims into the mainstream of American life.  Traditionally both conservatives and liberals agreed that Muslim Americans attempting to assimilate into society was a good thing. This is why so many valued Feisal and other leaders who sought to promote an “Americanization of Islam”.  George W. Bush for instance made an effort after the attacks of September 11th to differentiate American Muslims and Islam in general from extremist groups like Al Queda and by saying “Islam is a religion of peace”. But today there seems to be a view that Islam itself is incompatible with American society. Some even believe that there is a conspiracy to “Islamize America”.

A Gallup poll released in January 2010 found that 53% of Americans view Islam unfavorably. Throughout the country there have been protests against Islamic Centers and Mosques in remote places such as Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and Sheboygan, Wisconsin. At these protests traditional complaints such as zoning and noise aren’t the issue. The Protesters are concerned with Islam itself.

“They quote passages from the Koran and argue that even the most Americanized Muslim secretly wants to replace the Constitution with Islamic Shariah law”, explains New York Times journalist Laurie Goldstein. Many protests are tied to the Tea Party movement, which circulates conspiracy theories and even rumors claiming that President Obama is a secret Muslim. Such views are not held by only a small fringe group of Americans. A recent survey conducted by Pew Charitable Trust found that 20% of those polled believe incorrectly that President Obama is Muslim. 

It is not clear whether the place of Islam in American life will develop into another of the major fault-lines of American cultural politics as abortion, and flag burning have been in the past. There is good reason to think that the Right may want to keep the New York issue in the national headlines. However, some conservative voices are doubtful about the effectiveness of trying to capitalize on the issue. Grover Norquist, a significant figure in conservative republican circles says, "this is a distraction from a winning game plan. It is very stupid, when Republicans are poised to win an overwhelming victory in November over Democratic spending, to focus attention on this issue". Many moderate conservatives feel right-wing Republicans will over play the issue alienating independent and moderate voters whose support they need to win in the upcoming mid-term elections in November.

The increasing energy around this issue is a major sign that it could remain stuck in public’s consciousness until November and beyond. If the “ground zero mosque” controversy remains at the center of the debate and is seen to have helped swayed elections in favor of Republicans then it surely will remain an issue in 2012 when Obama is up for re-election.

If that is the case, this could be the beginning of a tectonic shift in the fault-lines of American politics.  In political language words like “Muslim” “Islam”, “Sharia” may become the new code words for outsiders who threaten the stability and prosperity of American society. However it still remains to be seen whether or not the battle over the “ground zero mosque” and the suspicion and anger directed toward a moderate Imam and his community are a part of a larger new “culture war” developing in the United States.

Mike Waltner

Mike Waltner holds a BA in Religious Studies from Penn State University, and a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary at Columbia University in New York City. He is formerly Director of Operations at the Interfaith Center of New York and was a Democratic Candidate for US Congress. He will be speaking on this topic and "Faith and Society" at the November 30 member meetup.