Illustration by Alicia Toldi
Clustered into the Alice Johnson room, approximately fifty members of the Connecticut College community discussed the proposed Islamic cultural center near Ground Zero. Sandwiched amongst their peers, students and staff quietly enjoyed cookies and coffee as a distinguished panel of faculty members assembled before them.
The panel consisted of Professor Eugene Gallagher, Dean of the College Community Armando Bengochea, Dean of Studies Theresa Ammirati, Religious Studies Professor Sufia Uddin and Dr. Nauman Naqvi, Mellon Post-Doctoral fellow of CISLA. It was a product of the Residential Education Fellows program, launched in the fall of 2009, which aims to enhance the connections between faculty and students. The endeavor involves faculty fellows and student leaders, including floor governor Lisette Roman ’12 who inspired this particular educational effort.
“This summer, in my local newspaper, I read a reader’s poll regarding the construction of the community center,” said Roman. Disheartened by the responses she saw, she felt the issue would be a hot topic on campus. “The REF program creates opportunities like this one for students and faculty to have meaningful and intelligent discourse outside the classroom,” she added.
Dialogue began with Dean Bengochea’s take on the controversy surrounding the construction of an Islamic cultural center to be erected blocks away from where the Twin Towers fell. A majority of polled Americans who regard the site as sacred ground are offended. Bengochea quoted televangelist Pat Robertson’s sentiment that “Muslim takeover of America is imminent,” and proceeded to dissect the connotation of the term “tolerance.”
“We tolerate what we dislike,” said Bengochea, “and what we wish to regulate.” He equated tolerance with a declaration of the non-normative by whichever hegemony in question: anti-Islamic bigotry has alienated Muslims, and they have consequentially become “the new other.”
Dean Ammirati discussed what she called “the divide between what we believe we believe and what we actually believe,” citing what the Statue of Liberty symbolizes and paralleling it with our current reality. It is the reality of fear, both the “fear of other” and the fear of a world thrown out of whack.
Dr. Naqvi spoke passionately on that same subject. “I am sorry for all of us,” he said. Spirits undoubtedly sunk throughout the small conference room as he lamented the worst century in human history, out of which humankind limps into the unknown of this new millennium. Citing numerous natural disasters that have plagued the globe of late, as well as referencing the human tendency to use the planet’s resources with careless abandon, he demanded to know why this issue – born out of what he calls “identity politics” – is clamoring for center stage on the social agenda.
Professor Uddin talked about the hurt she’d felt. “It’s a painful experience,” she said. “I am personally pained.” She spoke highly, and at times tearfully, of Park51, informing the audience that it will not be a mosque, but a community center with a gym and a pool, as well as a place for Muslims to pray, and where individuals of all religions can gather.
“Imagine you’re born and raised in a culture,” said Uddin. “You go to school with the other kids, you go home and you might do a few things differently, but you’re still an American. These protests challenge [Muslim] identity.”
“I hope you are seeing the passion of the faculty participating,” said Professor Gallagher, who further acknowledged that tensions over the construction of the center are testing the strength of our pluralistic society.
The discussion whipped through the political, the personal and even touched upon the philosophical. “If we are indeed hurtling from catastrophe to catastrophe,” asked Charles Barstow ’12 in reference to one of Dr. Naqvi’s more dire revelations: “What compels us not to despair?”
“Nothing compels me,” said Naqvi. “I despair all the time.”
Professor Fred Paxton, chair of the history department, offered a more positive response, reminding the crowd that before the twentieth century, human rights virtually did not exist at all. Beyond the pity Naqvi expressed, Professor Paxton sees compassion, “old as Buddha.” He spoke of American history and the number of times things have looked pretty calamitous. “But in the words of the Grateful Dead,” he said, “We will survive.”
Students who attended the panel discussion felt enlightened and inspired.
“I really enjoyed being able to listen to educators of different disciplines offer their insight,” said Katie Pearson ’14.
Sophomore Leah Feutz said, “I try to stay passionate about enacting change when some people seem so resistant. Having discussions like this really help me to stay motivated and informed.”
