Self-described "libertarian with a lower 'l'" and Boston Globe columnist Cathy Young discussed the "culture wars" over expression of religion in contemporary America in a speech Monday at the Rockefeller Center.
Assistant Director of Rocky Jeremy Eggleton introduced Young by mentioning that the center likes to have libertarians speak because their speeches aren't ambiguous.
"They don't decry big government, and then say you can't marry because you're gay," Eggleton said.
Young, who said she supports libertarian ideals but does not identify herself with The Libertarian Party, discussed a plethora of religion topics and their current high-profile in politics.
"Religion is certainly in the news a lot these days. There's of course 'The Passion of the Christ,'" Young said, referring to Mel Gibson's latest movie, "There's also ... gay marriage which is intertwined with religion."
Giving a strong example of the divisive nature of religion and politics, Young said her "alarm bells" rang when President George Bush reacted to San Francisco's Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals' decision to declare a part of the pledge of allegiance unconstitutional.
Young refuted President George Bush's argument that "We need common-sense judges that know our rights are derived from God," and argued that the separation of church and state must be upheld.
Young discussed what she saw as two trends that have been developing over the past 20 or 30 years involving religion and the government: discrimination faced when expressing religion in public and discrimination on the part of the religions themselves, including atheism.
"What we're seeing right now is the climax of culture wars of religion ... which have been brewing for some time," Young said.
She cited the case of two valedictorians that were not allowed to speak at their graduation because they planned on referring to God.
Young noted that some people agreed with the school's decision, including a person who "didn't want to sit through the speech" if it referenced a particular god and those who argued that because graduation is an extension of a school's curriculum, religion cannot be included.
Young, however, sided with the valedictorians, in arguing that oppression of their speeches was a violation of the First Amendment, and someone personally being "annoyed" by the speech should not outlaw it.
Moving to the Pledge of Allegiance controversy, Young illustrated that a small incident could create a large conflagration. She discussed the conflict of opinion; legally the court's ruling was based on constitutional laws, but the statement, "one nation under God" was morally important to many.
"For a lot of conservatives, it's an acknowledgement or endorsement of God in the public space," Young said.
The problem arises, she said, when teachers or students who don't believe in a form of God are forced to recite the pledge.
Young] particularly singled out instructors, whom she believes are sometimes unfairly asked to lead their classes in the pledge.
Young was quick to state her opposing side's belief on the issue of religious expression being controlled by the government.
"One argument of neutrality that is made by conservatives is that the state doesn't have to be neutral in the issue of religion versus non-religion, just in the issue of religions versus each other," Young said.
She responded, "I don't see where in the First Amendment it says it's okay to rule out religion in general as long as you don't promote one over the other."
Overall, Young said the important issue to focus on is to give equality to everyone concerning the public expression of religion.
