Esposito next turned to Sally Quinn of the Washington Post, who with Meacham is co-moderator of On Faith.

Quinn said that she, like many Americans, has been trying to learn as much as she can about Islam.

"I had a very different view of Islam before I started learning more about it, and it was a negative one," she said.

"Now I see how difficult it is to be a Muslim in the world and a Muslim in America."

She said she has learned that it's important to distinguish between Islam and the actions of individual Muslims, both good and bad.

She said it's also important to recognize the perceptions and concerns many Americans have about Islam.

She read an On Faith reader's response to a guest column posted April 11 by controversial Muslim scholar Tariq Ramadan.

The letter read, in part:

"Islam is not compatible with the contemporary values and Human Rights. Present civilization based on human rights,secularism and rationality. Islam rejects all of them.

"Islam doesn't respect Human Rights. Islam pursues sharia law that's based on desert rules.

"Islam doesn't respect Christianity and other beliefs, on the contrary Islam insults Christian values.

"Islam doesn't respect man and woman equality, Islam degrades women.

"Islam doesn't respect rationality, but advocates 'literalism' and dogma. . .

"Islam doesn't know what Democracy is."

Quinn said Muslim Americans must take these perceptions seriously, however incorrect or exaggerated they might be.

"The problem many non-Muslims have is they feel these questions are not being answered," Quinn said.

Mubarak agreed but wondered if non-Muslims will really listen to and accept the answers.

"Until we address this idea that Islam is alien to American culture we'll never be part of American culture," she said.

Jackson suggested that Muslims are being held to a different standard in America, a nation of countless cultures.

"Who's America are we talking about? Snoop Dog's or Jerry Falwell's? ... There's not one American culture, there are several and we have to make our contribution" to American pluralism.