Its not as simple as that. Yes, if you own the land, you can do anything privately, but if you intend to convert it for public use, then specific zoning rules need to be adhered to. If you intend to convert your own legally owned property in a residential neighborhood to a school, grocery store, night club, disco or church, you need zoning approval and input of neighbors is sought before a permission is issued. All that makes sense.
However, when neighbors are commenting, its important to evaluate the reasons for their opposition. If neighbors oppose such a request due to noise issues, traffic congestion and what not, these are reasonable concerns and should be addressed. If the opposition is on flimsy grounds, based on lack of knowledge and bordering on religious or racial intolerence, then these should be discarded.
Once the song-and-dance about comparing American values to other cultures is complete and shoulders are patted, I believe all of us should agree that the reasons offered by the folks in Georgia may not be very valid, after all. There may be other more valid reasons for their opposition to a new masjib, but these are not mentioned in the news story.
OG, no doubt about the freedoms this country offers and what is was founded on. Its just annoying to see hillbillies yip yap.
The intent of this thread was not to go into serious debate, but the fact that the ignorance is just evident from the quoted people’s own words. If i was serious I would have posted numerous other such accounts of ppl opposing mosques, some on real grounds of zoning and others based on their own ignornace.
Oh and I know southern, there are misguided souls among my friends and family who have decided to live in the south for some reason. I swear I thought i would have to hire an interpretor to speak to them.
And what kind of people would they be Faisal, who would decide what if any racial or religious sentiments were involved in the complaints? What kind of people will decide what’s to be discarded?
OK now where are all the assess gone, I think mad_scientist is already burning his pirelli's inside pinstripe danda's ass, & at the same time waiting to unleash his gerbil on veri's...!!!
“I believe in freedom of religion, freedom of speech, but when you teach hate in the community... you see in the news everyday what the Islams do... we just don't believe in it,” said Hobbs.
I say they should expand, just to teach those people that the so called Islams are in fact called Muslims. Ignorance knows no bounds. Sigh. This is so pathetic its not even funny. :o
^^ Oh, lighten up. Let's take a tape recorder to downtown Karachi and record some choice comments. Any guesses what we might hear? Odds on my survival? Americas quest for excellence has not reached all corners of the rural south. (news the civil war has ended has not reached all corners of the rural south).
funny