This feat might get harder with each passing day. They are over taking the America we love so much!
Posted on 05/19/2005 5:09:57 AM PDT by southlake_hoosier
Muslims accuse ex-mayor
Koldenhoven was in cahoots with city against Palos Heights mosque: group
Thursday, May 19, 2005
By Chris Hack Staff writer
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The leader of a Muslim foundation that tried to set up a mosque in Palos Heights five years ago suggested in federal court Wednesday that former Mayor Dean Koldenhoven may have joined with other city leaders in a mean-spirited "game" to ruin the group's plans. Koldenhoven has received national recognition and a prestigious award for publicly supporting the mosque plan and later killing a city council bid to give the group money to leave town. But Abdallah Elsheikh, president of the Al Salam Mosque Foundation, testified that Koldenhoven's move was nothing more than a calculated final "slap in the face" to the Muslims because they wanted the money.
The foundation's federal lawsuit against Palos Heights alleges the city violated the group's First Amendment rights by thwarting the group's plan to buy a church and convert it to a mosque in 2000. Palos Heights lawyers insist the foundation never needed to ask for the city's permission, and should have simply bought the church and moved in.
Elsheikh said his group, founded in 1997, had been worshipping at a mosque at 63rd Street and Kedzie Avenue on the Southwest Side, but the small rented space had become too small for a congregation of 200, and most of the foundation's members had migrated to the suburbs. In the spring of 2000, the group signed a contract to buy the Reformed Church of Palos Heights at 6600 W. 127th St. for $2.1 million.
"We said we were going to follow our congregation," Elsheikh said. "Our people live between Burbank and Orland Park — and this was right in the middle. It was a perfect fit."
The 18,000-square-foot church, built in 1962, had a modern-style circular sanctuary; only the pews would have to be removed to create the central prayer space for a mosque. Elsheikh said leaders also were pleased the church had a dozen classrooms for an Islamic school and a gym that could be used for overflow worshippers on Fridays.
"It looked like it was perfect at that time," Elsheikh said.
Elsheikh said he and other foundation officials immediately began lining up loans from wealthy community leaders and organizations — and quickly had all but $50,000 of the purchase price in place. Court papers show now-defunct charity Global Relief Foundation pledged an interest-free $500,000 loan to the project. Global Relief is one of three large Islamic charities with offices in the southwest suburbs that were shut down by the federal government after Sept. 11, 2001, over alleged links to terrorism.
Under the terms of the real-estate contract, the purchase of the church was contingent upon the foundation's getting written permission from the city to operate a mosque and school on the site. News of the mosque plan was quickly opposed by many residents and some city officials; at least two aldermen quickly suggested either buying the property out from under the mosque group or condemning the church if the Muslims got it, meeting records show.
At a city council meeting that drew more than 400 people, many residents criticized Islam and suggested Muslims "go back to (their) own countries."
Koldenhoven was called to the stand Wednesday and asked by mosque foundation attorney Gregory Kulis why he didn't stop residents from spewing the anti-Muslim sentiments.
"It was not my job to interfere with people wishing to address the council," Koldenhoven said. "They have freedom of speech, and they can say what they want to say.
"I may not agree with it. But I can't control what's in their minds and hearts and words."
Elsheikh testified he and the other mosque supporters at the packed meeting thought the mayor and aldermen helped nurture the negative atmosphere they claim doomed the group's plan to buy the church.
"We felt like they (were) enjoying the show," Elsheikh said of the city officials. "We felt like it was like one of those Medieval Times shows."
Koldenhoven, whose attempts to further explain his role in the mosque controversy were often stymied during questioning by Kulis, will be called back to the witness stand today to testify on the city's behalf. The former mayor, who was ousted from office after the mosque fracas, is in the awkward spot at the defendants' table in the trial because he was widely recognized as one of the mosque's few supporters at city hall.
"I tried to promote the purchase of that church every which way I could," he told the jury at one point during his testimony.
Koldenhoven, who writes occasional columns for the Daily Southtown, received the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for his stance on the mosque issue. He is traveling to Russia next week as part of a diplomatic program stemming from the award.
With the city council suddenly interested in the Reformed Church for a city recreation center and threatening to seize the property through eminent domain if the mosque group bought it, the foundation was poised to accept a $200,000 buyout offer from the city council in exchange for abandoning the plan. Koldenhoven vetoed the council's offer.
"I told them it was an insult and an embarrassment to the Muslim people," Koldenhoven testified Wednesday.
But Elsheikh doesn't see it that way, and indicated from the witness stand he thought Koldenhoven's veto may have been part of a nefarious scheme by the city to ensure the Muslims not only left town but left empty-handed.
"It was a slap in our face," Elsheikh said. "Even when we accept humiliation, we have that taken away from us.
"It was a game well-played by Palos."
Chris Hack may be reached at chack@dailysouthtown.com or (708) 633-5984.
"It was a slap in our face," Elsheikh said. "Even when we accept humiliation, we have that taken away from us.
No - this is a slap in the face:
Saudi Arabia - Conversion by a Muslim to another religion is punishable by death. Bibles are illegal. Churches are illegal.
Yemen - Bans proselytizing by non-Muslims and forbids conversions. The Government does not allow the building of new non-Muslim places of worship.
Kuwait - Registration and licensing of religious groups. Members of religions not sanctioned in the Koran may not build places of worship. Prohibits organized religious education for religions other than Islam.
Egypt - Islam is the official state religion and primary source of legislation. Accordingly, religious practices that conflict with Islamic law are prohibited. Muslims may face legal problems if they convert to another faith. Requires non-Muslims to obtain what is now a presidential decree to build a place of worship.
Algeria - The law prohibits public assembly for purposes of practicing a faith other than Islam. Non-Islamic proselytizing is illegal, and the Government restricts the importation of non-Islamic literature for distribution.
Jordan - Has the death penalty for any Muslim selling land to a Jew.
Sudan - Conversion by a Muslim to another religion is punishable by death.
I think we should outlaw mosques because they are terrorist breeding grounds. If they wanted to build one in my community, I would do everything possible to see that they weren't able to.
Nope, definitely would not help property values...
I think it's a great idea!! These people whine about something new every single day, and I'm sick of hearing about their "demands." They are the new "victim" race in America!!
Ahhhhh, the religion of peace! They want to either convert us or kill us so it will be very interesting to see how this jury rules.
I'll worry about muslim complaints when there's a brick building with a sign on the front saying "First Baptist Church of Riyadh". Until that happens, muslims can take their whining and pack sand.
Should Muslims be allowed to be American citizens ? Are the teachings of Islam incompatable with what it is to be an American ?
I think a lot of people would say "Hell No" and "You bet !!" to those two questions.
Muslims will bring nothing but trouble to this country. What good can come from a cult like this?
We have two mosques in our town of about 30,000. One of them is very evangelical.
Perhaps it's past time to respectfully suggest (especially in light of the recent Muslim call for jihad re. the Newsweek article) that Muslims are no longer welcome here, and that we will greatfully pay to relocate them to a country more in tune with their beliefs and way of life.
[[Should Muslims be allowed to be American citizens ? Are the teachings of Islam incompatable with what it is to be an American ?]]
I would not be surprised that if one day in the near future, that Islam is declared incompatible with western culture. (We all know that it already is but I am talking about government sanctioned).
Like France.
Excellent reply...in addition, one of the goals of the Islamic Society of North America is to "advocate
Islamic solutions to societal problems and becoming involved in effecting
righteous change in North America". When I was a kid we would have called this the "creeping crud".
Well...not exactly. France has been an ally of the U.S. since the Revolutionary War. Although we haven't always seen eye to eye on every issue (nor should we), our values (unlike Islam) are largely compatible.
I think a lot of people would say "Hell No" and "You bet !!" to those two questions.
Islam is a culture of death. As a result, Muslims will NEVER be compatible with anyone. They don't even like each other. So, NO, they should NOT be allowed to become American citizens, and those that are already citizens should be deported anyway. I see nothing but sorrow from allowing them into OUR country!!
Nitpick: by definition, they can't be "evangelical," since they don't believe in the Good News. :-)
This feat might get harder with each passing day. They are over taking the America we love so much!
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