Posted on 09/27/2005 5:22:29 AM PDT by w1andsodidwe
Shrouded in controversy, the fate of a Farooqia Islamic Center off Lower Sacramento Road has been up in the air for years.
When a land use permit to begin construction was finally approved in July, however, would-be neighbors filed an appeal against the project, citing concerns about noise and traffic.
That appeal will be approved or denied Tuesday by the county Board of Supervisors, whose members will focus on the specific complaints of noise and traffic. Jack Sieglock, who represents Lodi on the board, said the group will not likely address broader concerns about what the applicants want to do with the property.
"The board will decide the issue based on land use matters," Sieglock said.
If the board accepts the appeal, then Farooqia members will have no recourse for trying to open the community center and worship hall except litigation. If the board makes no decision, then the July 21 Planning Commission action to approve the permit will stand.
Taj Khan, who became the main contact for the application after former project leader Mohammad Adil Khan (no relation) was deported to his native Pakistan, said he hoped the Farooqia application gets the same treatment as any other project being heard at the county level.
Taj Khan also asks that supervisors choose to address only those issues relevant to the appeal.
"I'm just hoping the supervisor will limit their discussion to the three things raised in the appeal process and not expand this into some detailed investigation," he said.
Stockton attorney Howard Seligman, who filed an appeal against the July 21 Planning Commission decision, represents a family of would-be neighbors to the Farooqia site, located on the east side of Lower Sacramento Road between Harney Lane and Armstrong Road.
The Islamic Center plans to build a K-4 school for about 50 students, starting with a 1,600-square-foot worship tent and an 8,600-square-foot school. Adil Khan and board members had hoped to also build a main hall to accommodate up to 400 worshippers, before the former imam was charged with immigration violation in June and subsequently deported.Seligman said he, too, hopes County Supervisors keep their discussion focused on the concerns of his clients.
"This is not a matter of religious identity," Seligman said. "It's an issue of whether a church and a church school should be there."
The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors will meet Tuesday at 9 a.m. in the seventh-floor board chambers of the County Courthouse, 222 E. Weber Ave., Stockton. The item is scheduled to be heard in the afternoon session of the meeting at 1:30 p.m.
Political correctness alert.
Can't deal with the fact that this may be a terorist training camp in the making. Only the land use issues can be discussed. Disgusting!!
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.
Pakistan - Conversion by a Muslim to another religion is punishable by death. Bans proselytizing by non-Muslims. Christians regularly put in prison for charges of blasphemy.
Question: Who's funding it?
So we should ban the building of mosques because these countries do?
I know, maybe you should get congress to put an amendment to the 1st amendment excepting Islam.
Interesting - if in the early 1940's, Nazis (who claimed to be a religion) wanted to build a hall in your neighborhood, I wonder how agreeable you would be to it.
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