Friday Night Pig Racing (next door to the mosque)

While Muslim faithful are worshiping Allah, sounds of liquored up Texans chasing greased pigs may soon be heard outside the mosque.

"Comin' soon weekly Friday night pig racin'" reads the sign in the Houston suburb of Katy. It goes on to promote a greased pig-catching contest, the opportunity to purchase a slow pig to save its life and--of all things--a pork cook-off. Bring your own bottle, the sign also says and boasts the availability of "clean port-o-pots."

But the planned pig races are wallowing in controversy. A Muslim group having just purchased adjacent property to build a mosque is not amused by the new sign and upcoming swine activities as neighbors--including parishioners at a nearby church my mother pastors--are left wondering what's going to happen to the neighborhood.

Not far from the large pig racing sign, the other group has a small placard that says "KIA Community Center coming soon," I'm told, with the acronym standing for Katy Islamic Association.

This sort of thing, of course, attracts attention from media types and the pigs have already been in the news. Our sister Hearst newspaper, the Houston Chronicle, is among those following the story.

"Pig race leads to dirty argument," the headline read. TV news crews also got onboard, interviewing the property owner who posted the sign and pig pens.

The property owner claims the religious group had asked him to leave land occupied by his family since the 1800s, while Muslims deny ever having said that. But that's apparently what prompted the pig racing idea.

Pigs, as you probably know, are considered offensive and dirty animals by the religious group. Making matters worse, Fridays are considered a holy day for followers of Islam who--unless things change--will be flocking to the mosque while pig festivities are underway.

There is other opposition, as nearby homeowners in an upscale residential area have publicly expressed concern for mosque traffic, and fear the "unknown," as the Chronicle reported, while worrying what the construction of a gold dome-covered structure would mean for their own property values.

Meanwhile, mosque members say they're puzzled by all the intense opposition. I've not seen any reports of neighbors complaining about the pigs, but this thing is far from over.

One thing's for certain: During an upcoming holiday visit I'm going to check out these pig races. Until just recently, I had never heard of such a thing.

The pig photos, which I meant to forward to another church friend, instead accidentally got sent to a Midland attorney in my address book, whose first letters in the e-mail are the same as hers.

Upon realizing this, I shot an explanation and apology e-mail to the lawyer friend, notified the original sender and had a laugh out loud moment. Then came her reply.

Craig Baker at 1918 Baker Road held a pig race Friday.
About 100 people showed up for the event in the pouring rain.
Johnny Hanson: for the chronicle
Dec. 30, 2006, 1:16AM
Islamic association dismisses Katy pig races
Landowner says he's not racist, wants group to know he's staying
By HELEN ERIKSEN
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle
KATY ? A Muslim group said it is no longer offended as Katy resident Craig Baker made good on his promise to stage Friday pig races next door to an 11-acre property the group has purchased to build a mosque.
While members of the Katy Islamic Association attended afternoon prayer services, Baker was busy next door at 1918 Baker Road lining a track for 25 pigs to race on, assembling merchandise to sell to spectators and grilling sausages.
About 100 people showed up for the event in the pouring rain.
A spokesman for the association, Yousef Allam, said members are not upset anymore by Baker's decision to race pigs, a forbidden meat in the Muslim culture, despite a Dec. 1 letter an attorney for the group sent to Baker demanding that he immediately remove the pigs from his own property.
"He knows that Muslims can be emotional, but it does not bother me," Allam said. "I don't care if he races, roasts or slaughters pigs."
Baker, 46, said his intention is not to offend anyone with the races but to make clear that he will not be forced to move or relocate his marble-fabricating shop as he claims a member of the association previously urged him to.
"I am just defending my rights and my property," Baker said. "They totally disrespected me and my family."
A dispute erupted after the Muslim group announced plans in September to build a mosque and community center at 1800 Baker Road, south of Interstate 10 and adjacent to Baker's marble shop.
Once the mosque is built, it will include a community center, athletic facilities and a school to serve about 500 Muslim families who live in the Katy area.
Katy-area resident Phil Canavespe was one person who was willing to talk about the community's concerns. He said he purchased land and a ranch house from the Bakers, and he backs the stance Baker is taking with the Muslim group.
"This is not a racist or a religious issue," Canavespe said. "It's a two-lane, unmarked road with no shoulder or support for any type of church."
His wife, Susan Canavespe, said what Baker is doing with the pig races is not "mean-spirited, it's just Texas-spirited."
Association members initially denied telling Baker that he should move, but both Baker and the group agreed that early encounters between them were cordial.
"Things changed with them saying maybe it would be a good time for you to consider packing up your family and packing up your business and moving somewhere farther out in the country," Baker said.
Baker said Kamel Fotouh, the association's president, deeply offended his family, whose ties to the land goes back some 200 years, in suggesting that they pack up and leave. His 90-year-old grandmother, Anna Baker, was the first female bus driver for the Katy Independent School District.
Allam said if any interaction between the group and Baker was interpreted as a threat for Baker to vacate his land, it was unintentional.
"If we somehow communicated that to him, then we apologize," Allam said.
Allam said the races, should they continue, would have no bearing on Friday holy day services.
"When things calm down and he realizes we're here to say, we will talk to him to resolve our differences," Allam said.
Baker said people have made donations of $100 to $1,000 to sponsor the pig races. He plans to continue with the Friday pig races until attendance wanes.
Baker, who said media reports have miscast him as a racist and misquoted him, has put up a Web site, www.American PigRace.com, to tell his story.
About 300 local homeowners aired their fears about the mosque at an October town hall meeting. Chief among the concerns are that construction of the mosque will cause flooding, lower property values and increase traffic on the small, two-lane, asphalt road.
helen.eriksen@chron.com

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