Hell breaks loose over peace hall(Australian residents dont want mosque)

SMH ^ | November 28 2002 | Deborah Cameron

[smpc]

An application for a Muslim place of worship has set off an avalanche of objections,writes Deborah Cameron.

Put yourself in this man's shoes: he loves cricket, voted for John Howard, admires Liberal Party* values, owns a computer hardware company, has a building application before a council and is a Muslim.

On six out of seven counts, he is everyman. But on the seventh point, his religion, Abbas Aly is the loneliest man in Baulkham Hills. His building application is unusual - he wants to open a Muslim place of worship - and his timing is awful. But the reaction has been "unbelievable", he says.

There have been 4500 objections lodged with the Baulkham Hills Shire Council, a further 3000 letters and hundreds of complaint calls directly to councillors, a public meeting attended by 700 people, a poster campaign, a brick through his office window and fires in his household garbage bins.

And all because he wants to build on land he owns at Annangrove, a semi-rural settlement, with a population of 1989 and 641 households. While the president of the Annangrove Progress Association, Sharon Wells, is horrified at the brick attack and the fires, she regards the community campaign against Mr Aly's prayer centre as right.

It has set a record at the council, with 532 households responsible for all of the 4500 objection letters, 260 of which came from the one address. The deputy mayor, Michael Blair, who last night chaired an orderly "conciliation meeting" between Mr Aly and 400 objectors, said he alone had received 1000 letters.

Ms Wells said she had planning concerns - the amount of traffic, the noise, the unsightliness of the car park tarmac and the effect on a nearby park - but the council was also being asked to stop the development because of the "social impact" of a meeting place for Muslims.

"Most of the objections relate to traffic but they also don't see a need for it," Mr Blair said.

"There are very few, if any, of that faith that live in that neck of the woods. What they are concerned about is that if a Muslim house of worship is built then people will come from outside the area and interfere with an existing lifestyle."

Mr Aly said there were 25 Muslim families who wanted a local prayer hall, sparing themselves the drive to Lakemba or Rooty Hill. It was not a mosque but a more informal mehfil which, architecturally, looked like a single storey showroom or office. All services and meetings would be in English. It would be used twice a week for religious functions, which 80 people would attend. Three times a year, the number might reach 250.

Mr Aly had hoped it would promote assimilation and make it easier for other faiths to attend. Instead, his loyalty to Australia has been questioned.

"I play cricket, love my sport, I grew up in Wollongong, my only language is English. I have never been back to Tanzania and yet the mayor has made out that if you are not an Anglo-Saxon then you are not Australian," Mr Aly said.

The Mayor, John Griffith, yesterday refused to comment, although the ALP's Senator George Campbell had criticised him for provocative remarks made three weeks ago to an audience of 700 people.

"I am particularly concerned that Cr Griffiths, as mayor and a lay preacher, would inflame the situation by suggesting the safety of 'girls and ladies' is at risk if a mosque is built," Senator Campbell said. Cr Griffith also reportedly told the meeting: "Unless you get emotional, you won't win."

Mr Aly said he was so shocked that he had written to his political hero, John Howard. He had sent another letter to the Immigration Minister, Philip Ruddock, who had sent a hand-written and personal message of support to Mr Aly.

[smpc]

*'Liberal Party' in Australia is actually the conservative party.

[Guillermo]

Wow, imagine if in WWII a group of residents opposed the building of a local Nazi Party HQ? How intolerant!

[TomGuy]

Brings to mind the old adage: If you build it, they will come.

Seems the residents foresee the future, if the construction is allowed.

[akash]

The residents of this place are very right. In Islam a mosque is the nerve centre of Islamic activity. Traditionally prayer sessions have also doubled up as forums for political activity. Remember that in Islam there is no separation of state and religion. On these very ground only the building of the mosque should be banned, as it could be prejudicial to the law and order situation in that town.

[wunderkind54]

Writing letters and complaining constitutes " all hell breaking loose " ????? Jeez....must be a slow news day!!!

[Fiddlstix]

Wow, imagine if in WWII a group of residents opposed the building of a local Nazi Party HQ? How intolerant!

Good point.....

(From another Thread)

HAPPY RAMADAN
Click the Pic

[RightOnline]

Note to Muslims: You have brought this upon yourselves.

Reap it.

[Trailerpark Badass]

So, a mosque is now a "peace hall?"

[smpc]

lol the title is probbly a bit much.But its of significance because it seems like the mayor/council is likely to block the application.Might be a bit of a benchmark case.

[wideawake]

Well, Mr. Aly, if your coreligionists were not raving antiSemitic lunatics I'm sure there would be no problem.

But guess what? People react to what you say and how you behave.

[germanicus]

Mr Aly had hoped it would promote assimilation and make it easier for other faiths to attend

Sounds like a plan, to me.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

I'm starting to think we conservatives should be called the Liberal party. It seems like we are the ones with the new ideas and the leftists are fighting to keep things the same.

[yankeedame]

...But its of significance because it seems like the mayor/council is likely to block the application.Might be a bit of a benchmark case

==========

For one thing, the timing couldn't have been worse. The slaughter at Bali happened when?? So either this fellow is hopelessly naive or not quite innocent in his motives.

And for another thing: Application possibly being denied? Well, now that's the chance a person-- any person-- takes when he apply for a permit/license/whatever from the city, isn't it? You put your money down and you take your chances. How many non-Muslim endevors have been refused? Probably a lot. But it is clear the writer and/or editor is playing up the indignant "How-dare-we-call-ourselves-a-free-people!" angle.

IMHO, hopefully the city council does turn down the request, otherwise they will have opened a Pandora's Box.

[snippy_about_it]

http://www.msa-natl.org/resources/IS_USA.html


Islamic study on mosque (dated)
http://www.arabia.com/life/article/english/0,11827,46244,00.html

[dennisw]

It was not a mosque but a more informal mehfil which, architecturally, looked like a single storey showroom or office. All services and meetings would be in English. (Yeah, right!) It would be used twice a week for religious functions, which 80 people would attend. Three times a year, the number might reach 250.

That's just for openers and how it would start. But then more Islamics would migrate to this area with their huge broods and the role of this place would increase and would become a full blown mosque etc. etc. and little done in English.

[dennisw]

Mr Aly had hoped it would promote assimilation and make it easier for other faiths to attend...

I want nothing to do with a Mosque. I was appalled to see Cardinal Law of Boston prostrating himself at a mosque for the Ramadan meal. What horse pucky. Never ever will I prostrate/face Mecca for that ding dong moon god that Mad Mo' concocted. Never!

[jocon307]

"I was appalled to see Cardinal Law of Boston prostrating himself at a mosque for the Ramadan meal."

This IS appalling! When did that idiot do that? All the problems he's caused and this is what he does? Post a link to this, if you can, please. The Catholics have completely fallen down on the whole Muslim issue; these people are trying to kill us. Just another whore of babylon moment for the RC Church, sheesh!

[dennisw]

I was appalled to see Cardinal Law of Boston prostrating himself at a mosque for the Ramadan meal. I could see praying with them. Saying a few Islamic prayers even, if they say some Catholic ones. But NEVER prostrating. Anyone who thinks this act of submission (prostration) doesn't mean a lot to Muslims is a fool.---->


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/797074/posts

[jocon307]

Thanks very much for your quick response. Sometimes I feel that without FR I wouldn't know what is going on.

You are right, people attend religious services of other faiths all the time, but a Jewish person doesn't make the sign of the cross, or take communion while at a wedding or funeral. This is a disgrace. We certainly DO NOT worship the same god, and I don't think any Muslim would say we do. If nothing else the Jewish and Christian religions share the hope for the Messiah, obviously disagreeing about who that might be. But there is NO messiah in Islam, just Allah. For a Cardinal of the Church to prostrate himself before what should be to him at least, a false god, is idolatry, a mortal sin. But for good old Cardinal Law (the most ironic name in American clergyhood) what's one more mortal sin, after a career's worth?

I especially like the part where he says ''I feel very much at home with my fellow fundamentalists here...'' So, now he's a fundamentalist? Does a fundamentalist Catholic feel it is ok to molest little boys, and be a homosexual activist, and turn a blind eye to those who do, and deny, deny, deny, and obstruct, obstruct, obstruct, in best Clinton-eque manner, when the jig is finally up? Maybe he means he is a fundamentalist Muslim now, and Mohammed was righteous in choosing a six year girl as his wife. But let's give old Mo' credit, at least he chose a girl - unlike some of Cardinal Law's fellow fundamentalist priests!

Here is a sinful thing to say, but I will say it because I am infuriated by this man, and by my (soon to be former, if they keep up they way they are going) church. He's probably happy the 9/11 attacks knocked him off the front page for a while. But in his immense stupidity and vanity, he now is trying to get back in the news.

Rant, rant, rant, that's my rant. I could just slap him silly!