Kennesaw city council blocks Islamic worship center (appointed, 2014)

[toll_booth]

Kennesaw City Council rejects mosque at shopping center | Political Insider blog

Behind Kennesaw <- Excellent analysis of this decision.

Kennesaw may revisit mosque decision | www.ajc.com

And this is why we cannot always trust local and state governments to get it right. This is why we NEED a federal government that to enforce the protection of rights for ALL citizens, not just the citizens we like. You don't like Islamic worship centers? Fine. Don't go to one. But stop infringing on the rights of others simply because those rights make you feel uncomfortable.

[hautemomma]

Yeah, I think this will ultimately be re-presented and overturned.

Many people I know in Kennesaw are embarrassed and disappointed by the council's decision and clear bigotry.

Kennesaw is almost 50% non-white. Many people are also not Christians.

Times are changing, whether the old guard likes it or not.

[JMatl]

Originally Posted by hautemomma

Yeah, I think this will ultimately be re-presented and overturned.

Many people I know in Kennesaw are embarrassed and disappointed by the council's decision and clear bigotry.

Kennesaw is almost 50% non-white. Many people are also not Christians.

Times are changing, whether the old guard likes it or not.

Exactly. And this is not something unique to suburban North Georgia, it happens all over the Country.

On the flip side, there are local examples like the beautiful new Mosque on 14th Street in Midtown. It's an architectural masterpiece, and has been embraced by the neighborhood.

[LovelySummer]

But is it a zoning issue, possibly? I don't recall the last time I've seen a worship center of any kind at a mall but maybe worship centers are storefronts at malls and I've just missed it? Seems like an odd location for any type of worship center. That being said, yes, people are bigoted in so many ways in the great country of America that it's really sad.

Originally Posted by toll_booth

Kennesaw City Council rejects mosque at shopping center | Political Insider blog

Behind Kennesaw <- Excellent analysis of this decision.

Kennesaw may revisit mosque decision | www.ajc.com

And this is why we cannot always trust local and state governments to get it right. This is why we NEED a federal government that to enforce the protection of rights for ALL citizens, not just the citizens we like. You don't like Islamic worship centers? Fine. Don't go to one. But stop infringing on the rights of others simply because those rights make you feel uncomfortable.

[PKCorey]

Originally Posted by LovelySummer

But is it a zoning issue, possibly? I don't recall the last time I've seen a worship center of any kind at a mall but maybe worship centers are storefronts at malls and I've just missed it? Seems like an odd location for any type of worship center. That being said, yes, people are bigoted in so many ways in the great country of America that it's really sad.

All over the metro, churches are in shopping centers and office parks.

Justice Department will be sending them a letter soon enough.

[LovelySummer]

Wow. Georgia needs to get it together when it comes to zoning. This is the only place I've ever seen where you can build or put anything almost anywhere - worship centers in office parks and shopping malls. Hmm. I'm driving down the street and all the homes are Craftsman style and then notice some idiot has put up a freaking modern style home three stories high in the middle of the block of single story Craftsman. Ridiculous. Yes, that is awful they denied them the mosque then.

Originally Posted by PKCorey

All over the metro, churches are in shopping centers and office parks.

Justice Department will be sending them a letter soon enough.

[bsayegh]

Well yeah, we have freedom of religion, as long as its Christianity of Judaism.

[WanderingImport]

Originally Posted by LovelySummer

Wow. Georgia needs to get it together when it comes to zoning. This is the only place I've ever seen where you can build or put anything almost anywhere - worship centers in office parks and shopping malls. Hmm. I'm driving down the street and all the homes are Craftsman style and then notice some idiot has put up a freaking modern style home three stories high in the middle of the block of single story Craftsman. Ridiculous. Yes, that is awful they denied them the mosque then.

Exactly. Zoning laws in the state are horrible. They're either outdated, not stringent enough or just plain don't make sense.

The board denied the church because of zoning. Just because there are churches in other parts of the metro in strip malls doesn't mean they are allowed in Kennesaw.

Why would you put a church in a strip mall anyway? (I'm sure money or lack thereof have a lot to do with it)
Bottom line is, the church should find a better, more suitable place to call home.

I disagree that they were being discriminated against.

Fwiw, if a southern baptist church, for example, tried to do the same thing and the board approved it, it'd be a whole different ball game... and then I could see it being discrimination.

[InnerCitySoul]

Originally Posted by WanderingImport

Exactly. Zoning laws in the state are horrible. They're either outdated, not stringent enough or just plain don't make sense.

The board denied the church because of zoning. Just because there are churches in other parts of the metro in strip malls doesn't mean they are allowed in Kennesaw.

Why would you put a church in a strip mall anyway? (I'm sure money or lack thereof have a lot to do with it)
Bottom line is, the church should find a better, more suitable place to call home.

I disagree that they were being discriminated against.

Fwiw, if a southern baptist church, for example, tried to do the same thing and the board approved it, it'd be a whole different ball game... and then I could see it being discrimination.

If that were true, why would Kennesaw enter into negotiations with the Mosque to begin with? Obviously the city, by stipulating conditions of occupancy, did NOT feel it was a zoning issue.

If you need additional convincing of the fact it was out and out discrimination...blatantly, I might add...
take note of the totally unreasonable demands Kennesaw makes of the Mosque, certain I'm sure, they would NEVER be agreed to. When, in fact, the Mosque agreed to ALL demands made by the city, the city promptly votes down/disallows the very contract they had just negotiated. Zoning issue...really!?!?

[Ant131531]

And people wonder why the South is looked down upon by the rest of the country.