Matt Callahan, senior staff attorney for Muslim Advocates claims, without evidence, that “Islamophobes” have in the past used zoning laws against Muslim developments when their objections were really all about “bigotry.”
Well, maybe they were and maybe there weren’t. But the claim that objections on the basis of “concerns regarding stormwater, drainage and the potential for flooding” are really just “bigotry” brushes aside a question that should not be left unconsidered: are there really issues regarding stormwater, drainage and the potential for flooding? We may never know unless and until the Al Hussnain Seminary floods, because the deployment of the “Islamophobia” victim card here ensures that such concerns will get short shrift now. Muslims can build a mosque absolutely anywhere they want and obliterate all concerns about zoning and parking and the character of the neighborhood by charging that all such concerns are just cover for “Islamophobia.” And the infidels, terrified of such charges, fall for the game every time.
“Planned Islamic site west of Indy has water issues, officials say. Lawyer: It’s ‘bigotry,'” by Holly V. Hays, Indianapolis Star, February 9, 2021:
The Hendricks County Commissioners denied a request to rezone a plot of land that had been identified as the potential site of an Islamic seminary, K-12 school and residential development, citing environmental concerns.
Plans to move the Al Hussnain Seminary from its current location, in Indianapolis, to the site of a former golf course at 4705 N. County Road 1000 E near Brownsburg were heard by the county’s planning commission in mid-January. At that time, the planning commission voted to send the request to the full board of commissioners with a favorable recommendation.
Commissioners on Tuesday cited concerns regarding stormwater, drainage and the potential for flooding, echoing concerns expressed at the meeting last month.
However, Matt Callahan, senior staff attorney for Muslim Advocates, said in a written statement Tuesday evening that similar concerns have come up in other communities where opposition has been raised to Muslim developments. Denying the rezoning application, Callahan said, was “inexplicable, other than an act of bigotry.”
“The commissioners’ supposed concerns about stormwater are not an appropriate ground to deny the application and are worryingly similar to other, equally unfounded claims about water quality commonly deployed to thwart Muslim developments,” Callahan said. “The evidence shows that Hendricks County is holding this project, which includes prayer rooms and a Muslim seminary, to a different standard than other projects — all against the backdrop of a nasty, anti-Muslim campaign.”…
The project garnered attention after a Change.org petition supposedly created to voice opposition due to potential environmental impact became a breeding ground for anti-Islamic rhetoric. Nearly 40 people spoke before the planning commission at its Jan. 12 meeting, only a handful of whom voiced opposition, mostly on the grounds of environmental impact and traffic density….
Westman says
It is a requrement in our community that any new large facility with asphalt and buildings covering more than a few acres must also include a catchment pond on the same facility to retain the water and gradually release it to prevent flooding of downhill properties due to overwhelming of the waste water system. It doen’t matter if the previous facility, without catchment is torn down, the new facility must comply. Requirements like this are common across the US.
This lawyer knows these are normal restrictions, without a chance of successful challenge, so he plays the “islamophobia” victim card. He’s doing his best to win by deceit.
gravenimage says
+1
duane burrow says
Problems with the site just by reviewing Google earth aerials shows large areas of standing water, ponding/flooding soils and some years of failed crops because of standing water. it seems the legislative body was indicating that a “comprehensive drainage plan” would be needed to address the problem.
Many legislative bodies do sometimes pick and chose when they react to some environmental issues. Which leaves their actions open to challenges. Also, I have witnessed Jehovah Witness Assemblies being held to an environmental issues that were not imposed on adjoining land uses.
Further, “The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993” has made the imposition of these not equally enforced standards a problems
somehistory says
“moslims don’t care what Laws don’t allow; they’ll build their barracks anyhow.” (sorry Mama, they don’t care about you either.)
If they had a barracks and a pig farmer or dog trainer/breeder wanted to build next to them, they would squeal and whine and complain that there shouldn’t be any such projects.
But, it doesn’t matter where they want to build another barracks…a forward “fort” position…because they are the children of satan and he will make sure they get their way and his worship goes on. For the time being, but not forever.
mortimer says
No one wants a mosque nearby, because they may bring parking problems, vandalism problems, threat problems, and perhaps a blaring loudspeaker and other disharmony from the fanatical supremacists that may show up.
The Muslims blame their victims for disliking the problems of having a mosque nearby.
gravenimage says
All true.
Hoi Polloi says
Of course water is bigoted. It’s obviously the reason that the Middle East is all dried up.
Westman says
??. And to think Allah gave it to the “best of peoples”. Maktub. You can’t blame them for wanting to leave.
Hoi Polloi says
And wouldn’t you know, that bigoted water finds them. In the US, it uses standard everywhere in the US water handling regulations to do them in. It’s obvious to everyone just how unjust this is. Asking them to deal with potential damage to surrounding properties before they can even get down to their actual and intended business and thereby slowing the goal of establishing a caliphate is just too much.
mortimer says
If the construction is not done right, then the city and its tax-payers and the insurers will be liable AGAIN for the blunders of the JIHADISTS.
If the Muslims want to have any friends at all, they should follow the rules and STOP calling names.
gravenimage says
Mortimer, pious Muslims don’t want friends–they just want to shut down all critics.
gravenimage says
Indianapolis: Planned Islamic site has water issues, but lawyer for Muslim group says it’s just ‘bigotry’
…………
A planned church, synagogue, Hindu temple, or any public gathering place like a concert hall would have to address these issues–but mosques always believe they have to be exempt.
Bernie Loos says
This is what Civilization Jihad looks like☪️?
Ben Kennedy says
Central Indiana has a fairly high water table, and it has been US Law for many many years that you cannot just shove your unwanted drainage onto your neighbors property. It’s bigotry for this lawyer to imply that moslems should be given a “Pass” on anything they desire, including flooding out their neighbors.
lucas says
If you would actually read the original article you would notice that a plan was established and presented to the commissioners to solve the drainage issues:
“To address the planning board’s concerns, the project team created a drainage plan to capture water that would flow south of Clermont Village to the neighboring properties due to the watershed that also would have provided a drainage outlet for another 15 acres along County Road 450.”
This blog is just completely disingenuous.
gravenimage says
The issue is not whether the drainage issue has been resolved–the issue is Muslims claims that concern over water issues are “just bigotry”, which they clearly are not.