Groups in Atlanta Urge End to Anti-Muslim Rhetoric
Last week, the Newton County Commissioners Office passed a moratorium to put a hold on a proposal to build a mosque and cemetery. On Monday, a three-hour town hall meeting was held in which members of the public were able to give their thoughts on the plan.
In the meeting, several members of the audience spoke passionately about the proposal, including many who objected to the mosque for religious reasons. Others said they opposed the plan over the size of the project.
The Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-GA) held a joint press conference with the Georgia NAACP and several other organizations Tuesday.
CAIR-GA director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said the moratorium was unconstitutional, saying that if it was a Protestant group proposing to build a church "we wouldn't have this conflict." He said that the US Justice Department had agreed to look at the case, and urged county commissioners to bring the issue to a resolution.
"I do not want this to escalate into a legal fight -- neither does the mosque," Mitchell said.
Mitchell said the Imam planning the mosque was "flexible" and was even willing to give part of his land over so that a church could be built on it if would help resolve the issue.
Mitchell said his organization would meet with members of the Newton County community to help educate residents about Muslims and dispel any misconceptions that may exist.
The ACLU had joined some 30 groups to express their opposition to the moratorium in the county, according to Mitchell.
Mitchell said that he didn't blame members of the community for any concern they had over the plans, and said he wanted to meet with residents.
"There is nothing to fear from Muslim neighbors," Mitchell said. "There is only bigotry and hate to fear."
The leadership of the mosque was meeting with religious leaders in Newton County on Tuesday to discuss their plans, Mitchell said.
Mitchell noted that previous attempts to block mosques from being built in Kennesaw and Lilburn had ended only under the threat of US Justice Department involvement, and urged Newton County leaders to reach an agreement before that happened.
Source: 11alive.com
