Proposed Temecula mosque wins planning commission approval

A proposed mosque in Temecula has won the unanimous support of the local planning commission following more than five hours of often heated public testimony.

Critics assailed the project as promoting both terrorism and traffic tie-ups. But commissioners ruled Wednesday night the new religious center complied with local laws and would be aesthetically impressive.

“Many good people came to support it -- Christians, Jews, Bahais, you name it,” said Hadi Nael, chair of the Islamic Center of Temecula Valley, speaking Thursday morning. “I’m proud of that as an American citizen. It shows that justice prevails.”

“The opposition is very minimal,” he added. “They just have very loud voices. We have beautiful people in this valley.”

The meeting began at 6 p.m. and lasted until nearly midnight with most of the time taken up with people speaking for or against the center, about evenly divided, according to the Press-Enterprise.

The debate continued on the newspaper’s website. “There is no more America,” wrote one commenter. “It is another Planet of the Apes with Miss Liberty dead in the sand. America has fallen.”

Planned Islamic centers also have sparked protests in other parts of the country, including near ground zero, the site of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York City.

In the Temecula Valley, Imam Mahmoud Harmoush has denounced violence. His congregation of about 135 families has co-existed without incident in Riverside County for years but wanted a larger and better space than the warehouse it rented on a property shared with a manufacturer of water-filtration systems.

The new 24,943-square-foot mosque with Mediterranean-style architecture would include two minarets and rise as tall as 43 feet. It would occupy a 4.32-acre site on Nicolas Road about two miles east of Chaparral High School.

Opponents can still appeal the project to the City Council.

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-- Howard Blume

Photo: Mosque supporters Tarek and Gabriella Ayoub present a rose in July to an opponent rallying across the street from the Islamic Center and Mosque of Temecula Valley. Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times.

Comments

[Dan Crevoisier]

My father and I both fought for this country and one of the most important things we stand for is Religious freedom. I think some of us Christians forget that sometimes. Religious fredom means freedom for ALL religions

[wayne]

Wow, I see Temecula under the Obituaries ... Born 1986, Died 2010 - short life - as most conservative california towns last.

[Pablito]

The photo above speaks volumes...the overweight, Caucasian woman waves a flag synonymous with the racism and slavery of the South, along with an American flag, supposedly because practicing a religion different from her own is anti-American in her jaded eyes? How very sad.

[MOHAMMAD AZEEMULLAH]

America receives all our salutation.

[Annoyed]

This whole thing is ridiculous. The religion of Islam does not cause terrorism, which is what these Tea Party idiots think. This makes me ashamed that I grew up within the same county.

I think the Planning Commission made the right decision. There is still freedom of religion here in America!

[Klaudia Moore]

I have only one question: How can the congregation of 135 families afford to build 25, 000 square feet building? Math? Anybody? Mosque is the very expensive structure to build. Architectural plans alone could cost millions of dollars. Who's footing the bill?

[PARyan]

How come no one speaks up when a Church wants to build a MEGA church? No one dares try to figure out where the money comes from then. Klaudia Moore: what's your concern? That some radical terrorist is going to fund the building of an elaborate Mosque and get all the permits? Some crazy terrorist training camp will pop up right in Southern California? If Muslims cannot build a bigger house of worship then neither can Christians. Nor Jews, nor Buddhists. I don't agree with Christians building schools that teach hateful homophobic lessons, yet I respect their right to do so.

[Mike]

Religious freedom for all; the Temecula Planning Commission did the right thing in allowing a use permitted by zoning and code. I'm a Christian and I practice my faith in my own church, and so too should law-abiding Muslims be able to do so. (By the way, the "Don't Tread on Me" flag pictured above, although it's popular with supporters of the Tea Party, dates from our nation's Revolutionary War era and has nothing to do with "the racism and slavery of the South" as one reader commented here.)

[Tom]

I'm really ashamed of people who use our country's name in vein when denouncing someone they personally don't agree with.

I am an AMERICAN too and I would really appreciate it if those who say “There is no more America" would leave America out of it. Who are they to say what America is or isn't? That's their bigoted hypothesis that America will some how suffer from something they personally are prejudice against. Maybe if they sat down with and talked to a family outside of their religion they would understand that their religions aren't that different. Do they agree with radical Christians who cause harm to others?

I'm ashamed of those who use America's name in vein and pretty darned embarrassed of them too. If you have nothing better to do in pleasantville Temecula or wherever else than to seclude yourself from reality then I feel sorry for you.

Paranoia and fear are unhealthy and only lead to disintegration of self. America is based on freedom of religion and civil freedoms as well and if those weren't the case then maybe these people who are in opposition wouldn't be able to even express that or practice their own religions today.

Bullies!

[kenneth . O]

One thing is certainly undeniable -- 2080 Americans would have no remotest resemblance; to America, of today's -- 2010.

[Verballistic]

Klaudia Moore makes an EXCELLENT point...the key issue here should clearly be WHO will be FUNDING the Temecula mosque. For such a small congregation to be able to afford such a MASSIVE project certainly raises important questions about the SOURCES of funding.

A growing number of mosques in the US and Europe are funded by the SAUDI GOVERNMENT or ROYAL FAMILY, which stipulates those mosques preach Wahhabist doctrine, an EXTREMIST brand of Islam, from which Osama Bin Laden and his fellow cutthroats at Al Qaeda draw much of their radical beliefs that fuel their violence and terrorism.

Those who doubt the proliferation of SAUDI-FUNDED mosques right here in the US need only go to the excellent website of the SECULAR liberal group Freedom House (founded in 1941 by Eleanor Roosevelt) at freedomhouse.org then click on "Publications". From there click "Special Reports", then scroll down to the alarming report titled "SAUDI PUBLICATIONS ON HATE IDEOLOGY INVADE AMERICAN MOSQUES". This revealing, comprehensive report is compiled and written by SECULAR humanists with NO bias for or against a particular religion.

RE: The bigoted stereotypical comments of Pablito about the picture showing an "overweight, Caucasian woman waves a flag synonymous with the racism and slavery of the South ". He shows he needs to brush up on his history, because he is CLEARLY confusing the "Don't Tread on Me" flag with the racist Confederate flag.

The DToM flag was designed in 1754 by Benjamin Franklin and directed at the British COLONIALISTS from whom we were seeking INDEPENDENCE. It still represents independence from oppressive government and (unlike the Confederate flag) is displayed by African-American, Hispanic & Asian-American conservatives as well.

It is also interesting that Pablito chooses NOT to mention anything regarding the similar physique of the woman pictured in Islamic garb. You would have more credibility amigo if you concentrated on RELEVANT issues.

[mel]

@ Tom & @PARyan
Here, here! Yes, where does the money for mega churches come from, seeing the article about the Crystal Cathedral housing allowances makes me rethink all church tax statuses.

I grew up in Temecula, and have increasingly grown ashamed to say I am from there. This though, might change my thinking. Good for you, Temecula! Freedom of religion is just that. The American fascists (christian right) in that city, need to stop stomping on other peoples' beliefs and way of being just because they don't agree with it.

[Daoudmac]

I am personally proud of the comments here especially PARRyan, Mohammed, and Mike and all others in perspective of this situation. It seems that some people in Temecula felt they could get their 15 minutes of fame by making a brouhaha over something they have lived around and with for years, as noted in the article. The New York mosque media frenzy I think has given some people the idea that if they behave in such a bigoted and loathsome way they too can garner some sort of twisted patriotism and media attention. I am glad the city did the right thing and made what I am proud to be American all about, freedom of religion and speech among many other things I am blessed to have in this country.

[Hooah]

To; Pablito
The "Don't tread on me" flag pre-dates the "Stars and Stripes." It has been used by the US Navy and the USMC. Only lately has the flag been a symbol of the Tea Party movement.

[Dick Wegmans]

"The photo above speaks volumes...the overweight, Caucasian woman waves a flag synonymous with the racism and slavery of the South..."

You know what speaks volumes? A racist quote by an idiot with a hispanic name who doesn't know basic U.S. history. The Gadsden flag is a symbol of racism and slavery now, huh? Crack a book once in awhile, genius.

[Tony]

Time to move.

[Young Outsider]

This just reminds me of the same controversy occurring with the Islamic Center that Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf is trying to build near Ground Zero. 9-11 happened 9 years ago. How ignorant can people be? You wouldn't discriminate against all brunettes right? Or maybe we should take up Jonathan Swift's proposal too. Open your eyes. Christians have their extremists who keep their families locked up. I am not a Muslim. Those people who believe that Temecula is going up flames because of this, have you ever even bothered to have a conversation with an American of Islamic faith?

[Heath Daley]

Hey Pablito,

The racist stero type you just said about the caucasion womans waving the "Dont tread on me flag" as symbol of racism and slavery? Are you a completly uneducated person? Or are you just that ignorant. The flag didn't come from, or out of the south or from Slavery. Let me educated you on ingorant lack of understnding American histroy. The yellow "don't tread on me" standard is usually called a Gadsden flag, or less commonly, a Hopkins flag. Christopher Gadsden was an American patriot if ever there was one. He led Sons of Liberty in South Carolina starting in 1765, and was later made a colonel in the Continental Army. In 1775 he was in Philadelphia representing his home state in the Continental Congress. He was also one of three members of the Marine Committee who decided to outfit and man the Alfred and its sister ships.

Gadsden and Congress chose a Rhode Island man, Esek Hopkins, as the commander-in-chief of the Navy. The flag that Hopkins used as his personal standard on the Alfred is the one we would now recognize. It's likely that John Paul Jones, as the first lieutenant on the Alfred, ran it up the gaff.

It's generally accepted that Hopkins' flag was presented to him by Christopher Gadsden, who felt it was especially important for the commodore to have a distinctive personal standard. Gadsden also presented a copy of this flag to his state legislature in Charleston. This is recorded in the South Carolina congressional journals:

"Col. Gadsden presented to the Congress an elegant standard, such as is to be used by the commander in chief of the American navy; being a yellow field, with a lively representation of a rattle-snake in the middle, in the attitude of going to strike, and these words underneath, "Don't Tread on Me!"

The Revolutionary standard The Gadsden flag and other rattlesnake flags were widely used during the American Revolution. There was no standard American flag at the time. People were free to choose their own banners.

The Minutemen of Culpeper County, Virginia, chose a flag that looks generally like the Gadsden flag, but also includes the famous words of the man who organized the Virginia militia, Patrick Henry, i.e. "Liberty or Death."

The First Navy Jack Flag features an uncoiled rattlesnake winding its way across a field of thirteen red and white stripes.

One of the most interesting variations is the flag of Colonel John Proctor's Independent Battalion from Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.

Tradition holds that in May 1775, when the citizens of Westmoreland gathered at the Hannastown Tavern and issued their own Declaration of Independence, they tore down the British flag that was flying there and made some modifications. The original flag had an open red field with the British ensign in the upper corner. They painted a coiled rattlesnake and its "Don't Tread on Me" warning onto the center, as if ready to strike at the Union Jack. This flag is one of the few that's still intact. It's at the William Penn Memorial Museum in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

After the Revolution, rattlesnake flags became less common. General Washington and many members of Congress preferred stars, stripes, and more conventional symbols, such as the eagle.

Now next time before you open your mouth and show your complete lack of knowledge of "AMERICAN HISTORY", shut your trap and learn something. Thank you so much for showing you absolute lack of a brain and ability to critcally think.

[Verballistic]

To PARyan, mel & other apologists for RADICAL Islam:

Neither Buddhists, Hindus, Christians or Jews have ANYTHING approaching the VAST GLOBAL NETWORK that RADICAL Islam has fashioned in the last few decades. To try drumming up "moral equivalency" between radical Islam & ANY other modern-day global religion just does NOT hold water.

If you dispute that, I challenge you provide any link or website about studies/reports on ANY non-Islamic religion that comes CLOSE to matching the alarming study done by non-profit SECULAR liberal Freedom House entitled "SAUDI HATE PUBLICATIONS INVADING AMERICAN MOSQUES".

There is NO parallel in ANY modern-day religion to the Saudi Wahhabist PR machine that spreads the same extremist doctrine that Al Qaeda subscribes to.

READ THE FREEDOM HOUSE REPORT...it will silence your whining about the "mean, evil Christian 'Taliban' movement" at Crystal Cathedral or anywhere else in the 21st century. Then you can always resort to dredging up 400-year-old atrocities like the Inquisition to parallel TODAY's radical Muslim terrorism toward both "infidels" and "fellow" Muslims in Pakistan, Iran & elsewhere in the Islamic (and non-Islamic) world.

[Coco]

Verballistic,

Accusing other commenters of being apologists for radical Islam because they don't oppose the construction of a mosque in Temecula is just knee-jerk anti-Islamism and only serves to make you look less informed than you did in your previous post.

No one here is debating that Wahhabism is an affront to the kinds of secular values for which the United States stands. However, it takes a pretty big imagination to assume that just because a) an Islamic Center is opening and b) no one thought it necessary to send you a list of its donors that it must be a Wahhabist effort plot to infiltrate the Central Valley.

Further, nowhere in the Freedom House report with which you are obsessed does it suggest a moratorium on new Islamic Centers in the U.S. But nice try.

[Scott]

Why do we tolerate the terrorists in this country? THEY attacked us, not the other way around. Islam is not a religion of peace any longer than it has to be. Muslims will turn on you the instant they have the upper hand. History proves this WITHOUT exception. Burying your collective heads in the sand of political correctness will not prevent the Islamic barbarians from sawing them off once they have the advantage. You fools deserve the mosque.

[Gerald]

Demographics determine history.

[Verballistic]

Is this an EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FORUM? If so, please print my rebuttal to the spurious charges of "Coco", whose reputation is apparently viewed as "above reproach" since this is MY 3RD ATTEMPT to post this rebuttal:
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@Coco

First off, let me counter your disingenuous implication that I was "calling for a moratorium on building American mosques", which I was not. I was instead calling for diligent screening of mosques in order to prevent the kinds of Saudi Wahhabist propaganda that helped radicalize former Orange County Muslim convert Adam Gadahn (currently touted as #3 in Al Qaeda's leadership).

Second, I referred to PARyan & mel as apologists for radical Islam because they attempted to drum up "moral equivalency" between "hateful homophobic lessons" of Christians ("American fascists" to mel) and RADICAL Islam. Anyone who finds moral equivalency between PEACEFULLY opposing gay marriage, etc as fundamentalist Christians do & proscribing the DEATH PENALTY for gays as radical Muslims do is in fact serving as an apologist & I'm happy to include you in that category if you see no difference between the two.

Third, your vain attempt to trivialize the threat of Wahhabist extremism by saying "Wahhabism is an affront to the kinds of secular values for which the United States stands" only proves to failed to read much (if not all) of the 89-page Freedom House report. So I will briefly quote portions of the report that show it goes FAR beyond your innocuous characterization:

"Wahhabi extremism is more than hate speech; it is a totalitarian ideology of hatred that can incite to violence."

"The same hostility toward “infidels” propagated in official Saudi Islamic publications and fatwas surfaces repeatedly in statements by Muslim terrorists. A prime example occurred on May 29-30, 2004, when a terrorist squad went through the compound of foreigners in Khobar, Saudi Arabia, segregating the Muslims from the non-Muslims (mainly Christians and Hindus) before slitting the throats of the latter, and in some cases, beheading them."

"This report is a first step in an effort to contain the destructive ideology being proliferated by the Wahhabis within the American homeland."

"Adam Gadahn, the “American jihadi” who appeared in a mask on a videotape just before the 2004 elections threatening that America’s street would “run with blood,” had converted to Islam and became radicalized after spending hours studying Islam with seven or eight other young men at the Islamic Society of Orange County in California."

"Furthermore, the Saudi government has directly staffed some of these institutions. The King Fahd mosque, the main mosque in Los Angeles, from which several of these publications were gathered, employed an imam, Fahad al Thumairy, who was an accredited diplomat of the Saudi Arabian consulate from 1996 until 2003, when he was barred from reentering the United States because of terrorist connections. The 9/11 Commission Report describes the imam as a “well-known figure at the King Fahd mosque and within the Los Angeles Muslim community,” and observed that he 'may have played a role in helping the [9/11] hijackers establish themselves on their arrival in Los Angeles'."

"In these documents, other Muslims, especially those who advocate tolerance, are condemned as infidels. Regarding those who convert out of Islam, it is explicitly asserted, they 'should be killed'."

"Saudi Wahhabism is dominant in many American mosques."

All this documentation was gathered & analyzed by NON-PARTISAN SECULAR liberals who have no bias for or against any particular religion. In the future, PLEASE refrain from pretending you have read 89-page reports that you either skimmed or perhaps even failed to read AT ALL.

[Klaudia Moore]

Thank you, Verballistic, for your comment. I wonder, how many of pro Temecula mosque well wishers do live in Temecula? Have they ever been there? Have they seen Old Town Temecula? Please, all of you, mosque's advocates, let us know how many of you will enjoy call to prayer 5 times a day from 5 minarets, and see these minarets from your windows. The proposed structure is huge, it will be the tallest building in the area for miles and miles to see.
It has nothing to do with the freedom, religion,First Amendment, or tolerance. Islam is invading you, and you're welcoming it with your open arms.

[Verballistic]

(JUST IN CASE THE QUOTES FROM THE REPORT WERE THE REASON MY 1ST 4 ATTEMPTS TO OFFER MY REBUTTAL WERE UNSUCCESSFUL)
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@Coco

First off, let me counter your disingenuous implication that I was "calling for a moratorium on building American mosques", which I was not. I was instead calling for diligent screening of mosques in order to prevent the kinds of Saudi Wahhabist propaganda that helped radicalize former Orange County Muslim convert Adam Gadahn (currently touted as #3 in Al Qaeda's leadership).

Second, I referred to PARyan & mel as apologists for radical Islam because they attempted to drum up "moral equivalency" between "hateful homophobic lessons" of Christians ("American fascists" to mel) and RADICAL Islam. Anyone who finds moral equivalency between PEACEFULLY opposing gay marriage, etc as fundamentalist Christians do & proscribing the DEATH PENALTY for gays as radical Muslims do is in fact serving as an apologist & I'm happy to include you in that category if you see no difference between the two.

Third, your vain attempt to trivialize the threat of Wahhabist extremism by saying merely "Wahhabism is an affront to the kinds of secular values for which the United States stands" is the UNDERSTATEMENT of the year & only proves you failed to read much (if not all) of the 89-page Freedom House report. The GRISLY details are well-documented in the report, which I havent been allowed to link here or quote from, other than to say visit freedomhouse.org & look for "Official Reports".

All the documentation was gathered & analyzed by NON-PARTISAN SECULAR liberals who have no bias for or against any particular religion. In the future, PLEASE refrain from pretending you have read 89-page reports that you either skimmed or perhaps even failed to read AT ALL.