Bullitt County residents applaud rejection of cemetery planRarely has a simple 10-acre tract of land so united a community.

But the staunch opposition to a proposed Islamic cemetery near the eastern edge of Mount Washington wasn't as uncomplicated as it appeared.

Strongly voiced objections on religious grounds were numerous at a recent meeting of the county board of adjustments, but they were hardly the only reasons residents on and around Hubbard Lane wanted to stop the plan.

Residents said they were concerned about:

• Increased traffic on Hubbard Lane.

• Possible vandalism of the cemetery from those who oppose Islam's presence in Bullitt.

• Kids having to ride their bikes past a cemetery when there are no other cemeteries in the immediate area.

• Groundwater safety and other environmental issues.

The board by a 5-1 vote rejected the conditional-use change from "agricultural" in the unincorporated area of Bullitt County. The sale to the St. Matthews-based Louisville Islamic Center was contingent upon the change.

The Islamic center last week decided not to appeal and will look for cemetery land elsewhere.

"The overwhelming sentiment of the crowd was a little bit disheartening," said Ozair Sharif, a Louisville attorney and board member of the Islamic center.

Romona Stout recalled moving onto Hubbard Lane 42 years ago when it was just a gravel road. "You cannot hardly pass with two cars, it is a lane. To have a cemetery in a residential neighborhood, it bothers me. I don't have nothing against the Islamic religion, it's not that. It's not."

But for others, it clearly was.

"Why would you want to go where you're not wanted?" asked Len Hardy Sr., who was admonished at the podium for turning around and talking to Islamic center representatives and not zoning board members. "Seems to be, you're looking for a dumping ground, and I don't like it."

Sharon Foley of Oak Creek Drive told the board, "Our country was founded on Christian principles. Thousands and thousands of American men and women for their freedom of religion."

She lives with her 90-year-old father, who served in the Marines. She called the proposed Islamic cemetery a slap in his face, "given the incidents of the past 11 years," she said, referring to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Courier-Journal, 27 February 2013

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George Galloway took to the stage last night to re-launch his Respect party in Newham and try to force a local election after the council rejected plans for a so-called mega mosque.

Mr Galloway vowed to put a petition up on the Downing Street website, as soon as parliament resumes after its Christmas break, demanding Newham Council changes its decision on the mosque or changes its leadership.

Mr Galloway, a former MP for Bethnal Green and Bow and now the MP for Bradford West, said he believed Newham is ready for a political revival after Newham councillors voted down a planning application for a mosque holding more than 9,000 people in Canning Town, run by followers of the controversial Tablighi Jamaat movement.

More than 50 people turned out for the public meeting in Plaistow which also saw Lee Jasper, a former advisor to previous London Mayor Ken Livingstone and Yvonne Ridley, a war correspondent who converted to Islam after being captured by the Taliban, take to the stage.

Dressed all in black Mr Galloway told people gathered inside Harold Road Centre, off Green Street, that he would send one of his top people to challenge Newham Mayor Sir Robin Wales' leadership in Newham at the next local election. He did not rule out that he might take on the challenge himself.

If the Respect party does not succeed in forcing an early election in Newham, following the refusal of the mosque, then the party plans to put up a Mayoral candidate and councillors in 2014 when elections are due.

Mr Galloway said: "Newham is ready for a political revival and as far as we're concerned it begins here tonight. We know there is something rotten in this borough. New Labour has far too much power for the good of the borough.

He then hit out at the councillors decision to reject the mosque. "It's a big mosque because a lot of people want to pray to the almighty. What is wrong with praying?"

Mr Galloway went on to say that you can lend money at high interest rates at a time when "destructive" aspects of society such as alcohol and gambling is rife. "But you can't build a mosque," he said.

"There are 90,000 Muslims voters in Newham as Labour is going to find out at the next local election. And they have all just got a slap in the face by their own leadership."

He asked the audience if they thought the council would have turned down plans for a Catholic church or Jewish synagogue. "They did it because the people involved are Muslims. And because they thought they could get away with it," he said

And he warned New Labour they could suffer the same fate as in Tower Hamlets where he defeated their MP Oona King in 2005.

Mr Galloway said: "Oona King, who is now skating on ice, voted to attack Iraq when 90 per cent of her electorate where against the war because she thought she could get away with it because who else would they vote for in Tower Hamlets. There was only me so she thought there would just be a bit of rocking of the boat."

He branded the decision to reject the mosque an insult to Muslims in Newham. "We can't take the decision on the mosque lying down. All my experience in Bradford and Tower Hamlets tells me that if you fail first time try again. The leadership in Newham must be changed."

Newham previously had three Respect councillors but all sitting councillors are Labour.

Newham Recorder, 29 December 2012

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The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed the rejection of Islamophobic candidates by voters nationwide.

In Florida, Rep. Allen West (R), who claims Islam is not a religion but is instead a "totalitarian theocratic political ideology" that is a "very vile and very vicious enemy," was defeated by a narrow margin.

Also in Florida, State Representative Adam Hasner (R) was defeated in his bid for Congress. Hasner once co-hosted an event featuring Dutch anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders that was also sponsored by Anti-Muslim hate group leader Pamela Geller. In 2009, Hasner attempted to block a "Florida Muslim Capitol Day." In 2007, he sponsored a screening of the anti-Muslim film "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West" for state legislators.

A third Florida anti-Muslim candidate, Terry Kemple, lost his bid for the Hillsborough County School Board. Kemple's main issue in the race was seeking to keep Muslim speakers out of local schools.

In Illinois, Rep. Joe Walsh (R) was defeated in his re-election bid. When a town hall meeting attendee told him that he was "looking for some godly men and women in the Senate, in the Congress, who will stand in the face of the danger of Islam," Walsh left the door open for suspicion of every Muslim living in Illinois when he responded saying radical Islam is more of a threat "now that it was right after 9/11" and "It's here. It's in Elk Grove. It's in Addison. It's in Elgin. It's here."

In Minnesota, Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-MN) lost his seat. Cravaack was a key supporter of Rep. Peter King's (R-NY) series of anti-Muslim hearings.

"These encouraging results clearly show that mainstream Americans reject anti-Muslim bigotry by candidates for public office and will demonstrate that rejection at the polls," said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. "This election witnessed an increased political awareness and mobilization effort among American Muslims that dealt a major blow to the Islamophobia machine."

Awad noted that Minnesota Republican Michele Bachmann, who recently led a witch hunt against Muslims serving in the government, only retained her House seat by a very narrow margin.

CAIR press release, 7 November 2012

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