Sulphur springs and al seier are just on the edge of Bluff Park
 
Hearing on Muslim worship center in Hoover postponed
Posted by Birmingham News staff June 11, 2007 12:49 PM
 
The Hoover Planning and Zoning Commission today postponed until July 9 consideration of a request to build a Muslim worship center at the intersection of Sulphur Springs Road and Al Seier Road.
 
The commission was to have considered the request tonight at 5:30, but city Zoning Clerk June Webb said a nearby resident called this morning to say she had not been notified about the request.
 
Hoover's zoning ordinance requires residents within 500 feet of a development to be notified for certain zoning requests. Some nearby residents oppose a church at this location, citing traffic concerns.
 
more: http://www.al.com/birminghamnews/stories/index.ssf?/base/news/1181549954128210.x ml&coll=2
 
contains more info on the developer and the hoover zoning commission  
this could be a major traffic problem!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
and if you are in this area and have not been notified you need to call them.
if you oppose you need to call the hoover planning and zoning commission.

I read the article in your post and yes it is very "right" of center but I think you have to realize that this is a religion that preaches Kill, Convert or Subjugate. Not the religion of peace that the media wants you to think it is.  There is good and evil in this world and right now Islamic groups cause a second look. To me there are two sides to this one being the traffic issue, I dont care what they would be putting there a mosque or a church or a store.. the road can not handle the traffic.  The other side is that this raises an eyebrow about the security of citizens in Hoover.  Has this group been checked out, homeland security anyone??? I know it seems bad but in a post 911 world you have to do that. It seems a little fishy to me.. they will not call it a mosque, I have seen it referred to as a "church" Islam does not have churches they have mosque. I have also seen it called a "worship center" in the paper and my the company wanting to develop the land. I would also like to know where they got the money.. a lot of terrorists groups were funneling money through mosques. Also the fact that some of the residents with in 500 feet were not notified according to the law when land around them is going to be re-zoned.  
 
I like what you said bpresident:
" If the Muslim community in Hoover would like to have a worship center, then please come out and explain to us what it will entail.   Be public in what your worship styles are like.  Don't place the responsibility on us to learn your culture and religion.  All we have been exposed to when it comes to the Muslim faith has been, for a lack of a better term, negative.  And, being in the so called Bible Belt, you have an extra burden to convince us that putting a worship center in Hoover is a good idea."
.
 
 
could they not build this in an area already zoned for non residential.
 
I think you also have to ask the question, does this group denounce the injustices on women in sects of Islam, do they denounce suicide bombing.. etc
 
YOu got to ask a lot of questions when something like this happens

CoolSchool:
 
I think what I said was:
Quote from bpresident on 06/13/07 at 10:49am:

 
which I think is exactly the opposite of what you are saying, if I'm not mistaken.  The people who want to build their center do have to explain what it's all about.  We happen to know already what the Baptists, Methodists, Mormons, Catholics, etc. are all about.  But we don't know what the Muslims are about, at least most of us don't.  All we know is what we read in the papers and on the web and see on TV.  And, I'm sorry to say, it's not good.
 
Religious tolerance was great in the 18th, 19th and 20th century, and it's still great today, but at a price.  The price is full and open disclosure.  The Baptists don't mind you coming to their church and asking all kinds of questions (we just might want to have you join our church while you're there...).  The Catholics don't mind you asking about Communion.  The Jews don't mind you dropping in during a Bar Mitzvah.  So I'm sure our Muslim friends won't mind if we drop in and ask some questions either, right?  But we might feel a little uncomfortable doing it, so the burden is on them, not us.  We're asking for full disclosure, that's all.  You want to come to our neighborhood, we don't mind.  But don't come in cloaked in secrecy because chances are it's not going to go over too well.  
 
No, sorry, CoolSchool, but you must have me confused with someone else.  And your are taking an act of symbolism (the body and blood of Christ) and turning it into something that it is not (comparing it to canabalism) or saying that Mormons are going to turn us into polygamists.  Invalid examples.  And making the statement that if terrorists are going to attack us, they will regardless of what we do?  Maybe.  But we sure won't just open the door and let them in without asking a couple of questions first.  You don't let just anyone who knocks on your front door into your house, do you?

CoolSchool I don't believe I have the right to stop them because of their beliefs. Why are we holding Islam to a highere standard?
 
We are holding them to a higher standard because they have commited acts that fall outside of the norm, or at least what a reasonable person perceives to be the norm.
 
If you will go back to my original post, you will see that I am the first to say that ignorance on my part plays a role.  I am not disputing that.  But caution on my part also plays a role.
 
Here's where you and I differ:  You are playing into the role of being politically correct.  You do not believe that one should get down on others based on their beliefs.  I'm tired of playing the PC game.  
 
Let me give you an example.  Lets say that the site was planning to open a church instead of a Muslim worship center (and by the way, why can't they just call it a mosque, instead of a "worship center").  And lets say that the church was going to be a "Baptist" church.  Would you let them build it without asking further questions?  I hope you didn't answer yes.  Lets say that the name of the church was "Westboro Baptist Church".  Would you still let them build?  I hope you didn't answer yes.  Lets say the pastor's name is Fred Phelps.  Would you still let them build?  Do you see what I'm getting at?  We need to ask questions.  Just because they call themselves something (like Fred Phelps calls himself a "Baptist" "church"), doesn't mean that we as responsible citizens don't need to investigate.  Especially these days.
 
This applies to protestant, Jews and Muslims.  Especially Muslims.  Not too many "good" things have been written about them in the press lately.  Most of it has been, shall we say, on the negative end.  If they would like to have a meeting and disclose what they propose to do in their worship center, I say "Come on!".  
 
Please take a minute to rent a video from the library entitled "Obsession: The Threat of Radical Islam".  It talks all about these local worship centers that seem to have an alterior motive.  If I'm so wrong, why can we not have a representative from their group give their side - that's all we are asking.  Nothing else.  Enlighten us!  Look, we've opened our arms to others who are different.  Even so called "illegals" are welcomed around here.  OK, "welcomed" may be too generous of a term.  Lets go with "tolerated".  But they have spokespeople that are speaking up for them.  Why doesn't the Muslim community?  Educate us.  We want to learn.  Or could it be that we're not wrong?
 
Call me ignorant.  I'll agree with you on that.  I am ignorant on the Muslim faith.  But I'm also a quick learner.  And a willing one.  I'm sure that they plan on opening up a good center.  But call it what it is.  Don't sugarcoat it by calling it a "worship center" when it's nothing but a mosque.  That shows deceipt from the start.  But just like I wouldn't let Fred Phelps open up a "Baptist" "church" in Bluff Park, I'm going to find out what they are planning to build.  And I hope you would be curious also.

Here is more info that was in the paper today.
Some key notes.. I still dont see where this is good for Hoover. As said before, this is land zoned f for retail or office use. The city would take a loss in tax dollars if anything other than retail went in. Why should this land be re zoned (for anyone!!!!!) Still a traffic issue. Still an issue of trust with the Islamic Society. I would like to know what group the bus bombers from London were affiliated with. The article says "Ismailis live in the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe and North America, according to the Web site of the Institute of Ismaili Studies, which is based in London." I wonder if they made any denouncements after the bus bombing.  Much to look into.
 
I also have to say that I have been watching the conversation here and on the al.com hoover forum and according to the paper only 2 letters/calls received?? I guess one was mine. IF you are voicing opposition here or anywhere else.. you should voice it to the zoning board and the hoover commission and mayor's office.  
 
With Councilman Mike Natter mentioned in the article as being undecided I think he would be a good person to call.
 
 
http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/hoover.ssf?/base/community/118232767210856 0.xml&coll=2
 
July 9th is the mtg

"The property is zoned for retail or office use. Use of the property for any other purpose requires approval by the commission and the council under what is called a[color=#009900] conditional use.
 
All churches are approved under conditional use because there is no zoning district for churches. "[/color]
 
Conditional being the key word here.
No I am not against new "Churches" in Hoover, I am against this mosque at this site. They could go somewhere else that is not zoned for retail and has better access. Also noting that the guy in the article said that most members did not live in Hoover (the city) so why do they want it here???????
 
 
on a side note, this is a special that PBS would not air, Fox is now airing it read on http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,285695,00.html

Or the people interested in fighting it will have lost interest.  Fires die down quickly.

Article in July 4, 2007 Birmingham News:
http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/hoover.ssf?/base/community/118353759545590 .xml&coll=2