Against Construction of Muslim Center
Dear Editor,
I read your article about the plans to build an Islamic mosque in South County.
I can’t think of anything more out of tune with this community than this proposed monstrosity between San Martin and Morgan Hill. This is a rural community for which the proposed size and architectural style will be grossly out of place.
Over the years I’ve come to respect supervisor Don Gage’s views and believe he’s done a fine job.
However, he must have had his head in the sand for the past several years when he made his comment about this mosque becoming “a social asset for South County.” Name one place in the known universe that has had its social environment or quality of life improved by the introduction of Islam. Please review a few examples of the “improvements” Islam and its believers have brought to Thailand, The Philippines, Algeria, Somalia, Indonesia, Pakistan/India, Afghanistan, and Iran. Take a look at more recent events resulting from the activities of Islamist in the, France, The United Kingdom, Spain, The Netherlands, Lebanon and Turkey, to name a few. I could not find a single example of the Muslims bringing anything but chaos and and violence to areas where they have increase in numbers to the point numerical dominance or strong political status. I submit that these are not the kinds of enhancements that will benefit the local residences.
The prescence of a mosque as a dominate structure in San Martin & South County will be a gross mismanagement of land use and is certain to have an impact on land values.
Bill Currie, Morgan Hill
Editor’s Note: Due to a layout error, the first two paragraphs of this letter were omitted in the Morgan Hill Times May 29 opinion page and separated into another letter without a name. It’s reprinted here in its entirety. The Times letters-to-the-editor policy does not accept anonymous letters.
Speaking Out for Equity and Non-Discrimination
Dear Editor,
I am writing is response to the May 29 letter from Bill Currie against construction of the proposed Muslim Center in San Martin. The following was written by Pastor Martin Niemöller, during WWII.
First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.
When they come for Bill Currie I will speak out not because I agree with his point of view or even like him. I will speak out for equality, for non-discrimination, for the notion that most people are good and kind and considerate and want to exist in a peaceful, safe world. I will speak out for Bill Currie because we do not condemn an entire race or religion or gender based upon the actions of a very few.
Oh and be aware Bill Currie they will come for you one day, rest assured.
Allan Abrams, Morgan Hill
Surprised by Letter Against Mosque
Dear Editor,
I couldn’t believe I was reading this stuff in a California newspaper! Bill Currie’s May 29 letter to the editor was so hate filled that I’m surprised it got published.
Currie takes extreme cases of radical Islam and implies that this is what we can expect from a local Mosque. I think that extreme radical religion is always bad, and this includes our favorite: Christianity. His statement that ” … these are not the kinds of enhancements that benefit the local residences.” Means to me that he is more worried about his property value than anything else, or he would have used “residents” in place of “residences.” This is reinforced in his last sentence, ” … is certain to have an impact on land values.”
As for the other comment calling the Mosque a “monstrosity,” are all churches out of place here?
Something that is out of place and is a monstrosity is getting the go-ahead from Morgan Hill. Most of the grading for it was done without proper permits, but that’s OK because John Fry is rich, white and could be Christian, so we’ll let it pass with a slap on the wrist, or was that on the back?
Tony Denning, San Martin
Trails Will be Dangerous
Dear Editor,
We DO NOT support the trails in Jackson Oaks. One of the things that your May 18 editorial mentioned that we disagree with is the potential of reduced crime and increased safety. Most of our properties have no fences in the backyards and the trails will increase the access that folks will have into our unprotected backyards. We have two small children who play in the backyard.
The other key problem is with the increased fire danger that your editorial did not address. The house that we live in was completely burned to the ground three or four years ago. Even though we are new owners who purchased the house two years ago, we have also seen another house close by destroyed by fire. The trails proposed will go within about seven-eight feet of our property line and increase the fire danger because of potential of cigarette butts, matches, lighters and other fire hazards that pedestrians, bikers and equestrians may use.
V. Sikka, Morgan Hill
Proposed Trails Are Poorly Planned
Dear Editor,
I read your recent editorial regarding the proposed trails with amusement. Although it is true that hiking trails generally are a good thing, it is also true that in this case the proposed trails are poorly planned, and poorly thought out! The city engineers themselves admitted to never actually having walked in the spaces that they plan to build the trail system. As a longtime resident of Morgan Hill I am adamantly opposed to the proposed trail system for the following reasons:
- The cost: The city can find much better use for the money it plans to spend on walking trails
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Redundancy: Within 10 minutes of our city there are ample trails in HenryCoe county park. If the city wishes to help residents, it can establish a shuttle system to the park for much less!
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Lack of support infrastructure:Â
a. The proposed trails pass through neighborhoods which only have one inlet/outlet. The added traffic of supposed hikers would create a nightmare in these neighborhoods.
b. There is no plan to patrol, clean, maintain these trails. The money simply does not exist!
c. The city police department lacks the resources to respond to potential problems that might arise on these trails, same is true of the fire department
- Damage to our fragile ecosystem: The added traffic, refuse, disruption of animal trails would cause further damage to our beautiful hills. Although it is true that we all need to share our natural resources, sometimes it is better to just look, and not touch!
So although I appreciate the city engineers’ efforts to justify their salaries, I think anyone who looks at the plan in depth must agree that it is a poor plan indeed.
If you are interested I would be more than happy to walk with you through the area, and point out the poor planning, and lack of foresight of such a system!
Dadbeh Rouhbakhsh, Morgan Hill
Want a Trail? Use Coyote Creek
Dear Editor,
My wife and I are opposed to trails in Jackson Oaks. Whether it is garbage, noise, impact on wildlife or potential theft, or all of the above. We are opposed to public trails. If one wants to walk, there is already the Coyote Creek paved trail; use that trail.
Bruce Halvorsen, Morgan Hill
Pro-Trail Editorial Was Misleading
Dear Editor,
While the Morgan Hill Times claimed to be stunned by Jackson Oaks residents’ opposition to trails in their area, my wife and I were shocked by the Times’ support of a project so many people oppose. Your May 18 editorial mislead readers to believe the fuss over trails is only coming from only a few disgruntled people. In reality the outcry is coming from the majority of those living in the Jackson Oaks area as well as landowners in other parts of Morgan Hill whose private land, without their knowledge, has been earmarked for public use.
Your May 18 article casually dismissed the legitimate concerns of local professionals in law enforcement, firefighting, public safety, and real estate. The Times also completely failed to recognize the input of residents throughout city who have experienced first hand the crime, fires, and the trash problems the proposed trail type brings. These are local people with personal knowledge speaking for hundreds of others present at public meetings that dragged on for hours. These are not the voices of pricey San Francisco consultants brought in by a small group of Morgan Hill committee members to tell the public at large what they are suppose to want in their own community.
Although an editorial is supposed to express an opinion, your editorial needs to be more grounded in facts.
Visoth Chhiap, M.D. & Maribeth Lewis
