Hamad leads Moe by a snout.
Posted on 11/29/2006 9:14:45 PM PST by jdm
(11/29/06 - KTRK/KATY, TX) - There's an awful lot of exciting news when you round the corner on Baker Road. One of two big yellow signs announces a new neighbor is coming soon.
K.I.A., that's the Katy Islamic Association, plan to build a mosque here.
"It's not an appropriate place to have a mosque or church," said resident Barbara Simpson.
It isn't going over real well.
"As a house of worship, they shouldn't be disturbing the peace and tranquility of 15 homes," said resident John Wetmore.
Neighbors tell us they're concerned about traffic and drainage and a little fear of the unknown.
Some of the homeowners even offered to buy the land back for more than a million dollars.
The K.I.A. doesn't seem very interested in the offers.
"We're not going anywhere," said Katy Islamic Association member Alvi Muzfar.
So it seems the community at the end of Baker Road has a pretty good fight.
But this fight has gone much farther than many between two neighbors. You see in these fights, sometimes neighbors throw mud at one another, in this instance they're wallowing in it.
Craig Baker owns pigs.
He's the guy behind the second big yellow sign on Baker Road. That's the one announcing Friday night pig races.
"What does it matter, I can do whatever I want with my land right," asked landowner Craig Baker.
Sure can.
But aren't pigs on the property line racing on a Friday night a little offensive to a Muslim neighbor?
"The meat of a pig is prohibited in the religion of Islam," said Katy Islamic Association member Youssof Allam. "It's looked upon as a dirty creature."
Yeah there's that and also that Friday night is a Muslim holy day.
"That is definitely a slap in the face," said Allam..
Now before you go thinking Craig Baker is unfair, or full of hate, or somehow racist, hear him out.
Baker has long roots here, his family named the road and when the new neighbors moved in, he tells us, they asked him to move out.
"Basically that I should package up my family and my business and find a place elsewhere," said Baker. "That's ridiculous, they just bought the place one week prior and he's telling me I should think about leaving." That new owners deny they ever said anything like that, but Baker isn't budging.
Baker admits the pigs are a message he is not leaving.
The 11-acre property is sandwiched between a pricey subdivision and Craig Baker's business.
K.I.A. eventually plans to build a mosque, a gym and a school there. There's no date for the groundbreaking ceremonies, or the first pig race.
Make 'em squeeeellll like a pig!
Hey, if your neighbors are pigs, at least your sheep and goats are safe from molestation!
There's an excellent video of this story. Click on the source link.
I am going by here tonight on my way home. I live about 1 km away. Yao Ming lives about 300 feet away.
Sounds like a good place for a barbecue stand, too.
What congressional district is Katy in--this isn't Delay's old district, is it?
Burlesque shows for free. That'll do it.
Barbeques during Ramadan
It used to be in DeLay's district, but since Texas redistricting the Katy area was taken out of his district, and parts are now represented by Ron Paul and Mike McCaul.
This particular neighborhood lies in McCaul's district.
In the words of the famous poet, Faouk Youssef: "Get over it."
Is this "old" Katy or closer to Barker-Cypress? Coming from I-10 at Brookshire
Greased pig races are fun. Charge $1 per kid and recycle the pigs for next week. My son caught a pig at the fair, and when we picked it up to load it into the trunk, It squealed REALLY LOUD!.. If you pick up enough pigs, the din might drown out that darn prayer call.
I am also curious. Was this ever brought before the voters; and if not; why?
Hamad leads Moe by a snout.
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