Residents use pig races to deter building of mosque

KTRK/KATY, TX ^ | Ted Oberg

[Hank Kerchief]

Residents use pig races to deter building of mosque

Residents don't want group in their area

 By Ted Oberg

(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.

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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.
(Copyright © 2006, KTRK-TV)

[rabscuttle385]

I am suggesting neither.

I just find it ironic that a Christian church can't toll its bells while Muslim mosques in parts of Michigan can broadcast their calls to prayer loud and clear.

We're making the assumption that this proposed mosque in Katy, TX would also be audibly broadcasting a call to prayer throughout the surrounding neighborhood.

Granted, restricting the maximum number of decibels and the time of the noise-making is acceptable...but I just find it ironic. In most Muslim countries, this would be a non-issue, because the church wouldn't even be allowed to exist.

[Fraulein]

AGH! LOL!

[patton]

In Anne Arbor? I am sure they did.

That city was the least tolerant place I ever lived in - a democrat bastion, to be sure. But I repeat myself...

[Melas]

See, what you're not getting is that free-will was ordained by God. It's the one thing that no tyrant can truly take from you. The state can at best force outward observance of a religion, but it can never dictate to the conscience.

Razing Mosques would accomplish nothing good. At best you'd create a 21st century class of maranaro. Ironically, maranaro is Spanish for swine. It refers to the Jews in inquisitional Spain who adopted the outward trappings of Catholicism in order to keep their heads on their shoulders. In secret, they hate the church that compelled observance and practiced the religion of their conscience in secret. All you would do would be to drive Islam underground. You would effectivel accomplish nothing, but you'd stomp on real American values in the process.

Maybe you've heard of a few of them? Freedom of association. Freedom of religion. Private property rights. Anything ringing a bell here? Anything at all?

[FreedomCalls]

"Mosques and the people who run them should not be allowed in this country, period. No negotiation."

You have more in common with them than you think.

"Churches and the people who run them should not be allowed in this country, period. No negotiation." ~Saudi Arabia

"Synagogues and the people who run them should not be allowed in this country, period. No negotiation." ~Many more

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

In most Muslim countries, this would be a non-issue, because the church wouldn't even be allowed to exist.

Now, is that ironic?

[Petronski]

If you had any kind of temporal power, the pogroms would not stop with the muslims.

But you've revealed your character to even more people here today. The worse thing that could ever happen to you on Free Republic is to be thoroughly understood. And it's happening.

[Verginius Rufus]

How about a zoning law that says that no mosque may be built in a county where there is an establishment selling pork BBQ or ham sandwiches?

[1rudeboy]

My precinct had 7 registered Republicans. When I'd show up to vote, I'd cause a small amount of consternation as the (nice old ladies) tried to find me a ballot.

[King Moonracer]

Bravo. I think Mr Baker should also consider developing a hobby of pig fat rendering, and like a fine chef, developing pork reduction sauces. Fill the air with pig molecules. FU Muzzies.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

I'm not the issue. The issue IS Islam. However, historically, most do not realize it until it is too late.

[Petronski]

The followers of that religion must be invited to leave the country and their places of worship (mosques) must be leveled and the land made available for other use.

A domestic policy directive straight from Berlin.

[NTegraT]

I happen to live in the City of Katy and this proposed property is much closer in toward Houston and at the edge of a major flood reservoir. I'm pretty sure it's unincorporated Harris County. It's in the Katy school district so I'm assuming that's why it gets the Katy title. Mr. Baker's farm appears to be the one remaining rural area surrounded by subdivisions. The neighborhood is extremely high ended so it will be interesting to see how this all plays out. Mr. Baker appears to be resourceful, to say the least. At least it's NIMBY. Heeeheee

[Gritty]

If I were living on Baker Road in Katy, I wouldn't want an ammo dump and terrorist training center in the neighborhood, either.

But, maybe that's just me and a few other anti-religious bigots...

[Tribune7]

The pigs were there first.

Friday night pig roasts might also be a good idea. Nice savory barbecue smell adding to the ambiance of the neighborhood.

[Sally'sConcerns]

Damn zoning laws - wont allow pigs! Argh!

Can't remember now whether Katy, Tx has zoning or not since they may have patterned themselves after Houston. Houston doesn't have zoning per se. Houston uses Home Owner's Association's and PUD's to control what can be done in the neighbourhoods.

[1rudeboy]

Now, is that ironic? [quoting, "In most Muslim countries, this would be a non-issue, because the church wouldn't even be allowed to exist."] Stop it with the "ironic" stuff! LOL
Are you suggesting that the proper response to countries that do not allow religious freedom is to limit religious freedom?

[bordergal]

You seem to be missing a major warning signal: the farmer claims that the Muslims were strongarming him into selling his land.

If it's true, they are trying to interfere with HIS freedoms....and that is an excellent indicator as to what type of mosque this will be.

Pig races sound just fine to me. And may I also suggest a nice FBI mosque monitoring system?

[patton]

That's how I feel in Falls Church, VA. Fortunately, we don't register by party, so I just smile at the old biddies and vote for whoever I wish.

[Tribune7]

"It's looked upon as a dirty creature."

Vincent Want some bacon?
Jules No man, I don’t eat pork.
Vincent Are you Jewish?
Jules Nah, I ain't Jewish, I just don't dig on swine, that’s all.
Vincent Why not?
Jules Pigs are filthy animals. I don't eat filthy animals.
Vincent Yeah, but bacon tastes gooood. Pork chops taste gooood.
Jules Hey, sewer rat may taste like pumpkin pie, but I'd never know ‘cause I wouldn't eat the filthy . . .. Pigs sleep and root in shit. That's a filthy animal. I ain't eatin' nothin' that ain't got sense enough to disregard its own feces.
Vincent How about a dog? Dog eats its own feces.
Jules I don't eat dog either.
Vincent Yeah, but do you consider a dog to be a filthy animal?
Jules I wouldn't go so far as to call a dog filthy but they're definitely dirty. A dog's got personality. Personality goes a long way.
Vincent Ah, so by that rationale, if a pig had a better personality, he would cease to be a filthy animal. Is that true?
Jules Well we'd have to be talkin' about one charmin' . . .' pig. I mean he'd have to be ten times more charmin' than that Arnold on Green Acres, you know what I'm sayin'’?