On December 1, the Kennesaw council originally voted 4-1 to deny the Suffa Dawat Center’s application for the mosque, citing zoning regulations which did not allow religious institutions in that particular shopping center, and expressing concern for traffic issues that could arise.
— Zaid Jilani (@ZaidJilani) December 16, 2014
But to many Muslim residents of Kennesaw, the decision seemed like a violation of the constitution.
A Familiar Story
The controversy is far from unheard of. The Dec. 1 decision bears a striking resemblance to other, more high-profile cases of potential religious discrimination following 9/11, the most famous being the uproar over the proposed Cordoba House near the sight of Ground Zero in 2009.
The Cordoba House controversy saw its share of protesters oppose construction by marching with large American flags. So, too, did the ruling in Kennesaw. A small crowd of about 20 people gathered outside of city hall Monday night, carrying not only flags, but also signs that read “Ban Islam” and “No Mosque.”
An attorney representing the mosque supporters threatened to sue the city for violating the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act following the initial vote, citing the operation of a Christian church inside another shopping center in Kennesaw.
— Hilary Butschek (@hilarylbutschek) December 16, 2014
With the new ruling, 5-0 in favor of the mosque, the suit has been dropped. Council members who originally voted say they’re adopting a new vision, focused on building a more inclusive environment. Kennesaw Mayor Mark Matthews denies that the new decision had anything to do with outside pressure.
“The legal advice from our own city attorney [is] not based on input received from the public or anybody else,” he said.
With the permit approved, the Suffa Dawat Center plans to set up a temporary place of worship in the strip mall until something more permanent is built.
