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NORWALK, Conn. – Fillow Street is a residential area where most houses are of the same proportions. To build a huge building like the proposed mosque is such an insult to all residents in that area and an obvious traffic hazard. I don't have to be an expert to see it. I live there, UNLIKE many who have expressed their opinion in favor of it and will probably never come near it.
Call me intolerant and you would be right.
I am intolerant of those who want to sound "understanding and kind" when they do not have to deal with the consequences!
I am highly intolerant of elected officials who once in place disregard their constituents concerns such as Councilman-at-Large Warren Pena. I read, sir, that you would favor the mosque and their programs because we have a rising crime rate in Norwalk. What are you saying? The Muslims are responsible for the crime and need a place to be educated and shape up or that the Muslims are the answer to the crime rate in spite of every other non-Muslim program in place in this city and the continuing efforts of the police.
Either way I found your argument very disturbing on many levels. However, if you feel so strongly that they are the answer why don't you help them build in South Norwalk where crime is much more prevalent. Get real and stop disguising your interests under ridiculous pretenses.
I am particularly intolerant of the likes of Rabbi Ron Fish who also tries to act like such a good guy, open and tolerant to embracing other religions and cultures. Did I miss the announcement that YOU would personally open YOUR temple to your brothers from Al Madany until they have their own worship place? THAT would make history! ... By the way, your place is no way near Fillow Street. You are the perfect example of one in favor who won't have to deal with the mosque in his backyard. Hypocrite! Talk is cheap rabbi, dirt cheap! Shame on you!
This mosque or ANY other building of this size has no place in the area!
To those who do not like intolerance here is a quote from the Quran:
"Believers, make war on the infidels who dwell around you. Deal firmly with them. Know that God is with the righteous."
Quran 9:123,
"Ummmmm! "...... (mine)
Comments (5)
Ok, we get it your Intolerant but you left out that your are also racist and ignorant.
I think that if they meet the rules than they have the right, that's what the rules are for.
Attacking religion and anyone who supports a different view than your opinion just shows your true nature not the one your trying to project.
The quote at the end was the worst of it, you just looked it up somewhere with out reading anything else except for what was to serve your racist purpose.
As a house of worship, a mosque can be built, by special permit, anywhere in Norwalk.
That is not the issue here. The neighbors seem to think this house of worship is way too much for the site, and it is hard to imagine getting enough off-street parking, and the building, all on a plot that size. Experts for both sides disagree on traffic and parking requirements, but nobody is claiming there will not be considerable on-street parking, sometimes, not every day, to be sure, but that area cannot safely deal with on-street parking anytime. If they can find a way to provide a lot more parking, even if that requires removing the old buildings now on the site and/or buying an adjacent property, that might eliminate a lot of the opposition.
Another, much larger, site would be an even better solution, if one can be found.
I think to fully understand what Ms. Gaines means, one has to drive through the area of where the Mosque will be, look at the property and the little red house, and imagine what the proposed structure would look like on that property.
Zoning has height restrictions for the average house in the area (30 feet, I think). How tall will the tower of the Mosque be? Zoning has regulations for apartment/condo units as to parking, will the Mosque has enough parking? Obviously not, if there is talk of parking off site and 'shuttling in" City Hall/ Zoning and whoever else isn't thinking through the impact a building that size would be on the neighborhood, especially with it being on the corner of a dangerous intersection. Drive up North Taylor and try to make the left turn onto Fillow, hard enough as it is, without the added driveway from the Mosque.
Perhaps the original owners of the little red house shouldnt have sold it to someone who was planning on building something that big on the property...or, did they not know?
There are so many well-suited places in Norwalk to build such a large multi-use structure with ample space to accommodate this humongous structure, luscious grounds and the 200 or so parking spaces this growing congregation really needs. It is obvious to anyone familiar with the proposal that it is truly ill-suited to that general area, intersection and even the lot size and historical red house sitting on the property. Everyone deserves a place to worship and meet as a congregation, but residents also have a right to a livable neighborhood. I hope that local residents and tax payers can be heard and that the religious aspect of this issue will not motivate the City of Norwalk and the P&Z commission to make the really serious mistake of granting this special permit. It would have disastrous consequences on West Norwalk and adjacent streets.
Ms. Gaines,
Your letter was compelling and logical up until the end, when you quoted the Quran in a way that implies Islam is an intolerant religion. I think your point might be that those who are preaching tolerance have intolerance in their own religion. There are radical Muslims who are intolerant, just as there are radical Christians who are intolerant. If you don't believe me, have a look through the Bible, it's a very long text with plenty of fire and brimstone, and if you look hard enough I assure you that you'll find something that seems just as intolerant as the passage you quoted from the Quran. But what would be the point of doing so? We're not here to discuss religion, we're here to discuss whether or not the proposed building is appropriate for the land at 127 Fillow Street.
I don't live near the mosque and am not familiar with the proposed site. While I haven't evaluated the validity of the arguments opposing the plan based on zoning, I can respect your opposition as a neighbor who wants to preserve the existing character of the area and doesn't want more traffic. However you weaken your case substantially when you start delving into quotes which imply Islam is intolerant, because 1) it's not true and 2) it starts to sound like the real driver behind your opposition to the mosque is fear of Islam.