Mosque size doesn’t matter, it’s all about who’s building and who has influence
Dear Editor,
It escapes me to understand how people would say that a mosque in San Martin is inappropriate for an rural area due to its size while absolutely directly across the valley floor in a separation of less than 3.0 miles, John Fry is building a 164,000 square foot (if not bigger – and originally just 64,000 square feet) replica of the mosque-like Cordoba Castle of Spain.
Can someone explain to me the difference?
Mark Grzan, Morgan Hill
Approval of Islamic center shows that Supes don’t give a hoot about rural San Martin
Dear Editor,
It was a sad day for South County Residents when the Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 to approve the Cordoba Center Project’s use permit for mosque and cemetery in San Martin.
Opponents of the Cordoba Project left the hearing with all the unanswered questions they arrived with. However, we did get the message loud and clear that the Board places the needs of the 50 to 100 SVIC families from South San Jose to Hollister in San Benito County, over the needs, health safety and welfare of its 7,027 San Martin residents.
SVIC had their three attorneys’ on hand (general, land use and 1st Amendment) as they made numerous emotional statements justifying why they should be able to do what every other church can do.
One big problem, every other church isn’t located in an area that has additional land-use policies and ordinances specific to that site. SVIC has made it clear they will not acknowledge that pesky little fact.
County Planning sent the applicant a letter on Sept. 19, 2011 advising them that their project would be more appropriately suited in one of the South County cities (Gilroy or Morgan Hill) where urban uses are intended to be located and that the Cordoba Project may not be appropriate for a rural unincorporated community such as San Martin. Apparently they ignored that letter.
What hasn’t been reported is the dirty little facts of the project. Anyone can access the file so it’s no secret.But I doubt the Board of Supervisors wants the public to know that the file contains fraud, excessive discrepancies/contradictions of documents and land-use policy and zoning violations. If you knew, you might want them to do something about it.
A major topic still in question is the percolation tests. Ann Peden from the county Department off Environmental Health gave new data stating they have 17 valid perc tests. Unfortunately they haven’t been able to produce them, so I guess we’ll just have to trust they all exist. Hmm, I wonder if she’s referring to perc tests that previously failed and are now valid because she waived all the requirements?
That brings up the fraud.
“All three lots were observed … by DEH staff, to be failing the percolation tests …, however, the percolation test results submitted by the applicant’s consultant show all lots passing the percolation test.” (Ref: letter to applicant 8/20/07). But we know the Board isn’t going to enforce zoning ordinance 5.80.020 where it says if you commit fraud it invalidates the permit. So whose job is it?
Even the high-speed rail slated to go through the Cordoba property didn’t make the board blink. And what happened to the archeology report requested? Guess that was waived along with the Environmental Impact Report, waste discharge requirements, World Health Organization requirements, “local serving” codes, wet weather testing, cemetery noticing requirements, and everything else that might get in the way when you force a square peg into a round hole all in the name of “special interests”.
Georgine Scott-Codiga, Gilroy
‘It’s time we stop supporting parties and candidates like they are ball teams …’
Dear Editor,
In my prior letter I asked people to think. I said it is important that we use history and reflect upon our opinions, no matter what you believe. Clearly, Frank Crosby does not want to do that.
He simply takes talking points and then uses them as if there is no other possible conclusion. It is time that we stop supporting parties and candidates like they are ball teams. I said that I am supporting Mitt Romney for president because he has committed to free markets, a judicial system founded on the rule of law, free press and free speech, and a government constrained by the constitution. Frank responds back with talking points and puzzlement because he does not want to think any deeper about his position.
It is a tell that Democrats and Frank don’t even believe in a middle class. Frank’s talking points use the 2% and 98%. There is no room for a middle class with those numbers. However, that is probably the percentages for a ruling class and everyone else. He also says that to give $691 billion to hospitals and insurance companies “will not reverse the decline of middle class income.” Last time I checked insurance companies and hospitals provide good middle class jobs and a service that we all need.
The Affordable Care Act, which is an oxymoron since insurance rates and health care costs have gone up at a faster rate than prior to the law, is really a shift from meaningful middle class jobs providing a service we demand to government employees.
Lastly it is hard to understand Frank’s use of the talking point “forward”. What does that mean? Again I ask that voters think and use history and reflection to decide their vote. What does “the sensible way forward for America” look like? Under Obama: bigger more oppressive government, $10 trillion more in debt, higher taxes including people in the middle class, higher health care costs, less health care, less free speech, an activist judicial system not controlled by rule of law, permanent unemployment and underemployment, more corruption based on government spending, more dependence on foreign oil, more misuse of American Military power in “Kinetic” actions, more embassy takeovers, more dead diplomats, more incompetent leadership. I could go on and should write a book 101 reasons not to vote for Obama.
As for Frank’s advice to vote for all Democrats for Congress, there is also some history to look at in regard to that advice. California is ruled by Democrats. The state has no idea what their revenue actually is. The state has a huge deficit, debt, spends why out of its means and continues to spend; how about that bullet train? The government from Sacramento becomes more oppressive everyday with meaningless rules and regulations growing every day.
So is this forward for the middle class? I do not think so. Frank does not think, reflect, or use history. He relies on talking points it is less puzzling to do that.
Mike Brusa, Morgan Hill
If only conservatives would switch off Fox News for a while, reality would sink in
Dear Editor,
Every time I read one of the letters from the right wing people, I am filled with wonder at their skewed view of our America. President Obama is a Socialist? Hardly.
About 20 years ago he would have been considered a liberal Republican. People’s incomes have gone down under his watch? Duh. We have just had the worst depression/recession since 1929.
No wonder people blame President Bush – under his watch that worst depression started; two wars were fought; taxes were decreased – what would anyone expect to happen? More people receiving food stamps? Hello?? There are no jobs for them. All this goes back to Bush. As for Reagan “turning the country around” he surely did at the cost of the biggest deficit ever known up to that time which wasn’t fixed until Bill Clinton was president.
My feeling is that if the right wing folks would just turn off Fox “News” and all the raging talking heads (Rush, Ann, Michael, etc.) and listen to the regular news and a regular newspaper for even a week, they might see that they are being brainwashed with craziness from people who are only in it for the money.
Marjorie Apel, Gilroy
Support advanced health services in Santa Clara County – Yes on Measure A
Dear Editor,
This November, the health of Santa Clara County residents for generations to come will be decided by us, the voters, through Measure A. One in four of us are treated at Valley Medical Center or at a local Santa Clara County clinic.
If ever in an accident, we are likely to be taken to Valley Medical Center because they are the closest level 1 trauma center. Measure A not only will fund crucial services in the emergency room, but it will serve burn victims, children in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, cancer care patients and other trauma services.
Please join me in voting yes, vote Yes on Measure A and stand for health services for the residents of our county.
Steve Tate, mayor, City of Morgan Hill
‘Acceptable’ insults abound, why in the world is it a crime to insult the Muslim faith?
Dear Editor,
Insulting, Jews, Catholics, Mormons, Right to lifers, Southerners, Italians, Poles, NASCAR fans, and numerous others is acceptable. It is considered a part of free speech and encouraged in some cases.
Christ on a cross in a jar of urine and Madonna covered with feces is considered art. These particular instances were paid for with tax dollars.
Why is it a crime to do a say or do anything resembling an insult to the Muslim faith?
Keith C. De Filippis, San Jose
President ducking from any responsibility for anti-American protests breaking out
Dear Editor,
Once again the Obama Administration has taken the position that a major problem occurring during his term in office is the fault of others. This time it is the tragic event in Libya and the dishonoring events in Egypt and elsewhere in the Islamic world.
In the official statement by White House Press Secretary, Jay Carney, on Sept. 14: “This is a fairly volatile situation, and it is in response not to United States policy, not to, obviously, the administration, not to the American people, it is in response to a video, a film that we have judged to be reprehensible and disgusting.
“That in no way justifies any violent reaction to it, but this is not a case of protests directed at the United States.”
In sports, one must know your opponent. In business, one must know your competition. In war (and this is indeed a continuing war against Islamic fundamentalists/terrorists), one must know your enemy.
In the culture of the Islamists, all interactions are a win-lose proposition. The “apology tour” at the start of the Obama term in office, and subsequent deference to Islamic fundamentalists in the uprisings in Iran, Syria and the Arab Spring, set the stage for things to come, including the attacks on U.S. embassies throughout the mid-East, northern Africa and southern Asia.
In President Obama’s speech at Cairo University on June 4, 2009, he naively (?) stated his submission to the losing end of the binary (win-lose) interaction with Islamic fundamentalists.
“I’ve come here to Cairo to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world, one based on mutual interest and mutual respect, and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles – principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.”
“… So I have known Islam on three continents before coming to the region where it was first revealed. That experience guides my conviction that partnership between America and Islam must be based on what Islam is, not what it isn’t. And I consider it part of my responsibility as president of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear.”
The claim of “It’s not our fault!” has been heard too often during this Administration (It’s Bush’s fault;” “It’s the fault of the tsunami;” “It’s the fault of the European debt crisis;” “It’s the fault of Wall Street;” “It’s the fault of the rich”), but the true fault is failed policies by a president who knowingly and willingly is leading the country down this path of “fundamentally transforming the United States of America.”
Frank Ryan, Morgan Hill
