{"id":3517,"date":"2013-05-20T10:20:18","date_gmt":"2013-05-20T14:20:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/?p=3517"},"modified":"2013-05-20T10:29:31","modified_gmt":"2013-05-20T14:29:31","slug":"religious-freedom-and-the-neighbors-lcc-2013-05-14","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/05\/religious-freedom-and-the-neighbors-lcc-2013-05-14.html","title":{"rendered":"Religious freedom and the neighbors @ LCC 2013-05-14"},"content":{"rendered":"

\r\nApparently concern about a different religion is what it takes\r\nto get a Lowndes County Commissioner to speak up for the majority\r\nof the neighbors.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"Mike<\/a>\r\nAfter Utilities Director Mike Allen outlined the case again\r\nat the\r\n\r\nLowndes County Commission Regular Session 14 May 2013<\/a>\r\nCommissioner John Page\r\nelaborated on his question of\r\n\r\nthe previous morning<\/a>:\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"Subdivision?<\/a>\r\nBut the trust deed that we have in our notebook\r\nsays it’s for the Valdosta Islamic Center Corporation,\r\nso this is a, uh,\r\nI know they’re calling it the Mercy Community Center,\r\nbut isn’t this going to be a Muslim worship center \r\ninstead of a subdivision?\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

\r\nCounty Planner Jason Davenport responded:\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nOh, yes sir.\r\nWhen I say subdivision, I mean, I’m referring strictly to somebody \r\ndividing out one lot….\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

\r\nDavenport said as he had the previous morning that he hadn’t seen\r\n“any construction plans or improvement plans for the next step”.\r\nChairman Bill Slaughter pointed out that:\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nAt this time the request is just to approve the indenture for a water system.\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

\r\nUtilities Director Mike Allen said that was correct.\r\nCommissioner Page nonetheless said he wanted to speak further,\r\nand the Chairman said he could.\r\nPage said:\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"Religion<\/a>\r\nI have been contacted by residents in this area; some of them\r\nare property owners right across the road from this property,\r\nand adjoining property owners, and they are very concerned\r\nthat if this center was built there that it would hurt their property values.\r\nNobody in this room believes in religious freedom more than I do,\r\nbeing a Baptist minister for 32 years,\r\nand knowing how people have been persecuted down through the ages,\r\nfor their religious beliefs.\r\nI would defend their right to be able to worship.\r\n

\r\nI do question the wisdom of allowing them to develop this property\r\nbecause existing property owners are very concerned in that area\r\nabout the value of their property, being able to resell their property\r\nin the future if this was located here.\r\nAnd these are hard-working people; some of them have farmed this land\r\nfor generations and have spent their life savings \r\nto build homes and have what they have\r\nand I think we need to take that into consideration.\r\n

\r\nI know we are just talking about a well, but a well is the first step\r\nin developing property.\r\nAnd in our material we have here it is clear that they are wanting\r\nto build a worship center here.\r\nAnd I think we need to also balance the rights of these individuals\r\nagainst those who are property owners around them.\r\nAnd we have to look at the decision we make and how it affects\r\nthe majority of people in that area.\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

\r\nIt’s really touching that a Lowndes County Commissioner is concerned\r\nabout the majority of people in the area of a proposed development.\r\nWhere has this great concern previously been when various random\r\ndevelopers want to push subdivisions out into farmland,\r\nor develop with lots half the size of those next door?\r\nLet’s abstract out the specific applicant and remember the rest of this\r\nfor future use:\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nAnd these are hard-working people; some of them have farmed this land\r\nfor generations and have spent their life savings \r\nto build homes and have what they have\r\nand I think we need to take that into consideration.\r\nI know we are just talking about a well, but a well is the first step\r\nin developing property….\r\nAnd I think we need to also balance the rights of these individuals\r\nagainst those who are property owners around them.\r\nAnd we have to look at the decision we make and how it affects\r\nthe majority of people in that area.\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

\r\nThe Commission voted to approve the trust indenture, with Commissioner Page\r\nvoting against.\r\nWhile I applaud Commissioner Page for speaking up for the neighbors\r\nand wish all the Commissioners would do that on less religious topics,\r\nit would have been very, ah, interesting, if he had succeeded in convincing\r\na majority of the Commission to vote his way on this one.\r\nSomething about the First Amendment….\r\n<\/p>\r\n

Here’s the video:<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n

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