Will Stone Now Build that Mosque?
Over a year ago, Jewish leaders went to Ald. Stone to get his assurance that he would not allow a mosque to be built in our neighborhood. But now we have reasons to be concerned.
Salman Aftab has endorsed Stone, and the word on the street is that one reason was because Stone agreed to allow a mosque to be built. While no one expects Stone to keep his word (be reasonable, he doesn't have a reputation for keeping his word), this would be outrageous. Is Stone really that desperate?
Seems like Berny Stone feels secure in his Jewish base, secure enough that he can cut deals detrimental to that base. Where's the outrage? I am shocked and surprised at this development, stunned even. I wouldn't have thought that Aftab's endorsement would be worth anything, let alone Stone's potential consent to build a mosque.
Labels: 50th Ward, Bernard Stone, Election, Mosque
posted by Jay @ 9:07 AM
61 comments
61 Comments:
This is an outrageous post based on nothing but the desire to be provocative. It misrepresents the previous controversy and invents a new one. You have obviously run out of things to say about the election.
Total lie. Where the hell do you come up with this BS?? Just another way to try to sway votes. Seems to me the people hating Stone are really worried and will post any lie at this point to gain a vote!!! Stone is a man of his word and would not LIE to the people as others do. thats not what he is all about.
It's a legitimate question: what did Stone promise Salman for his endorsement? But we should ask Salman not Stone. I wouldn't believe anything that Stone said.
What is truly outrageous, if true, is that the Jewish community would have pushed Stone to keep out a Muslim place of worship.
When West Rogers Park was predominately Catholic and Protestant before WWII, Christians did not pressure their alderman to keep out synagogues.
I have probably more contempt for Islamo-Fascists than most, but would not go so far as to try to prevent them from legally establishing a place of worship.
This raises the question of bigotry in the Jewish community.
The blog sponsor said several months back that he was offended by Christian Christmas displays on public property. Yet much of the 50th Ward is encircled by an Eruv, a Jewish religious symbol that uses public lightpoles for support. Does he object to that as well?
Fact is, we don't know that Aftab cut any deal at all -- he didn't seem the overly religious type -- but these very suspicions and rumors are signs of bigotry.
Perhaps Bernie should be pressured or the city sued to take the Eruv off of public property.
Why should a mosque be built in the middle of a Jewish neighborhood? I don't think a church should be built there, either. How about some cultural sensitivity? There are religious reasons why this was offensive.
Anonymous said...
It's a legitimate question: what did Stone promise Salman for his endorsement? But we should ask Salman not Stone. I wouldn't believe anything that Stone said.
March 29, 2007 11:18 AM
So what did Naisy promise Brewer for his endorsement? If you ask one you must ask the other. Fair and balanced reporting.
Wait,
Greg Brewer will be the architech on this project.
YOU ARE UNBELIEVABLE-Your hatred has no bounds-your fantasies are just that-you are making an attempt to set 2 communities against each other all for the purpose of damaging STONE-you are a RODIF who wants the JEWISH COMMUNITY of CHICAGO to be without representation in city govt.DO JAY'S PERSONAL ANIMOSITIES come over the COMMUNITY'S intersts ?
I agree that if you ask one endorser you should ask the other. That is fair. But I doubt you'd have to ask Dolar if she promised Brewer that she would build a mosque here.
And I don't know enough about Christian practices to know if it would be culturally insensitive.
I do believe that these are important questions to ask, but I did not think of them! I merely posed one question here. It was not meant to be divisive. We all know the power of the whisper campaign, and how Ald. Stone has used it to keep his hold on the community. By exposing those whispers to the open air, I would hope that more people would become aware of what is being said.
Jay says, "By exposing those whispers to the open air, I would hope that more people would become aware of what is being said."
So, are you exposing a whisper campaign or making up your own? This is such a confused proposition it doesn't even make sense.
jay-you are over the top-what you are doing is sinful-having opinions is one thing ,but you are probably dancing on the line of legal free speech-inflammatory lies which tear at our community's unity and tranquility.you know you are doing WRONG-
Salman didn’t like Dolar.. Why would he support a candidate that used her husband’s job and access to files to expose Salman and his history. Stone didn’t have to promise Salman anything. He knows Stone is the better person for the job and has more experience. So there you have it. Now could someone tell the people what Dolar promised Brewer????
http://www.elections.il.gov/CampaignDisclosure/CommitteeDetail.aspx?id=20366
So what is Naisy up to here?
Perhaps Bernie should be pressured or the city sued to take the Eruv off of public property.
March 29, 2007 11:35 AM
This is a valid thought. Perhaps a vote for bernie means that the jewish lifestyle can continue uninteruppted. it does not matter how corrupt he may be or how little he does for the rest of the ward, vote for stone or face anarchy, is that the going sentiment?
This is no whisper campaign, you can look it up:
Stone is supporting the expansion plans the North Side Mosque has for the old Crawford's parking garage just south of the site of the Thanskgiving fire on Devon.
Here's a link to Stone introducing the zoning change:
Zoning Change for North Side Mosque
Stone introduced this 11/1/06. It was refered to the Zoning Committee and approved by the Zoning Committee (including Stone) last week 3/22/07. it will be approved by the full City Council Wednesday, April 11th, 2007, just in time for the election! Shew!
North Side Mosque has BIG plans. Stone did a custom spot zoning for them, so they could have done ANYTHING, but remarkably they are NOT planning to knock the parking garage down. They will be building UP! They will add two stories, two floors of worship space, and top the whole thing off with a big dome.
You can view the plans if you are respectful (take your shoes off), they are posted on the wall inside the door.
They are not posted on the alderman's website.
I'm sure there were neighborhood meetings about this.
I'm sure the neighbors know all about it.
Zoning Application: A-7070
Address: 6330-42 N Campbell
(the A prefix denotes a zoning change sponsored by an alderman)
Architect:
Barkat Virani
(847) 414-4575
virani02@aol.com
Developer:
ADC Developers Corporation
2704 W Peterson
773-381-7300
Management
North Side Mosque of Chicago
(773) 973-7214
fax (773) 973-7191
A recent survey of favorite buildings included 16 buildings from Chicago but somehow overlooked this innovative re-purposing of a City parking garage.
Chicago in favorite buildings survey
By Blair Kamin
Tribune architecture critic
Published February 15, 2007
All of this raises the very obvious... Bernard Stone is bad for Chicago and frankly I'm saddened by the Neanderthal mindset of some of Jewish co-religionists in WRP who behave as if their neighborhood is an extension of Tel Aviv. We live in a multi-cultural American city and there ought to be room under the sun for all who share America's values! I had no problem with the Mosque coming in on Touhy last year. As someone pointed out Christians could just as easily have opposed a synagogue opening up in WRP when the neighborhood was predominantly Catholic. What troubles me is that a large portion of the Jewish community in West Rogers Park apparently never learned the fundamental ideals of good citizenship or that in America we are supposed to be US citizens first.
Re: Northside Mosque
I have not yet seen the expansion plans, but I have been aware of the zoning change since it was first introduced. In fact, I made a formal objection prior to the Zoning Committee hearing. My main objection is that no zoning change is required--the Zoning Board of Appeals has the authority to grant a variance. See my letter to Ald. Banks below.
Look for this and other planning and development news on the all new crd50.org website that should be ready in a couple weeks.
________________________
March 21, 2007
Alderman William J.P. Banks, Chairman
Committee on Zoning
121 N LaSalle St, Room 304
Chicago, IL 60602
Via Fax: 312-744-6572
Re: Zoning Application No. A-7070
6330-42 North Campbell Ave (50th Ward)
Dear Alderman Banks:
I am writing to object to Application No. A-7070 to reclassify as RT4 instead of RS2 the property known as 6330-42 North Campbell Ave. This application is currently on the agenda of matters to be considered by the Committee on Zoning at its next meeting, March 22, 2007.
The basis of my objection is threefold:
1. No zoning change is required. The subject property is currently used for religious assembly by Northside Mosque, the property owner. As this is an aldermanic application, the standard application form listing the purpose of the proposed change has not been provided. However, it is my understanding from the alderman that the stated purpose of the change is to allow Northside Mosque to expand its facility. The existing facility is well within the limits of the current FAR. Any expansion is unlikely to exceed allowable FAR. However, if planned expansion would exceed current FAR, the Zoning Board of Appeals is authorized to grant a variance to exceed FAR for a non-residential building in a residential district (17-13-1101-G).
2. No posted notice. No public hearing can be scheduled until posted notice has been provided. The notice sign must be installed within five days of application and remain in place until the date of the hearing (17-13-0107-C). As of March 21, 2007, no notice has ever been posted.
3. Incorrect legal description. The legal description included in the proposed ordinance refers to “the public alley next south of and parallel to the public alley next south of and parallel to West Devon Avenue”. This is intended to describe the alley south of the mosque, which is in fact not a dedicated public alley, but an easement across property owned by Northside Mosque. The east-west alley crosses roughly the middle of Lots 13 and 30 in Ellis & Morris Second Addition to North Edgewater. The alley was opened by Council resolution at a time when the property was owned by the City (September 25, 1958, Journal of Proceedings, p. 8243). The property was subsequently sold to Northside Mosque and is recorded with PIN 13-01-205-042.
I trust that you will review the application for compliance with all applicable requirements of the Chicago Zoning Ordinance and act accordingly. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Yours truly,
Greg Brewer, AIA
Jay,
Although the vitriol has been annoying, I've generally enjoyed reading this forum.
But this last posting just smacks of bigotry. I couldn't believe my eyes when I read it.
Muslims have a right to build a mosque and workship anywhere they desire. Jews, Christians, Buddhists and believers of all stripe have the same right. Even if WRP was 99.99% Jewish or Christian, to insist that Muslims in the community cannot build a place of worship in that community is bigoted.
I hope that I misread your post. If not, shame on you.
There is NO religious or moral reason for discriminating against any religious group--at least in America. To insinuate that there is would actually be an insult to your religion or belief.
There are many reasons to vote for a change next month. This is not one of them.
Hugh
where the hell do you see that??
For those of you with your constant obsession of hatred towards Bernard Stone.
www.ocfchicago.org
Take two paxil's but dont call me in the morning, I will be asleep.
did it occur to anyone that brewer may be genuinely supporting dolar on her credentials and not based on any underground deals? i think residents are too caught in the "politics" of everything because stone is political. that's all he is. he only acts based on politics. he doesn't care about the residents. salman is an idiot because he proclaimed his determination to end corruption. it was his #1 platform. if you can't beat it, join it right?
hey Hugh-the neighbors had a meeting(you like neighbors meeting don't you) and it was decided that you should DE-BLIGHT your property-a paint brush would be a start-PUT DOWN YOUR KEYBOARD AND PICK UP A PAINT BRUSH
the 50th ward is also not manila
greg brewer is just a sore loser-1900votes -the CRETIN vote
No, one doesn't need to ask the question of Dolar because Brewer's support of Dolar is far different from Aftab's "support" of Stone.
Brewer, Dolar and Aftab all campaigned against Stone because he is ineffective and corrupt.
It only makes sense that the one who won the run-off would be supported by the other two.
So when Aftab, who announced that his platform was "Anybody but Stone," (See http://notgoodforthe50th.blogspot.com/2007/03/salman-aftab-on-berny-stone.html ) does a 360 and supports Stone, one has to wonder what kind of backroom deal they cut.
To 50th not manila,
Ohhh, good one, NOT!
Such a feeble "comeback." It doesn't even make sense.
Anonymous said...
hey Hugh-the neighbors had a meeting(you like neighbors meeting don't you) and it was decided that you should DE-BLIGHT your property-a paint brush would be a start-PUT DOWN YOUR KEYBOARD AND PICK UP A PAINT BRUSH
A note to Ilana's kids: please learn proper grammar and how to spell. You are supposed to speak better English than the immigrants supporting Dolar, not vice versa.
Hugh said...
> Muslims have a right to build a mosque ... anywhere they desire.
Not in Chicago. Chicago is zoned.
March 30, 2007 12:06 AM
How about building the Mosque in your front yard?
That Touhy Ave former Chinese food restaurant that the Muslims wanted to buy would have been too small as a mosque and also had a small parking lot.
> Muslims have a right to build a mosque ... anywhere they desire.
Stone disagrees with you. Stone is running on a platform of boasting on running a mosque out of the neighborhood.
Stone and his Head Suck-up Avy Meyers spent 15 minutes on cable recently dissecting a Dolar mailer, in the coruse of which Stone explains how a mosque site became a kosher restaurant site under his leadership.
Meyers: I have problem when people stretch the truth ... Let's talk about some other charges. We have a beautiful picture here. Let's talk about all the "empty storefronts" and "abandoned buildings" and all that. Here's a nice picture along Touhy Avenue, and this is, basically, people were gonna put a mosque there, then they understood that logistically...
Stone: That's the old Jimmy Fong's, and everybody knows that that was going to be the mosque. I talked to the group that wanted to put the mosque out of there from locating in a different location. The property was bought up by another individual for the purpose of making SURE that they DIDN'T put a mosque there.
Meyers: (laughs)
Stone: As a result, he was going to put a kosher restaurant in at that location. And during the interim period, the store was EMPTY. That picture was taken during the interim period.
The Alderman Berny Stone Show
First air date 3/22/07
(spare yourself the agony and let it load up with the sound down and fast forward to near 7 minutes remaining)
Meyers: "I have problem when people stretch the truth ..."
I'm sure Avy misspoke. As Stone's mouthpiece, he must have meant "I have a problem when people speak the truth."
> Muslims have a right to build a mosque ... anywhere they desire.
Not in Stone's 50th Ward.
Watch as Stone address his base, explaining to them that he is their gatekeeper on mosques, and assures them as long as he is in office, no mosque will go in anywhere without his approval.
Stone: You want to get to neighborhood problems? Let me tell you one.
Meyers: Absolutely!
Stone: Let me tell you what RUMORS do.
Meyers: OK.
Stone: I'm being BOMBARDED with calls regarding an alleged MOSQUE, a home under construction, people calling me saying "What about the MOSQUE being built on Sacramento and North Shore?" may answer is POPPY-COCK! There is no mosque being built on North Shore and Sacramento. There's a HOME being built there. Why would there be a mosque on North Shore and Sacramento?
Who started this rumor? You know, why is it every time 6 months before an aldermanic election, some sort of rumor like this gets started? WHY IS IT? And no one can ever trace where the rumor starts?...
Whatever calls I have gotten, I've told them this is pure, unadulterated non-sense. First of all, I knew nothing about it 'til all these rumors, this rumor mill gets started. If it was to be a mosque, there are special requirements that are necessary, even tough you can only build a house of worship in a residential community. You can only build a house of worship, whether it be a church, or a synagogue, or a mosque, in a residential community. However, you have to have certain - you have to meet certain parking requirements and other requirements. So that's when they come to ME. NO ONE has come to me regarding that particular home that's under construction. So that assures me that that is NOT a mosque, PERIOD.
If it were a mosque, I would simply point out to them that this is a BAD LOCATION FOR A MOSQUE, just like I pointed out to them when they attempted purchase that property on Touhy, and I told them you have selected a WRONG LOCATION and I pointed out the reason why it was a bad location and they VOLUNTARILY gave up that location. ..
Meyers: Which by the way was TRAFFIC related, because people take these things and TWIST them like there's no tomorrow.
Stone: Of course! A lot of people have taken credit for that. It was mine - I was the one who met with them and convince them they had to - that they should LEAVE because it was THE WRONG LOCATION. I tried to assist them in finding another location that would be a good location, but they eventually decided they didn't want to settle in this community and went elsewhere. But that was PURELY TRAFFIC related.
This location [Sacramento and North Shore] is a half a block from where we're building a new school. It's a half a block from a where there's a synagogue. There are no Moslems in the immediate community. There is no REASON to build a mosque in this particular community. So that's why I say all these rumors are ridiculous. Someone started it for political reasons. .. (looks at a camera) People, please: use your common sense! That's NOT going to be a mosque.
The Alderman Berny Stone Show
First air date 10/26/06
(spare yourself the agony and let it load up with the sound down and fast forward to near 15 minutes remaining)
Stone: You can ONLY build a house of worship in a residential community..
Wrong. Surprising from a lawyer, real estate expert, and LONG time member of the Chicago City Council Committee on Zoning.
Places of Religious Assembly are permitted BY RIGHT in residential neighborhoods ("R" districts), but are also permitted as a SPECIAL USE in mixed-use, retail-commercial-residential districts ("B" districts with retail on the ground floor and residential above, like Touhy, Western, Devon, etc.) and commercial ("C") districts.
Allowed Uses in Business and Commercial Zoning Districts
> Muslims have a right to build a mosque ... anywhere they desire.
Stone shared his personal thought processes on evaluating sites for mosques. According to Stone, mosques can go ANYWHERE in Rogers Park, as long as the location:
* is in a residential neighborhood, BUT
* is nowhere near a school,
* is nowhere near a synagogue,
* has no traffic,
* a majority of the immediate neighbors are Muslim, and
* he [Stone] personally approves the site
Good luck!
Stone: ... that was PURELY TRAFFIC related.
If Stone is re-elected, watch how he doles out wads of public property tax money to real estate developers for luxury condo projects on Touhy, while brushing off neighbor's concerns about traffic.
Has anybody discovered who bought Park Plaza and what the intended use is? I can't really believe anything "Berny the Brayer" has to say.
Hey, Jay, maybe it's time to write about money in the campaign.
Bernie just filed his D-2 Pre-Election Report. Alan Crown has so far failed to make his annual $1,000 contribution. Come on, Alan. How do you expect to keep the boss happy without his kick-back?
If anyone needs work done now is the time to request it! The alderman is NOW ACTIVE! Work, like tree trimming, new garbage cans, street cleaning (as is evident on Devon) is now happening!! Call TODAY!!
BOARD-UP COMPANIES HEART STONE!
Vacant Property Security Inc.
329 W. 18th Street suite 714
Chicago, IL 60616
$1,000.00 1/31/2007 to the Bernard L Stone Campaign Committee
willow9 said...
If anyone needs work done now is the time to request it! The alderman is NOW ACTIVE! Work, like tree trimming, new garbage cans, street cleaning (as is evident on Devon) is now happening!! Call TODAY!!
March 30, 2007 2:02 PM
JuST LIKE EVERYDAY
Hugh said...
BOARD-UP COMPANIES HEART STONE!
Vacant Property Security Inc.
329 W. 18th Street suite 714
Chicago, IL 60616
$1,000.00 1/31/2007 to the Bernard L Stone Campaign Committee
March 30, 2007 2:56 PM
HUGH WHY DONT YOU POST THE WHOLE STORY AND NOT JUST BITS TO FIT YOUR OBSESSION OF BERNARD STONE
Your search found 4 receipts totaling $4,000.00
Contributed By Amount Received By Description
Vacant Property Security Inc 329 W 18th St
Ste 714
Chicago, IL 60616 $1,000.00
1/28/2007 Individual Contribution
Citizens for Joe Moore
VACANT PROPERTY SECURITY INC. 329 W. 18TH STREET SUITE 714
CHICAGO, IL 60616 $1,000.00
1/30/2007 Individual Contribution
Friends of William J P Banks
Vacant Property Security Inc. 329 West 18th Street
Suite 714
Chicago, IL 60616 $1,000.00
1/23/2007 Individual Contribution
Friends of Edward M Burke
Vacant Property Security Inc. 329 W. 18th Street suite 714
Chicago, IL 60616 $1,000.00
1/31/2007 Individual Contribution
Bernard L Stone Campaign Comm
To Willow9
DA !!!
Forestry does not trim trees in the winter, nor do streets get swept. They will freeze. We dont live in Florida.Is your head in your A_s?? Has nothing to do with the election. Get a life
Berny's Law
To clarify, there's NOTHING in City law:
* limiting mosques to residential neighborhoods
* mandating minimum separation between mosques and synagogues
* mandating minimum separation between mosques and schools
* mandating that a majority of neighbors belong to a congregation before a house of worship can be built
* requiring the local alderman's approval
That's all Berny's Law.
MEMO TO JAN SCHAKOWSKY:
On April 18th, the Democratic Committeeman of the 50th Ward will be one Bernard Stone.
Your apparent neutrality in the aldermanic contest will not go unnoticed.
A multimillionaire Republican from Niles is already gearing up to give you your first serious run in 10 years -- the 1st serious challenge since your husband's criminal conviction.
This candidate has an ethnicity that will appeal to traditionally Democratic voters in the city and elsewhere.
Naisy Dolar's $10 an hour hirelings do not constitute a political organization.
You will receive the level of Democratic organizational to which you are entitled.
Check out the new U tube. The real Naisy Dolar
http://www.naisylies.com/
CAPSMAN, I take it as a small personal victory that you managed the Illinois State Board of Elections search engine (did you have help?) and posted campaign contributions, including my original post. THANK YOU!
I cannot imagine a Republican getting elected Dog Catcher in the 9th CD, much less giving Jan Schakowsky anything to worry about. Jan is a voice of conscience in a time when our national government has been hijacked by Dual Loyalists, Neo-Con traitors, and Bush Imperialist Maniacs. Jan will easily secure re-election next year!
Guess what I heard? A friend told me that Ilana Stone showed up at his house and put up a Stone lawn sign without his consent on his property! And folks want to re-elect this?
Anonymous said...
Guess what I heard? A friend told me that Ilana Stone showed up at his house and put up a Stone lawn sign without his consent on his property! And folks want to re-elect this?
April 02, 2007 5:26 AM
I have heard this from more than a couple of my neighbors. I also heard one say that she told him "he owes Stone".
Hugh said...
CAPSMAN, I take it as a small personal victory that you managed the Illinois State Board of Elections search engine (did you have help?) and posted campaign contributions, including my original post. THANK YOU!
April 01, 2007 8:39 PM
No it goes to show have you take public records and then manipulate them to fit into your own baseless charges. This will be Plantiff exhibit number #43 and counting in forthcomming legal action.
Here Hugh you made it look like that
Vacant Property Security Inc. was solely giving to Stone. I think I will contact them to see if they want to be a co-plantiff as well.
So Hugh thank you and keep up the good work
HUGH,I MADE NO SUCH POST THAT YOU REFER TO.WHAT YOU DID WAS POST IN CAPS ,IN ORDER TO SET UP YOUR OWN POST.YOU ARE A DEVIOUS MAN WITH AN OBSESSIVE HATRED OF ALD.STONE AND NO TRICK IS BENEATH YOU BUT EVERY READER IS AWARE OF WHO AND WHAT YOU ARE.WELCOME TO THE UN-MODERATED WORLD WHERE MORRIS OR JAY CAN'T SHIELD YOU,
HUGH,I MADE NO SUCH POST THAT YOU REFER TO.WHAT YOU DID WAS POST IN CAPS ,IN ORDER TO SET UP YOUR OWN POST.YOU ARE A DEVIOUS MAN WITH AN OBSESSIVE HATRED OF ALD.STONE AND NO TRICK IS BENEATH YOU BUT EVERY READER IS AWARE OF WHO AND WHAT YOU ARE.WELCOME TO THE UN-MODERATED WORLD WHERE MORRIS OR JAY CAN'T SHIELD YOU,
are you a lawyer?
ARE YOU,HUGH?
I highly doubt that a sign was put up on any lawn or private property where a resident didn’t want one. Again false statement. If this was true I am sure they would have gotten Ilana on video, isn’t that how the dolar campaign works?? Again this is a fallacy. Damm you people will do whatever it takes to spread the bull Sh_T thick…
No lie is too great for the Stone haters to try.They will throw it all against the wall, and hope that some will stick because they underestimate the voters intelligence and look down on 50th ward voters from their left-wing elitist "ivory towers"These Extremist whack -jobs want to rip our Council seat from us in order to promote their insane agenda
That's funny. I was thinking the same thing about Stone's supporters!
Hugh said...
are you a lawyer?
April 02, 2007 2:13 PM
Hugh you will need a good lawyer though. Might want to search campaign donation records to find a good one
This is America people, and even more diverse is the 50th ward. Their are mosques, churches, and temples all over the ward. Their is a Assyrian church located on California and Chase which is completely a Jewish neighborhood, if it can be their so can a Mosque.
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