Small Town News

Local opinions should matter most

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Cities hold public hearings to get opinions when it comes to new establishments or buildings.

In Kyle and Buda, as in most cities, notices are sent to businesses and residences in the area, asking for their thoughts about a new business, church or development.

That's one way the public can get involved and have some control over "their own back yard." Governments use public hearings to get opinions on projects residents want, budget items they think should be cut, what the tax rate should be and much more.

So, why is there such an uproar about a Muslim Center - not only a mosque - being built close to "Ground Zero"? Note the word "close," because the community center, to be named the Cordoba House after the Spanish city where people of all religions - Muslim, Jewish, Christian - built and lived together peacefully, is several blocks away from Ground Zero. And in New York, that can be quite a distance.

The New York community board - composed of area residents and businesses - have endorsed the center. Surely residents living near Ground Zero should have the final say in what they want built. After all, they most closely lived through the horror of 911.

Knee-jerk reactionaries should not get to overrule the wishes of local residents any more than New Yorkers should get a say on where a shopping center or a church is built in Buda or Kyle.

New Yorkers want the Muslim community center there and voiced approval of the plan.

Let them be; build the center.

Because we really don't want talking heads in the business of telling us how we should develop our land here either.



Copyright 2010 The Free Press, Buda, Texas. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

© 2010 The Free Press Buda, Texas. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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