Judge: Requiring more parking for mosque is unconstitutional

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Updated 10:40am, Monday, January 2, 2017


NEWARK, N.J. (AP) An upscale New Jersey town violated anti-discrimination laws by insisting that a proposed mosque have more parking spaces than churches or synagogues because of its unique worship times and traditions, a federal judge has ruled.

The ruling issued Saturday by U.S. District Judge Michael Shipp stated that Bernards Township violated the Religious Land Use and Institutional Persons Act by applying a different standard to Muslims.

Shipp found the township's planning board had "unbridled and unconstitutional discretion" because of its vague parking requirements.

The Islamic Society's application to build the mosque was denied after more than three years and 39 public hearings. The group sued the township in March.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Judge-Township-wrongly-treated-proposed-mosque-10830347.php

[4Tone]

1. Nothing like the peace of religion, eh?

And those of us capable of living and letting live have to watch our government used as a tool in a centuries-spanning religious sibling grudge-match.

[riversedge]

2. Maybe I misunderstand you but as I read the article-it was the city government who made new

regulations--telling the Muslims they needed larger parking lots.

Reminds me of states imposing new and outlandish standards or regulations to PP buildings. Anything to prevent PP from carrying on its business.

[4Tone]

4. I would wager money that the city government officials did so out of preference for their own

religions, and that's why the mosque was exclusively targeted.

Atheist city government officials wouldn't be singling any one religion out. I am suggesting that members of other Abrahamic faiths are the ones discriminating against their fellow believers.

[riversedge]

5. That is possible. But with so much anti Muslim crap going around, probably both IMHO

[bucolic_frolic]

3. Is that a comment about the courts?

or religion? or the local government planning board?

[4Tone]

6. It's about the people who use government to advance or protect their own religion

at the expense of others, which is exactly what happened here. Atheist officials wouldn't target Muslims for extra regulations.

[bucolic_frolic]

7. OK, thanks

I see the point, and it's a good one

Welcome to DU!

[Initech]

8. God damn them! In one breath they say we need to take the constitution literally!

And then in the next they pull this shit!

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

That is the fucking first amendment, assholes! You must abide by it!

[niyad]

10. saw a bumpersticker at the cowboy church yesterday--read "freedom OF religion does NOT mean

freedom FROM religion"-- was going to put a sticky note that read "yes it does, you clueless twit"

[Initech]

11. I saw a bumper sticker today that said "I don't believe the liberal media!"

I wanted to put a sticky under that that said "It's OK, we liberals don't believe the "liberal" media you speak of either."

[niyad]

12. must remember to carry stickies with me from now on.

[lancelyons]

9. yeah GOP are all for Religious freedoms and rights

yeah GOP are all for Religious freedoms and rights As long as you have the same religion as them.

[Lucky Luciano]

13. I live near a large mosque in Manhattan.

They are very rude when it comes to parking. They double and even triple park all the time. Drives me insane. Sometimes it slows me down in traffic causing me to have to wait through a couple lights to get to the next block. Then I start yelling at people that they are out of fucking line being assholes parking like that. It really blows my stack when I just want to get home after a 13 hour work day.

They must have an agreement with the city to not get ticketed. I don't understand it.

[Rustyeye77]

14. Wow.

Just wow.

[LiberalFighter]

15. The state doesn't have it spelled out how to determine parking allocation?

I would think that it would not be determined at the local level without guidance from state.