The spotlight was Newton County, shining brightly both nationally and from within as the county, its residents and its officials reacted to news that a mosque and Muslim cemetery were coming to the area.
CNN, Fox News, New York Daily News and The Atlanta Journal Constitution — were all in Newton County this week. All shared stories about local residents and the decisions of its elected officials as the week started.
As the week ended, Newton County mayors were also talking about those elected county officials and the decision after learning of the proposed mosque.
“The nation is watching Newton County … and we are being embarrassed by our County leaders,” Newton County’s five mayors said in a letter sent to The Covington News Friday.
“This letter has nothing to do with supporting or not supporting a mosque, church or any place of commerce, school, etc.,” the letter said. “It is about following the rules that govern our great nation, which we don’t believe the BOC is currently doing.”
Covington Mayor Ronnie Johnston, Mansfield Mayor Jefferson Riley, Newborn Mayor Greg Ellwanger, Oxford Mayor Jerry Roseberry and Porterdale Mayor Arline Chapman all signed the letter sent to Newton County commissioners, its chair and its residents.
The five mayors asked four things of Newton’s board of commissioners (BOC). One demanded the BOC remove the moratorium they placed on permits for building places of worship during its Aug. 16 meeting. The five-week moratorium was unanimously voted in by all five commissioners days after a proposed mosque was made public.
The mosque is part of a 135-acre tract of land on Georgia Highway 162 and County Line Road purchased by Al Maad Al Islami, Inc., in June 2015. The BOC’s vote to place a moratorium on permits for houses of worship has drawn national exposure.
Along with that exposure came negative responses from the NAACP, Anti-Deformation League, American Civil Liberties Union and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). The latter wrote a letter to the BOC on Aug. 18 asking that the moratorium be lifted or the group would notify the U.S. Department of Justice.
The next day CAIR contacted the Department of Justice.
“The justice department has agreed to review this situation,” said CAIR Executive Director Edward Mitchell. “They first will review a matter to see if it is worth opening an investigation.
Newton County’s attorney Megan Martin, in a letter responding to CAIR, said that the BOC acted within “its Constitutional and statutory authority” when adopting the moratorium.
Along with voting for the moratorium during its second meeting in August, the BOC also made a motion to host a town hall on the mosque.
In a statement, District 3 Commissioner Nancy Schulz said part of her reasoning was to hear from the people she represents.
“We must embrace and respect the cultures of all of our residents — as one strong community,” Schulz said. “As a Commissioner, I am committed to hearing our residents and serving as a voice in county government for all Newton County citizens. Additionally, we are all fortunate to live in a county with numerous community organizations, dedicated county staff and law enforcement who are taking positive measures to move this great county forward.”
Citizens state opinions at town hall
Crowds too large to fit in Newton County’s Historic Courthouse squeezed into the large chamber on Aug. 22, for the town hall meeting. Anticipating the turnout, organizers considered holding the town hall in Sharp Stadium. However, the stadium was not available. Two sessions were needed in order for all those who wished to attend to hear — and speak — about the proposed project.
At the town hall, Chair Keith Ellis and all of county commissioners, with the exception of Levie Maddox sat in their familiar spots in the horseshoe of the courthouse’s dais, while one speaker after another spoke to commissioners and the audience in three-minute increments.
Maddox, who seconded the original motion to hold the meeting, was not in attendance Monday after what he said, in a statement that day, was “heavy prayer.”
“Upon reflection, I believe that scheduling this particular meeting did not show wisdom; as it only further divides our charming little community and in particular it puts public safety at risk,” Maddox said in his statement. “Newton County does not need to display a trampling of the 1st Amendment to the world. Speaking as part of a small business, the moratorium needs to be reversed next Tuesday night, as it only hurts our local businesses.”
Among the topics discussed were why the mosque’s name was originally Avery Community Church and what effects the new development would have on traffic and water in the area, and just questions in general about who would attend the church and how it would affect Newton County.
“I would appreciate it if the media did not demonize this community because of their concern,” Kenneth Morrell said. “There are a few questions I have that I would like to ask: is this mosque actually going to be opened up to the community to attend? Do they allow testimonies in their mosque? Would they be upset if I testify to the goodness of God and the grace of God? That’s church to us.
“Do they consider us to be old country and dumb folks without eyes and ears and brains?”
A big topic at the town hall was the set of religious laws derived from the Quran that covers topics such as crime, politics, marriage and more in the Muslim religion, Sharia law.
“I don’t have a problem with Muslims, I have a problem with Sharia law,” said Bobby Huggins, a Vietnam Veteran. “Are they going to be able to have Sharia law so they can beat their wife? Are they going to make little children to marry? That’s Sharia law. Are they going to practice Sharia law or United States law?”
Not everyone who spoke up at the town hall had questions about the mosque or was against the future development, and instead spoke of freedoms and open-mindedness.
“I don’t see why people are afraid,” said Zouhir Fakir, a Muslim and eight-year Newton County resident. “They don’t see the war we have is against people who happen to be Muslim. But there are Muslim people who have died on the front line for us to have that freedom today. They fight hand-in-hand with American soldiers.
“America, at the end of the day, is not only for white Christians, it is for everybody.”
Covington’s five mayors echoed Fakir’s statement when they sent their letter on Friday.
“The Bill of Rights applies to all citizens and the Third Article states: 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 grievance,” the mayors’ letter said. “Simply put, by placing a moratorium on places of worship, you are, in my opinion, violating the Third Article and making Newton County and its residents look ignorant and closed minded.”
In order to help alleviate some of the perceived closed-mindedness the mayors also called for a meeting with leaders of the proposed mosque; information of that meeting disseminated to the county; due diligence carried out and a comprehensive plan created to help the Muslim community integrate into the community; and fully execute the permitting process in place that protects the community.
The mayors asked for a response from commissioners by Tuesday, Aug. 30.
The BOC will not meet again until Sept. 6, and is scheduled to address the moratorium during its Sept. 20 meeting.
