Planned Temecula Valley mosque draws opposition

The religious center is embraced by the area's interfaith council but opposed by a group calling itself Concerned Community Citizens.

This article from the LA Times is ingenious in how, while working under the guise of being fair-minded, it presents those who oppose the idea of a Mosque as being bigots, while the "interfaith council" and those who support them, are presented as reasonable.

As if there is no precedent for a Mosque supporting extremism, right?

From the LA Times:

The pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, just across a cul-de-sac from the site of the mosque, said the two religions "mix like oil and water" and predicted a "confrontational atmosphere" if the project moves forward.

"The Islamic foothold is not strong here, and we really don't want to see their influence spread," said Pastor Bill Rench.

"There is a concern with all the rumors you hear about sleeper cells and all that. Are we supposed to be complacent just because these people say it's a religion of peace? Many others have said the same thing," he said.

Leaders of the Islamic center were surprised by the level of criticism, especially from a few religious groups, saying their current makeshift mosque and Islamic community center have been in town for more than a decade and members always have felt welcome.

"Our children go to the same schools their children go to. We shop at the same stores where they shop," said Mahmoud Harmoush, the imam of the Islamic center and an instructor at Cal State San Bernardino's World Languages and Literatures Department.

"All of a sudden our neighbors wake up and they're opposed to us building the Islamic center there, the mosque. I hope it's a small group," he said.

The mayor and members of the City Council did not respond to calls about the issue. Temecula's city attorney advised them not to comment about the proposed mosque because the Planning Commission's vote on the application for the facility could be appealed to the council.

The Rev. Joe Zarro, co-chairman of the Interfaith Council of Temecula and Murrieta Valley, said criticism of the mosque in the community is from a very small but vocal minority. The council, made up of leaders of a variety of faiths in the area, including Harmoush, unanimously endorsed plans for the mosque, Zarro said.

"A lot of this has been blown out of proportion," said Zarro, the minister at the United Church of the Valley. "It's important for people to see our neighbors, and for them to be part of our community."

 The Imam Mahmoud Harmoush is also a Professor at Cal State University of San Bernadino:

Mahmoud Harmoush joined the World Languages and Literatures (WLL) Department in the Winter of 2007 to teach Arabic Language and Islamic Culture. He was born and raised in Syria and completed his college education in the USA. He earned a B.S. in Economics from the
California State Polytechnic University in Pomona and a Master's of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies and Second Language Acquisition from
Mountain State University in West Virginia.

Let's see what his students have to say about him:

really easy capstone. just two m/c quizzes a final and some guest speakers you get credit for just by being in class that day. the book is really cheap but you can pass without it all you have to do is attend and listen. plus i actually learned a lot about islam.

Kind man, but horrible professor. Lectures do not follow the book, are unorganized, and do not follow a clear pattern with goals. When it comes to vocabulary, it is basically learn whatever he thinks of that day in class. Tests are super easy though.

I disagree with most of you. I found this class very informative. Before taking his class I did not know what the Palenstine/Israel conflict, even though it is something that I frequently hear about. Even though his test questions were sometimes more opionion questions. I found him to be overall a good instructor.


Wow. This guy has a horrible grasp of the English language. The average score on the Final was a 55%. Luckily, he was gone the first half of the class and on the midterm I got an A, however I failed the Final somehow. That goes to show you what kind of teacher he is. The guy doesn't teach and is very biased. He doesn't answer questions clearly.


This was not an Israel/Palestine class, but he seemed to focus on that more than anything. Very very unorganized, and extremely sporadic. But, it was hella easy. He puts no effort into his class, I think most of what is handed out (study guide and test) are all done by his T.A. Really a horrible teacher. I missed an A by 2 points. Not recommended

Note that he is a language Professor but his classes seem to focus on the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict.

He must be a moderate.


UPDATE - And, as "moderate" as he is, his education is a bit questionable. His page at CSUSB says he has a Masters in "Interdisciplinary Studies" from Mountain State University in West Virginia. Non-"moderate" that I am, I wondered what the fuck Interdisciplinary Studies entails, and what the fuck Mountain State University is. So I went online and learned about the Course Requirements for a Masters in said degree:

Offered through Individualized Study through the School of Graduate Studies.
A graduate degree in interdisciplinary studies allows students to create programs of study in many fields, particularly those incorporating the work of different domains of knowledge. It provides a useful approach for those whose interests fall between traditional areas or who wish to avoid the rigid perspective of a conventional graduate program.

Instructor Contact
After registering for a graduate individualized study course, you begin coursework by contacting the designated instructor by e-mail. Let the instructor know immediately if you have questions about the syllabus or course material. If you have difficulty reaching the instructor or problems with interactive course elements, contact the Graduate Individualized Study Office immediately.

Is this really a degree? How is it this guy is teaching at a University?

I wonder what "different domains of knowledge" he specialized in in pursuing his, essentially, self-created University Degree?