Hindu Temple Plan Divides Chino Hills

Re “Hindu Temple Plans Uncertain,” Oct. 4: In the 1990s, while building a neighborhood mosque on land next to a freeway in Granada Hills, we had faced similar opposition, with more or less the same ominous objections. But nothing we Muslims encountered came close to the fear facing this proposed Hindu temple -- that it would turn Chino Hills into a “Third World city” and a “haven for terrorists”!

No fewer than five churches (of various denominations) and three synagogues glorify our neighborhood, not only coexisting together but sharing each others’ presence. Volunteers from the churches guarded our mosque in the immediate fearful nights after 9/11, as was also done for a Muslim school in Pasadena. Faithful from a synagogue came to share moments with those in the mosque over a “tea party.”

How times have changed since the American leadership (and right-wing talk shows) imbued its citizens with fear, suspicion and condescending feelings toward other cultures and peoples.

Some Chino Hills residents worry that the proposed imposing Hindu temple would “change the city’s demographics forever.” Perhaps they do not realize that the demographics of Southern California changed a long time ago.

Omar Huda

Granada Hills

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I cannot believe the reactions of the Chino Hills residents, using the word “terrorism” as an excuse to discriminate. Setting aside the xenophobia, if Chino Hills does start to look like New Delhi, I am sure the debate over outsourcing to India would be over. Companies will just have to turn to Chino Hills.

Kunal Patel

La Jolla

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As a resident citizen of Chino Hills, I feel your article regarding the Hindu temple gives an unfair portrayal of our town. Unfortunately, there is a small group that has vehemently protested the building of the temple, and there are those too who would ignorantly oppose the structure on the basis of race.

However, having attended the City Council meeting, I can tell you that the group supporting the temple far outnumbered the opposing faction. Our city is not a place full of the mean-spirited bigots described in your article. Rather, Chino Hills is a thriving multicultural city. I for one fully support the temple, which will provide a wonderful cultural resource for everyone in town.

Matt Hamamoto

Chino Hills

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When [the Hindu group known as] BAPS proposed the temple in Chino Hills, it compared it to Disneyland. People in our community naturally were concerned. When we expressed that concern, BAPS changed the rhetoric but not the project.

BAPS is a multimillion-dollar worldwide organization. At the public hearing, local citizens were greeted by a gantlet of temple supporters, most of whom did not live in Chino Hills and who took up more than 1,000 seats that should have been available for local residents.

Our little “Just Say No Committee” was made up of local residents who spoke in favor of maintaining the development codes that have made this city the beautiful, rustic place that it is. We are not a community of wealthy, racist buffoons as the article portrayed us. We had legitimate concerns that were ignored in that article.

Joe Alagna

Chino Hills