Estimated 600 residents of Covington, Newton County, Georgia gathered at Georgia Court House to voice their opinions on the plans to build a new mosque and a cemetery to bury Muslims, all the plans for these structures were approved in 2015.
The meeting gave a platform for bigoted views, conspiring attitudes as well as insulting rhetoric towards Muslims after fear rose from locals attending the meeting. The Resident's complaints about the new mosque site included; the potential increase in traffic for the town of approximately 13,000 people and of course the much-feared belief of the future mosque being used as a training camp for terrorists.
One of the locals voiced their opinions regarding the planned mosque, "We have already seen bombings and beheadings. Eight years ago our U.S. government got a Muslim president who has put Muslims in power.” Another resident had an outburst stating, "I don’t want these people and these teachings in our community. Were you not watching your television on 9/11/ 01? Have we lost our minds?"
There will now be a vote to decide if the Covington mosque gets permission to be built.
The current closest mosque for Muslims in Covington is Masjid As-Siddiq based in neighboring town Conyers.
This opposition to mosques has become more widespread in the United States after recent rejection from a New Jersey town caused Muslims to believe the town planning officials to be bigoted.