Iam appalled by the advertisement featuring an open letter from the Dayalbagh Radhasoami Satsang Association of North America (DRSANA) to President Barack Obama that appeared in the Oct. 24 issue of The New York Times, suggesting outright racism by our Old Bridge Township zoning officials.
Falsely raising racism in a zoning application issue hurts the cause of those who truly fight racism. Old Bridge’s multireligion, multicultural nature is one of the main reasons many of us have chosen to live here. Where I grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y., in the 1970s, multicultural diversity meant you went to school with Irish and Italian Catholics. There was little tolerance for anything even slightly different.We are relieved that the discrimination we felt and saw as kids is not a factor in Old Bridge.
Seeing our children playing freely with no biases, no discrimination and no exclusionary behavior bodes well for the future of the world — a lesson not lost on reasonable adults.
We are lucky to have friends with many backgrounds and beliefs (not just for the array of great foods). We cherish our right of religious freedom and stand behind any effort to protect the freedom for everyone.
Since “houses of worship” can be built in any zone and since this involves the Zoning Board, there must some other variances that the applicant requires apart from a house of worship.
Writing to the president in a full-page New York Times advertisement, in an attempt to use political pressure instead of the legal system, is disagreeable. However, adding the false specter of localgovernment racism is deplorable and just wrong.
We support the township officials and ask that they squash this desperate attempt to push zoning changes by skirting the system and slinging mud on the good township volunteers we entrust with our community.
Pushing selfish zoning issues under the guise of religious persecution is unacceptable. DRSANA should retract and apologize to gain the respect of the community in which it wishes to prosper.
Sal D’Angelo
Old Bridge