Religious discrimination?

I came across this story today and at first I didn't pay it much attention, but after it percolated a little bit, I started to wonder about a couple of things ... read it and see if you agree ...

Frederick County Pays Millions To Settle Religious Discrimination Lawsuit

September 11, 2009 - In Maryland's Frederick County, the town of Walkersville is paying more than $4.7 million to settle a religious discrimination lawsuit.

Town commissioners have approved the appropriation to buy 224 acres of farmland that was at the center of the dispute.

Landowner David Moxley claimed in a federal lawsuit that anti-Muslim bias was behind a zoning decision by the town that scuttled his agreement to sell the property to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA of Silver Spring.

Commissioner Chad Weddie says Walkersville hopes to recoup the money by selling the property. The Frederick News Post reports the proposed settlement also requires the town to pay closing and transfer costs.

Bill Redlin reports...

Now, I don't know anything about this case other than the what I read in that little clip above but it seems to me that although this case may be resolved legally ... was the underlining accusation of religious discrimination resolved?

Seems like this property was for sale and the town changed the zoning to block the sale. The owner sued because he felt the rezoning was because the town did not want him selling to a Muslim group. At some point after being sued for whatever reason, (perhaps the town is advised they are going to lose?) they decide to ante up and buy the property themselves. Landowner drops the suit, as he is satisfied to have sold his property and town spends millions to buy it from him. So now the town owns the property ... everybody is happy .... lawsuit is dropped.

But I got to thinking what about that claim of religious anti-Muslim discrimination .... THAT didn't get resolved now did it? The Muslim group was successfully prevented from buying a property they wanted, and the town as the new owners isn't likely to sell it to them. I mean they did go to all the trouble to rezone it after all ...

Now I don't know if religious discrimination was behind the rezoning or whether the town had legitimate concerns regarding the property, but it does make me wonder ....


IA