BETHALTO - An organization that's all about encouraging more civility in political discourse seems to have stirred up a controversy of its own.

The River Bend affiliate of Coffee Party USA had been meeting for about five months at Ge Gee's Cafe in Bethalto, Mike Davis of the Coffee Party said the group had met once at the cafe since a recent ownership change.

Davis said he talked with the new owner, Jim Allen, and reserved space for the organization's next meeting on Sept. 11. He said he told Allen that a "patriotic American Muslim" would be the guest speaker.

A few days later, Davis said, Allen canceled the reservation.

Davis said Allen called the planned meeting "too edgy" for Bethalto and said he didn't want to host events with political or religious overtones.

Davis said he had given no thought to the Sept. 11 date when planning the event. He said the group typically meets every other Saturday. He said the meeting date was changed from the first weekend of September because of the Labor Day holiday and because it was a day that the speaker was available.

"The date was not chosen to make any statement," Davis said. He said the group's meetings have attracted people of diverse political viewpoints.

"What's important is that we're able to talk about our differences and similarities in a civilized manner," Davis said. He said the situation "definitely shows the need for this kind of event."

The organization has found a new location for its meeting. It will begin at noon on Sept. 11 at the Sacred Grounds Cafe at 233 North Main Street in Edwardsville. Anyone who signs the Coffee Party civility pledge is welcome. The pledge reads:

"As a member or supporter of the Coffee Party, I pledge to conduct myself in a way that is civil, honest, and respectful toward people with whom I disagree. I value people from different cultures, I value people with different ideas, and I value and cherish the democratic process."

Davis said the guest speaker at the Sept. 11 meeting will be Dr. Khaled A. Hamid, an Egyptian-born physician who practices in St. Louis and has long worked to improve relations between Muslims and non-Muslims.

Davis, 52, is a partially-disabled Army veteran who lives in Bethalto and is pursuing a bachelor's degree in social work at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.