1 10 29 https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/e541712c73649a9bf00820ae10e1e617.jpg e3211f5a1b9761dbbbcaab8e09273f3f Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource test Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource This collection documents 29 cases of public opposition towards American Muslim cemetery building projects from 2002 to 2023. Each case contains a narrative that describes its events, which was compiled through analyzing newspaper archives via NewsBank and NexisUni. The primary challenge American Muslim communities face when establishing cemeteries is obtaining administrative approval from an entity such as a city council or board of commissioners. Residents' concerns related to groundwater contamination, lowered property values, and aesthetics often pressure authorities to deny cemetery projects. These reasons for opposition differ from those involving mosques, which tend to focus on increased traffic, violations of noise ordinances, and the potential for terrorism. This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024). However, it does not fully represent all controversies surrounding American Muslim cemeteries, as it focuses on post-2000 cases and does not include cases of vandalism against established cemeteries. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ryan Wang Title A name given to the resource Cemeteries Language A language of the resource English Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Current and former Oxford College of Emory University students: Sofia Fonti, Ben Damon, Geneva Cunningham, Ameer Alnasser, Nadira Hassan, Chloe Peyrebrune, Lauren Yee, Ammarah Ahmed, Alexander Cleveland, Ehren Fernandez, Andres Lebed Wright, Bryce Bentinck, Rahim Khan Alidina, Ayman Badawy, George Drakos, Shahmeer Khan, and Snehitha Vardhineni. Project supervisor: Dr. Florian Pohl Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) Cae No. GA_04 Location The location of the interview Lilburn, GA Date November 2009-August 2011 A documented account of Case No. GA_04, occurring in Lilburn, GA. 30047 between November 2009 and August 2011 Summary Enter a brief description of the case (no more than 600 characters). This should be one or two sentences. "The congregation sought permission to expand two buildings into a 20,000-square-foot complex with a mosque, gym and cemetery. The Lilburn City Council rejected this proposal in November 2009 and a scaled-down proposal in December 2010. After the U.S. Department of Justice threatened to sue Lilburn, alleging religious discrimination, the city approved a modified proposal in August 2011" (Liu 2012). Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 5064 Lawrenceville Highway, Lilburn, GA 30047 Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. VVQ2+HJ Lilburn, Georgia Proposed Project A 7.9 acre expansion on a lot owned by the Dar-E-Abbas Islamic Shi’a Center to develop a larger mosque, athletic facility, and cemetery. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. Dar-E-Abbas Islamic Shi’a Center. The community was established in 1998 and consists primarily of south Asian immigrants and their families. In 2009, the congregation size was approximately 250 members. Coordinates Enter the coordinates for the location, if they are available. 33°54'35.0"N 84°08'52.0"W Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Zoning ordinances and Federal Discrimination Lawsuits Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications Delayed, partially approved Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. On November 10th, 2009, in the city of Lilburn, Georgia, a proposal was made by the Dar-e ‘Abbas Islamic Shia Center to expand its mosque. In the initial proposal, the Dar-e ‘Abbas wanted to purchase 7.9 acres adjacent to their original property; this was rejected on November 18, 2009, by the city of Lilburn, as the mosque’s land would violate zoning regulation due to its size. In 2010, a second proposal was made by Dar-e ‘Abbas, in which the mosque followed all the zoning requirements (Bernarde 2011, Aug 16). However, the community of Lilburn voiced their disapproval on the basis that even though it followed the zoning requirements, the expansion of the mosque would foment traffic and occupy parking spaces in the area. Based primarily on this public outcry, the City Council of Lilburn rejected the second proposal in December of 2010, though the proposal followed all the zoning requirements. This was followed by a lawsuit from the Dar-e ’Abbas Center and a complaint from the Department of Justice saying rejecting it was unconstitutional and religiously discriminatory. In August of 2011, a third proposal was made and the council voted 3-1 to approve it (Anderson 2012, Aug 10). Dar-e ‘Abbas Islamic Shi’a Center Community In Lilburn, the Shi’a Community began as a group of a few families during the Reagan era, but it grew considerably in the 1990s and 2000s, coming from India, Iran, Pakistan, Iraq, and Afghanistan. The Shi’a community in Lilburn consists mainly of the Dar-e ‘Abbas congregation as a religious and cultural community that retains much of the Muslim religious tradition, as well as continued propagation and teaching of Islam, as exemplified by ‘DAISY’ (Dar-e ‘Abbas Islamic School for Youth), where kids are encouraged to attend Islamic school every Saturday. First Proposal The first proposal to construct Dar-e ‘Abbas Islamic Shi’a Center began in 2009 and was rejected on the grounds that the religious center occupied more land than county residential zoning laws would permit. Ironically, Lilburn city government had previously blocked a proposed expansion of another Muslim community by mandating that religious centers occupy over 5 acres of land when commercially zoned after they learned of these development plans in 2003 (Holder 2011). The Dar-e ‘Abbas Islamic Shi’a Center’s first proposal was made in efforts to expand upon a preexisting mosque that had become too small to fit its 250 member congregation (Beasley 2009, Dec 17). On November 18 of 2009, the Shi’a community’s proposal to build a mosque, cemetery, and athletic facility on 7.9 acres adjacent to their preexisting mosque was rejected by the city council. The multipurpose facility violated a zoning requirement that mandated that religious institutions could not occupy a space of over five acres, which did not exist during the mosque’s original construction eleven years earlier (Beasley 2009, Dec 17). Thus the proposal was unanimously rejected by the city council (Bernarde 2011, Aug 16). The community filed a Federal Discrimination Lawsuit (Case No. 1:09-CV-3549-TWT) against the city of Lilburn, as they felt that this zoning restriction limited their religious freedom and showed favoritism for secular community centers, which could exceed five acres in size (Beasley 2009, Dec 17). The city of Lilburn presumably successfully defended against the lawsuit, as neither side commented on the case after 2010 and no reparations were ordered by the district court (Bernarde 2011, Aug 16). Additionally, the city held a community vote to decide to permit religious institutions to develop on land larger than five acres that the residents of Lilburn rejected (Beasley 2009, Dec 17). The plans for the Dar-e ‘Abbas Islamic Shi’a Center were then adjusted to comply with zoning regulations. Second Proposal In order to accommodate the zoning regulations, plans for Dar-e ‘Abbas Islamic Shi’a Center were scaled back not to include the cemetery and gymnasium of their original proposal in a space of 4 acres. Though the mosque’s proposal was within the guidelines of the zoning, on December 6, 2010 the Lilburn Planning Commission stated that the Mosques 20,000 square foot area worship space and 200 car parking garage would cause traffic and safety concerns (Bernarde 2011, Aug 16). Additionally, with the possibility of the mosque’s construction, citizens of Lilburn began to speak out against the mosque’s construction (Anderson 2012, Aug 10). The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that city council members were receiving emails with complaints “ranging from thoughtful ruminations on the zoning implications to concerns that Islamic terrorists were going to destroy the city” (Anderson 2012, Aug 10). The city council voted in December of 2010 to on the mosque’s second proposal, which resulted in a 2-2 decision to pass the proposal (Bernarde 2011, Aug 16). Since a majority was needed to commence with the construction, the mosque’s efforts to pass a proposal were further delayed until 2011 despite the compromises the community made on the plans and adherence to zoning ordinances. DOJ Intervention On August 26, 2011, the United States Department of Justice filed a formal complaint against the city of Lilburn, Georgia (Case No. 1:11-mi-99999-UNA). The eleven-paged official document first recounted the previously described proposals and subsequent rejections. The complaint was filed for two main reasons: unfair treatment of the mosque, and lack of measures to ensure adherence to the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000. In the twenty-seventh clause of the document, the Department of Justice notes the numerous Christian churches the City of Lilburn had approved for rezoning. They note, however, that although similarly planned and formatted, the Dar-e ‘Abbas Islamic Center was not treated in a similar manner. This lead the Department of Justice to formally accuse the City of Lilburn of discrimination on the basis of religion. Additionally, the Department of Justice noted in the twenty-eighth clause of the document, that there were no procedures or practices in place to ensure that the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 was not violated (Holder 2011). Third Proposal and Outcome Following the Department of Justice’s intervention, the plan for the Islamic center proposed in December of 2010 was approved. A founding member of the community, Wasi Zaidi, commented, "our neighbors might be mad now, but we love them" (Fox News 2011) After seven years of fundraising, more issues arose. A proposed expansion of the parking lot part of the 2011 proposal, which would add 178 spots, sparked further debate and disagreement amongst residents of Lilburn in 2018 when the construction was finally set to begin. The Islamic Center proposed the extra 178 spots would prevent members of the community from having to park in nearby parks and lots. Lilburn resident Donna Chapman, however, brought up the issue of traffic. “Say, if we needed the police or the firemen and traffic’s in the way, they couldn’t get here,” said Chapman, in a 2018 interview with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Coyne 2018, Nov 15). References Enter list of sources cited using the proper format. Local Coverage: Bernarde, Scott (2011, August 16). A Timeline Look at the Mosque Issue. Stone Mountain-Lithonia, GA Patch. Retrieved from https://patch.com/georgia/lilburn/a-timeline-look-at-the-mosque-issue Regional Coverage <ul> <li>Beasley, David (2009, December 17). Muslim Congregation Sues Over Lilburn Mosque. Global Atlanta. Retrieved from https://www.globalatlanta.com/muslim-congregation-sues-over-lilburn-mosque</li> <li>Anderson, Joel (2012, August 10). Mosque Dispute Divides Lilburn. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved from https://www.ajc.com/news/local/mosque-dispute-divides-lilburn/LvPOrdHdYiGajVPKkkaL8M</li> <li>Coyne, Amanda C. (2018, November 15). Lilburn Residents Object to Mosque Expansion at City Council Meeting. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved from https://www.ajc.com/news/local/lilburn-residents-object-mosque-expansion-city-council-meeting/xQmOmIc8y73kAHf64myx7O</li> </ul> National Coverage <ul> <li>Esterl, Mike (2011, August 17). Georgia mosque wins approval. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424053111903480904576513171323195258</li> <li>Fox News (2011, August 17). Controversial Georgia Mosque Wins Approval. Fox News. Retrieved from https://www.foxnews.com/us/controversial-georgia-mosque-wins-approval.</li> </ul> Additional Sources <ul> <li>Liu, J. (2012). Controversies over Mosques and Islamic Centers across the U.S. Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life. Web.</li> <li>Holder, Eric H. (2011, August 11). United States of America v. City of Lilburn, Georgia. United States Department of Justice.</li> <li>Museum of History and Holocaust Education (n.d.). Community Histories. Understanding Islam in a Cross-Cultural Context. Retrieved from marb.kennesaw.edu/identities/exhibits/show/histories/atlanta-muslim-community</li> </ul> Last Updated Date revised. April 23, 2019 Year Year the case began. 2009 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource The congregation sought permission to expand two buildings into a 20,000-square-foot complex with a mosque, gym and cemetery. The Lilburn City Council rejected this proposal in November 2009 and a scaled-down proposal in December 2010. After the U.S. Department of Justice threatened to sue Lilburn, alleging religious discrimination, the city approved a modified proposal in August 2011. (Source: Liu 2012) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Title A name given to the resource Lilburn, GA Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Alexander Cleveland, Ehren Fernandez, Andres Lebed Wright Approved Cemetery DOJ Expansion Lawsuit (RLUIPA) Mosque Planning and Zoning Under Construction https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/b583aa74b0b0d6687b7e01fb452cb357.jpeg 4871ebd19ad48b4dcc75e15fc300a029 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived http://www.lvislamiccemetery.org/photo-gallery/picture13/ Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource This collection documents 29 cases of public opposition towards American Muslim cemetery building projects from 2002 to 2023. Each case contains a narrative that describes its events, which was compiled through analyzing newspaper archives via NewsBank and NexisUni. The primary challenge American Muslim communities face when establishing cemeteries is obtaining administrative approval from an entity such as a city council or board of commissioners. Residents' concerns related to groundwater contamination, lowered property values, and aesthetics often pressure authorities to deny cemetery projects. These reasons for opposition differ from those involving mosques, which tend to focus on increased traffic, violations of noise ordinances, and the potential for terrorism. This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024). However, it does not fully represent all controversies surrounding American Muslim cemeteries, as it focuses on post-2000 cases and does not include cases of vandalism against established cemeteries. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ryan Wang Title A name given to the resource Cemeteries Language A language of the resource English Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Current and former Oxford College of Emory University students: Sofia Fonti, Ben Damon, Geneva Cunningham, Ameer Alnasser, Nadira Hassan, Chloe Peyrebrune, Lauren Yee, Ammarah Ahmed, Alexander Cleveland, Ehren Fernandez, Andres Lebed Wright, Bryce Bentinck, Rahim Khan Alidina, Ayman Badawy, George Drakos, Shahmeer Khan, and Snehitha Vardhineni. Project supervisor: Dr. Florian Pohl Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) Case No. Nv_01 Location The location of the interview Las Vegas, NV Year Year the case began. 2015 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 7620 Bermuda Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89123 Proposed Project private, nonprofit cemetery on two acres of land Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. Islamic Foundation of Nevada Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications Approved, with conditions Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. As the Muslim population in Las Vegas grew steadily, there arose a need to develop a community and its accompanying infrastructure to support this expansion. Dr. Osama Haikal, a longstanding resident of Las Vegas, played a pivotal role in this endeavor by founding the <a href="https://lvislamicacademy.org/ohia-mission/">Omar Haikal Islamic Academy</a> and the <a href="https://omarhaikalmasjid.com/">Omar Haikal Masjid</a>, named after his father. Dr. Haikal also spearheaded a cemetery project located near the Masjid and Academy. This project was approved by the Clark County Board of Commissioners, including Steve Sisolak, who would later become the governor of Nevada. In early 2015, Dr. Osama Haikal sought a special-use permit to build a cemetery on his property. The Clark County staff endorsed his application for approval. Following this, the Town Board convened and reiterated its support for approval. The matter then proceeded to the Clark County Planning Commission, which recommended approval with certain conditions (Sisolak, 2015, Apr 2015). Following approval—with about a dozen conditions—by the County’s Planning Commission in early 2015, some residents appealed to the Board of Commissioners with concerns over possible flooding, water contamination, and impact on property values (Lopardi, 2015, Mar 18). In March 2015, County commissioners unanimously approved the cemetery project. However, Haikal agreed to implement several additional improvements and conditions for the project to address neighbors' concerns. These included a taller wall, increased landscaping, and specific operational hours to avoid burials during dark hours or high traffic, such as when students arrive or leave nearby schools (Brean, 2015, Mar 18). Additional conditions required that the cemetery have no signage, a modest funeral home resembling a small house, and flat graves marked with simple ground-level plaques. While no caskets would be used, bodies buried at the cemetery would be enclosed in concrete vaults (ibid.). After a protracted struggle spanning several months, the cemetery was eventually authorized and opened, signifying a noteworthy accomplishment for the neighborhood. The cemetery's successful construction is a significant step toward building the necessary infrastructure to accommodate the local Muslim community’s expanding population. <a href="http://www.lvislamiccemetery.org/">Las Vegas Islamic Cemetery</a> is running alongside the Haikal Islamic Academy and Masjid. One review online discusses the cemetery and how it is well-run. References <ul> <li>Brean, H. (2015, March 18). Valley’s first Islamic cemetery approved over neighborhood opposition. Las Vegas Review-Journal. <a href="https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/local-las-vegas/valleys-first-islamic-cemetery-approved-over-neighborhood-opposition/">Web</a>.</li> <li>Lopardi, M. (2015, March 18). Action News at 5PM. ABC - 13 KTNV (Las Vegas, NV). Available at <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=WORLDNEWS&req_dat=0D0CB4F3D1A01B2A&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F154293F3C887D680.">NewsBank</a>.</li> <li>Sisolak, S. (2015, April 7). Letters: Cemetery approved on legal merits. Las Vegas Review-Journal (NV), p. B008. Available from <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/1548E0DF3213DAD0">NewsBank</a>.</li> </ul> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ameer Alnasser, Nadira Hassan, Chloe Peyrebrune, and Lauren Yee Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Title A name given to the resource Las Vegas, NV Description An account of the resource Dr. Osama Haikal played a crucial role in addressing the growing Muslim population in Las Vegas by establishing the Omar Haikal Islamic Academy, Omar Haikal Masjid, and a cemetery project near the Masjid. In early 2015, he sought approval for the cemetery, facing initial concerns over flooding and property values. After modifications like a taller wall and specific operational hours, the project gained unanimous approval from County commissioners. The Las Vegas Islamic Cemetery's successful completion reflects community progress and indicates efforts to accommodate the expanding Muslim population alongside essential infrastructure like the Haikal Islamic Academy and Masjid. Approved Built Cemetery Public Campaign REL230_SP24 https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/b3104cfc5945e25666e7d9e9c722e86d.png 1ca6f46cf1eb7689eac436c9a568cbdc Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource The Bosniak Islamic Cultural Center in Carlisle, Pa. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived https://www.phillyvoice.com/pa-township-turns-down-proposed-islamic-cemetery/ Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource This collection documents 29 cases of public opposition towards American Muslim cemetery building projects from 2002 to 2023. Each case contains a narrative that describes its events, which was compiled through analyzing newspaper archives via NewsBank and NexisUni. The primary challenge American Muslim communities face when establishing cemeteries is obtaining administrative approval from an entity such as a city council or board of commissioners. Residents' concerns related to groundwater contamination, lowered property values, and aesthetics often pressure authorities to deny cemetery projects. These reasons for opposition differ from those involving mosques, which tend to focus on increased traffic, violations of noise ordinances, and the potential for terrorism. This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024). However, it does not fully represent all controversies surrounding American Muslim cemeteries, as it focuses on post-2000 cases and does not include cases of vandalism against established cemeteries. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ryan Wang Title A name given to the resource Cemeteries Language A language of the resource English Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Current and former Oxford College of Emory University students: Sofia Fonti, Ben Damon, Geneva Cunningham, Ameer Alnasser, Nadira Hassan, Chloe Peyrebrune, Lauren Yee, Ammarah Ahmed, Alexander Cleveland, Ehren Fernandez, Andres Lebed Wright, Bryce Bentinck, Rahim Khan Alidina, Ayman Badawy, George Drakos, Shahmeer Khan, and Snehitha Vardhineni. Project supervisor: Dr. Florian Pohl Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) Case No. Pa_04 Location The location of the interview West Pennsboro Township, PA Year Year the case began. 2015 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 315 McAllister Church Rd, Carlisle, PA 17015 Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. Bosniak Islamic Cultural Center of Carlisle Proposed Project 80-plot cemetery on land zoned agricultural Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign, Zoning and Planning Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications Approved (overturned following initial denial) Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. Carlisle, Pennsylvania, is home to around eighty Bosnian families who immigrated there after the end of the 1995 Bosnian War and formed the Bosniak Islamic Cultural Center, which in November 2014 applied to build a cemetery in Dickinson Township. However, the proposal was denied, as the township’s zoning did not specify that cemeteries were permitted, and there were concerns about the landlocked nature of the property and its proximity to residential properties (Walmer, 2015, Mar 23). In 2015, the Bosniak Islamic Cultural Center requested the construction of their cemetery at a different site in West Pennsboro Township. The zoning of the property was agricultural and allowed for cemetery use. In February 2015, despite objections from West Pennsboro Township citizens, the township zoning board recommended the Board of Supervisors approve the Bosniak Islamic Cultural Center’s eighty-plot cemetery. However, the township’s Board of Supervisors rejected the application in March 2015, citing concerns over groundwater contamination. Expressing public opposition, West Pennsboro Township residents said the cemetery would “disturb their quality of life,” citing concerns about groundwater contamination and a decline in property value (DeKok, 2015, Mar 24). A resident called the building of the cemetery a “slap in the face” to veterans, further reinforcing the idea that Islam is seen as un-American (Walmer, 2015, Mar 23). Around 120 residents came to the township hall to protest the building of the Islamic cemetery (ibid.). A geologist testifying for the Bosniak community stated that Islamic burials would not impact nearby water wells. Moreover, the attorney for the group also emphasized that the burial practice did not violate state law, especially since the center had agreed to bury bodies five feet deep. The Township Board Chairman, Donald Agar, claimed that the proposed site would not be appropriate for a cemetery of any faith (DeKok, 2015, Mar 24). The head of the Bosniak Islamic Cultural Center of Carlisle, Alija Sejmenovi, told journalists he would appeal the township supervisor’s decision (ibid.). In April 2015, the Bosniak Islamic Cultural Center appealed the Board of Supervisors' decision, stating that the application's denial had not been evidence-based and that the board had overstepped its position. In May 2015, Judge Kevin Hess finally overturned the rejection and approved the group's cemetery development (Vaughn, 2016, May 4). Since then, there has been little information on any progress with the cemetery project. The case did not receive extensive coverage from media outlets. However, it was mentioned in several articles discussing the spread of Islamophobic backlash of Muslim burials (e.g., Lavoie, 2016, Apr 25). Most media coverage of the case was negative, with news outlets describing the Islamophobic actions of the township supervisors and city residents. Regarding the larger public response, Marian Kulp, a resident, wrote a letter calling for peace and freedom of religion (Kulp, 2015, Apr 7). References <ul> <li style="font-weight:400;">DeKok, D. (2015, March 24). Pennsylvania township nixes proposed Islamic cemetery, appeal likely. Reuters. Web.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Kulp, M. E. (2015, April 7). Everyone has right to proper burial [Letter to Editor]. The Sentinel (Carlisle, PA). Available from <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=WORLDNEWS&req_dat=0D0CB4F3D1A01B2A&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F15493E0CF9EB9360.">NewsBank</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Lavoie, D. (2016, April 25). Backlash greets plans for Muslim cemeteries around the US. Associated Press. <a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-58d4287818d94658ac52db51ddd94f36">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Vaughn, J. (2016, May 4). Ask/Answered: Fate of Islamic cemetery. The Sentinel (Carlisle, PA). Available from <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/15CAD83D4C15F2C8">NewsBank</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Walmer, D. (2015, March 23). West Pennsboro Township officials vote down Bosniak Cemetery. The Sentinel. Available from <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=&sort=YMD_date%3AD&maxresults=20&f=advanced&val-base-0=West%20Pennsboro%20Township%20cemetery&fld-base-0=alltext&bln-base-1=and&val-base-1=2015&fld-base-1=YMD_date&docref=news/15444CEA21F27DA0">NewsBank</a>.</li> </ul> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ameer Alnasser, Nadira Hassan, Chloe Peyrebrune, and Lauren Yee Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Title A name given to the resource West Pennsboro Township, PA Description An account of the resource In 2015, the Bosniak Islamic Cultural Center applied to build a cemetery in West Pennsboro Township. Despite the agricultural zoning allowing for cemetery use, the township board rejected the application in March 2015, citing groundwater contamination concerns. Residents protested, expressing fears about property value decline and quality of life. The Bosniak community argued that Islamic burials wouldn't affect water wells and didn't violate laws. After an appeal, Judge Kevin Hess overturned the rejection in May 2015. Media coverage highlighted Islamophobic sentiments, but some residents advocated for religious freedom and peace. Approved (initial denial) Cemetery Planning and Zoning Public Campaign REL230_SP24 https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/21c879878c36d1408b34c1ec7d931c79.pdf ec261f61bc05627042f13fa0020bb9a9 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource Mosque Building Elevations [online image] (2015). Retrieved October 7 from http://www.cordobacenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Mosque-Building-Elevations.pdf Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource This collection documents 29 cases of public opposition towards American Muslim cemetery building projects from 2002 to 2023. Each case contains a narrative that describes its events, which was compiled through analyzing newspaper archives via NewsBank and NexisUni. The primary challenge American Muslim communities face when establishing cemeteries is obtaining administrative approval from an entity such as a city council or board of commissioners. Residents' concerns related to groundwater contamination, lowered property values, and aesthetics often pressure authorities to deny cemetery projects. These reasons for opposition differ from those involving mosques, which tend to focus on increased traffic, violations of noise ordinances, and the potential for terrorism. This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024). However, it does not fully represent all controversies surrounding American Muslim cemeteries, as it focuses on post-2000 cases and does not include cases of vandalism against established cemeteries. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ryan Wang Title A name given to the resource Cemeteries Language A language of the resource English Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Current and former Oxford College of Emory University students: Sofia Fonti, Ben Damon, Geneva Cunningham, Ameer Alnasser, Nadira Hassan, Chloe Peyrebrune, Lauren Yee, Ammarah Ahmed, Alexander Cleveland, Ehren Fernandez, Andres Lebed Wright, Bryce Bentinck, Rahim Khan Alidina, Ayman Badawy, George Drakos, Shahmeer Khan, and Snehitha Vardhineni. Project supervisor: Dr. Florian Pohl Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) Case No. Ca_09 Location The location of the interview San Martin, CA (Santa Clara County) Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 14065 Monterey Road, San Martin, CA 95046 Proposed Project The Cordoba Center project includes a 9,000 square-foot mosque, 14,500-square-foot community center, 15,000-square-foot community plaza, and 3,380-square-foot caretaker's building. The project is designed to be eco-friendly with heavy influence from Spanish-Andalusian architecture. The proposed cemetery covers 3.5 acres and has a maximum of 1,996 gravesites, with a limit of 30 burials annually. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="http://www.svic.org/blog/">South Valley Islamic Center</a> Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications The South Valley Islamic Center received project approval in December 2019. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. The South Valley Islamic Community (SVIC) in San Martin, California had been gathering in a small sheep barn in San Martin to carry out religious activities like praying and providing children with Sunday school. The barn, which was loaned to the Muslim community in 2001 by a Vietnam War veteran for free, was only a little larger than 1,000 square feet and only contained a small air conditioning unit and carpet (Vo, 2019, May 23). This was insufficient for the almost 100 American Muslim families that make up the Muslim community in the neighborhood. These situations encouraged SVIC to propose building a mosque, community center, and cemetery in San Martin, named Cordoba Center, to better accommodate the growing community. The name was inspired by the Spanish city of Cordoba where Islam, Christianity, and Judaism flourished together during the Dark Ages (Rodriguez, 2012, August 21). The proposed project included a 5,000-square-foot prayer hall, multipurpose room, and a 2-acre cemetery on a 16-acre property on Monterey Road (Rodriguez, 2012, August 21). The project had been in planning by the South Valley Islamic Center since 2006 but was delayed until 2012 due to a lack of adequate funding. Initial Acceptance of Project and Subsequent Backlash The project gained conditional approval from the Santa Clara County Commission on August 2, 2012, after five Santa Clara County supervisors unanimously voted in favor of building the mosque (Rodriguez 2012, September 26). After reviewing the capacity of the septic system, the Planning Commission decided to limit the facility to 80 regular attendees and a maximum of three single-day events throughout the year for up to 150 people with extra porta-potties provided on those specific days (Santa Clara County upholds planning commission approval, 2012, September 27). The conditional approval faced backlash from both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities in San Martin. Whereas the SVIC and Muslim community were dissatisfied with the conditions imposed on the mosque to be built, members of the local non-Muslim community opposed the project citing environmental and traffic concerns as the main reason, despite the initial project being scaled down. Another reason for the backlash was the anti-Muslim sentiment in the town. The opposition to this project became clear at public meetings held in Morgan Hill where opponents of the mosque did not hide anti-Muslim sentiments (Muslim center approved for South County, 2012, August 4). One group of opponents, Gilroy/Morgan Hill Patriots, argued that the Cordoba Center was not useful for the community because they believed that no Muslims were living in the San Martin community and that only Muslims coming in from outside the San Martin community would use the proposed mosque (Muslim center approved for South County, 2012, August 4). The opposition group invited a guest speaker, Peter Freidman, who manages an anti-Muslim website, to the Gilroy Library on August 18, 2012, for a presentation (Rodriguez, 2012, September 26). Legal Actions and Consequences The dissatisfaction from the two communities led to three appeals being filed against the Planning Commission’s decision to approve the project. The People’s Coalition for Government Accountability and the San Martin Neighbourhood Association wanted to reverse the decision of the Planning Commission through their appeals (Santa Clara County, 2012, September 27). The South Valley Islamic Center, on the other hand, appealed to change some of the restrictions imposed on the Cordoba Center, requesting to expand one of the buildings and increase the number of events they could hold throughout the year (Rodriguez, 2012, September 26). The project received approval from the county Planning Commission after the appeals had been filed, allowing the Center to organize one additional event per year (Santa Clara County, 2012, September 27). Opponents of the People’s Coalition for Government Accountability and the San Martin Neighbourhood Association expressed that the project was too large for the rural area and that the water contamination from Muslim burial methods and traffic concerns had not been examined carefully. Although county officials argued that the planned project passed all the necessary tests, opponents continued their attempts to block it. The opposition, along with the threat of legal actions against the Islamic Center, led to the Islamic Center voluntarily withdrawing the project proposal. Resubmission of Masjid Proposal and Current Status In 2016, the South Valley Islamic Institution proposed the Cordoba Center project again for approval. The project was almost triple the size of the previous project proposal, citing potential population growth and future requirements as the main reason. The new project, at the same site, included a 9,000-square-foot mosque, 14,500-square-foot community center, 15,000-square-foot community plaza, a 3,380-square-foot caretaker's building, and 3.5 acres for cemetery use. The new facility would have a maximum capacity of 300 people for regular events and would organize four special events throughout the year for up to 500 people (Vo, 2019, May 25). The group agreed to fund an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The new project received further backlash from the San Martin community. Most people argued that the rural area was not adequate for this project. Previous reasons for opposing the proposal resurfaced again. Most people cited environmental concerns, particularly water contamination. Traditional Muslim methods of burial do not use a coffin or embalming. This led to concerns that the well water in the community would get polluted. The EIR suggested that the impact on groundwater would be alleviated if the mosque limited burial to 30 per year (Vo, 2019, May 25). Others suggested that the Cordoba Center did not represent American culture and would spread Islam and terrorism in the community. Others believed the project was too large for the area, despite a Hindu Temple of 15,000 square feet having gained approval for extension recently (Danish, 2018, September 5). The Board of Supervisors finally approved the project in December 2019 (Vo, 2019, December 20). Fundraising for the project is ongoing. It is mainly funded through donations and traditional loans. References <ul><li>Danish, M. (2018, September 5). Mosque and community center planned in San Martin waiting for green light. KALW Local Public Radio. Retrieved from: https://www.kalw.org/post/mosque-and-community-center-planned-san-martin-waiting-green-light - stream. </li> <li>Muslim center approved for South County (2012, August 4). San Jose Interfaith Examiner (CA). Available from NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/14084C306C052658.</li> <li>Rodriguez, J. (2012, August 21). Rural Mosque divides area: Muslims’ search for a home in South Santa Clara County sparks a clash over religion, politics and the environment. San Jose Mercury News (CA), p. 1A. Available from NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/140D1A3AA310CE80.</li> <li>Rodriguez, J. (2012, September 26). Mosque OK’d in rural area- American Muslim group allowed a smaller building than it wanted. San Jose Mercury News (CA), p. 1B. Available from NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/1418F61BA277FD68. Muslim center approved for South County (2012, August 4). San Jose Interfaith Examiner (CA). Available from NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/14084C306C052658.</li> <li>Santa Clara County Upholds Planning Commission Approval of the Cordoba Center Religious Facility (2012, September 27). Targeted News Service (USA). Available from NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/141911B5901347B8.</li> <li>Vo, T. (2019, December 20). Mosque to rise amid new Islamic cemetery - Board of Supervisors unanimously approved permits for the project, which has been in the works for a decade. Mercury News, The (San Jose, CA), p. B1. Available from NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/177F75EABADF59A0.</li> <li>Vo, T. (2019, May 25). Scaled-down San Martin mosque requested- Santa Clara County Planning Commission supports project but says it’s too large for rural community. Mercury News, The (San Jose, CA), p. 1B. Available from NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/173B80D40BC171F8.</li> <li>Vo, T. (2019, May 23). Mosque/Cemetery Proposal stirs controversy in San Martin- size of Islamic Center project would ‘change the face’ of rural area, some residents say. East Bay Times (CA), p. 1A. Available from NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/173B7F7CC59058D0.</li> </ul> Last Updated Date revised. April 8, 2022 Year Year the case began. 2012 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource San Martin, CA Description An account of the resource The Muslim community of the South Valley Islamic Center (SVIC) in San Martin seeks to build a mosque, community center, and cemetery because their current place of worship, a barn, is insufficient for the growing community. Despite gaining approval from the county Planning Commission, the group withdraws the project in response to a lawsuit filed by opposition groups. When SVIC resubmits the project in 2016, it again faces opposition from the community. The Board of Supervisors finally approves the project in December 2019. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ammarah Ahmed Approved Bias-related Incident Cemetery Community Center Legal Campaign Mosque Public Campaign Under Construction Withdrawn https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/efaad8dd08be02abc3defe208e05ab2e.png d0d4ab714d64b6e4207b3086f0220746 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource The Muslim Community Help Center was denied approval to turn a field near U.S. 27 and Maples Road into a cemetery. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Request for 3,000-grave Muslim cemetery denied. (2019, December 18). CBS-15 Local News. Available at https://www.wane.com/news/local-news/request-for-3000-grave-muslim-cemetery-denied. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource This collection documents 29 cases of public opposition towards American Muslim cemetery building projects from 2002 to 2023. Each case contains a narrative that describes its events, which was compiled through analyzing newspaper archives via NewsBank and NexisUni. The primary challenge American Muslim communities face when establishing cemeteries is obtaining administrative approval from an entity such as a city council or board of commissioners. Residents' concerns related to groundwater contamination, lowered property values, and aesthetics often pressure authorities to deny cemetery projects. These reasons for opposition differ from those involving mosques, which tend to focus on increased traffic, violations of noise ordinances, and the potential for terrorism. This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024). However, it does not fully represent all controversies surrounding American Muslim cemeteries, as it focuses on post-2000 cases and does not include cases of vandalism against established cemeteries. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ryan Wang Title A name given to the resource Cemeteries Language A language of the resource English Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Current and former Oxford College of Emory University students: Sofia Fonti, Ben Damon, Geneva Cunningham, Ameer Alnasser, Nadira Hassan, Chloe Peyrebrune, Lauren Yee, Ammarah Ahmed, Alexander Cleveland, Ehren Fernandez, Andres Lebed Wright, Bryce Bentinck, Rahim Khan Alidina, Ayman Badawy, George Drakos, Shahmeer Khan, and Snehitha Vardhineni. Project supervisor: Dr. Florian Pohl Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Year Year the case began. 2019 Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) Case No. In_02 Location The location of the interview Allen County, IN Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 8631 Decatur Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46816 Proposed Project The Muslim Community Help Center attempted to build a 14-acre cemetery with 3,648 graves with bodies placed in concrete vaults on land zoned agricultural. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063216039951">The Muslim Community Help Center Cemetery Association</a> Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Planning and Zoning, Public Campaign Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. 86HP2V4X+H5 Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications The project was denied in December 2019 by the Allen County Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA). The board did not state any reasons for the denial, but during the public hearing, questions were raised about the cemetery's size and the lack of a perpetual care fund for cemetery maintenance. In February 2021, The BZA approved a modified proposal. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. In December 2019, the Allen County Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) rejected a proposal by the Muslim Community Help Association to establish a new cemetery. The group, primarily composed of refugees from Myanmar, sought their own cemetery due to the growing size of their community. The proposal was for a cemetery with 3,648 graves on a field behind a former church building. The Muslim community had purchased the church property earlier that year, converting it into a Muslim worship center known as Masjid Quba. The land, zoned for agricultural use, had previously been part of the church’s community gardening program. It required a special exception or conditional use permit (CUP) to be used as a cemetery. At the BZA meeting, a local real estate agent assisted the Muslim Association. Despite assurances that the Association was registered with the state and would comply with all relevant regulations, including the use of concrete vaults for burials, the zoning board denied the request by a vote of 4-1. During the meeting, board members did not explain why they voted against the cemetery (Rodriguez, 2019, Dec 20). Board member David Bailey was the sole dissenter, arguing that the board had limited jurisdiction over the matter. However, his motion to approve the plan failed due to a lack of a second (ibid.). Key concerns community members and the zoning board raised included questions about the group's capability to manage and maintain the cemetery, including the need for a perpetual care fund and a clear maintenance plan. Neighbors also expressed worries about the burial practices. The Muslim tradition of not embalming bodies sparked concerns about potential environmental impacts and the feasibility of reverting the land to agricultural use. Additionally, the overall size and the proposed number of grave sites raised concerns (Darby, 2019, Dec 18). In February 2021, the Muslim community reapplied for a cemetery permit with the help of a Fort Wayne attorney, Pat Hess, who represented the group at the Allen County Board of Zoning Appeals (Rodriguez, 2021, Feb 18). The Association’s new proposal for the cemetery was similar to the earlier one but included several key revisions. The number of gravesites was reduced from 3,648 to 890, and an access drive from Hessen Cassel Road was eliminated. Additionally, the application reserved space for future burials in two property segments, though the number of graves planned for those sections was unspecified. The Muslim community also indicated that funeral homes would be responsible for services and body preparation, and those activities would not occur on-site (ibid.). Despite some concerns from nearby residents about the septic system and potential drainage issues, the board approved the proposal unanimously after ensuring that the cemetery would comply with state guidelines and establish a perpetual care fund. The language specifying that burials were limited to Muslims was removed to avoid any appearance of discrimination (Rodriguez, 2021, Feb 18). A news article from March 2023 reported that the cemetery was under construction and that the Association held a fundraiser to support the project (Benkowski, 2023, March 19). References <ul> <li style="font-weight:400;">Benkowski, G. (2023, March 19). Muslim Community Help Center holds fundraiser for cemetery. CBS 15 Local News. <a href="https://www.wane.com/top-stories/muslim-community-help-center-holds-fundraiser-for-cemetery/">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Darby, C. (2019, December 18). Request for 3,000-grave Muslim cemetery denied. CBS-15 Local News. <a href="https://www.wane.com/news/local-news/request-for-3000-grave-muslim-cemetery-denied">Web</a>. </li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Rodriguez, R. S. (2021, February 18). Muslim burial grounds get OK. The Journal Gazette. <a href="https://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/20210218/muslimburialgrounds-get-ok">Web</a>. </li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Rodriguez, R. S. (2019, December 20). Proposed Muslim cemetery rejected: Zoning board votes 4-1 against Decatur Road plan. The Journal Gazette, p. 1C. Available from <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=WORLDNEWS&req_dat=0D0CB4F3D1A01B2A&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F1780BC4767E07B18">NewsBank</a>.</li> </ul> Last Updated Date revised. June 12, 2024 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Allen County, IN Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Description An account of the resource In December 2019, the Allen County Board of Zoning Appeals rejected by a vote of 4-1 a cemetery proposal by the Muslim Community Help Association of Fort Wayne, citing insufficient planning and justification behind the proposed size of the cemetery and management of the property. The 14-acre site for 3,648 burial plots had been advanced as contingent use on land zoned agricultural. The Help Association applied again in 2021 with a slightly modified proposal addressing some of the concerns raised in the 2019 public hearing before the board. The new proposal was unanimously approved in February 2021. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ben Damon Approved (initial denial) Cemetery Planning and Zoning Public Campaign Under Construction https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/f6fae81b0747c6c942c8215935a5ec34.JPG a12784c67a5ce56af20b1b146e60af01 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource This collection documents 29 cases of public opposition towards American Muslim cemetery building projects from 2002 to 2023. Each case contains a narrative that describes its events, which was compiled through analyzing newspaper archives via NewsBank and NexisUni. The primary challenge American Muslim communities face when establishing cemeteries is obtaining administrative approval from an entity such as a city council or board of commissioners. Residents' concerns related to groundwater contamination, lowered property values, and aesthetics often pressure authorities to deny cemetery projects. These reasons for opposition differ from those involving mosques, which tend to focus on increased traffic, violations of noise ordinances, and the potential for terrorism. This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024). However, it does not fully represent all controversies surrounding American Muslim cemeteries, as it focuses on post-2000 cases and does not include cases of vandalism against established cemeteries. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ryan Wang Title A name given to the resource Cemeteries Language A language of the resource English Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Current and former Oxford College of Emory University students: Sofia Fonti, Ben Damon, Geneva Cunningham, Ameer Alnasser, Nadira Hassan, Chloe Peyrebrune, Lauren Yee, Ammarah Ahmed, Alexander Cleveland, Ehren Fernandez, Andres Lebed Wright, Bryce Bentinck, Rahim Khan Alidina, Ayman Badawy, George Drakos, Shahmeer Khan, and Snehitha Vardhineni. Project supervisor: Dr. Florian Pohl Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) Case No. Mn_08 Location The location of the interview Castle Rock Township, MN Year Year the case began. 2014 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 1120 220th Street West, Farmington, MN 55024 Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. JWG6+JH Farmington, Minnesota Proposed Project The Al Maghfirah Cemetery Association attempts to build a 73-acre cemetery on land zoned for residential use. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://mncemetery.org/">Al Maghfirah Cemetery Association</a> Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Planning and Zoning, Legislation, Crime against Property Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications After initial denial, the Al Maghfirah Cemetery Association filed against the township in October 2015. In February 2016, a Dakota County District Court judge sided with the cemetery, ruling that the rejection was “arbitrary and capricious.” Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. In November 2014, the Castle Rock Township Board of Supervisors denied a conditional use permit (CUP) to the nonprofit Al Maghfirah Cemetery Association for a proposed cemetery in Castle Rock Township. The 73-acre project was intended as a long-term burial solution for the Minnesota Muslim community, as smaller burial spots in the nearby Burnsville and Roseville were reaching capacity (van Berkel, 2015, Nov 3). The association planned to develop 20 acres to accommodate an estimated 35,000 burials (Judge tells, 2016, Feb 2). Following the denial, the Castle Rock Township Planning Commission changed the zoning language for the specified area, removing cemeteries from acceptable conditional land usage. The Cemetery Association filed a discrimination lawsuit in the Dakota County District Court in May 2015, which was decided in favor of the Cemetery Association in January 2016. The Court ruled that the Board’s decision was “arbitrary and capricious” and ordered the Board to grant the CUP (Nelson, 2016, Feb 2). In the years following the case, the cemetery property has been vandalized and was subject to arson. The Al Maghfirah Cemetery Association entered talks to purchase the Castle Rock land in February 2014, conditioning the purchase on a conditional use permit for a cemetery and funeral home. The application was recommended for approval by the Castle Rock Township Planning Committee in June 2014 with the removal of the funeral home and a fence. However, the Township’s Board of Supervisors subsequently rejected the application for a litany of reasons. The Board’s main concern was the loss of tax base, arguing that the township would lose $17,000 annually in property taxes. The board also cited the size of the project, the lack of public availability, the city's three other cemeteries, and the region's existing Muslim cemeteries (Nelson, 2016, Feb 2). The Cemetery Association then purchased the property and attempted to submit a new application, but was denied twice by the Board with the original decision as justification. In the lawsuit that followed, the Al Maghfirah Cemetery Association alleged discrimination. The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) called for the Department of Justice to investigate whether the Board’s denial constituted discrimination against Muslims and a violation of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). The Association also pushed back against the narrative that the tax impact would be significant, citing that the land made up 0.3 percent of the municipality’s total land and that the township only directly received $1,300 of the total $17,000 in annual taxes (Nelson, 2016, Feb 2). On the first day of the court proceedings, Hassan Mohmud, the director and imam of the Minnesota Da’wah Institute, commented on the diverse group of Muslims gathered to watch. He said, "This is historic for me… This is the first time I have seen them all united" (van Berkel, 2015, Nov 4). After the judge ruled in favor of the Cemetery Association, Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the CAIR-MN called the ruling a “victory,” saying that “[d]iscrimination should not be hidden in language of land use” (Judge tells, 2016, Feb 2). Despite a favorable court ruling, the township rejected the Association’s proposal for the cemetery and funeral home in 2017. The 2016 court ruling had permitted cemetery use but not a funeral home. Meanwhile, the land remained undeveloped, containing two large buildings that became targets of vandalism and property damage in 2017 and 2021. In August 2017, the property was defaced with spray-painted profanities, swastikas, and the message “Leave, you R dead.” This incident was investigated as a hate crime. The property was targeted again in October 2021 with an attempted arson; tires were placed inside the building, and a large gas pipe was cut, resulting in damages exceeding $150,000. Following public news of the incident, community members from the metropolitan area assembled to assist in clearing the property. Hussein remarked on the multi-faith solidarity, stating, “Today, really, it’s a true test of our community that we came out to support, to clean up after their mess to show them we are not going anywhere — that we are more united now than we’ve ever been before” (Community cleans, 2021, Nov 1). The Al Maghfirah Cemetery Association submitted another application for a conditional use permit, this time incorporating plans for a funeral home. After eight years of legal battles over land use and property crimes, the Association finally received the permit from the township in June 2022 (Ansari, 2022, Nov 29). The Association announced that the land would be developed in several stages. The initial stage involves clearing approximately five acres to accommodate around 5,000 burial plots, a parking lot, walking paths, and an Islamic center for funeral prayers and rites. The completed cemetery is projected to be the largest in Minnesota dedicated solely to Muslim burials (ibid.). References <ul> <li style="font-weight:400;">Ansari, H. (2022, November 29). Muslim cemetery clears major hurdle toward opening after eight years of legal fights and vandalism. Sahan Journal. <a href="https://sahanjournal.com/culture-community/al-maghfirah-cemetery-association-muslim-cemetery-castle-rock-minnesota/">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Community cleans up prospective Muslim cemetery site after vandalism. (2021, November 1). KSTP. <a href="https://kstp.com/minnesota-news/community-cemetery-cleanup/6287490">Web</a>. </li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Judge tells township it must issue permit for Muslim cemetery: Denial called 'arbitrary, capricious'. (2016, February 2). St. Paul Pioneer Press, p. A5. Available from<a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=WORLDNEWS&req_dat=0D0CB4F3D1A01B2A&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F15B3EDB5ED0FF708"> NewsBank</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Nelson, E. (2016, February 2). Dakota County Judge rules in favor of Islamic cemetery: Castle Rock Township must issue a permit after its denial was deemed “arbitrary.” Star Tribune, p. 01B. Available from <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/15AC562A86C421C8">NewsBank</a>. </li> <li style="font-weight:400;">van Berkel, J. (2015, November 3). Bias is alleged after veto of Muslim cemetery plan: Association says southern Dakota County township unfairly reversed course. Star Tribune, p. 01B. Available from <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=WORLDNEWS&req_dat=0D0CB4F3D1A01B2A&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F158E57BB0FEF48E0">NewsBank</a>. </li> <li style="font-weight:400;">van Berkel, J. (2015, November 4). Muslim leaders take quest for cemetery in Castle Rock Township to Court. Star Tribune. <a href="https://www.startribune.com/muslim-leaders-take-quest-for-cemetery-in-castle-rock-township-to-court/340019631">Web</a>. </li> </ul> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource In November 2014, the Castle Rock Township Board of Supervisors denied the Al Maghfirah Cemetery Association’s application for a conditional use permit on 73 acres of land zoned residential. The rejection cited the size of the project, loss of tax base, and the lack of public availability. The Association filed a discrimination lawsuit in response. In January 2016, the Dakota County District Court ordered the Township to issue a conditional use permit, ruling that the loss of tax base constitutes an “arbitrary and capricious” justification. Since the ruling, the property has been vandalized twice. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ben Damon Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Title A name given to the resource Castle Rock Township, MN Approved (initial denial) Cemetery Crimes Against Property Lawsuit (RLUIPA) Legislation Planning and Zoning Under Construction https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/bfa15ef5d529c3020560172e575f2dd4.png 30faf6e25db7baa9b1a75b2c683513f8 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource This collection documents 29 cases of public opposition towards American Muslim cemetery building projects from 2002 to 2023. Each case contains a narrative that describes its events, which was compiled through analyzing newspaper archives via NewsBank and NexisUni. The primary challenge American Muslim communities face when establishing cemeteries is obtaining administrative approval from an entity such as a city council or board of commissioners. Residents' concerns related to groundwater contamination, lowered property values, and aesthetics often pressure authorities to deny cemetery projects. These reasons for opposition differ from those involving mosques, which tend to focus on increased traffic, violations of noise ordinances, and the potential for terrorism. This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024). However, it does not fully represent all controversies surrounding American Muslim cemeteries, as it focuses on post-2000 cases and does not include cases of vandalism against established cemeteries. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ryan Wang Title A name given to the resource Cemeteries Language A language of the resource English Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Current and former Oxford College of Emory University students: Sofia Fonti, Ben Damon, Geneva Cunningham, Ameer Alnasser, Nadira Hassan, Chloe Peyrebrune, Lauren Yee, Ammarah Ahmed, Alexander Cleveland, Ehren Fernandez, Andres Lebed Wright, Bryce Bentinck, Rahim Khan Alidina, Ayman Badawy, George Drakos, Shahmeer Khan, and Snehitha Vardhineni. Project supervisor: Dr. Florian Pohl Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) Case No. Ky_03 Location The location of the interview Bullitt County, KY Year Year the case began. 2013 Proposed Project The Louisville Islamic Center seeks to build a cemetery on a 10-acre plot zoned for agricultural use. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. Louisville Islamic Center Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign, Administrative Denial Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications Following the denial in Bullitt County, the Louisville Islamic Center receives the necessary conditional-use permit to form the <a href="https://moflou.com/ghc/">Green Haven Cemetery</a> in Louisville, KY, in December 2013. The cemetery remains operational to date. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. In February 2013, the Bullitt County Board of Adjustments denied a conditional use permit to the Louisville Islamic Center for a cemetery project in Mount Washington. The Louisville Islamic Center hoped to use the permit to purchase 10 acres of land zoned agricultural to establish an Islamic cemetery for their community in nearby Louisville, Kentucky. Previously, the community had to drive 46 miles to Elizabeth, Kentucky, to bury their dead (O’Neill, 2013, August 24). The Bullitt County Board of Adjustments rejected the permit on August 16th to loud applause from the citizens in attendance. The Islamic Center decided to look for another property and received the necessary permits from the Louisville Metro Board of Zoning Adjustments in the neighborhood of Buechel in December 2013. The property in Mount Washington was a piece of agricultural land that required a conditional use permit for use as a cemetery. Many nearby citizens opposed the project at the Board’s meeting. At the meeting, neighbors voiced concerns about increased traffic, groundwater safety, and maintenance of the community’s character (Bullitt County, Kentucky: Residents’ opposition fuels rejection, 2013, Feb 27). The property was located on a gravel road. The road was 15 feet wide, and at least 22 feet were needed for a road to be considered two-lane. The Louisville Islamic Center addressed some concerns, clarifying that fewer than 40 burials were in the community within the last 10 years. In support of the Louisville Islamic Center, attorney Greg Ehrhard addressed issues such as traffic (giving 20 feet of land to the town for widening the road) and maintenance of character (agreeing to an 80-ft setback from Hubbards Lane and a 6-ft white perimeter fence). He also cited the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). Beyond these concerns, citizens claimed the cemetery would be detrimental to their children in a variety of ways, that the beliefs of their community could not coexist with those of the Islamic faith, and that the cemetery would dishonor US veterans (Bullitt County, Kentucky: Residents’ opposition fuels rejection, 2013, Feb 27). The Board rejected the permit, with one board member stating that the cemetery was not harmonious with the surrounding neighborhood, one of the conditions for approval (Permit for Muslim cemetery, 2013, Feb 14). The Louisville Islamic Center abandoned plans for a cemetery at the proposed site and began looking for a different property. Later, in 2013, the group applied for a conditional use permit for a cemetery on Action Boulevard in Louisville, KY. The land was adjacent to another large cemetery, and the case manager for the Louisville Metro Department of Codes and Regulations asserted that the cemetery and burial practices did not present any issues. The leaders of the Louisville Islamic Center met with neighbors of the property to address concerns over water quality due to casket-free burials. Neighbors had no opposition to the cemetery project when they were assured that burial methods were safe. Few residents attended the public input session, and none opposed the project. On December 16th, 2013, the conditional use permit was approved. The<a href="https://moflou.com/ghc/"> Green Haven Cemetery (GHC)</a> remains operational to date. References <ul> <li style="font-weight:400;">Bullitt County, Kentucky: Residents’ opposition fuels rejection of Islamic cemetery. (2013, February 27). Courier-Journal. Retrieved from<a href="https://islamophobiawatch.co.uk/bullitt-county-kentucky-residents-opposition-fuels-rejection-of-islamic-cemetery"> https://islamophobiawatch.co.uk</a>. </li> <li style="font-weight:400;">O’Neill, T. (2013, November 24). Muslim community seeks cemetery in Ky. Courier-Journal. Retrieved from<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/24/muslim-group-seeks-cemetery-in-ky/3694693"> www.usatoday.com</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Permit for Muslim cemetery near Mt. Washington rejected. (2013, February 14). WDRB News. Retrieved from<a href="https://www.wdrb.com/news/permit-for-islamic-cemetery-near-mt-washington-rejected/article_56e6d4a1-badd-5e87-9d7d-f5e51b3f7be7.html"> https://www.wdrb.com</a>.</li> </ul> Last Updated Date revised. June 8, 2024 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Bullitt County, KY Description An account of the resource In February 2013, the Bullitt County Board of Adjustments rejects the Louisville Islamic Center’s application for a conditional use permit for an Islamic cemetery on land zoned agricultural. Several citizens had voiced concerns over groundwater, traffic, and aesthetics. Later in 2013, the Louisville Islamic Center acquires land in nearby Louisville, KY to successfully establish an Islamic cemetery. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Bryce Bentinck Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Built Cemetery Denied Planning and Zoning Public Campaign Relocated https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/a98ba9e17e53af7a0227cbfe5b7de890.jpeg 0ec0ff316857cace1cefdf1d1d929b18 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource This collection documents 29 cases of public opposition towards American Muslim cemetery building projects from 2002 to 2023. Each case contains a narrative that describes its events, which was compiled through analyzing newspaper archives via NewsBank and NexisUni. The primary challenge American Muslim communities face when establishing cemeteries is obtaining administrative approval from an entity such as a city council or board of commissioners. Residents' concerns related to groundwater contamination, lowered property values, and aesthetics often pressure authorities to deny cemetery projects. These reasons for opposition differ from those involving mosques, which tend to focus on increased traffic, violations of noise ordinances, and the potential for terrorism. This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024). However, it does not fully represent all controversies surrounding American Muslim cemeteries, as it focuses on post-2000 cases and does not include cases of vandalism against established cemeteries. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ryan Wang Title A name given to the resource Cemeteries Language A language of the resource English Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Current and former Oxford College of Emory University students: Sofia Fonti, Ben Damon, Geneva Cunningham, Ameer Alnasser, Nadira Hassan, Chloe Peyrebrune, Lauren Yee, Ammarah Ahmed, Alexander Cleveland, Ehren Fernandez, Andres Lebed Wright, Bryce Bentinck, Rahim Khan Alidina, Ayman Badawy, George Drakos, Shahmeer Khan, and Snehitha Vardhineni. Project supervisor: Dr. Florian Pohl Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) Case No. Ga_09 Location The location of the interview Newton County, Georgia Date August-September 2016 Summary Enter a brief description of the case (no more than 600 characters). This should be one or two sentences. A Muslim community from Doraville encounters strong expressions of concern about their efforts to purchase property on the eastern side of Newton County where they intend to build a Muslim burial ground and mosque. Public opposition begins to be voiced after a local newspaper reports on the building project in early August. In reaction, Newton County’s Board of Commissioners imposes a moratorium on building permits for new places of worship and, a week later, holds public listening sessions on the issue. A subsequent BOC meeting to discuss lifting the moratorium is canceled because of security concerns over a demonstration by a militia group. The moratorium expires without any direct BOC action. The event receives national, and some international, news coverage. The cemetery project proceeds but the county passes a new ordinance requiring public hearings for the development of projects on sites of more than ten acres. Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. F3MJ+95 Oak Hill, Georgia Coordinates Enter the coordinates for the location, if they are available. 33°29'01.3"N 83°55'10.3"W Proposed Project 135-acre development for cemetery; future mosque, cemetery expansion, school as well as residential and open space Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. Al Maad Al Islami Inc., Masjid At-Taqwa Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Local Ordinance (Public Protest) Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications The public campaign and actions by the Newton County Board of Commissioners slightly delayed the project, but the cemetery opened to begin operations in 2017. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. On August 9, 2016, local journalist Alice Queen reported that Al Maad Al Islami Inc., a non-profit organization from Doraville, had received administrative approval from Newton County to develop a 135-acre property for a mosque and cemetery (Queen, 2016, Aug 9). Current zoning regulations did not require rezoning to construct a religious site. The developer purchased the property in August 2015 and submitted preliminary conceptual plans for a 10.5-acre cemetery with a burial preparation accessory facility. Also included in the plans was space for a future mosque, cemetery expansion, school, and residential and open space. The announcement triggered significant public opposition, particularly concerning the lack of prior public knowledge and potential increases in traffic and noise (ibid.). Commissioner John Douglas, whose district the project was in, received numerous complaints from residents. He voiced concerns about the project's impact and suggested changing zoning ordinances for future developments. Douglas also questioned the need for such a development based on the Muslim population in the county. He speculated about the possibility of the federal government resettling refugees in the area. Asked Douglas, "[W]ould building those things make us a prime area for the federal government to resettle refugees from the Middle East?" (Queen, 2016, Aug 9). Emails made public later revealed Chairman Ellis's struggle in responding to the project. Ellis emphasized that while the mosque and cemetery required no approval, a conditional use permit would be necessary for the school. In a later interview with Public Radio International, Ellis admitted that "[a]s a Christian, I probably reacted in some of the same ways. I will have to admit that I was a little nervous for the future of Newton County" (Bell, 2016, Nov 30). Douglas was more direct in his approach and asked the Board of Commissioners to put the cemetery project on the agenda for the next meeting on August 16, 2016. In an email to a member of the local clergy, he urged, "[A] show of local residents would be helpful to back up our displeasure and desire to change the direction of this project" (Tegna, 2016, Sep 5). On August 16, 2016, a boisterous overflow crowd attended the Newton County Board of Commissioners meeting to express their anger over the project. During the meeting, Commissioner Douglas proposed, and the commissioners unanimously approved a five-week moratorium on permitting places of worship to review and amend zoning ordinances. Although the decision to impose the moratorium was greeted with cheers from many in attendance, the Georgia Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-GA) later described the action as discriminatory and called on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate the case. Finally, because no public comment was allowed at this BOC meeting, the commissioners decided to hold a public hearing on Monday, August 22, in a public venue large enough to accommodate the interested public. Following the BOC meeting, oppositional momentum picked up on social media. A Facebook group calling itself STOP the Mosque in Newton County established itself as the most influential social media site through which opponents expressed their hostility to the project and organized action seeking to prevent it from going forward. This group gained significant traction and was later listed as an anti-Muslim hate group by the<a href="https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/ideology/anti-muslim"> Southern Poverty Law Center</a>. In contrast, three Facebook groups supporting the mosque emerged but attracted far less attention. More than 600 citizens attended the public hearings on August 22, 2016. Due to limited space in the Historic Courthouse, two successive seatings were scheduled. Most speakers voiced strong opposition, with concerns ranging from traffic to fears of terrorism. Anxiety that the project would serve as an Al-Qaeda training camp or that it would lead to the imposition of Sharia law in the community could be heard as well (Bluestein, 2016, Aug 23). The public meetings received unflattering national press coverage (Islamophobia in the age of Trump, 2016, Aug 23). In response to the public hearing, CAIR Georgia held a joint press conference at the Atlanta Masjid of Al-Islam with the Georgia NAACP and other organizations on August 23. The press conference addressed the Islamophobic statements heard at the town hall meeting the previous night. It also provided an update on the DOJ's response to CAIR's call for a federal investigation. Edward Mitchell, Executive Director of CAIR-GA, said that the DOJ had agreed to review CAIR's request and was deciding whether to begin a formal probe. Mitchell also reported on local outreach activities to churches and community leaders in Newton County. At the same time as the press conference, a delegation of Newton County clergy and residents followed a lunch invitation from Imam Mohammad Islam to visit the Doraville community at Masjid At-Taqwa to get to know each other and build mutual trust (Lutz, Aug 23, 2016). The following week, the Newton County commissioners met with Masjid At-Taqwa and CAIR-GA representatives in closed-door meetings. The talks resulted in a joint statement on August 31, 2016, indicating that the moratorium would likely be lifted at a special meeting on September 13 (Burns, 2016, Aug 31). However, due to security concerns following threats from a militia group, the BOC canceled its meeting. The moratorium eventually expired on September 21, 2016, and CAIR-GA withdrew its request for a federal investigation. Despite this resolution, international press coverage continued after the moratorium's expiration (Teague, 2016, Oct 13; Younes, 2016, Nov 7). Following the moratorium's expiration, Commissioner Douglas made one more attempt to stop the project by requesting the county change its cemetery ordinance to require "leak-proof" caskets and vaults. Georgia law does not mandate embalming or caskets for burial. The planning board rejected Douglas's proposal at its October 25 meeting. Construction of the Daarul Barzakh Cemetery moved forward in the spring of 2017. An access road to the cemetery property was built, and the first funerals occurred. Outreach efforts by the members of Masjid At-Taqwa also continued. On April 21, 2018, the Muslim community invited its neighbors around the cemetery property and interested residents to a meet-and-greet luncheon. The gathering was preceded by a service event that was part of the Great American Cleanup, locally organized by Keep Covington and Newton Beautiful (KCNB). Three Oxford College students who participated in the event later published an op-ed piece about their experience in a local newspaper (Pace, 2018, May 21). Daarul Barzakh Cemetery remains operational, with plans for a funeral home as part of the next development stage. References <ul> <li style="font-weight:400;">Bell, M. (2016, November 30). A planned Muslim cemetery and mosque outside of Atlanta is still on hold. PRI’s The World. <a href="https://www.wgbh.org/news/2016-12-01/a-planned-muslim-cemetery-and-mosque-outside-of-atlanta-is-still-on-hold">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Bluestein, G. (2016, August 23). Feds weigh whether to investigate Newton County mosque debate. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. <a href="https://www.ajc.com/blog/politics/feds-weigh-whether-investigate-newton-county-mosque-debate/ePAScV95yxfH6eig99S43O/">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Burns, S. (2016, August 31). Newton County to lift moratorium on mosque, cemetery. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. <a href="https://www.ajc.com/news/local/newton-county-lift-moratorium-mosque-cemetery/BwSidKGAaY00D8cPeQlbWI/">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Islamophobia in the age of Trump. (2016, August 23). The Economist. <a href="https://www.economist.com/democracy-in-america/2016/08/23/islamophobia-in-the-age-of-trump">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Lutz, M. (2016, August 23). Newton County mosque fight might draw federal scrutiny. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. <a href="https://www.ajc.com/news/local-govt--politics/newton-county-mosque-fight-might-draw-federal-scrutiny/5G0BS4JQZaAiR8smtK6rtO/">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Pace, L. (2018, May 21). Students share experience with Great American Cleanup,” [Column] The Covington News. <a href="https://www.covnews.com/living/religion/pace-students-share-experience-great-american-cleanup/">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Queen, A. (2016, August 9). Nonprofit plans to build mosque on Ga. Highway 162 in Newton County. Rockdale Citizen. <a href="https://www.rockdalenewtoncitizen.com/news/local/nonprofit-plans-to-build-mosque-on-ga-highway-162-in-newton-county/article_70b245e8-0979-54d3-9061-319302b83972.html">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Tegna (2016, September 5). Emails: Newton Commissioners wanted to ‘impact’ mosque, cemetery project. 11 Alive News. <a href="https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/emails-newton-commissioner-wanted-to-impact-mosque-cemetery-project/85-313972997">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Teague, M. (2016, October 13). Armed ‘3%’ militia fights against proposed mosque in tiny Georgia town. The Guardian. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/oct/13/three-percent-militia-georgia-muslim-mosque-isis-doraville#:~:text=Armed%20'3%25'%20militia%20fights%20against%20proposed%20mosque%20in%20tiny%20Georgia%20town,-This%20article%20is&text=A%20Muslim%20congregation%20in%20central,ground%20for%20the%20Islamic%20State.">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Younes, A. (2016, November 7). American Muslims brace for the worst after US election. Aljazeera. <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2016/11/7/american-muslims-brace-for-the-worst-after-us-election">Web</a>.</li> </ul> Last Updated Date revised. June 10, 2024 Year Year the case began. 2016 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Newton County, GA Description An account of the resource A Doraville Muslim community meets public resistance to buying land in Newton County for a burial ground. Due to controversy, the county pauses worship building permits and holds public listening sessions about the proposed project. A subsequent BOC meeting to discuss lifting the moratorium is canceled because of security concerns over a demonstration by a militia group. The event gains national and international news coverage. The cemetery project advances, prompting a new county ordinance mandating hearings for projects on sites over ten acres. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Florian Pohl Approved Built CAIR Cemetery Legislation Planning and Zoning Public Campaign Public Speech https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/2e59e949d8c54d384b1a62a07983dd6b.png 4d26b51dcedc89f74a72f85eba825338 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource This collection documents 29 cases of public opposition towards American Muslim cemetery building projects from 2002 to 2023. Each case contains a narrative that describes its events, which was compiled through analyzing newspaper archives via NewsBank and NexisUni. The primary challenge American Muslim communities face when establishing cemeteries is obtaining administrative approval from an entity such as a city council or board of commissioners. Residents' concerns related to groundwater contamination, lowered property values, and aesthetics often pressure authorities to deny cemetery projects. These reasons for opposition differ from those involving mosques, which tend to focus on increased traffic, violations of noise ordinances, and the potential for terrorism. This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024). However, it does not fully represent all controversies surrounding American Muslim cemeteries, as it focuses on post-2000 cases and does not include cases of vandalism against established cemeteries. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ryan Wang Title A name given to the resource Cemeteries Language A language of the resource English Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Current and former Oxford College of Emory University students: Sofia Fonti, Ben Damon, Geneva Cunningham, Ameer Alnasser, Nadira Hassan, Chloe Peyrebrune, Lauren Yee, Ammarah Ahmed, Alexander Cleveland, Ehren Fernandez, Andres Lebed Wright, Bryce Bentinck, Rahim Khan Alidina, Ayman Badawy, George Drakos, Shahmeer Khan, and Snehitha Vardhineni. Project supervisor: Dr. Florian Pohl Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) VA_10 Date 2018 Year Year the case began. 2018 Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://www.gliaweb.org/">The Greater Lynchburg Islamic Association</a> Address Enter the full address, if it is available. property located at the intersection of Double Bridges Road and Hundley Springs Road in the Promise Land community Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. On July 11, 2018, the Appomattox County Planning Commission announced that the Greater Lynchburg Islamic Association had withdrawn its petition for a conditional use permit (CUP) to operate a cemetery on an 8-acre property zoned agricultural. The county’s planning commission had tabled the petition the previous month in response to strong opposition from residents. The parcel in question was located in the Agricultural Zoning District (A-1) in an area designated Rural Preservation Area by the county’s Future Land Use Map in the Comprehensive Plan. At the same meeting during which the commission announced that the Islamic Association had withdrawn its CUP request, commissioners discussed a motion to increase the review requirements for “religious assemblies.” Public opposition emerged in early June when the Islamic Association’s plan became public to operate a cemetery on a property at Double Bridges Road and Hundley Springs Road. On the local ABC channel’s Facebook page, the article reporting on the plan received hundreds of comments. While some Facebook users supported the project, most comments voiced opposition ranging from concerns over well water contamination and property values to statements targeting Islam and Muslims (Tyree and Hoffman, 2018, Jun 1). The county’s Planning Commission heard public comments on the project before a capacity crowd at its June 13 meeting. Residents spoke up in opposition to the project, citing the adverse impact on the neighborhood’s character, noise, traffic, and loss of property values. Concern over water contamination also featured prominently in remarks. One resident stated, "The bodies are not put into a casket or a vault. They're not embalmed. And that goes into our water" (Langlitz and Wilcox, 2018, Jun 13). In addition, opponents presented a petition signed by 395 citizens urging the commission to reject the CUP request. However, opponents made no explicitly anti-Muslim or anti-Islamic statements at the meeting. Islamic Association President Maqsud Ahmad introduced the cemetery project outlining the need, low impact, and adherence to local and state laws. Support came from a Lynchburg area pastor whose congregation had developed a positive relationship with the Islamic Association over the years. Ahmad expressed that the project would abide by all required regulations, including proper setbacks to ensure groundwater would not be affected. He also signaled the Islamic Association’s willingness to consider alternative burial methods saying, "We can come up with a plastic upside down or a concrete upside down [encasement], which is what they do in Charlottesville” (Langlitz and Wilcox, 2018, Jun 13). The Planning Commission tabled the application following the county attorney’s recommendation to allow additional time for staff review. At the subsequent commission meeting in July, commissioners announced that the CUP request for the cemetery project had been withdrawn. Public documents do not offer information about the reasons for the withdrawal. At the same meeting, the Appomattox Planning Commission discussed proposed changes to the county’s zoning ordinances to increase the review requirements for “Religious Assemblies.” The amendments proposed changing the “Religious Assembly” land use category from permitted to conditional use in four zoning districts, including the Agricultural District (A-1). The change would not affect cemetery projects, which already were conditional use under the current zoning regulations. References <ul> <li style="font-weight:400;">Langlitz, R. and K. Wilcox (2018, June 13). Appomattox Co. Planning Commission hears community concerns for proposed cemetery. ABC 13 News. Retrieved from <a href="https://wset.com/news/local/appomattox-co-planning-commission-hears-community-concerns-for-proposed-cemetery">https://wset.com/news/local/appomattox-co-planning-commission-hears-community-concerns-for-proposed-cemetery</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Tyree, E. and Ch. Hoffman (2018, June 1). Neighbors concerned about proposed cemetery infecting well water. ABC 13 News. Retrieved from <a href="https://wset.com/news/local/neighbors-concerned-about-proposed-cemetery-infecting-well-water?fbclid=IwAR0LmITKyCf58LUNMR-U8OVJ31EgiY-IpuMG9SdUl%E2%80%A6">https://wset.com/news/local/neighbors-concerned-about-proposed-cemetery-infecting-well-water?fbclid=IwAR0LmITKyCf58LUNMR-U8OVJ31EgiY-IpuMG9SdUl%E2%80%A6</a>.</li> </ul> Location The location of the interview Appomattox County, VA Proposed Project The Greater Lynchburg Islamic Association requested a CUP for an 8.05-acre property zoned A-1, Agricultural Zoning District. The parcel was designated Rural Preservation Area by the county’s Future Land Use Map in the Comprehensive Plan. Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign: Social media (Fb) opposition; attendance at Planning Commission meeting; petition (395 signatures) Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications Withdrawn -- The County Planning Commission announced a month after it had tabled the petition that the property owner had withdrawn the CUP request. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Appomattox County, VA Description An account of the resource On July 18, 2018, the Appomattox County Planning Commission announced that the Greater Lynchburg Islamic Association had withdrawn its petition for a conditional use permit to operate a cemetery on an 8-acre property zoned agricultural. The county’s planning commission had tabled the petition the previous month in response to strong opposition from residents. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Florian Pohl Cemetery Public Campaign Withdrawn https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/97686493ba78bca7afc53b7926df0c09.jpg f3e64159483ef9cc2298fdbd6732e790 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource A rose as the cover image of the Bosnian Muslim Association's Facebook page. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Bosnian Muslim Association of Clearwater Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived https://www.facebook.com/BosnianMuslimAssociation/about Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource This collection documents 29 cases of public opposition towards American Muslim cemetery building projects from 2002 to 2023. Each case contains a narrative that describes its events, which was compiled through analyzing newspaper archives via NewsBank and NexisUni. The primary challenge American Muslim communities face when establishing cemeteries is obtaining administrative approval from an entity such as a city council or board of commissioners. Residents' concerns related to groundwater contamination, lowered property values, and aesthetics often pressure authorities to deny cemetery projects. These reasons for opposition differ from those involving mosques, which tend to focus on increased traffic, violations of noise ordinances, and the potential for terrorism. This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024). However, it does not fully represent all controversies surrounding American Muslim cemeteries, as it focuses on post-2000 cases and does not include cases of vandalism against established cemeteries. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ryan Wang Title A name given to the resource Cemeteries Language A language of the resource English Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Current and former Oxford College of Emory University students: Sofia Fonti, Ben Damon, Geneva Cunningham, Ameer Alnasser, Nadira Hassan, Chloe Peyrebrune, Lauren Yee, Ammarah Ahmed, Alexander Cleveland, Ehren Fernandez, Andres Lebed Wright, Bryce Bentinck, Rahim Khan Alidina, Ayman Badawy, George Drakos, Shahmeer Khan, and Snehitha Vardhineni. Project supervisor: Dr. Florian Pohl Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. The Bosnian Member Association (BMA) of Clearwater faced considerable opposition to its proposal to establish a green burial cemetery near Istachatta, in northern Hernando County. The BMA applied for a special exception permit from the Hernando County Planning and Zoning Commission to use a 5.2-acre plot near a subdivision. The land in question was zoned as agricultural. Despite the Planning Department’s recommendation for approval, the proposal was unanimously disapproved by the planning commissioners, who held that the subdivision was not a suitable location for a cemetery. The cemetery proposal was rooted in Bosnian tradition and closely aligned with the practices of the growing green burial movement. According to Vedad Sakovic, president of the BMA, the cemetery would have featured wooden slabs or crosses as markers, with bodies buried without embalming in wooden caskets designed to decompose quickly (Bates, 2007, Feb 14). Sue Hughes, a Brooksville Realtor representing the BMA, emphasized the natural aspect of this burial method, noting its environmental benefits over traditional embalming and the use of pesticides and herbicides in conventional cemeteries (ibid.). Despite these assurances, residents of Deerhaven Estates and the planning commissioners remained unconvinced. Twenty local residents attended the planning commission meeting to voice their opposition. They expressed a variety of concerns, ranging from personal fears to environmental and social impacts. Some worried about wildlife disturbing the graves and the potential for criminal activities, while others implored the commissioners to preserve the area’s natural state (Skerritt, 2007, Feb 21). Concerns about property values were also raised. One neighbor expressed discomfort with the fact that the cemetery would be for Muslims, feeling excluded from being buried in a cemetery close to his home (Dewitt, 2007, Feb 13). Sakovic clarified that the cemetery would be inclusive, accommodating the BMA’s diverse membership, including members of the Catholic and Orthodox churches, as well as Muslims. The Planning and Zoning Commission raised concerns about the cemetery's long-term maintenance. Planning Commissioner Anna Liisa Covell questioned who would be responsible for the property's upkeep if the BMA were to disband or relocate. She also worried that bodies from the green, environmentally friendly cemetery would pollute the aquifer and contaminate the drinking water (Bates, 2007, Feb 14). Despite the County Planning Department’s recommendation for approval, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously against the cemetery. After the commission meeting, Sakovic stated that the BMA would not continue to pursue the project in Hernando County. "It's not a place we want to be," said Sakovic. "We want a neighborhood that would welcome us" (Skerritt, 2007, Feb 21). References <ul> <li style="font-weight:400;">Skerritt, A. (2007, February 21). Prejudice runs 6 feet deep. St. Petersburg Times, p. 2; 2; 2. Available from <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/11773C64F2D0ED28">NewsBank</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">D. Bates, M. (2007, February 14). Hernando Rejects Request to allow Bosnian Cemetery: Nearby subdivision was deciding factor. Tampa Tribune, p. 5. Available from <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/117517E82104B2A0">NewsBank</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Dewitt, D. (2007, February 13). Green burials voted down. St. Petersburg Times, p. 1. Available from <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/11749A1FEBC96190">NewsBank</a>.</li> </ul> Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) Case No. FL_09 Location The location of the interview Hernando County, FL Year Year the case began. 2007 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. Cherokee Road at Deerhaven Estates, Brooksville, FL 34601 Proposed Project The BMA applied for a special exception permit to use a 5.2-acre plot zoned as agricultural as a cemetery. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BosnianMuslimAssociation/">Bosnian Member Association of Clearwater</a> Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign, Planning and Zoning Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications Despite the Planning Department’s recommendation for approval, the proposal was unanimously disapproved by the planning commissioners, who held that the subdivision was not a suitable location for a cemetery. Last Updated Date revised. June 14, 2024 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource The Bosnian Member Association of Clearwater applied for a special exception permit from the Hernando County Planning and Zoning Commission to use a 5.2-acre plot near the Deerhaven Estates subdivision for a green burial cemetery. The commission unanimously denied the permit, deeming a subdivision unsuitable for a cemetery. Over 20 local residents attended the meeting to voice their opposition to the project. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Florian Pohl Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Title A name given to the resource Hernando County, FL Cemetery Denied Not Built Planning and Zoning Public Campaign