2 10 101 https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/d3d2c6ae25111e97920f9d6569e21531.jpg ff76d0d20b0c1802d185549f50615146 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 Islamic Center of Williamson County (2015, Jul 1). Mosque Front. Franklin, TN. Retrieved from https://www.icwctn.org/about-us/ 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 Tennessee 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. Tn_02 Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. Affluenza and Islamophobia: A Cocktail Destined to Doom Democracy? Located about thirty miles from the Nashville metropolitan area, Brentwood is a small, affluent suburb that has rarely entered the national spotlight. Yet that all changed in April 2010, when the congregation of the Islamic Center of Williamson County (ICWC) began making plans to construct a new, more spacious mosque for their community. The ICWC at the time had approximately 40 members, but their website made note of the fact that their congregation had been growing rapidly in recent years, with more people attending prayer services and sending their children to the religious Sunday school program. Additionally, many in the community did not have the time to drive the thirty miles to Nashville to attend daily and weekly services, a trip made all the more difficult by the frequent traffic jams that are part-and-parcel with metropolitan life. Thus, recognizing they had outgrown the rental space they occupied on Carothers Street in Brentwood, the ICWC made plans to construct a 12,000-square foot mosque that could safely accommodate 325 people, and would include a fellowship hall and kitchen to host communal meals (Ragland-Hudgins 2015, Jun 26). A Torrent of Vitriol The first step in this construction project was for the ICWC to submit their intent to rezone a 14-acre tract of land on Wilson Pike in order to build their mosque. While their initial submission to the Brentwood City Commission in April 2010 did not cause a stir, coverage from the local press drew mosque opponents into a frenzy, who sent furious virtual messages to the City, crafted Islamophobic blog posts, and used word of mouth to drive the false notion that the mosque was tied to terrorist organizations. A key leader in the organized resistance to the mosque, Matt Bonner, stated, “Not enough people understand the political doctrine of Islam. The fact is that the mosques are more than just a church. No one can predict what this one will be used for" (Smietana 2010, May 23); Schwartz 2010, Sep 3; Gordon 2010, Aug 1). Bonner, and many others in the opposition, also cited the rhetoric of Bill French, a former physics professor who now runs the Nashville-based Center for the Study of Political Islam despite not having a background in religion. They stated French’s writings have had a significant impact on their views toward Islam. French uses the pen name Bill Warner, and has attempted to convince the public that Islam is not a religion, but, rather, a dangerous cult (Smietana 2010, May 23). On April 12, 2010, the Brentwood City Commission voted 6-1 to pass on reading an ordinance that would rezone the 14-acre lot from large-lot residential to service-institution religious (Brentwood Home Page 2010, Dec 29). The ICWC agreed to a series of restrictions on the project, including not using a loudspeaker or floodlights on the property, and the mosque’s modest size was still far smaller than the maximum building capacity allotted for that property. It is important to note that Brentwood law states that for a rezoning to be accepted, a community meeting, a public hearing, and review by the Planning Commission must be conducted (News & Events 2010, April 30; Jilani 2010, May 26). In a subsequent meeting of the City Commission on May 5, an attorney representing the ICWC pointed out that the construction of the mosque was protected under state and federal laws. However, the ICWC’s use of legal counsel only served to fan the flames and drive animosity, as Bonner stated, “The impression is that they are seeking special treatment. What kind of neighbor is that who comes in threatening lawsuits?” (ibid.) The opposition also perceived that the mosque community must have had something to hide if they needed a lawyer to represent them. However, the ICWC defended their decision, stating they retained the aid of legal counsel to ensure that the voices of the Muslim families were duly heard. The Muslim community also expressed their confusion at hearing Islamophobic rhetoric from their neighbors and encountering the threat to their civil liberties in a nation that prided itself on upholding the freedom of religion. A Brentwood physician and spokesperson for the ICWC, Jaweed Ansari, stated, “We are trying to build a place where God's name will be glorified, The same God that the Christians and Jews worship… We are a small group of 40 people, and no matter where we want to build, thousands of people can come in opposition. What does that mean? Does that mean that minorities have no right? If they don't want us to have the mosque, does that mean we can't have a mosque?” (ibid.). Admitting Defeat… for Now Just days before the second and final vote on the project was to be scheduled, Brentwood’s Planning and Codes Director Jeff Dobson was notified by the ICWC that they intended to withdraw their plans to rezone the 14-acre lot to construct their new 12,000-square foot prayer facility (O’Neil 2010, May 20). The ICWC would have had to agree to seven special restrictions in order to have their project be reviewed by the City Commission, but the last requirement of a $450,000 turn lane made the project untenable for them. The community-driven opposition and barrage of Islamophobic rhetoric also drove the ICWC to pull their project, with Ansari stating, “There comes a time when you have to say, 'We can't do this anymore'” (Smietana 2010, May 23). While the ICWC did acknowledge that their initial plans were not ideal, as part of the lot was located on a floodplain, and tensions were already at an all-time high due to the historic flood that devastated Nashville earlier that year, they also did not expect it to be a central focus of the opposition’s arguments, as the mosque would have been constructed on only 4 acres of land, away from the floodplains (ibid.). Eric Rassbach, the director of litigation for the national organization, The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, noted that the turn lane requirement was likely a violation of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act in that it imposed a significant hardship on a religious group without an avenue for relief, but the ICWC had no plans to file a lawsuit like the neighboring mosque in Murfreesboro eventually did when their initial mosque plans were also unfairly challenged in 2010. Ansari stated that the ICWC hoped to build bridges with their neighbors, rather than contribute to the animosity, stating, “For us, to be good citizens and to have good will is more important.” (ibid.) Finding A Sanctuary After the Storm Following the fall-out surrounding their initial construction plans, the ICWC initiated a variety of interfaith programs and offered an array of social services to the greater community. They also returned to praying at their cramped rental space on Carothers Street. But in 2015, the ICWC purchased a 8,400-square foot property on Brentwood’s Mallory Station Road from Richard D. Heydel for $1.525 million. The site used to house aquatic facilities and a swimming pool, which the ICWC plans to fill with concrete to yield an additional 1,500 square feet of space. The repurposed mosque, once the former site of Endeavor Performance, Bluewater Scuba, and Miss Anna’s Swim School, is now a sanctuary for the ICWC community where they can worship safely in nearby Franklin, TN (Ragland-Hudgins 2015, Jun 26). However, it appears that in 2016, mosque opponents tried to start rumors that an Islamic Cultural Center in Michigan were planning to construct another similar center on Wilson County, but this was proven to be false (Brentwood Home Page 2016, Jun 23). References Enter list of sources cited using the proper format. <ul><li>Brentwood Home Page (2010, Dec 29). YEAR IN REVIEW: Top 10 Stories of 2010. Web.</li> <li>Brentwood Home Page (2016, Jun 23). Word of Islamic Cultural Center in Brentwood is long-standing rumor. Web.</li> <li>Gordon, Jerry (2010, Aug 1). Mega-Mosque Conflicts in America. New English Review. Web. </li> <li>Jilani, Zaid (2010, May 26). Muslim Americans Under Attack As Far Right Fights to Deny Them From Building Their Own Place of Worship. ThinkProgress. Web.</li> <li>News and Events (2010, April 30). Islamic Center of Williamson County Rezoning Proposal. Web.</li> <li>O’Neill, Donna (2010, May 20). Islamic Center of Williamson County withdraws from Wilson Pike project. Williamson Herald. Web.</li> <li>Ragland-Hudgins, Mealand (2015, Jun 26). Islamic center buys Franklin property. The Tennessean. Web.</li> <li>Smietana, Bob (2010, May 23). BRENTWOOD, TN: Mosque Not Alone in Defeat. The Tennessean. Web.</li> <li>Schwartz, John (2010, Sep 3). Zoning Laws Aside, Mosque Projects Face Battles. The New York Times. Web.</li> </ul> Last Updated Date revised. July 7, 2020 Summary Enter a brief description of the case (no more than 600 characters). This should be one or two sentences. Having outgrown their cramped rental space on Carothers Street in Brentwood, TN, the Islamic Center of Williamson County (ICWC) submitted their plans to rezone a 14-acre plot of land to construct a 12,000-square foot mosque and community center in April 2010. Their congregation, then composed of approximately 40 members was growing, and they hoped to construct a mosque that could safely accommodate up to 325 people, and also house a kitchen and fellowship hall for communal events. On April 12, 2010, the Brentwood City Commission voted 6-1 to pass on reading an ordinance that would rezone the 14-acre lot from large-lot residential to service-institution religious. However, on May 20, 2010, the ICWC withdrew their rezoning request following community-driven opposition. Although the Muslim community complied with a series of restrictions placed on the mosque construction site, which included not having loudspeakers or floodlights on the property, the expensive cost of a $450,000 turn lane ultimately made the project untenable for them. While the restrictions on the project were almost certainly a violation of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, the ICWC chose not to file a lawsuit, and instead hoped to build bridges with their community through interfaith and social service initiatives. They returned to pray at their original rental space, but in June 2015, purchased an 8,400-square foot former aquatic facility for $1.525 million with the intention to repurpose it into a mosque, where they worship at present. Address Enter the full address, if it is available. Wilson Pike (Tax Map 035 Parcel 003.3), Brentwood, Williamson County, TN 37027 Proposed Project Plans proposed a 12,000-square foot mosque that could safely accommodate 325 people and would include a fellowship hall and kitchen to host communal meals. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://www.icwctn.org/">Islamic Center of Williamson County</a> Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance public campaign; bias-related incident; administrative denial Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications While the restrictions on the project were almost certainly a violation of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, the ICWC chose not to file a lawsuit, and instead hoped to build bridges with their community through interfaith and social service initiatives. They returned to pray at their original rental space, but in June 2015, purchased an 8,400-square foot former aquatic facility for $1.525 million with the intention to repurpose it into a mosque, where they worship at present. Location The location of the interview Brentwood, TN Date April-May 2010 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 Brentwood, TN Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Nabihah Khan Description An account of the resource Having outgrown their cramped rental space on Carothers Street in Brentwood, TN, the Islamic Center of Williamson County (ICWC) submits plans to rezone a 14-acre plot of land to construct a 12,000-square foot mosque and community center in April 2010. After a series of public hearings before the City Commission, ICWC withdraws its rezoning request because the city’s restrictions on the site, which include $450,000 for a turn lane, ultimately make the project untenable. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Mosque Planning and Zoning Public Campaign Withdrawn https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/b88a3d34e6d196e4f8cca6af5c6773f8.jpg f79e305c963cdd03463b6ffdc29bc8da 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 Tennessee 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. Tn_03 Location The location of the interview Antioch, TN Date May-August 2010 Summary Enter a brief description of the case (no more than 600 characters). This should be one or two sentences. As the Muslim community in Antioch, Tennessee, had grown rapidly in the years leading up to 2010, the Islamic Center of Tennessee hoped to purchase an old movie theater in Davidson County with plans to convert complex space into a mosque and community center that would include a convention hall, several classrooms, a swimming pool, and basketball court among other amenities. However, dissent in the community grew, as the opposition employed Islamophobic rhetoric, fearing that the mosque was a training ground for violent jihadists. Others were upset as they had hoped to renovate the theater into a community college building, crafting a petition with claims that they would support the mosque’s construction if it were relocated elsewhere. However, the ICT’s project was approved and the Muslim community was able to purchase the old Bell Forge Theater complex from Carmike for $1.5 million in August 2010. Today, the Antioch community seeks to expand their mosque to accommodate the ever-increasing number of Muslim families in the area. Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 5400 Bell Forge Ln E, Antioch, TN 37013 Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. 29W3+PF Antioch, Nashville, TN Proposed Project Islamic center (mosque, classroom, convention hall, swimming pool, basketball court) Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a>Islamic Center of Tennessee</a> Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance public campaign; bias-related incident Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications approved Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. By 2010, the Muslim community in Antioch had grown rapidly, and they required a place of worship that would be large enough to accommodate the burgeoning population. Antioch is a suburb located just 30 miles from Nashville, but for Antioch Muslims, the four mosques in Nashville were small and cramped, and a hassle to get to because of frequent traffic jams. When addressing Fox News reporters, a spokesperson for the Antioch mosque, Yasser Salah Arafat, stated, “The four mosques that we have in Nashville are very small and are very crowded. If you come on Friday people pray in the street. So, we said 'OK, what can we do to make it better? What can we do to accommodate the growth but do it in a way that will attract the youth?" (Maced0 2010, Aug 9). The community began to make plans for attaining a new, larger facility. But the congregation of the Islamic Center of Tennessee (ICT) also treaded cautiously, for they were aware that their requests would come in the wake of the anti-mosque showdowns that had occurred in nearby Murfreesboro and Brentwood. However, the ICT still proceeded with their plans to purchase the old 45,000-square foot Bell Forge Cinemas from Carmike in order to repurpose it into a mosque, as well as to accommodate two prayer halls, a convention hall, several classrooms, swimming pool, basketball court, and other amenities. The ICT’s offer of $1.5 million was accepted in August 2010, and the property’s appraisal value was listed as $3.8 million. (Snyder 2010, Aug 10). However, despite remaining resolute in their purchase plans, the Muslim community did encounter opposition. Karen Johnson started a petition after finding out that Nashville State Community College had also been interested in the old theater complex, and she grew concerned that the mosque would lead to a downturn in business activity in an already-sluggish Antioch (Macedo 2010, Aug 9). Furthermore, opponents launched a smear campaign against ICT, the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro, and the Memphis Islamic Center, which was then publicized by Fox News. The campaign consisted primarily of conspiracy theories that attempted to link congregants to nefarious terrorist activities. This report highlighted controversies surrounding Awadh Binzahim, an ICT director and Muslim chaplain at Vanderbilt University who made controversial comments regarding Islam in January 2010 (ibid.). Despite the vitriol and animosity, the Islamic Center of Tennessee proceeded with their plans for their mosque and continue to worship there to this day, with Arafat stating in 2010, “We have as much equal rights as anyone else. We are American citizens, we pay taxes… you have a professor, a doctor, an engineer out of every 10 Muslims in the United States; we are an affluent people and we do have the ability to grow as well… The place [new mosque] is big. It could accommodate a lot of activities inside of it. It'll have a mosque, it'll have a library, a movie theatre, lecture halls, it'll have a coffee stand for people to sit down and do their homework, it'll have a gym, it'll have day care… it would completely create an environment for our kids, for our youth, and for our families to come, enjoy and have fun, but at the same time worship as well." (ibid.). While the Muslim community of Antioch and surrounding areas have been able to worship at the renovated mosque since 2010, the Islamic Center of Tennessee again made headlines in 2017, when Imam AhmedulHadi Sharif made controversial comments in a Friday sermon which were not condoned by ICT. He had stated, “We do not hate the ethnic Jewish rather we do hate the oppressors of this Zionist because the Prophets of Allah some of them were from Bani Isra’il so we do not have as a problem ethnically with them but politically the Zionist politic that they come and take the land of the people claiming that this is the Promised Land and they call themselves from all over the world, West and East so that they can take over people’s land and after that they say let us have the peace and still they blocking the roadway to the peace and this is what we are opposing my brothers in Islam” (Alto 2017, Nov 20). References Enter list of sources cited using the proper format. <ul><li>Alto, Chris (2017, Nov 20). Islamic Center of Tennessee Imam Preaches Against ‘Enemies of Allah.’ The Tennessee Star. Web.</li> <li>Macedo, Diane (2010, Aug 9). Plans to Build Massive Islamic Centers Raise Concerns in Tennessee. Fox News. Web. </li> <li>Snyder, Eric (2010, Aug 10). Islamic Center of Tennessee buys old Antioch movie theater for $1.5 million. Nashville Business Journal. Web.</li> </ul> Year Year the case began. 2010 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 Antioch, TN Description An account of the resource As the Muslim community in Antioch, Tennessee, had grown rapidly in the years leading up to 2010, the Islamic Center of Tennessee hoped to purchase an old movie theater in Davidson County with plans to convert complex space into a mosque and community center. Despite outspoken and at times Islamophobic opposition in the community, the ICT’s project was approved and the Muslim community was able to purchase the old Bell Forge Theater complex from Carmike for $1.5 million in August 2010. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Nabihah Khan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Approved Built Mosque Public Campaign https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/8977ed1ca055b884cce0537eec5a1768.jpg c6829b3c02fff5c4cfa6f386cbcdaf46 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 Hilal Zoberi, left, and Shamila Zubairi talk with Norma Buchanan in the prayer room during a community dinner Saturday celebrating the opening of the Islamic Center of Wallingford. Photos by Justin Weekes, special to the Record-Journal (myrecordjournal.com/News/Wallingford/Wallingford-News/Wallingford-mosque-reopens-in-new-location.html) https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/e0192bfe253b3ae6ba0fa4a37943a3c6.jpg 8c31384ee8ca4e781fb98c18dada78aa 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 Connecticut 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. Ct_01 Location The location of the interview Wallingford, CT Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 105 & 109 Leigus Rd, Wallingford, CT 06492 Proposed Project The original project at the Leigus Rd site was a 4,900 sq. ft. mosque, along with up to 135 parking spaces, and utilizing an existing house on the property for office space. The final site (S. Whittlesey Ave) was converted from the Ward Street Church of Christ into the mosque with minimal renovation. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. Tariq Farid; Islamic Community of Wallingford Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign/Protest; Local Ordinance/Legislation Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications Delayed; denied at Leigus Rd site; approved at Whittlesey Ave site Date April-October 2008 Summary Enter a brief description of the case (no more than 600 characters). This should be one or two sentences. In the town of Wallingford, CT Sunni Muslim and Pakistani immigrant Tariq Farid proposed plans for the Farid Islamic Center. This would be a mosque built on the 105 & 109 Leigus Rd site in Wallingford, CT. The mosque was intended to honor Farid’s late mother and allow local Muslims to pray in their hometown. The plans passed through Wallingford’s Wetlands Commission but failed to pass through the Planning and Zoning Commission. Public opinion was opposed to the mosque. The town cited legal reasons for denying the project. Following the denial, the worshipped for over a decade out of a rented space at 950 Yale Ave, Wallingford. In 2019, the Muslim community purchased and converted a former church building Ward Street Church of Christ into the Islamic Center of Wallingford. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. The Story Behind the Farid Islamic Center Tariq Farid came to America as an immigrant from Pakistan when he was just 11 years old. During his time in high school, his parents bought a flower shop in hopes to have their children run the business. In 1999, the two brothers used their floral and technological knowledge to start the now immensely successful company, Edible Arrangements. In order to start the business, the brothers borrowed $50,000 from their mother, who demanded only $20,000 back with the promise that something was built in her memory. She passed away in 2005 after suffering from heart disease (Moore, 2008). In her honor Tariq had built the Salma K Farid Islamic Academy, a private school in Hamden, and intended to build the Farid Islamic Center, a mosque, on Leigus Rd in Wallingford (Moore, 2008). Details of the Project The Farid Islamic Center was intended to be a mosque with 4,900 square feet, a multi-step parking project to include 135 parking spaces, and utilization of an existing home on the property as “a temporary place of prayer while the mosque is in construction” and eventually an office space (Moore, 2008, p. 1). The project site spans across two lots, 105 & 109 Leigus Rd on the corner of Leigus Rd and route 68 in Wallingford, CT. (Moore, 2008). The mosque was designed to hold up to 115 occupants, but Farid estimated to draw crowds of fewer than 100 members on Friday services, and a mere 10-15 members during the week (Record-Journal, 2008). The mosque would allow for the local Muslim population to have a nearby place to pray, as there are limited places for Muslim residents to worship in the Wallingford area. The mosque, in conjunction with the Salma K Farid Islamic Academy, would host community events that encourage non-Muslim community member participation (Moore, 2008). Key Events After withdrawing the original proposition for revision, the Farid Islamic Center plan went before the Wetlands Commission on May 7th, 2008. The vote was postponed due to concerns of nearby residents, even though “officials initially appeared satisfied with plans for [the] mosque on Leigus Rd” (Moore, 2008). On June 5th, the plans were approved by the Wetlands Commission of Wallingford. The Planning and Zoning commission of Wallingford decided in late August to delay voting on the Farid Islamic Center and opened public comment on the matter until October 16th. A motion to deny the permit to build the Farid Islamic Center was passed unanimously by the five members of the Planning and Zoning Commission on October 16th, 2008 (Town of Wallingford Planning and Zoning Commission, 2008, 24). Following the denial, the community needed to find a space to use regularly until a permanent site for the mosque could be found. After worshipping for over a decade at 950 Yale Ave, Wallingford, in a rented space, the Islamic community found a permanent home at 164 S. Whittlesey Ave when it purchased and converted the former Ward Street Church of Christ into the Islamic Center of Wallingford (Jeniece Roman, 2019). Points of Opposition In its initial town meeting, its introduction to the Wetlands Commission, the project faced public opposition. According to the Record-Journal, even though “wetlands officials initially appeared satisfied with plans for a mosque on Leigus Road,” the vote on the matter was delayed because of public concern and questions (Moore 2008). These concerns were generally focused on the traffic that the mosque would bring to the residential area. These claims though seemed to ignore “16 religious buildings in town that are in, or adjacent to, residential zones” along with an office building permitted to build right across the street from the 105 and 109 Leigus Road plot (Moore 2008). The project’s passing through the Wetlands Commission seemed to light the public opposition. Following this passing, signs reading “No mosque on Leigus” began to appear on property around town and the Leigus site, along with one neighbor sending her concerns of “Islam’s treatment of women”, and online forums showing local views that the mosque would bring terrorism (Moore, 2008). Views of opposition did prove influential at the final meeting during which the project was denied. The chairperson at the time stated that the “information we received from the public was very voluminous and consistent, outlining for the Commission and the public record, citing dates, facts, and specifics why they opposed the application” (Town of Wallingford Planning and Zoning Commission, 2008, 24). The Planning and Zoning Commission of Wallingford cited five legislative reasons from its local zoning ordinances for denying the application for the necessary special permit. These legislative reasons included concerns over traffic and parking as well as a lack of compatibility “with the character of the neighborhood” (Town of Wallingford Planning and Zoning Commission, 2008, 24). Outcome The Farid Islamic Center was never approved and constructed as intended. As a result, the community had to practice in a temporary space that was ill-equip to meet the group’s needs. Finally, in 2019, the Muslim community was able to raise the funds to purchase and renovate the Ward Street Church of Christ on S. Whittlesey Ave. to use as the Islamic Center of Wallingford. Last Updated Date revised. November 2, 2019 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 Wallingford, CT Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Description An account of the resource A documented account of Case No. CT_01, occurring in Wallingford, CT, from April to October 2008 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Bryce Bentinck https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/b96beb8ab97d541d9545092ee6da351d.jpg 0abbba0ad91e2a36be80d3ad87826941 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 Islamic Center of South Florida [Online image]. Retrieved from https://soflomuslims.com/listing/islamic-center-of-south-florida.  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 Florida 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. Fl_02 Location The location of the interview Pompano Beach, FL Date April 2006-January 2008 Summary Enter a brief description of the case (no more than 600 characters). This should be one or two sentences. The Islamic Center of South Florida was approved to be relocated in Northwest Pompano Beach, which is predominantly a black and Christian community. Controversy stirred because many people advocated for affordable housing and were scared of the Muslim community. Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 1641 NW 15th St, Pompano Beach, FL 33069 Proposed Project Islamic Center/Mosque: To purchase land build a larger mosque for a growing Muslim community in the area Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. Islamic Center of South Florida Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign/Protest; Legal Campaign/Lawsuit Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications The request to relocate the Islamic Center of South Florida was approved by the city. All cases that attempted to sue the Islamic Center of South Florida were dismissed. The Islamic Center of South Florida is operating in the new location. The tension has died down. There does not seem to be any direct opposition from the surrounding community. However, hate crimes directed against the Islamic center have continued. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. Background Info ICOSF had chosen the 15th-Street location because they felt sympathetic to the black struggle. Apparently they thought that the feelings were mutual. The Muslim community has been accused of treating black people poorly. Many black people have complained that the business has been taking advantage of them. There is tension between the black and Arab businesses. The businesses around the area are mainly owned by Arabs - although they used to be owned by black businesses. Black people left because of the increased crime. As black people left, that is when the Arabs started coming in (Lewis 2006). 15 percent of the members of the ICOSF community are black (Renaud 2006). Details of the Proposal The Muslim community wanted to move into a bigger location. They chose the new location because they thought that they would be able to empathize with the black community given the history of both of their communities. However, they received a lot of bitterness from the black community. The black community accused them of taking advantage of them economically. They also did not appreciate that the Muslim community had decided to move into a location that was originally designated for affordable housing for the local community. The Muslim community had started planning for the relocation since 2004. Things went smoothly initially. They planned to have multiple facilities open to the public such as a basketball court, playground, storm shelter and a place to vote. Once the zoning board had approved the proposal, public backlash began. Opposition The Islamic Center of South Florida (ICOSF) has operated in Pompano Beach for more than two decades. It was when they decided to move into a predominantly black neighborhood that protests and controversy broke out. Even City Commissioner E. Pat Larkins stated publicly that the Muslim community did not contribute to improving the overall community. He actively searched for ways to legally prevent the mosque from operating. Reverend Dozier, a local pastor, was afraid that if ICOSF successfully relocated, many “impressionable black youth” would convert to Islam. Reverend Dozier also states how he has felt excluded from the community. Dozier also is concerned that the relocation would lead to more black people being angry along with the Muslim community. He notes that they both have hatred towards the government. Protests Although the leaders of ICOSF offered to sit down with Reverend Dozier, he refused. He publicly stated that he refused to make compromises. He voiced his fear that the mosque would try to convert the young black men within the community (Renaud). Another reason why many felt the need to protest against the relocation is because they wanted more affordable housing rather than a new mosque. Dozier was not alone. There were two other black ministers and a couple of people from the Jewish community who joined Dozier when he decided to lead a protest during the commission meeting. However, although Dozier had a lot of support - everybody did not feel the same way. Larson, the NAACP warned against religious intolerance. CAIR CAIR was invested in supporting the relocation of the ICOSF. They saw that the current space was too small. Since CAIR is often accused of being involved with terrorist groups, Reverend Dozier and two others have tried to use this as leverage and have tried hard to gain access to their financial records. They have also tried using this as a legitimate reason as to why they should not be allowed to relocate (WND). Support from the Community However, not all people have agreed with the Reverend’s rhetoric. One member states from the community that “Everybody needs religion - even if it is not Christianity.” Others were ashamed of the hate that was being aimed towards the Muslim community especially since they have contributed many things towards the community. For example during Hurricane Wilma - which took place October 2005 - they provided supplies and shelter to the community. Many of the neighbors described them as polite and humble. There was also a dinner at ICOSF November 2006. There were leaders of different faiths. The goal was to have peace between the communities. However, there was nobody from the Worldwide Christian Center to attend the dinner. It is unclear if they were invited or not. How Things are Today Although the tension seems to have died down between the Black and Muslim communities, the center still suffers from hate crimes. In 2017, a former member of the community threatened to bomb the center. This member was an ex-Muslim and accused the Muslim community of mistreating. There also has been a shooting right outside of the center. There have been multiple hate crimes towards the center. These incidents appear to be a result of Islamophobia but not directly caused by the relocation of the center. Timeline <ul><li>2004: This is when ICOSF began to plan for the relocation and started attending zoning meetings</li> <li>Hurricane Wilma - October 2005: There was a mention of these dates because the Islamic Center has helped with the relief providing supplies during this time. This has led to some members of the community later on when they received a lot of backlash against the relocation of the mosque.</li> <li>April 5, 2006: The Islamic center was defaced. The police and FBI were urged to consider it a hate crime because of the message “Osama Bin Laden” written on the building.</li> <li>June 13, 2006 : The Pompano Beach City Commission made the decision to approve the relocation of the mosque (3-2).</li> <li>July 11, 2006: Ten pastors including Reverend O Dozier, have helped to planned a protest. Leaders from the mosque have attempted to reach out to them - but Dozer states that he refuses to compromise with them. He called Islam a cult.</li> <li>June-July 2006: Tensions arise between the black community and the muslim community (black muslims?). They were not pleased that a new mosque was being built in their community rather than affordable housing. Also, a lot of members of this community expressed that they were not good business partners and were often discriminatory towards the black community.</li> <li>November 2006: A dinner was held between leaders of different faiths. The event was held at the mosque. However, I noticed that there was not anybody from the Worldwide Christian Center - which is who has been vocal against the relocation of the mosque.</li> <li>May 1, 2007: Reverend O’Neal Dozier has filed a lawsuit against the approval of the Islamic Center, claiming that the mosque will bring danger to the community. This was in response to the city approving the Islamic Center relocation.</li> </ul> References Enter list of sources cited using the proper format. <ul><li>Bergin, M. (2007, June 09) Mosque-erade World Magazine Retrieved from <a href="https://world.wng.org/2007/06/mosque_erade">https://world.wng.org/2007/06/mosque_erade</a></li> <li>Eifling, S. (2006, August 17) Allah Drops In Broward Times Retrieved from</li> <li><a href="https://www.browardpalmbeach.com/news/allah-drops-in-6308101">https://www.browardpalmbeach.com/news/allah-drops-in-6308101</a></li> <li>Laughlin, M. (2006, June 16) Plans for New Mosque Ignite Cultural Turf War St. Petersburg Times Retrieved from <a href="https://www.starnewsonline.com/news/20060716/plans-for-new-mosque-ignite-cultural-turf-war-in-florida">https://www.starnewsonline.com/news/20060716/plans-for-new-mosque-ignite-cultural-turf-war-in-florida</a></li> <li>Renaud, J. (2006, June 14) Pompano OKs mosque in black area Sun Sentinel Retrieved from <a href="https://search-proquest-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/docview/2249329126/7E5E36DB359B43AFPQ/4?accountid=10747">https://search-proquest-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/docview/2249329126/7E5E36DB359B43AFPQ/4?accountid=10747</a></li> <li>Renaud, J. (11 July 2006) Preachers Plan Protest Tonight Over Mosque Broward Metro Retrieved from <a href="https://search-proquest-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/docview/387737694/74CB2AD176BB41E5PQ/20?accountid=10747">https://search-proquest-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/docview/387737694/74CB2AD176BB41E5PQ/20?accountid=10747</a></li> <li>Renaud, J. (14 June 2006) Pompano Oks Mosque in Black Area Muslims Deny Alleged Poor Treatments of Blacks in Stores Sun Sentinel Retrieved from</li> <li><a href="https://search-proquest-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/docview/387750627/74CB2AD176BB41E5PQ/9?accountid=10747">https://search-proquest-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/docview/387750627/74CB2AD176BB41E5PQ/9?accountid=10747</a></li> <li>WND (2007, December 7) Mosque lawsuit seeks source of CAIR funding WND Retrieved from <a href="https://www.wnd.com/2007/12/44939/">https://www.wnd.com/2007/12/44939/</a></li> </ul> Last Updated Date revised. November 4, 2019 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 Pompano Beach, FL Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Description An account of the resource A documented account of Case No. FL_02, occurring in Pompano Beach, FL, 33069 from April 2006 to January 2008 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ruth Tilus https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/f3dac1baf0ae487bb4b13734616127b6.png 8369294a5b8bd65a0378f9108fe59010 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 Alamin Center in Boynton Beach targeted and defaced with words of hate [Online image]. Retrieved from https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/boynton-beach/fl-boynton-mosque-signs-vandalized-20161103-story.html.  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 Florida 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. Fl_04 Location The location of the interview West Boynton Beach, FL Date April 2011- [?] Summary Enter a brief description of the case (no more than 600 characters). This should be one or two sentences. After a small group of Muslims continued to congregate for prayers in Boynton Beach, Florida, they finally decided to purchase a property to build a mosque, now known as the Al-Amin Center of Florida. Many of the residents were upset because the construction of the mosque had been approved without their consent. They thought that the mosque would cause disruption and be a distraction to many living in the area. The Al-Amin Center of Florida was constructed and finished building though many had issues with the construction. Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 8101 South Military Trail, Boynton Beach Florida, 33436 Proposed Project Islamic Center; Mosque; Cemetery; School. According to the congregation’s architect, Saleh Elrowney, the project will encompass a 17,000 square foot building that includes the mosque, a Sunday school, a courtyard, and administrative offices. The mosque will also be built with an influence in Mediterranean Spanish architecture Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="http://alamincenterflorida.org/">Al- Amin Center of Florida</a> Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign/Protests, Vandalism/Threat Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications Approved as proposed; finished construction. Current Status: The mosque ended up being built. However, around the same time of the 2016 election, with Trump’s proposal of a Muslim ban, Al-Amin Center of Florida had vandalism on their signs as well as threats. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. In 2011, a group of Muslims planned to build a mosque in West Boynton Beach, Florida. They had been renting space to congregate near US Hwy 441 and wanted their new site to be located on 8101 South Military Trail (Pesantes 2011). This specific site was originally supposed to be used to build a church in 2003, but that never ended up happening. The site was already approved for building a religious institution. However, since the church was never built, this group of Muslims wanted to build their mosque on it instead. The site had been prepared and approved to be used for city purposes since 1998 (Pesantes 2011). Although the county commission had approved project to build the mosque in April 2011, residents raised questions about the project. Some residents were irritated that there had been no public announcement about the project. (Public hearings had taken place when the site was under initial developed for a church project in 2003.) Others expressed concerns about the disruption that might be caused due to calls for prayer through large speakers, and the distracting structure of the mosque, specifically, the minarets and the dome. On June 7, 2011, the Coalition of Boynton West Residential Association (COBWRA), an association representing the communities of West Boynton Beach, held an informational meeting in the Lantana Road Branch Library (Pesantes 2011). According to the association’s website, COBWRA had no problems or concerns with the plan to build a mosque on Military Trail. The one request that COBWRA made however was that a deputy should stand on guard on Fridays during Jummah prayers to regulate traffic on Military Trail. Residents from Gateway Palms, a community close to the proposed mosque project and one not represented by COBWRA, attended the informational meeting in large numbers (Pesantes 20110). They were upset that the project had been approved without a public hearing and that it would move forward without their input or opinions being represented. Many were angered by the approval of the construction of the mosque, and voiced their opinions, stating that as taxpayers, they shouldn’t have to pay for something they don’t want. Others expressed fear that the mosque would lead to an increase in traffic, that it would not be open to the public, and that the architecture would be an eyesore. Alarm over the source of funding for the project could be heard as well (Pesantes 2011). The Muslim group’s architect, Saleh Elrowney, assured attendees at the meeting that no loud speakers would be used for call to prayers and that there was no plan for building minarets or domes. He explained that the project would encompass a 17,000 square foot building that includes the mosque, a Sunday school, a courtyard, and administrative offices, and that mosque’s architecture would be influenced by a Mediterranean Spanish style (Pesantes 2011). In order to calm down the citizens living around the area of the Al-Amin project, Elrowney also stated that there would be a larger distance between the mosque and the homes than required by the county code, and that the buildings would not be higher than 35 feet. Despite Elrowney’s efforts, there still remained a lot of chaos surrounding the Al-Amin project (Pesantes 2011). Though there remained chaos surrounding the project, the Al-Amin Center of Florida eventually finished construction. After construction, the Al-Amin Center for Florida did very well in Boynton Beach. The center’s neighbors made sure to make them feel welcome by correcting the misconceptions of Islam. They have “hosted interfaith Mother’s Day potlucks, welcomed non-Muslim community members to their Ramadan celebrations, and invited congregants from local synagogues over for dinner” (Farzan, 2016). However, many years later during the 2016 elections, Muslims faced much more adversity than compared to previous years. FBI statistics show that Muslim hate crimes increased by 67% when Trump first introduced his campaign in 2015 (Johnson 2016). On November 3, 2016, an unidentified individual drove to the Al-Amin Center of Florida, and spray-painted derogatory words onto the mosque’s welcome sign. The graffiti was removed, and the Palm Beach County police were determined to find the culprit, but they never succeeded (Farzan 2016). The Al-Amin Center of Florida remains an active part of the South Florida community today, even though it has faced much adversity in the past. References Enter list of sources cited using the proper format. <ul><li>(2019). Usatoday.com. Retrieved 22 October 2019, from <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2016/11/14/hate-crimes-2015-fbi-data-muslims/93805146/">https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2016/11/14/hate-crimes-2015-fbi-data-muslims/93805146/</a> </li> <li>(2019). Worldpopulationreview.com. Retrieved 22 October 2019, from <a href="http://worldpopulationreview.com/states/florida-population/">http://worldpopulationreview.com/states/florida-population/</a> </li> <li>Farzan, A. (2016). Vandals Spray Paint "Fuck Islam" on Boynton Beach Mosque's Sign. New Times Broward-Palm Beach. Retrieved 22 October 2019, from <a href="https://www.browardpalmbeach.com/news/vandals-spray-paint-fuck-islam-on-boynton-beach-mosques-sign-8204143">https://www.browardpalmbeach.com/news/vandals-spray-paint-fuck-islam-on-boynton-beach-mosques-sign-8204143</a> </li> <li>Sun Sentinel - We are currently unavailable in your region. (2019). Sun-sentinel.com. Retrieved 22 October 2019, from <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/boynton-beach/fl-boynton-mosque-signs-vandalized-20161103-story.html">https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/boynton-beach/fl-boynton-mosque-signs-vandalized-20161103-story.html</a></li> <li>Sun Sentinel - We are currently unavailable in your region. (2019). Sun-sentinel.com. Retrieved 22 October 2019, from <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-2011-05-24-fl-boynton-new-mosque-20110523-story.html">https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-2011-05-24-fl-boynton-new-mosque-20110523-story.html</a> </li> <li>Sun Sentinel - We are currently unavailable in your region. (2019). Sun-sentinel.com. Retrieved 22 October 2019, from <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-2011-06-07-fl-boynton-mosque-meeting-20110607-story.html">https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-2011-06-07-fl-boynton-mosque-meeting-20110607-story.html</a> </li> <li>Sun Sentinel - We are currently unavailable in your region. (2019). Sun-sentinel.com. Retrieved 22 October 2019, from <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/boynton-beach/fl-boynton-mosque-signs-vandalized-20161103-story.html">https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/boynton-beach/fl-boynton-mosque-signs-vandalized-20161103-story.html</a> </li> <li><a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/boynton-beach/fl-boynton-mosque-signs-vandalized-20161103-story.html"></a></li> <li><a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/boynton-beach/fl-boynton-mosque-signs-vandalized-20161103-story.html"></a></li> </ul> Last Updated Date revised. November 4, 2019 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 West Boynton, FL Description An account of the resource A documented account of Case No. FL_04, occurring in West Boynton Beach, FL, 33436 from April 2011 to [?] Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Zia Pirani Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/0723544dbba75b0d8129b86da7eeb63f.jpg 6e22c928ac78d91aaa504464b9b02be5 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 SOMA Architects (2011), A street view image of the proposed Park51 Islamic center in Lower Manhattan [Online image]. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2011/05/05/135951856/developer-plans-for-n-y-mosque-moving-forward 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 New York 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. Ny_08 Location The location of the interview Lower Manhattan, NY Date December 2009–September 2011 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 43-51 Park Place, Manhattan, NY 10007 Coordinates Enter the coordinates for the location, if they are available. 40.7138° N, 74.0099°W Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. Sharif El-Gamal (Soho Properties) and Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf Last Updated Date revised. October 18, 2019 Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. Background on the Case Park 51 was a project that was envisioned as an interfaith Islamic community center and mosque in Lower Manhattan. The developer, Sharif El-Gamal, sought to promote interfaith relations and dialogue through the proposed community center. However, the project was soon dubbed the “ground zero mosque” due to its proximity to the 9/11 attacks. Thus, a national controversy ensued. People that opposed the project viewed it as disrespectful to build an Islamic center so close to the place where Muslim terrorists had killed American citizens in the name of Islam. It was referred to as a “victory mosque.” However, the project’s organizers maintained that the space was to be a place to build peaceful interfaith relations. While the project’ opponents described the project as a mosque, the project’s organizers emphasized that it would be a community center with a prayer space. The official Park 51 website mentioned that although a mosque was part of the plan, the mosque would be run separately from the rest of the Park 51 center and open to all, regardless of religion. Key events* <ul><li> July 2009: An empty building at 45-47 Park Place, New York, NY was purchased by the real estate company Soho Properties. The building, which was previously a Burlington Coat Factory, was purchased for 4.85 million dollars. This purchase was led by real estate agent Sharif El-Gamal and his investment group.</li> <li> December 2009: The New York Times published an article, “Muslim Prayers and Renewal Near Ground Zero,” about the planned Islamic Center. This brought the case into the public eye. </li> <li> Later in the month, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf’s (the leader of the proposed mosque) wife, Daisy Khan, was interviewed on Fox News’ The O’Reilly Factor. In her interview Khan explained the purpose of Park 51 and how it would “ deliver a message of tolerance and love” (Seminary 2009).</li> <li> May 2010: The formal plans for Park 51 were proposed in a meeting with the Finance Committee of Local Manhattan Community Board No.1. It was approved with a 12-0 vote. The project was then officially titled the Cordoba House, after a region in Spain where people of different religions coexisted peacefully. </li> <li> Later in the month, Pamela Geller, the executive director of the organization Stop the Islamization of America, began posting about the Park 51 project online.</li> <li> June 2010: The first major protest over the Park 51 project occurred. The protest was organized by Geller and attracted over 1,000 protesters.</li> <li> September 2010: Protesters converged in Lower Manhattan over opposition to the “Ground Zero Mosque.” There were rival demonstrations which resulted in some heated confrontations.</li> </ul>*The description of key events regarding this project draws primarily from information available at History of WTC Muslim Center (2016). National Controversy Numerous American politicians weighed in on what had become a national controversy. Sarah Palin, the former governor of Alaska, addressed the controversy via twitter saying, "Peace-seeking Muslims, pls understand, Ground Zero mosque is UNNECESSARY provocation; it stabs hearts. Pls reject it in the interests of healing” (History of WTC Muslim Center, 2016). Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the US House of Representatives, issued a newsletter opposing the proposed project. In addition, on August 11, 2010, CNN published a poll (CNN Opinion Research Poll, 2010), which showed that 68 percent of Americans opposed the plan to build the Islamic cultural center (Park 51) two blocks from the site of 9/11. Only 29 percent were in favor of the plan (History of WTC Muslim Center, 2016). However not everyone opposed the project. President Obama said publicly in 2010, "As a citizen, and as President, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country. That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan… This is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakable” (History of WTC Muslim Center, 2016). Some relatives of victims of the September 11th attack felt that the proposal was offensive because of its proximity to the site of the attacks. In addition, the terrorists who committed the attacks did so in the name of their Islamic beliefs. A majority of the opposition to Park 51 came from online sources. Opposition came from Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer, cofounders of the group “Stop the Islamization of America.” They popularized the term the “victory mosque” to refer to Park 51, which later defined the controversy. Pamela Geller stated, “This is humiliating that you would build a shrine to the very ideology that inspired the attacks of 9/11” (“The Man Behind the Mosque,” 2011). The American Center for Law and Justice, filed a lawsuit against the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission over the proposed Park 51 project. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of former firefighter and 9/11 responder, Timothy Brown. In the lawsuit they alleged that 43-51 Park Place was a historic landmark. If the property were declared a historic landmark, this would have made building the project at that site even more difficult. On July 13, 2011, New York Supreme Court Justice Paul Feinman dismissed the lawsuit (Kirpalani, 2011). There were also several public protests in opposition of Project 51. Outcome and Current Status Sharif El-Gamal’s plan for an Islamic cultural center has been put to an end. Instead, it will be replaced with a 665-foot luxury condominium. By 2011, El-Gamal and his investment group gave into public pressure and decided to abandon the idea for an Islamic center. The site is due to open in 2019 and will include approximately 50 apartments and a small Islamic museum and public plaza. However, it will not include a mosque. The site is no longer referred to as “Park 51.” However, the new name of the project has not yet been announced (Kaysen 2017). References Enter list of sources cited using the proper format. Regional <ul><li> Blumenthal, R., & Mowjood, S. (2009, December 8). Muslim Prayers and Renewal Near Ground Zero. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/09/nyregion/09mosque.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/09/nyregion/09mosque.html</a>.</li> <li>Fahim, K. (2010, November 23). Islamic Center Seeks 9/11 Recovery Grants for Lower Manhattan. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/23/nyregion/23mosque.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/23/nyregion/23mosque.html</a>.</li> <li>Kaysen, R. (2017, May 12). Condo Tower to Rise Where Muslim Community Center Was Proposed. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/12/realestate/muslim-museum-world-trade-center.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/12/realestate/muslim-museum-world-trade-center.html</a>.</li> </ul> National <ul><li>Adler, M. (2010, July 15). Islamic Center Near Ground Zero Sparks Anger. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128544392">https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128544392</a>.</li> <li>Khan, A. (2011, October 17). Rent Dispute Threatens Plans for Controversial NY Mosque and Community Center. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/rent-dispute-threatens-plans-for-controversial-ny-mosque-and-community-center/">https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/rent-dispute-threatens-plans-for-controversial-ny-mosque-and-community-center</a>.</li> <li>Kirpalani, R. (2011, July 13). 'Ground Zero Mosque' Clears Legal Hurdle to Build. Retrieved from <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/ground-mosque-wins-legal-battle-build/story?id=14062701">https://abcnews.go.com/US/ground-mosque-wins-legal-battle-build/story?id=14062701</a>.</li> <li>History of WTC Muslim Center. (2016, December 16). Retrieved from <a href="https://wtcmuslimcenter.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=006679">https://wtcmuslimcenter.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=006679</a>.</li> <li> CNN Opinion Research Poll (2010). Interviews with 1,009 adult Americans. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.procon.org/sourcefiles/CNN%20ground%20zero%20poll.pdf">https://www.procon.org/sourcefiles/CNN%20ground%20zero%20poll.pdf</a>. </li> </ul>Multi-media References <ul><li>Associated Press (Producer). (2011). +4:3 Islamic Centre close to Ground Zero opens to public [Streaming video]. Retrieved from Associated Press Video Collection database.</li> <li>Seminary, A. (2009, December). Religious Leader: Muslim Leader Daisy Khan responds to the question of prayer space at Ground Zero [Streaming video].Retrieved October 27, 2019, from <a href="https://vimeo.com/33167007">https://vimeo.com/33167007</a>.</li> <li>D. (2011, September 27). The Man Behind the Mosque. Frontline. Retrieved October 15, 2019, from <a href="https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/man-behind-mosque/">https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/man-behind-mosque</a>.</li> </ul> Summary Enter a brief description of the case (no more than 600 characters). This should be one or two sentences. A New York real estate man, Sharif el Gamal, wanted to build a mosque and community center on Park Place. Park Place is two blocks from ground zero, the place where 9/11 occurred. The project was met with major controversy. Eventually the project known as Park 51 or Cordoba House began to be called the “ground zero mosque.” The term “ground zero” mosque was used because of the proposed building’s proximity to the World Trade Center, the site of the September 11 attacks. Proposed Project The project that was proposed was an Islamic cultural center. The center was to include a Muslim prayer space, a swimming pool, a preschool, and a 9/11 memorial (Fahim, 2010). Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign/Protest; Legal Campaign/Lawsuit Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications The project was called off by its developer Sharif El-Gamal in 2011. El-Gamal abandoned the idea for an Islamic cultural center. His new design is of a luxury 43-story condominium. 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 Lower Manhattan, NY Description An account of the resource A documented account of Case No. NY_08, occurring in Lower Manhattan, NY 10007 in 2011 and 2012. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rachael Obe https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/35edcb3499a8c353a59c3aac3a562ac1.png 848cb816a44545006a84022dde43c9bc 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 Roxbury Mosque [Online image]. (2008, November 18). Retrieved from <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RoxburyMosque2.JPG">https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RoxburyMosque2.JPG</a> https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/8193dec287dbf0afc266e1465e53c984.png a3409473411360dc26d940c1035bbedd 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 ISBCC Inauguration [Online image]. (2009, June 28). Retrieved from <a href="http://pluralism.org/images/isbcc-inauguration.">http://pluralism.org/images/isbcc-inauguration</a> 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 Massachusettes 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. Ma_01 Location The location of the interview Roxbury, MA Date October 2003-June 2009 Summary Enter a brief description of the case (no more than 600 characters). This should be one or two sentences. Initially formed by a group of college students, the ISB expanded to be the largest Muslim organization in the Greater Boston area. For seventeen years, they struggled to build an Islamic Cultural Center on land they had rightfully purchased. In the mid-2000s, the ISB was entangled in a plethora of public complaints and lawsuits; most were centered around charges that leaders in the Muslim community had connections to terrorist groups. Despite support from both government officials and residents of Boston, the ISB’s project was temporarily delayed. The Islamic Cultural Center was in full operation by the summer of 2009. Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 100 Malcolm X Blvd, Roxbury, MA 02120 Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. 8WJ4+8M Coordinates Enter the coordinates for the location, if they are available. 42° 19' 52.878'' N, 71° 5' 36.9276'' W Proposed Project The 68,000 square foot Islamic Cultural Center, which can hold roughly three thousand people, includes a mosque, school, morgue, library, store, halls, and much more inside. Most of the 1.9 acres bought and $15.6 million spent was used for the construction of the mosque and school. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://isbcc.org/">The Islamic Society of Boston</a> Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign/Protest and Legal Campaign/Lawsuit Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications approved as proposed; delayed Current Status: As of 2019, the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center is still operating smoothly and thousands of congregants attend their religious services every week. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. In the early 1980s, a group of Muslim college students collaborated to form the Islamic Society of Boston to unite the various Muslim Students’ Associations across universities near Boston. The MSAs at local universities were very diverse, and anyone who identified as Muslim was welcomed. As the ISB expanded in population, there was a need for a physical location to congregate at; thus, they began dedicating efforts towards purchasing and building community centers. The first community center, located in Cambridge, MA, was renovated and finalized in 1994 without much opposition. Unfortunately for the ISB, their second project was far more difficult to complete. In the fall of 1992, the ISB negotiated a deal with the City of Roxbury, a neighborhood within Boston, that facilitated the purchase of the land where the Islamic Cultural Center was proposed to be built on. The purchase price ISB negotiated with the city was below market value. The Boston Redevelopment Authority insisted that there was adequate reasoning in granting the ISB a significantly lower price — the BRA believed that the mission and objectives of the ISB would economically benefit the local community, therefore justifying the steep discount. Nonetheless, it would take the ISB until 2002 to finally begin to build the Islamic Cultural Center; given the ISB’s vision to build a mosque, school, library, and much more within the ICC, the cost of the project impeded building plans between 1992 and 2002. The ISB struggled to garner the funds required for the construction of the project, and talks with city officials to resolve legal nuances and explain zonal development requirements only proceeded after the money was secured. The first official lawsuit against the Islamic Society of Boston was filed in September 2004 by James Policastro, a resident of Roxbury (Policastro v. Boston. No 044279C). His concern was not the religious beliefs behind the ISB, but rather that the city of Boston has unconstitutionally subsidized religion by accepting a price that differs substantially from the market value (Albright 2006). Policastro’s lawsuit was dropped by a state judge due to nominal evidence and precedent. Even though anti-Islamic interest groups were unable to legally challenge the project, opponents continued to mobilize against it. One particular organization that gained notoriety was Citizens for Peace and Tolerance (CTP) claiming the ISB was a radicalized branch of Islam in America (The Case Against the Islamic Society of Boston, 2016). In October 2004, CTP requested the City of Boston begin an investigation into anti-Israeli violence and ideologies. A letter by the ISB adamantly denying the accusations curtailed concerns. In response to persistent accusations, in May of 2005, the ISB decided to launch a reverse lawsuit against 16 institutions, including the CPT and local Boston media outlets on the basis of defamation and libel (Ballou 2007). During the lawsuit, heated argumentation in court and countless evidence dumps by both the ISB and the defendants further heightened the tension between the two parties; neither side was willing to admit defeat for two long years. In May of 2007, following the completion of the first stage of the mosque’s construction, the ISB dropped its lawsuit on all 16 institutions. Despite the protracted history of the public dispute, the 24 months following May of 2007 were peaceful. Vocal outcries by a minority still persisted, but these failed to gain traction in comparison to the mass public support of the Islamic Cultural Center. As the ICC’s doors were ceremonially opened in June of 2009, many local Muslims believed they finally triumphed in their quest of having a religious facility that heralds their presence (Paulson June 2009). Perhaps what was even more surprising was the eventual acceptance by seemingly the entire community; with local residents, rabbis, and Muslims all at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the ICC was ultimately embraced by the people of Roxbury and Greater Boston, even those that were initially skeptical. Looking back at the ISBCC in 2019, the project was definitely a success. However, there were some nerve-wracking moments; after the Boston Marathon bombings, significant hatred was directed towards the ICC — as the Tsarnaev brothers frequented the ICC, direct links of terrorism and the ISB were evoked. Nonetheless, the ISB Spiritual Board refused to concede to false narratives. Through a carefully crafted six-step plan (Mogahed 2017), the ISB was able to neutralize its reputation, rebuke any incorrect notions produced out of spite, and boost its public image. With ambitious yet situationally aware leaders at the helm of the ISB, the ISBCC continues to attract more and more attendees every year. References Enter list of sources cited using the proper format. <ul><li>Abel, D. (2007, June 28). In Roxbury, a call for religious tolerance - Interfaith groups at mosque site. The Boston Globe. Retrieved from <a href="https://global-factiva-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/du/article.aspx/?accessionno=BSTNGB0020070628e36s0005x&fcpil=en&napc=S&sa_from=&cat=a">https://global-factiva-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/du/article.aspx/?accessionno=BSTNGB0020070628e36s0005x&fcpil=en&napc=S&sa_from=&cat=a</a>.</li> <li>Albright, C. (2006, May 3). Boston Neighborhood Split on Mega-Mosque. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5379448">https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5379448</a>.</li> <li>Ballou, B. (2007, June 10). Canopy's rise signals end of mosque's plight. The Boston Globe. Retrieved from <a href="https://global-factiva-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/du/article.aspx/?accessionno=BSTNGB0020070611e36a0000b&fcpil=en&napc=S&sa_from=&cat=a">https://global-factiva-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/du/article.aspx/?accessionno=BSTNGB0020070611e36a0000b&fcpil=en&napc=S&sa_from=&cat=a</a>.</li> <li>Barlow, R. (2007, August 11). Boston takes on new religious profile. The Boston Globe. Retrieved from <a href="https://global-factiva-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/du/article.aspx/?accessionno=BSTNGB0020070813e38b0001y&fcpil=en&napc=S&sa_from=&cat=a">https://global-factiva-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/du/article.aspx/?accessionno=BSTNGB0020070813e38b0001y&fcpil=en&napc=S&sa_from=&cat=a</a>.</li> <li>DeMarco, P. (2002, November 8). A Mosque in the Making Ground Broken in Roxbury for Islamic Center. The Boston Globe. Retrieved from <a href="https://global-factiva-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/du/article.aspx/?accessionno=bstngb0020021108dyb8000c3&fcpil=en&napc=S&sa_from=&cat=a">https://global-factiva-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/du/article.aspx/?accessionno=bstngb0020021108dyb8000c3&fcpil=en&napc=S&sa_from=&cat=a</a>.</li> <li>Haq, H. (2009, May 10). Welcome Message ; After 20 years and a flurry of lawsuits, Boston Muslims quietly opened New England's largest mosque in September. The Boston Globe. Retrieved from <a href="https://global-factiva-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/du/article.aspx/?accessionno=BSTNGB0020090622e55a0007r&fcpil=en&napc=S&sa_from=&cat=a">https://global-factiva-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/du/article.aspx/?accessionno=BSTNGB0020090622e55a0007r&fcpil=en&napc=S&sa_from=&cat=a</a>.</li> <li>Mogahed, D. (Ed.). (2017, July 1). Reimagining Muslim Spaces. Institute for Social Policy and Understanding. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.ispu.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/RMS-ISBCC-Crisis-Management.pdf">https://www.ispu.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/RMS-ISBCC-Crisis-Management.pdf</a>.</li> <li>Paulson, M. (2008, September 15). Making peace, and prayers ; Mosque opens its doors as controversy fades. The Boston Globe. Retrieved from <a href="https://global-factiva-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/du/article.aspx/?accessionno=BSTNGB0020080915e49f0003o&fcpil=en&napc=S&sa_from=&cat=a">https://global-factiva-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/du/article.aspx/?accessionno=BSTNGB0020080915e49f0003o&fcpil=en&napc=S&sa_from=&cat=a</a>.</li> <li>Paulson, M. (2009, June 26). A call to prayer, a long quest fulfilled. The Boston Globe. Retrieved from <a href="http://archive.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/06/26/muslim_community_to_celebrate_mosque8217s_ceremonial_opening">http://archive.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/06/26/muslim_community_to_celebrate_mosque8217s_ceremonial_opening</a>.</li> <li>Paulson, M. (2009, January 19). United in prayers Inauguration messages transcend faiths. The Boston Globe. Retrieved from <a href="https://global-factiva-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/du/article.aspx/?accessionno=BSTNGB0020090119e51j0000u&fcpil=en&napc=S&sa_from=&cat=a">https://global-factiva-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/du/article.aspx/?accessionno=BSTNGB0020090119e51j0000u&fcpil=en&napc=S&sa_from=&cat=a</a>.</li> <li>Spitzer, T. (2009, July 5). Mosque's opening a milestone to be celebrated. The Boston Globe. Retrieved from <a href="https://global-factiva-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/du/article.aspx/?accessionno=BSTNGB0020090713e575000ky&fcpil=en&napc=S&sa_from=&cat=a">https://global-factiva-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/du/article.aspx/?accessionno=BSTNGB0020090713e575000ky&fcpil=en&napc=S&sa_from=&cat=a</a>.</li> </ul>Additional Materials <ul><li>The Case Against the Islamic Society of Boston. (2016, April). Americans for Peace and Tolerance. Boston. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.peaceandtolerance.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2016/05/v2-FINAL-June-2016.pdf">https://www.peaceandtolerance.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2016/05/v2-FINAL-June-2016.pdf</a>.</li> <li>Wells, J. (2003, October 28). Radical Islam: Outspoken cleric, jailed activist tied to new Hub mosque. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1009964/posts">https://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1009964/posts</a>.</li> <li>Pipes, D. (2003, Oct 29). The Islamic Society of Boston & the Politicians' Red Faces. Updated Jun 22, 2016. DanielPipes.org [Blog]. Retrieved from. <a href="http://www.danielpipes.org/blog/2003/10/the-islamic-society-of-boston-the">http://www.danielpipes.org/blog/2003/10/the-islamic-society-of-boston-the</a>.</li> </ul>Video: The Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (2017, November 2). How a Mosque Managed a Crisis [Video File]. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLolxllXMnU">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLolxllXMnU</a> 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 Roxbury, MA Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource David Hu Description An account of the resource A documented account of Case No. MA_01, occurring in Roxbury, MA, 02120 from October 2003 to June 2009. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource David Hu https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/86a017ab5d2a923242bf2961d530c308.jpg 15c456cccc8d7ed74886e99eb47eadac 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. Tx_03 Location The location of the interview Farmersville, TX Date May 2015-July 2019 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 333 County Rd 557, Farmersville, TX 75442 Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. 5H5R+RX Farmersville, Texas Proposed Project IACC applied to develop a cemetery on 34 acres of land. The project included restrooms, a pavilion, a maintenance building, internal roads, and approximately 11,000 burial sites. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://planomasjid.org/">Islamic Association of Collin County</a> (IACC) Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign/Protest; Local Ordinance/Legislation Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications Denied in 2017 but approved with minor restrictions after DOJ investigation in December 2018. The cemetery opened in June 2021. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. Farmersville is a rural Texas city in Collin County with an estimated population of 3,500 people. In 2015, the Islamic Association of Collin County (IACC), which operates a mosque on the west side of Plano, TX, spearheaded efforts of five Muslim communities to develop a new cemetery. The cemetery would offer affordable burials for Collin County’s Muslim population, which grew from 6,000 in 2000 to more than 22,000. Up to that point, Collin County’s Muslim families had buried their deceased in cemeteries in Dallas and Denton. Most cities in Collin County such as McKinney, Allen, Blue Ridge, and Anna either did not have adequate space or had certain restrictions against building cemeteries (Veigel 2015). However, in early 2015, IACC identified a 34-acre plot in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the City of Farmersville. The property was in a suitable location in relatively close proximity to the county’s five Muslim communities. The IACC developed plans for its cemetery project to include restrooms, a pavilion, a maintenance building, and approximately 11,000 burial sites (Light, 2018). As a first step, IACC submitted a concept plan to the city’s Planning Commission, which the commission discussed at a special session on May 28, 2015. The City’s engineering firm and city manager reviewed the plan, and the Planning Commission approved it unanimously. Based on the approval, IACC proceeded to purchase the property. The wider Farmersville community did not become aware of the cemetery project for several weeks. However, once news about IACC’s project broke, intense public opposition emerged. Social media posts, emails, and editorials in local papers expressed residents’ and non-residents’ opposition to the project frequently on the basis of religion. Although the project was not on the July and August agendas, meetings of the Planning Commission and the City Council drew large crowds of objectors. While some local community members such as David J. Meeks, the pastor of the Bethlehem Baptist Church, spoke about their concerns regarding this project, others such as Bart Barber, the pastor of the First Baptist Church in Farmersville, supported IACC saying, “The rights of conscience are inalienable, and religious conscience is among those inalienable rights – and that includes Muslims. If I can build a church, Muslims can build a mosque” (Holley, 2015, Jul 24). Reacting to the emerging controversy, the City organized an extraordinary town hall meeting to discuss the project. On August 4, an overflow crowd of 300 to 400 people gathered in the Farmersville High School auditorium. Numerous discriminatory comments about ICAA, Muslims, and Islam were made (Pots, 2015, Aug 5). Local elections in May 2016 brought to office a new mayor and several council members who had run on an anti-cemetery platform. The newly elected officials significantly delayed the project at a significant cost to ICAA for the next two years. Despite the opposition, IACC decided to move forward with its project plans. On June 19, 2017, the Planning Commission considered IACC’s preliminary plat application. It unanimously recommended approval to the City Council. Notwithstanding the recommendation, the Farmersville City Council voted to deny IACC’s application at its regularly scheduled meeting on July 11, 2017. Council members justified their decision by citing general flooding concerns for a small portion of the cemetery property along County Road 557. The result was a complete dismissal that did not give IACC an opportunity to address the issue the council had raised. In September 2017, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it had opened an investigation to inspect the reasons behind the city’s decision to deny the proposal. Following a yearlong investigation, the DOJ concluded in August 2018 that the City of Farmersville had violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA). The DOJ declared it was prepared to file a lawsuit but gave the City of Farmersville a chance to negotiate with IACC. Within a month, the City and IACC came to an agreement to approve the proposal to build the cemetery. The agreement placed a temporary limit on the use of the small section of the cemetery for which flooding issues had been identified. In December 2018, The City of Farmersville formally approved IACC’s application to develop the land as a cemetery (Department of Justice, 2019). On April 16, 2019, the DOJ filed a legal complaint and entered into a settlement agreement resolving the case. The complaint alleged that “City decision makers made discriminatory comments against Islam and acted in response to the religious animus that many members of the public expressed against Muslims” (United States v. City of Farmersville, Texas, 2019). In July, the City approved IACC’s Final Plat. A groundbreaking ceremony was held in 2020. The cemetery has been operational since June 2021. References <ul> <li>Holley, J. (2015). Dispute over Islamic cemetery splits N. Texas community. Houston Chronicle. Available at https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/columnists/native-texan/article/Dispute-over-Islamic-cemetery-splits-N-Texas-6402572.php</li> <li>Department of Justice (2019). Justice Department settles claims against Farmersville, Texas, involving denial of Islamic cemetery. Available at https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-settles-claims-against-farmersvilletexas-involving-denial-islamic-cemetery.</li> <li>Pots, R. (2015, August 5). Why is Farmersville, Texas, so dead-set against a Muslim cemetery? The Daily Beast. Available at https://www.thedailybeast.com/why-is-farmersville-texas-so-dead-set-against-a-muslim-cemetery?ref=scroll. </li> <li>United States v. City of Farmersville (E.D. Tex., 2019). Available at https://www.justice.gov/crt/case-document/complaint-united-states-v-city-farmersville-texas-ed-tex. </li> <li>Veigel, W. (2015, July 9). Muslim cemetery: Residents want it dead. The Farmersville Times. Available at https://farmersvilletimes.com/2015/07/09/muslim-cemetery-residents-want-it-dead. </li> </ul> Last Updated Date revised. April 11, 2022 Year Year the case began. 2015 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 Farmersville, TX Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Description An account of the resource In 2015, the Islamic Association of Collin County (IACC) spearheads the development of a cemetery for American Muslims of Collin County. The project meets with opposition from the residents of Farmersville, TX. Despite a recommendation for approval from the Planning and Zoning Commission, the City Council unanimously rejects IACC’s application in 2017. The Mayor and City Council Members publicly oppose the project. Following an investigation, the United States Department of Justice sues the City in August 2018 for violation of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act. Subsequently, the city of Farmersville and IACC enter an agreement approving the cemetery construction with minor restrictions. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Snehitha Vardhineni Approved (initial denial) Built Cemetery DOJ Lawsuit (RLUIPA) Planning and Zoning Public Campaign Public Speech https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/5131bd13d14a929e3f0a48f39ce3b82c.png 0dd60ad6287b467c6daf4c32e1214ece 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 Bruce, G. (n.d.). Masjid Al-Noor, Brookfield [Online image]. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/lake-country/things-to-do/2018/12/10/two-faith-leaders-talk-not-being-christian-holiday-season/2243863002.">https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/lake-country/things-to-do/2018/12/10/two-faith-leaders-talk-not-being-christian-holiday-season/2243863002.</a> https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/8b3552a6127ad8ab26b1d01b96d89a76.jpg 721c79f775da6beca7d5519e6c0585f4 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 Sink, L. (2012, May 16) Common Council Meeting [Online image]. Retrieved from <a href="https://patch.com/wisconsin/brookfield-wi/mosque-vote">https://patch.com/wisconsin/brookfield-wi/mosque-vote</a>. 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 Wisconsin 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. Wi_03 Location The location of the interview Brookfield, WI Date February-May 2012 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 16670 Pheasant Drive, Brookfield, WI 53005 Summary Enter a brief description of the case (no more than 600 characters). This should be one or two sentences. A large Muslim group, the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, initially planned to construct a mosque in Brookfield, Wisconsin. However, the Brookfield Common Council delayed construction by demanding that public hearings needed to be held. In addition, the council subsequently demanded the initial mosque plans be revised over worries regarding traffic congestion. Public backlash further delayed construction plans. Although the mosque project was successfully completed, it has faced security threats. Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. 3V8J+F6 Brookfield, WI Coordinates Enter the coordinates for the location, if they are available. Latitude: 43.066068 Longitude: -88.120589 Altitude: 255 meters Proposed Project The Islamic Society of Milwaukee purchased a tract of land in an industrial area on Pheasant Drive, just off Calhoun Road in Brookfield, Wisconsin for the construction of a mosque (13,000 sq ft). The mosque was initially intended to be of large size (housing capacity upwards of 250 individuals). The plan was eventually revised after concerns by the public and the city about the mosque construction. The mosque was downsized to a housing capacity of 114 individuals. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="http://www.ismonline.org">The Islamic Society of Milwaukee (ISM)</a> Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign/Protest; Local Ordinance Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications The project was delayed but ultimately moved forward and was successfully constructed in 2015. Despite the successful completion of the mosque, the Muslim community nevertheless experiences threats of violence resulting in the need for increased security. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. Opposition Surrounding the Construction of Masjid Al-Noor In the years prior to 2012 a vast majority of Muslim immigrants choose not to remain in the city of Milwaukee but rather elected to move to Milwaukee’s suburbs. As a result, Brookfield, a western suburb of Milwaukee, garnered a large Muslim community. The suburb of Brookfield itself, however, lacked a mosque. The closest available mosque for the Muslim community was in the city of Milwaukee, which was over 30 minutes away. Thus, in 2012, the Islamic Society of Milwaukee (ISM) elected to build a mosque, Masjid Al-Noor, in the Brookfield area. In early 2012 the Islamic Society of Milwaukee purchased land in Brookfield to serve as the location of the mosque. On February 21, 2012, mosque construction plans were proposed to the City of Brookfield, but the project had to be delayed because the Brookfield Common Council voted unanimously to hold a public hearing on the mosque. The City of Brookfield stated that the reason for delaying this project was not religion but rather worries concerning traffic congestion (Hughes, 2012). To ease these concerns, the Islamic Society of Milwaukee decided to revise the original construction. The Brookfield mosque was initially intended to have an occupant capacity upwards of 250 individuals but was downsized to 114. The planning committee passed the revised proposal (Lavey & Rosoff, 2012). However, construction could not begin until an official public hearing was held. The Islamic Society of Milwaukee began holding informal public information sessions starting on April 23rd, 2012. In the information sessions, community members could ask questions regarding the mosque project and have them answered directly by the Islamic Society of Milwaukee. Most of those in attendance were there to stand in solidarity with the Muslim community. However, a few outspoken opponents criticized the mosque construction on the basis of religion. They stated that a mosque would attract religious extremists and pose a safety concern in the Brookfield community (Lavey & Rosoff, 2012). The second public information session was held on May 2nd, 2012. During this second information session all questions had to pertain to construction only (Keen, 2012). There was no backlash at this meeting, rather several community members voiced their support including a prominent Christian cardinal (Johnson, 2012). The two official city meetings occurred on May 2nd and 7th (Rosoff, 2012). On May 15th, 2012, the City of Brookfield’s Common Council voted to pass the revised plans to build the mosque. The mosque eventually opened to the public on March 2nd 2015 with expenses totaling three million dollars (Sachs, 2015). Current Safety Climate Despite the successful opening of the mosque in Brookfield, the Muslim community nevertheless remains vulnerable to acts of violence and harassment (Mathias, 2017). In early August of 2019, the Islamic Society of Milwaukee had to take several measures to increase the safety of local worshippers. Earlier in the month of August there was a white man suspected of domestic terrorism lingering in the mosque (Brookfield increases police presence at places of worship after reports of a suspicious man, 2019). This threat was taken seriously given that another religious minority group suffered from a domestic terrorist attack a few years earlier (Smith, 2012). On August 5th 2012, a gunman killed six people and wounded three others at a Sikh place of worship in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. The distance between Oak Creek and Brookfield is approximately 25 minutes (Gjelten, 2012). Furthermore, earlier in the year on May 9th and 10th, 2019, the Waukesha County Exposition Center was used on what was perceived by the Islamic Society of Milwaukee as a gathering place for anti-Muslim extremists. The Waukesha Exposition Center hosted a Security Conference in which spectators and speakers discussed matters concerning public and private safety. Speakers at the conference had histories of bigotry and hate. As a result, the Muslim community and other faith councils denounced the conference as Islamophobic because it demonized Muslims (Milwaukee Organizations issue statements about Islamophobic Conference in Waukesha County, 2019). References Enter list of sources cited using the proper format. Local <ul><li>Brookfield increases police presence at places of worship after reports of a suspicious man. (2019, August 16). CBS 58 Newsroom. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.cbs58.com/news/brookfield-increases-police-presence-at-places-of-worship-after-reports-of-a-suspicious-man">https://www.cbs58.com/news/brookfield-increases-police-presence-at-places-of-worship-after-reports-of-a-suspicious-man</a>.</li> <li>Hughes , T. (2012, February 22). Public hearing to be held regarding proposed Brookfield mosque. Fox6 News. Retrieved from <a href="https://fox6now.com/2012/02/21/vote-expected-tuesday-night-regarding-brookfield-mosque-plan">https://fox6now.com/2012/02/21/vote-expected-tuesday-night-regarding-brookfield-mosque-plan</a>.</li> <li>Lavey , T., & Rosoff, H. (2012, May 7). Plan Commissioners approve mosque project, now goes to Council. Fox6 News. Retrieved from <a href="https://fox6now.com/2012/05/07/public-hearing-monday-night-on-proposed-brookfield-mosque">https://fox6now.com/2012/05/07/public-hearing-monday-night-on-proposed-brookfield-mosque</a>.</li> <li>Rosoff, H. (2012, May 3). Religious discussion not allowed at public hearing regarding mosque. Fox6 News. Retrieved from <a href="https://fox6now.com/2012/05/02/religious-discussion-not-allowed-at-public-hearing-regarding-mosque">https://fox6now.com/2012/05/02/religious-discussion-not-allowed-at-public-hearing-regarding-mosque</a>.</li> <li>Sachs, J. (2015, March 2). "A $3 million project:" It began 15 years ago with a dream; on Monday, Brookfield Mosque officially opens. Fox6 News. Retrieved from <a href="https://fox6now.com/2015/03/01/a-3-million-project-it-began-15-years-ago-with-a-dream-on-monday-brookfield-mosque-officially-opens">https://fox6now.com/2015/03/01/a-3-million-project-it-began-15-years-ago-with-a-dream-on-monday-brookfield-mosque-officially-opens</a>.</li> </ul>Regional <ul><li>Johnson, A. (2012, May 5). BLOG: FaithWatch: Faith groups voice support for Brookfield mosque in advance of public hearing. FaithWatch (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel). Retrieved from <a href="https://advance-lexis-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:55JT-SB31-DXX7-H0YW-00000-00&context=1516831">https://advance-lexis-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:55JT-SB31-DXX7-H0YW-00000-00&context=1516831</a>.</li> <li>Johnson, A. (2019, March 16). Milwaukee-area mosques boost security after attacks. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI), p. A9. Retrieved from NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current: <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/172333065383D598">https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/172333065383D598</a>.</li> <li>Milwaukee organizations issue statements about Islamophobic Conference in Waukesha County. (2019, May 14). Wisconsin Muslim Journal. Retrieved from <a href="https://wisconsinmuslimjournal.org/milwaukee-organizations-issue-statements-about-islamophobic-conference-in-waukesha-county">https://wisconsinmuslimjournal.org/milwaukee-organizations-issue-statements-about-islamophobic-conference-in-waukesha-county</a>.</li> </ul>National <ul><li>Mathias, C. (2017, April 14). Muslim Woman Attacked In Possible Hate Crime Thought She Was Going To Die. The Huffington Post. Retrieved from <a href="https://advance-lexis-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:5N9T-9711-F03R-N1FC-00000-00&context=1516831">https://advance-lexis-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:5N9T-9711-F03R-N1FC-00000-00&context=1516831</a>.</li> <li>Smith , D. (2012, August 8). Guns, Sikhs and Obama's political inertia on domestic terror. Retrieved from <a href="https://global-factiva-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/ga/default.aspx">https://global-factiva-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/ga/default.aspx</a>.</li> <li>Keen, J. (2012, May 29). Mosque projects face resistance: Extent of bias debated as foes cite worries such as traffic, parking. USA TODAY. Retrieved from <a href="https://advance-lexis-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:55RY-2HW1-DYRR-93KP-00000-00&context=1516831">https://advance-lexis-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:55RY-2HW1-DYRR-93KP-00000-00&context=1516831</a>.</li> <li>Gjelten, T. (2012, Aug 6). Oak creek tragedy puts Sikh community in spotlight. Talk of the Nation. Washington, D.C.: NPR. Retrieved from <a href="https://login.proxy.library.emory.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/docview/1031208290?accountid=10747">https://login.proxy.library.emory.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/docview/1031208290?accountid=10747</a>.</li> </ul> Last Updated Date revised. November 12, 2019 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 Brookfield, WI Description An account of the resource A documented account of Case No. WI_03, occurring in Brookfield, WI 53005 in early 2012 (February-May). Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Naomi Gonzalez https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/36dcbe2f6d267e27e9469ce367d4ef59.jpg 5d8cc890f67141210656fee9ff8916ba 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 Cuevas, S. (2012, Aug 10). A rendering of the future Al-Nur Islamic Center in Chino [Online image]. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.scpr.org/news/2012/08/10/33770/dead-pig-parts-dumped-future-chino-mosque-site-pro/">https://www.scpr.org/news/2012/08/10/33770/dead-pig-parts-dumped-future-chino-mosque-site-pro</a> . 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 California 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_08 Location The location of the interview Ontario, San Bernadino County, California Date March 2010-November 2016 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 4797 w. Phillips Bl., Ontario, CA 91762 Coordinates Enter the coordinates for the location, if they are available. 34.048394, -117.68075 Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="http://www.alnuric.org">Al-Nur Islamic Center</a> Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action The opposition to this project was extreme. The opposition called Save Our Uniquely Rural Community Environment filed an appeal to stop Al Nur’s permit for land use to create their mosque. After that failed, two unnamed women vandalized the house the group operates out of with pig feet. Although the police investigated, the assailants were not found. References Enter list of sources cited using the proper format. Local Coverage <ul><li>Petition opposes religious center - Plan calls for clinic, mortuary in county residential zone. (2010, March 27). Chino Champion (CA), p. A1, A2. 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/12EF113DA5FEAF40.</li> <li>Mosque won't fit, city says. (2012, April 14). Chino Champion (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/13E30CE5E9AC9058.</li> <li>Opponents of Phillips mosque ask court to set aside permit. (2013, June 29). Chino Hills Champion (CA), p. 10A. 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/1474AF7DE5BCCC10.</li> <li>Ewald, M. (2016, November 12). Residents sue over mosque permit. Chino Hills Champion (CA), p. A1. 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/160AEAA010CC3390. </li> </ul> Regional Coverage <ul><li>Johnson, J. (2012, February 17). Opponents said proposed mosque is being built on too small a parcel of land. Inland Valley Daily Bulletin (Ontario, 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/13CFF19EB93A7B70.</li> <li>Nisperos Staff Writer, N. (2011, March 18). Residents oppose center in neighborhood. Inland Valley Daily Bulletin (Ontario, 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/13612D078969E598.</li> <li>Pig parts dumped at future Chino mosque site prompt call for federal investigation. (2012, August 10). KPCC - 89.3 FM: Web Edition Articles (Pasadena, 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/14C583D1B3F8C770.</li> <li>Acceptance of Inland Muslims high, despite bigoted incident. (2012, August 11). Press-Enterprise, The: Blogs (Riverside, 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/15353D094ECA1260.</li> </ul> Summary Enter a brief description of the case (no more than 600 characters). This should be one or two sentences. A small Muslim community proposed and was approved to construct a 7,520 ft mosque in a 1.5-acre plot of land in Chino, California in 2011. Originally, the group proposed a 11,000 square foot Islamic Center, but because of public outrage, continued legal action against the Islamic group and financial issues, the footprint was reduced to 7,520 square feet. In the end, county officials approved the conditional use permit. However, the community continued to face legal actions from residents living in the area of the proposed Islamic Center. The Muslim community finally gave up on that project and decided to relocate. Proposed Project Al Nur Islamic group purchased 1.5-acre land in unincorporated Chino, California in 2009. Originally, the group proposed a 11,000 ft., two-story Islamic center that included, a worship space, a dining hall, multipurpose room, a free primary health and dental clinic, youth and adult counseling center, education center, library, senior center, and a mortuary service However, it was later changed to a smaller project: a mosque (7,250 sq. ft). Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications After vandalism and legal objections to the mosque, the project was approved by the Planning Commission of San Bernardino County for building on December 8th, 2011. However, it was a conditional permit that only allowed for a 7,512 square ft mosque instead of the proposed 11,000 after the size of the parcel was questioned. Current Status: Due to continuous legal action and harassment, the building for the new masjid became too difficult and the Al-Nur Islamic group was forced to give up on the Chino project and to relocate (AlnurIC.org). Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. Background on local and Muslim Community Chino, California is a city located on the southwestern side of San Bernardino County in Southern California. It was incorporated on February 28th, 1910. Since its inception, the area has had a predominately white population. Today, the city’s population is 50.25 percent white. The area is considered semi-suburban to rural. The Muslim population in the area was estimated to be as low as 0.05 percent prior to the Al-Nur Islamic group. Proposed Project Looking to expand from their rental property in Montclair, the Al Nur Islamic group purchased 1.5 acres on an unincorporated piece of land between Ontario and Chino California in 2009. The group proposed to build a 11,000 square foot Islamic center. The center was envisioned to have three building in addition to the Imam’s home on 4797 w. Phillips Bl. Ontario, CA 91762. “The property is zoned residential…” said Robert Dawson, then deputy director of the planning division of the county land-use department (Chino Champion 2010). The zoning allowed for a house of worship to be built but required a conditional use permit before any religious activities could be conducted. The group filed a letter of intent to use land for religious purposes on October 23, 2009. Rashid Ahmed, then secretary of the Al-Nur Islamic group, explained how the building wouldn’t begin immediately but when the group had raised enough money. Upon conversing with neighbors, Mr. Ahmed detailed how they were “very optimistic” about the proposed project’s presence in their neighborhood. Conflict The problem arose when residents of the Northern Chino area in which the proposed project was to be built disagreed and began a petition in March 2010 to stop the building of the Islamic Center. Ms. Siefert, a resident living in the neighborhood where the Islamic Center was proposed, started the petition and gained 100 signatures in order to present them at the county hearing on the proposed project in the future. Opposed residents spoke of their concerns of increased noise and traffic, and harsh exterior lights disturbing other neighbors. A year later in March of 2011, the complaints increased. More and more residents near the property voiced concerns over how the project would “dramatically change the quiet rural character of their neighborhood with an unwanted increase of vehicular traffic” and the impacts of project on “landscape views, construction, sewage and runoff.” Additionally, Patrick Griffin, Chino Assistant City Manager, in his report to the County Planning Department, detailed that the “scope and size” of the building project was “not consistent with the character and scale of the residential neighborhood” (Nisperos 2011). Eventually, passing the planning commission permit review screening, Al Nur was approved for a conditional use permit on December 8, 2011. In response to this decision, a group of residents near the approved structure submitted an appeal on the Planning Commission’s decision to the County Board of Supervisors that was seen on February 28, 2012. The County Board of Supervisors rejected the appeal and Al Nur maintained their permit. Later in April of 2012, a homeowner group went to legal action in a lawsuit on March 29, 2012, under the California Environmental Quality Act, asking the “judge to cancel county officials’ approval of the [structure] and require the completion of an environmental impact report which was approved” (Edwards 2012). The fight between the residents of Chino and Al Nur continued for 4 more years. After the event surrounding the first lawsuit, the proposed site was vandalized. Pig feet were found placed in the driveway of the site. The Council of American-Islam Relations (CAIR) intervened and pushed the U.S Department of Justice to open an investigation, but the “community did not have security cameras to catch the vehicle license plate number, therefore the detective could not arrest or bring any one to justice” as stated by the Al Nur group themselves. County officials granted the Al Nur Islamic group a “Worship Permit” that allowed them to practice in the house on the approved site. A subsequent lawsuit and repeal followed to stop the permit but both failed. Al Nur Islamic Center maintained their conditional use permit and was also granted a worship permit. Outcome After, being approved for their conditional use permit, Al Nur was allowed to start construction for the mosque. However, the group was also forced to downsize their original plan of a 11,000 sq. ft Islamic Center to a mosque. The group experienced vandalism of the site. The group later met with other religious groups after the vandalism and gained more support from the public. However, that wasn’t enough. The fight for their the Al Nur Mosque wasn’t over even then, the group had to suffer another 6 lawsuits since the initial one in 2012 (Ewald 2016, Nov 12). Current Status Public controversy and legal action against the group continued. The group made the choice to relocate because of safety concerns and dwindling attendees. The group’s website details how the group is now trying to raise money to purchase “1.3 acres including an existing 265-person capacity church, a school building, concrete parking, and 2.43 acres of vacant land” (AlnurIC.org). 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 Ontario, CA Description An account of the resource A documented account of Case No. CA_08, occurring in Ontario, CA between March 2010 and November 2016 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource McKenzie Hann