8 10 101 https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/4d292540f81abad7b2bc389dd918a259.jpg 1ea44a05dc58bf12cb1599d33603da01 https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/f95db2566db8e2f72960365b2bc150d1.jpg 228a312491fe908e70b63f6101e46c70 https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/7a043a927b90031b64df1622bbf950ed.jpg 2e27fd5802a0e6b0eded48216f3512be https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/7855bb12fd80b5ca66c4d5b7eba5eb26.jpg 24ec459b89ec86fcd4a93bece2987054 https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/f0c572e105250734ad196582fd75b0c2.jpg e35ce498567bb24133d631c9ab201453 https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/e271ff4a2f82b2aa2939e34ad65c9480.JPG f73bea7c3575e7afa2fecd0f335a2b89 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 Michigan Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. 68HQ+XJ Pittsfield Charter Twp, Michigan Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) Case No. Mi_05 Location The location of the interview Pittsfield, MI Date 2011-2016 Summary Enter a brief description of the case (no more than 600 characters). This should be one or two sentences. The Michigan Islamic Academy (MIA) seeks to build a school on a vacant 26.7-acre tract of land in Pittsfield Township. The parcel is part of a planned unit development requiring a rezoning application. After a series of heavily attended meetings, the Tonwship’s Planning Commission recommends denial of the application based primarily on concerns over increased traffic. Pittsfield’s Board of Trustees unanimously votes to deny MIA’s application in October 2011. In February 2012, CAIR-MI sues Pittsfield Township on behalf of MIA in federal court. The lawsuit plays out over the next four and one-half years. In October 2015, the Department of Justice files a separate RLUIPA lawsuit against the Township. Both cases are settled in 2016 allowing the project to proceed. The Township is also ordered to pay MIA $1.7 million in damages and legal fees. Proposed Project school (initial proposal also include a future community center and mosque) Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="http://mca-a2.org">Muslim Community Association of Ann Arbor</a> (MCA); <a href="http://mca-a2.org/mia">Michigan Islamic Academy</a> (MIA) Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance administrative denial; public campaign; legal campaign Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications approved (after legal settlement) Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. The Michigan Islamic Academy (MIA), a private Islamic school in Ann Arbor, had outgrown its facilities. Established in 1985 as a subsidiary organization of the Muslim Community Association of Ann Arbor (MCA), MIA shared facilities with MCA’s community center and mosque on Ann Arbor’s Plymouth Road. By 2008, the buildings had become inadequate to deliver the school’s curriculum and MIA began exploring options to branch out. In addition to expanding its existing facilities in Ann Arbor—a plan the City of Ann Arbor approved in May 2010 (Zemke, 2010, May 5)—MIA found a suitable location for a new school building in the nearby Pittsfield Township. The property required a rezoning application. The RLUIPA case that followed the Township’s denial of MIA’s rezoning application included not only MIA’s private lawsuit but also a separate DOJ complaint against the Township as well as a legal intervention by the American Freedom Law Center. In September 2016, after four and one-half years, the parties entered a consent order that allowed the project to proceed. It also required the Township to pay MIA $1.7 million in fees and damages--one of the largest settlement sums in an RLUIPA case at the time. In their search for a suitable property board members had identified an undeveloped residential tract of 26.7 acres in nearby Pittsfield Township The parcel was part of the residential Silverleaf Planned Unit Development (PUD). Although the Township’s master plan permitted schools in residential zones, the PUD made a rezoning application necessary (Gardner, 2011, January 12). MIA representatives informed Township officials about the intended use and received verbal assurance that the property could be rezoned (Perkins, 2011, March 31). In September 2010, MCA community members purchased the property for around $250,000 at foreclosure and continued to work with Township planners on submitting a rezoning application. MIA submitted its petition (RZ 10-04) for one-story school building to the Planning Commission in early December 2010. The submitted plans included plans for a future community center and prayer hall in addition to the educational facilities for the school. The Planning Commission met on January 13, 2011 to discuss the application. Representatives from MIA addressed concerns brought forth by an outside consultant for the Township and signaled their willingness to accept further modifications and conditions. Commissioners, however, voted unanimously in favor of having planning staff draft a resolution for denial that could be discussed and voted on at a subsequent Planning Commission meeting (Gardener, 2011, January 13). Although MIA’s project was not included on the formal agenda until August, several speakers addressed the project at subsequent Planning Commission meetings from the floor. At a heavily attended meeting on June 16, opponents presented the Planning Commission with a petition signed by 26 residents against the project. After controversial statements from the public that included negative comments on Muslim practices, the Planning Commission voted on a preliminary motion to deny MIA’s petition. About 125 residents attended the August 4 meeting when the Planning Commission formally took up MIA’s rezoning petition again and voted 3-2 in favor of the resolution for denial (Perkins, 2011, August 5). The vote came after a long public comment session that had lasted until 1:30 a.m. The Commission based its denial on the assessment that MIA did not fulfill 3 out of 11 required standards for rezoning of the PUD. Commissioners noted that MIA could not be considered a “small-scale school,” which had been a stipulation in the Township’s 2003 masterplan when MIA submitted its application, though the small-scale qualifier had been dropped from the subsequent masterplan in 2010. The Commission also cited expectations for an increase in traffic and expected noise and light disturbances from outdoor activities as further reasons for its denial. The Township’s Board of Trustees (BOT) followed the Planning Commission’s recommendation for denial at its October 26 meeting. The BOT did not publicly deliberate the motion before it proceeded to vote unanimously for denial (Perkins, 2011, October 27). No public comments had been allowed during the meeting. Following the Township’s vote, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District confirmed that it was reviewing the denial as a potential RLUIPA violation (Brand-Williams, 2011, December 27). While the DOJ was still determining whether to start a formal investigation, CAIR-MI announced at a press conference in February 2012 that it had filed a federal lawsuit on MIA’s behalf against the Township. The case Muslim Community Association of Ann Arbor and Vicinity v. Pittsfield Charter Township (E.D. Mich. 12-CV-10803) made it through the court system in several stages involving amendments to the original complaint as well as an intervention by the American Freedom Law Center which sought to “quash” MIA’s discovery demands against seven local residents. In a ruling from March 20, 2015 the court denied MIA’s complaint on the grounds that the group “lacked a legally cognizable property interest to sustain its claims” because it never itself had acquired the property but only received permission from the property owner to use it for its school (Seeman et al., 2015, April 10). Despite this denial based on Michigan state law, the court was careful to state that MIA could still assert the RLUIPA claim if it acquired a property interest or that the claim could be brought by another entity that had such an interest. On May 20, 2015 MIA officially acquired the property (Chaffee et al., 2015, November 1). The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a separate RLUIPA lawsuit against the Township. In United States of America v. Pittsfield Charter Township (E.D. Mich. October 26, 2015) the DOJ alleged that the Township had placed a substantial burden on MIA. The complaint specifically responded to the three required standards for rezoning the Planning Commission had used as basis for its recommendation for denial. “The stated failure to meet the three PUD criteria was without factual basis,” read the complaint (ibid., p. 11). The DOJ further charged that Commissioners had continued to raise concerns about potential problems stemming from a future community center on the site even though MIA had resubmitted revised drawings to the Commission that excluded the plan for a community center and prayer hall. Within a year of the DOJ’s RLUIPA complaint the court entered a consent order that required the Township to allow the project to proceed and to accept additional training, notice, and reporting requirements (“Justice Department and Pittsfield Charter Township Resolve Lawsuit,” 2016, September 29). The consent order was filed concurrently with a consent judgment in MIA’s lawsuit against the Township. The latter required Pittsfield to pay $1.7 million in damages and legal fees that had resulted from the delay in construction caused by the 2011 denial. In addition, CAIR-MI disclosed that the settlement would allow MIA “to build a 70,000 square foot Islamic school, a residential development consisting of 22 duplex units and three single family homes, and a park” (“Islamic School Awarded $1.7 Million in Settlement,” 2016, September 29). Neither consent order required the Township to admit any wrongdoing or liability. As of June 2020, no land had been broken on the property. References Enter list of sources cited using the proper format. <ul><li>Arndt, Danielle. (2012, February 22). American-Islamic council: Pittsfield Township's blocking of Islamic school is 'neo-Jim Crow'. AnnArbor.com. Retrieved from https://infoweb-newsbank-com.</li> <li>Brand-Williams, Oralanda. (2011, December 27). Rejected Muslim school bid reviewed - Group: Institution's rights violated in Pittsfield Twp. The Detroit News: Web Edition Articles, A3. Retrieved from https://infoweb-newsbank-com.</li> <li>CAIR-MI asks DOJ to probe bias in decision on Islamic School. (2011, July 26). PR Newswire. Retrieved from <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com">https://infoweb-newsbank-com</a>.</li> <li>Chaffee, K., Seeman, E., & Merriam, D. (2015, April 10). Round two: DOJ sues Pittsfield Charter Township. Robinson+Cole. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.rluipa-defense.com/2015/11/round-two-doj-sues-pittsfield-charter-township">https://www.rluipa-defense.com/2015/11/round-two-doj-sues-pittsfield-charter-township</a>. </li> <li>Gardner, Paul. (2011, January 12). Michigan Islamic Academy seeks to build new school on Ellsworth in Pittsfield Township. AnnArbor.com. Retrieved from https://infoweb-newsbank-com.</li> <li>Gardner, Paul. (2011, January 13). 'Not a lot of support' for Michigan Islamic Academy in Pittsfield Township. AnnArbor.com. Retrieved from https://infoweb-newsbank-com.</li> <li>Islamic school awarded $1.7 million in settlement of CAIR-MI suit against Michigan township. (2016, September 29). PR Newswire. Retrieved from https://infoweb-newsbank-com.</li> <li>Justice Department and Pittsfield Charter Township resolve lawsuit. (2016, September 29). Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-and-pittsfield-charter-township-resolve-lawsuit-over-denial-zoning">https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-and-pittsfield-charter-township-resolve-lawsuit-over-denial-zoning</a>. </li> <li>Perkins, Tom. (2011, October 27). Michigan Islamic Academy vows litigation after Pittsfield Township rejects rezoning for school. AnnArbor.com. Retrieved from https://infoweb-newsbank-com.</li> <li>Perkins, Tom. (2011, August 5). Islamic school rezoning rejected by Pittsfield Township Planning Commission. AnnArbor.com. Retrieved from https://infoweb-newsbank-com.</li> <li>Perkins, Tom. (2011, March 31). Michigan Islamic Academy officials make case for new Pittsfield Township school. AnnArbor.com. Retrieved from https://infoweb-newsbank-com.</li> <li>Seeman, E., Chaffee, K. & Merriam, D. (2015, April 10). Court finds Muslim group lacks property interest and tosses RLUPA suit; Pittsfield Charter Township wins. Robinson+Cole. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.rluipa-defense.com/2015/04/court-finds-muslim-group-lacks-property-interest-and-tosses-rluipa-suit-pittsfield-charter-township-wins">https://www.rluipa-defense.com/2015/04/court-finds-muslim-group-lacks-property-interest-and-tosses-rluipa-suit-pittsfield-charter-township-wins</a>. </li> <li>Zemke, Jon (2010, May 5). Ann Arbor green lights Michigan Islamic Academy expansion. Concentrate. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.secondwavemedia.com/concentrate/devnews/michiganislamicacademyannarbor0102.aspx">https://www.secondwavemedia.com/concentrate/devnews/michiganislamicacademyannarbor0102.aspx</a>. </li> </ul> Last Updated Date revised. June 23, 2020 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 Pittsfield, MI Description An account of the resource A documented account of Case No. MI_05, occurring in Pittsfield, MI, 48105 from 2011 to 2016 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Stewart Zelnick Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/5f4fbcb134cda5a7d015c729e76d3f69.png bcda5d414de99f6ffa2a865a2196dd7a 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 Fabbre, A. (2017). From left, Islamic Foundation of the Southwest Suburbs President Tamveer Iqbal and foundation members Zaki Basalath, Mahmood Akhter and Syed Pasha in front of the Plainfield former church building [Online image]. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/ct-plainfield-mosque-vote-met-20170919-story.html">https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/ct-plainfield-mosque-vote-met-20170919-story.html.</a> https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/06880f6cf821d46f92a28c4ed385a7dc.png fd523c66fca0ea15f8e0b45f53f2b656 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 Illinois 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. Il_18 Location The location of the interview Plainfield, IL Date August 7-September 18, 2017 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 23616 W. Main St, Plainfield, Illinois 60544 Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. JR94+8H Coordinates Enter the coordinates for the location, if they are available. 41.6183° N, 88.1935° W Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://ifsws.org/">The Islamic Foundation of the Southwest Suburbs</a> Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign/Protest; Local Ordinance Last Updated Date revised. November 4, 2019 Summary Enter a brief description of the case (no more than 600 characters). This should be one or two sentences. On Monday, August 8th of year 2017, the Islamic Foundation of the Southwest Suburb in Plainfield, Illinois applied for a special use permit to open a Muslim community center on Main Street. However, The Plainfield Village Board rejected the request due to objections and concerns from Plainfield residents over traffic and parking spaces in nearby residential areas. A group of residents had drafted a petition asking the village board to deny the application. Even though the petition garnered only 69 signatures, the village board still rejected the Muslim community’s proposal. A revised proposal addressing some of the neighbors’ concerns was rejected as well. After claims of racial and religious discrimination and a strong public support for the mosque project, the Plainfield Village Board approved the project at its meeting on September 18th, 2017. Proposed Project In addition to a 38-space asphalt parking lot next to the building, the Muslim community center provides spaces for worship, storage, and other facilities useful to the people using the community center. Along with small playground equipment nearby, the community center is approximately 2.2 ± acres with 2800± square feet of built space over two levels. Nearby residential areas and properties are at least 90 to 100 feet away from the community center and 40 to 50 feet away from the parking lot (Bogda, 2017). Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications Denied; then approved. After many complaints of discrimination, the Plainfield Village Board passed Basalath and his group’s proposal on September 18th, 2017. This allowed the Muslim community to operate the mosque and community center on its property in a residential-zoned district at 23616 W. Main. St Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. Basalath and Board Members Create Proposal Leaders of successful Muslim community center in Bolingbrook including Zaki Basalath-the secretary- and his group (the Islamic Foundation of the Southwest Suburbs, a non-profit organization) wanted to open a Muslim facility in Plainfield. Basalath and his group has held numerous prayer services in a storefront in Route 59 for ten years in the Plainfield area and earlier in the year of 2017, the group bought the former church site/Montessori school for $580,000 and requested the Plainfield Village Board for permission to open a Muslim community center. However, there were various concerns and objections from the public in terms of allowing the religious center to operate in a residential area. The Local Community and Public Protest The Muslim group had great dilemma and objection for their proposal from the Plainfield residents surrounding the desired location of the Mosque (Muslim community) due to traffic and parking concerns even though the location used to be a church and Montessori school in the past. A group of residents had drafted a petition asking the village board to deny the application. Even though the petition garnered only 69 signatures, the village board still rejected the Muslim community’s proposal. Basalath claimed that the opposition to his and his group’s request was motivated by racial and religious discrimination. Therefore, soon on September 18th, there was a meeting between the Southwest Suburban Activists and Illinois Stop Moving Backwards for reconsideration of the results, also urging local residents to attend and speak up in favor of the Muslim community. The Muslim group refused to give up on their Mosque proposal by organizing an online event called “Stand with Muslims in Plainfield to Demand Approval of a Mosque!” on Facebook, promoting and inviting Plainfield residents to join the Plainfield Village Board meeting to support a local Muslim group which was denied to practice their religion freely-praying and worshipping- for no logical reason. The Revised Proposal After the second objection from the Plainfield village board, Basalath and members of the Islamic Foundation of the Southwest Suburbs revised their proposal utilizing the feedback and discussion from the meeting on August 7th when a motion to table the discussion was voted down. “The revised proposal included: no parking on Ash street along the property’s frontage; dense landscaping to prevent headlights from shining into nearby homes; an occupancy limit of 114 people based on the existing capacity of 38 parking spaces in the parking lot; and ‘resident only’ parking on Maple Court” (Ortiz, 2018). After reviewing the revised proposal, the Village Board stated that the Mosque property usage was more reasonable and possible than the first proposal. Outcome After many failures and objections due to minor traffic and parking problems, the Muslim community center was able to move forward on September 18th by getting their proposal accepted due to numerous claims of religious and racial discrimination and an original no vote from those who were Muslims in Plainfield and other people who strongly supported the Muslim community. Over 100 people attended the meeting, and an overwhelming majority of people supported the construction of the Muslim Community Center and moved forward even though there were some restrictions and conditions including owners having to follow parking restrictions and installing a privacy fence for nearby residents. It was a rare case where many members of the public actually supported the Muslim community within their residential area. Therefore, there were several agreements made in terms of the operation of the community center, including the costs for design and engineering of the community center could not go over $1 million, and the overall construction could not cost over $4.8 million. Current Status For over a year of planning, raising profit, and construction, the mosque in Plainfield opened on May 11th, 2018. There was an open house and ribbon-cutting the day before the Mosque officially opened to the public. The public officials and residents of Plainfield took tours of the Muslim Community Center, “ate food the foundation served, and even participated in a Q&A session with members of the Muslim community” (Ortiz, 2018). Basalath also stated that the Muslim community received many different welcoming phone calls and gifts delivered to them which made him realize how warm of a community Plainfield actually is. References Enter list of sources cited using the proper format. Local <ul><li>Antinori, Shannon and Staff, Patch. (2017, August 28th). ‘Stand with Muslims in Plainfield’ Event Planned After Muslim Center Voted Down. Plainfield Local News. Retrieved from <a href="https://patch.com/illinois/plainfield/stand-muslims-plainfield-event-planned-after-muslim-center-voted-down">https://patch.com/illinois/plainfield/stand-muslims-plainfield-event-planned-after-muslim-center-voted-down</a>.</li> <li>Plainfield trustees approve site plan for Pace lot. (2017, September 22). Real Estate Monitor Worldwide. Retrieved from <a href="https://advance-lexis-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:5PJ2-S9R1-F11P-X3RB-00000-00&context=1516831"></a>.</li> <li>Mallory, M. (2017, September 19). Plainfield trustees allow attorney to draft ordinance to allow mosque in neighborhood. Herald News, The (Joliet, IL). Available 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/16704B260C7DFB98">https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/16704B260C7DFB98</a>.</li> </ul>Regional <ul><li>Fabbre, Alicia (2017, September 20th). Suburban mosque proposal advances despite opposition from some neighbors. Chicago tribune. <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/ct-plainfield-mosque-vote-met-20170919-story.html">https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/ct-plainfield-mosque-vote-met-20170919-story.html</a>.</li> <li>Hush, Chris (2017, September 18th). Proposed Plainfield Mosque Approved After Initial Rejection. NBC 5 Chicago. <a href="https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Planned-Plainfield-Mosque-Approved-After-Initial-Rejection-445558553.html">https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Planned-Plainfield-Mosque-Approved-After-Initial-Rejection-445558553.html</a>.</li> <li>Watson, J. (2008, Mar 01). Prayer chain: A world of worship -- here at home. Indianapolis Star Retrieved from <a href="https://login.proxy.library.emory.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/docview/240975345?accountid=10747"></a></li> </ul>National <ul><li>Mallory, M. (2017, September 13). Plainfield residents speak out in support of Muslim group. Herald News, The (Joliet, IL). Available 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/166E896A702EF600">https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/166E896A702EF600</a>. Ortiz, Alex (2018, May 13th). Plainfield mosque opens its doors after a year of planning. The Herald-News. <a href="https://www.theherald-news.com/2018/05/11/plainfield-mosque-opens-its-doors-after-a-year-of-planning/a66gg73/">https://www.theherald-news.com/2018/05/11/plainfield-mosque-opens-its-doors-after-a-year-of-planning/a66gg73/</a>.</li> <li>Tucker, G. (2017, October 11). Plainfield mosque gets last stamp of approval. Bugle, The (Niles, IL). Available 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/1677BF3DB7D7EDD0">https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/1677BF3DB7D7EDD0</a>.</li> </ul>Other files: Bogda, Andrew and Proulx, Jonathan (2017, June 16th). Special Use for Religious Assembly (Public Hearing). Local Plan Commission. <a href="https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/80332/Plainfield_Community_Center_Staff_Report_and_Photos.pdf">https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/80332/Plainfield_Community_Center_Staff_Report_and_Photos.pdf</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 Plainfield, IL Description An account of the resource A documented account of Case No. IL_18, occurring in Plainfield, IL, 60544 from August to September 2017 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Yubin Kwon Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University 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/75778b4520841ac347cdce80f58b4df8.jpg a8bdf0b208d3fb0c30605dadef856d82 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_07 Location The location of the interview Port St. Lucie, FL Date February-April 2017 Summary Enter a brief description of the case (no more than 600 characters). This should be one or two sentences. Residents protest at a commission meeting against a potential proposal for a mosque within the city of Port. St. Lucie. The Treasure Coast Islamic Society had created a GoFundMe project to help raise $200,000 to purchase a vacant storefront formerly occupied by the Church on the Rock to use as a mosque and weekend Islamic school. The seller did not accept the Muslim community’s purchase offer. By the time of the city commission meeting, the property had already come under contract and was later sold to a Haitian church. Residents, however, continued to mobilize on Facebook and spoke at the commission meeting to decry the possibility of a mosque in the city. Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 1481 SW Bougainvillea Ave, Port St. Lucie, FL 34953 Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. 7J74+WG Port St. Lucie, Florida Proposed Project The Muslim community seeks to use a vacant storefront formerly occupied by a church for use as mosque and weekend Islamic school. It does not require city approval. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. Treasure Coast Islamic Society Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance public campaign; bias-related incident Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications The seller does not accept the Muslim community’s purchase offer and sells the property to a Haitian church. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. Founded in late 2016, the Treasure Coast Islamic Society (TCIS) sought to purchase a building in the city of Port St. Lucie, FL to serve as a house of worship and a weekend Islamic school for local Muslim residents. It would have been the first mosque within the city limits. The Muslim community made an offer on a storefront building occupied by the Church on the Rock that had recently come up for sale. Although the offer was unsuccessful and the building soon came under contract by another Christian community, local opposition to the TCIS’s plan for a new masjid in Port St. Lucie had already been mobilized on social media between February and April in response to a GoFundMe campaign TCIS had created to raise funds to purchase the church property. Public opposition came to a head at a city commission meeting in late April. In anticipation of protests, city officials had increased the police presence at the meeting on April 24, 2017. Opponents speaking out before the city commission against a potential mosque expressed concerns about the anticipated level of noise from daily calls to prayer and expressed fear that the mosque would become a security threat. Some supporters of the local Muslim community attended the meeting but sharply anti-Muslim points of view dominated the public comment section. A local newspaper reported that few who spoke at the city commission meeting were residents of Port St. Lucie but had arrived from outside the city (Rodriguez 2017). Opponents’ statements raised suspicion of Muslims describing Islam as incompatible with and dangerous to America with statements such as, “We don’t need to hear five times a day their prayer. Their culture. You don’t do it here. We are American” (quoted in McRoberts 2017); “I think it’s a bad idea. I don’t think it should happen. We are a Christian nation, we always have been and that should be respected” (quoted in Buczyner 2017); and “Fifteen to 20 percent of their population seeks to destroy and kill you and me” (quoted in Rodriguez 2017). To raise the specter of extremist violence, speakers made reference to Omar Mateen who had attended the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce twenty miles north of Port St. Lucie. Mateen had committed the mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando the year before on June 12. City officials responded to the concerns expressed at the meeting by pointing out that the city had not received any official permitting request for a local mosque but that any such request would be treated in accordance with local zoning regulations that pertained to all houses of worship regardless of the specifics of an applicant’s religion. In the case of an application to operate a house of worship out of a vacant storefront with fewer than 3,000 square feet of space--as would have been the case with the building of the former Church on the Rock-- no approval would be required. In his remarks at the city commission meeting, Mayor Greg Oravec went beyond clarifying the city’s permitting process to remind opponents that constitutional rights are afforded to all citizens saying, “We don’t get to pick and choose which freedoms are afforded to our citizens, or to pick and choose among our citizens. We fight for them all” (quoted in McRoberts 2017). Public response to the city council meeting criticized the anti-Muslim statements made by opponents but generally lauded the city’s response to the controversy. A spokesperson for the Florida office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-FL) rejected opponents’ religious intolerance as a threat to the wider community (Rodriguez 2017), whereas the editorial board of The Stewart News gave the mayor a “thumbs-up” for his handling of the controversy and praised his public remarks that the rights and freedoms protected in the U.S. Constitution also applied to Muslim Americans (Thumbs up 2017). The members of the TCIS responded to the controversy with the commitment to continue their search for a suitable place for their community to meet and practice their religion (Byczyner 2017). Current data on mosques and Islamic centers in the area of St. Lucie County, however, suggests that the community has not yet realized its plan. The opposition to the plans of the Treasure Coast Islamic Society to open a mosque in Port St. Lucie occurred, as mentioned above, in the wake of the Pulse nightclub shooting in neighboring Orlando. The Islamic Center of Fort Pierce, which the shooter had attended, had been subject to threats and intimidation campaigns in 2016 (Broad 2016, June 17; Elliott 2016, June 27). An attack on an individual community member in front of the Islamic center was reported in July 2016 (Tishchenko 2016, July 3). The campaign against the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce culminated in an arson attack on September 12, 2016. The fire destroyed parts of the historic building that housed the Islamic center, formerly known as Dutton Memorial Church, and caused the community to relocate to a new property in Fort Pierce the following year. Anti-Muslim mobilization, however, was not a new phenomenon. The events in 2016 and 2017 had been preceded by other cases of opposition to Muslim building projects in St. Lucie County. Prior cases included local opposition to a proposed mosque in 2008 [FL_03] and a Muslim cemetery in 2013 [FL_05], both in White City. References <ul> <li>Buczyner, Michael. (2017, April 25). Religion rift in Port St. Lucie as Muslim group plans to build mosque. CBS-12 News. Retrieved from <a href="https://cbs12.com/news/local/religion-rift-in-port-st-lucie-as-muslim-group-plans-to-build-mosque">https://cbs12.com/news/local/religion-rift-in-port-st-lucie-as-muslim-group-plans- to-build-mosque</a>.</li> <li>McRoberts, Meghan. (2017, April 25). Rumored mosque in Port St. Lucie sparks controversy: City leaders say no plan to build mosque. NBC-5 WPTV. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.wptv.com/news/region-st-lucie-county/port-st-lucie/rumored-mosque-in-port-st-lucie-sparks-controversy-city-leaders-say-there-is-no-plan">https://www.wptv.com/news/region-st-lucie- county/port-st-lucie/rumored-mosque-in-port-st-lucie-sparks-controversy-city-leaders-say-there-is-no-plan</a>.</li> <li>Rodriguez, Nicole. (2017, April 26). Shaping our future - Church won’t be purchased by Muslim group. St. Lucie News Tribune. Available from NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.</li> <li>Rodriguez, Nicole. (2017, April 25). Potential mosque sparks debate - Concern voiced at PSL council meeting. St. Lucie News Tribune (Fort Pierce, FL). Available from NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.</li> <li>Rodriquez, Nicole. (2017, April 25). Port St. Lucie church won't be purchased by Muslim group for mosque. TCPalm. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/shaping-our-future/property-values/2017/04/25/port-st-lucie-church-wont-purchased-muslim-group-mosque/100878316">https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/shaping-our-future/property-values/2017/04/ 25/port-st-lucie-church-wont-purchased-muslim-group-mosque/100878316</a>.</li> <li>Thumbs up - Port St. Lucie mayor gets it right on mosque. (2017, April 29). The Stuart News. Available from NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.</li> <li>Westbury, Anthony. (2017, Apr 28). In mosque protest, we really showed our ugly side again. TCPalm. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.tcpalm.com/story/opinion/columnists/anthony-westbury/2017/04/28/anthony-westbury-mosque-protest-we-reallyshowed-our-ugly-side-again-video/100948524">https://www.tcpalm.com/story/opinion/columnists/anthony-westbury/2017/04/28/anthony- westbury-mosque-protest-we-reallyshowed-our-ugly-side-again-video/100948524</a>.</li> </ul> Last Updated Date revised. June 22, 2020 Year Year the case began. 2017 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 Port St. Lucie, FL Description An account of the resource In late April 2017, residents protest at a city commission meeting against a potential proposal for a mosque by the Treasure Coast Islamic Society in the City of Port. St. Lucie. By the time of the city commission meeting, the property is already under contract to be sold to a Haitian church. Residents, however, continue to mobilize on Facebook and speak at the commission meeting to decry the possibility of a mosque in the city. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Stewart Zelnick Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Mosque Not Built Prior Church Use Public Campaign https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/b50a2cb8c551aa3e64fd815292e8104c.jpeg f35b45ded76401999c5dba5bfa67eeb1 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 North Carolina 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. Nc_01 Location The location of the interview Raleigh, NC Year Year the case began. 2017 Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. On October 06, 2017, construction workers of a mosque and Muslim youth community center reported that a campaign sign in front of the property had been vandalized. The vandals had drawn a swastika, “TRUMP”, and a racial slur for Muslims on the poster, which was in support of Muslim city council candidate Zainab Baloch. Zainab commented on the incident, saying: "The vulgar language that was used was very traumatizing; it was hurtful” and that she was aware that by running for the position, she might put herself at further risk for these types of attacks, but believed that the city needed more representation in leadership positions (Athans, 2017, October 06). Following the vandalism, both CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper and the Muslim American Public Affairs Council called for Americans to condemn this act of hate. Baloch was running for one of two at-large city council seats but was not elected, coming in fifth out of seven candidates with 11% of the popular vote. References Athans, E. (2017, October 6). Campaign sign of Muslim Raleigh candidate defaced with racial slur. ABC11 Raleigh-Durham. Retrieved from <a href="https://abc11.com/zainab-baloch-racial-slur-muslim-culture-campaign-sign-woman/2499969/">https://abc11.com</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 Raleigh, NC Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Bryce Bentinck Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Description An account of the resource In October 2017, vandals spray painted “TRUMP”, a racial slur for Muslims, and a swastika on the campaign poster of a Muslim city council candidate in front of the construction site of a local mosque in Raleigh, NC. A re-zoning application for the mosque project had been approved in 2014 and a site plan filed in 2016. Approved Bias-related Incident Mosque Under Construction https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/f01b672fcefada7be1f65a7897fba8bc.jpg e82a52b20a2279a8cb4e1af388b09401 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived https://www.facebook.com/Islamic-Center-of-Henrico-Masjid-Al-Falah-1507292772815596/photos/a.1507294112815462/1507294119482128 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 Virginia Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) VA_01 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 7705 Impala Dr, Richmond, VA 23228 Date 2008 Location The location of the interview Richmond, VA (Henrico County) 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 Richmond, VA Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Description An account of the resource In 2008, the Islamic Center of Henrico submits a proposal to rezone a 5.2-acre lot to build a 10,000-square-foot mosque and community center. Mosque opponents raise concerns about increased noise and traffic. After Henrico County denies the application, the center sues the county, alleging religious discrimination. In March 2010, the U.S. Department of Justice opens an investigation into the county’s denial and subsequently files a separate federal suit, noting that the county had never denied a zoning application submitted by a Christian church. The lawsuits are settled out of court after the county approves a new rezoning application for the mosque property in August 2011 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ezoza Eshova, Madeleine Kleinerman, Indar Ramlal, and Kenneth Wingate Approved Built DOJ Islamic Center Lawsuit (RLUIPA) Planning and Zoning Public Campaign REL383_SP22 https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/12507b83d6b717da1d46463b2c9cbc77.png b3ca0f9f663810f95d9abf00f5472214 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. Date 2015 Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) Case No. Sc_01 Location The location of the interview Rock Hill, SC Year Year the case began. 2015 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. Bird Street, Rock Hill, SC 29730 Proposed Project The Islamic Center of South Carolina originally proposed a project to construct a Muslim cemetery complex in Rock Hill, SC, in a residential area on Bird Street. However, the project's details are not specified, such as size and the number of plots. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://icscrockhill.org/">Islamic Center of South Carolina</a> (Masjid Al Saalam) Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign, Zoning Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications In 2015 the project was rejected by the zoning board of appeals. However, in 2016 the Zoning Board worked with the Muslim community to find a new plot for the cemetery, approving the project in November of that year. In 2017 the project began construction and is currently operational. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. In September 2013, Masjid Al Saalam of the Islamic Center of South Carolina opened as the first mosque in Rock Hill, SC. Rock Hill is the fourth-largest city in the Charlotte metropolitan area. Two years later, the Islamic Center of South Carolina proposed building a cemetery to meet the needs of Rock Hill’s growing Muslim community. The project was spearheaded by Nazir Cheema, a decades-long Rock Hill resident. Cheema and other Rock Hill Muslims proposed the cemetery project on Bird Street near Anderson Road. However, the project required a zoning exception because the property was in an area zoned residential. The Muslim community petitioned the city for a variance utilizing the Complementary Use designation, which would allow for the property to be used as a religious site. Although city officials had supported the request, the Zoning Board of Appeals rejected the petition at its public meeting on July 21, 2015. The project was met with fierce public opposition at the July Zoning Board of Appeals meeting. Rock Hill residents cited concerns about traffic, property value, neighborhood character, and Muslim burial practices. A resident was reported asking “what would happen behind a Muslim cemetery fence” (Dys, 2015, Jul 29). Opponents also presented a petition with 28 signatures to the Zoning Board of Appeals. Aware of potential legal challenges under the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), the Zoning Board had conferred with legal counsel behind closed doors prior to the final vote. The application ultimately failed and was denied on a split vote (3-3). Questions about the board's decision remained because an exception for religious structures, schools, and playgrounds in residential zoning districts is frequently granted. For example, the city had previously approved a Catholic church’s columbarium in close proximity to the proposed site (ibid.). Following the denial, Nazir Cheema questioned the board’s decision saying, “What I heard here was that we are Americans and have rights, but we as Muslims do not have the right to bury our dead” (Dys, 2015, Jul 29). He added, “If this cemetery did not have the word Muslim, it would have been different. Are we not Americans? Do we not love America? Yes, we do” (ibid.). The Council on American-Islamic Relations followed the controversy and offered support in case the Muslim community decided to pursue a legal challenge. Despite their disappointment and unanswered questions about the board’s decision, the Muslim community decided not to appeal the board's decision to the Circuit Court. In 2016, city officials assisted the Muslim community in securing a different piece of property on Blackmon Street zoned for commercial use. The Islamic Society of South Carolina acquired the land and received approval for cemetery use without any public or administrative opposition (Dys, 2017, Jun 18). The new plot on Blackmon Street has woods on two sides and homes behind trees on two sides. Construction on the site began in 2017, and a fence was put between the homes and the cemetery as a courtesy to the neighbors. The Islamic Center of South Carolina currently maintains the cemetery. References <ul> <li>Dys, A. (2015, July 29). Rock Hill Muslims: Cemetery buried by city not dead yet. The Herald (Rock Hill, SC), p. 3A. Available from <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/156E641D8D773848">NewsBank</a>. </li> <li>Dys, A. (2017, June 18). Neighbors, zoning no longer roadblocks. Rock Hill's first Muslim cemetery to open. The Herald (Rock Hill, SC), p. 1A. Available from <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?%20p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/1651CE763930A000">NewsBank</a><a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?"></a>. </li> </ul> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Rock Hill, SC Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Sofia Fonti Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Description An account of the resource In 2015, city officials in Rock Hill, SC deny an exception for cemetery usage to the Islamic Society of South Carolina. The public hearing before the Zoning Board draws a standing-room crowd in opposition to the project, including prejudicial statements against Muslims and Islam. The Muslim community does not appeal or take legal action against the decision. In 2017, ISC purchases a different property zoned for cemetery use. Built Cemetery Denied Planning and Zoning Public Campaign Relocated 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/21c879878c36d1408b34c1ec7d931c79.pdf ec261f61bc05627042f13fa0020bb9a9 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource Mosque Building Elevations [online image] (2015). Retrieved October 7 from http://www.cordobacenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Mosque-Building-Elevations.pdf Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource This collection documents 29 cases of public opposition towards American Muslim cemetery building projects from 2002 to 2023. Each case contains a narrative that describes its events, which was compiled through analyzing newspaper archives via NewsBank and NexisUni. The primary challenge American Muslim communities face when establishing cemeteries is obtaining administrative approval from an entity such as a city council or board of commissioners. Residents' concerns related to groundwater contamination, lowered property values, and aesthetics often pressure authorities to deny cemetery projects. These reasons for opposition differ from those involving mosques, which tend to focus on increased traffic, violations of noise ordinances, and the potential for terrorism. This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024). However, it does not fully represent all controversies surrounding American Muslim cemeteries, as it focuses on post-2000 cases and does not include cases of vandalism against established cemeteries. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ryan Wang Title A name given to the resource Cemeteries Language A language of the resource English Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Current and former Oxford College of Emory University students: Sofia Fonti, Ben Damon, Geneva Cunningham, Ameer Alnasser, Nadira Hassan, Chloe Peyrebrune, Lauren Yee, Ammarah Ahmed, Alexander Cleveland, Ehren Fernandez, Andres Lebed Wright, Bryce Bentinck, Rahim Khan Alidina, Ayman Badawy, George Drakos, Shahmeer Khan, and Snehitha Vardhineni. Project supervisor: Dr. Florian Pohl Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) Case No. Ca_09 Location The location of the interview San Martin, CA (Santa Clara County) Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 14065 Monterey Road, San Martin, CA 95046 Proposed Project The Cordoba Center project includes a 9,000 square-foot mosque, 14,500-square-foot community center, 15,000-square-foot community plaza, and 3,380-square-foot caretaker's building. The project is designed to be eco-friendly with heavy influence from Spanish-Andalusian architecture. The proposed cemetery covers 3.5 acres and has a maximum of 1,996 gravesites, with a limit of 30 burials annually. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="http://www.svic.org/blog/">South Valley Islamic Center</a> Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications The South Valley Islamic Center received project approval in December 2019. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. The South Valley Islamic Community (SVIC) in San Martin, California had been gathering in a small sheep barn in San Martin to carry out religious activities like praying and providing children with Sunday school. The barn, which was loaned to the Muslim community in 2001 by a Vietnam War veteran for free, was only a little larger than 1,000 square feet and only contained a small air conditioning unit and carpet (Vo, 2019, May 23). This was insufficient for the almost 100 American Muslim families that make up the Muslim community in the neighborhood. These situations encouraged SVIC to propose building a mosque, community center, and cemetery in San Martin, named Cordoba Center, to better accommodate the growing community. The name was inspired by the Spanish city of Cordoba where Islam, Christianity, and Judaism flourished together during the Dark Ages (Rodriguez, 2012, August 21). The proposed project included a 5,000-square-foot prayer hall, multipurpose room, and a 2-acre cemetery on a 16-acre property on Monterey Road (Rodriguez, 2012, August 21). The project had been in planning by the South Valley Islamic Center since 2006 but was delayed until 2012 due to a lack of adequate funding. Initial Acceptance of Project and Subsequent Backlash The project gained conditional approval from the Santa Clara County Commission on August 2, 2012, after five Santa Clara County supervisors unanimously voted in favor of building the mosque (Rodriguez 2012, September 26). After reviewing the capacity of the septic system, the Planning Commission decided to limit the facility to 80 regular attendees and a maximum of three single-day events throughout the year for up to 150 people with extra porta-potties provided on those specific days (Santa Clara County upholds planning commission approval, 2012, September 27). The conditional approval faced backlash from both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities in San Martin. Whereas the SVIC and Muslim community were dissatisfied with the conditions imposed on the mosque to be built, members of the local non-Muslim community opposed the project citing environmental and traffic concerns as the main reason, despite the initial project being scaled down. Another reason for the backlash was the anti-Muslim sentiment in the town. The opposition to this project became clear at public meetings held in Morgan Hill where opponents of the mosque did not hide anti-Muslim sentiments (Muslim center approved for South County, 2012, August 4). One group of opponents, Gilroy/Morgan Hill Patriots, argued that the Cordoba Center was not useful for the community because they believed that no Muslims were living in the San Martin community and that only Muslims coming in from outside the San Martin community would use the proposed mosque (Muslim center approved for South County, 2012, August 4). The opposition group invited a guest speaker, Peter Freidman, who manages an anti-Muslim website, to the Gilroy Library on August 18, 2012, for a presentation (Rodriguez, 2012, September 26). Legal Actions and Consequences The dissatisfaction from the two communities led to three appeals being filed against the Planning Commission’s decision to approve the project. The People’s Coalition for Government Accountability and the San Martin Neighbourhood Association wanted to reverse the decision of the Planning Commission through their appeals (Santa Clara County, 2012, September 27). The South Valley Islamic Center, on the other hand, appealed to change some of the restrictions imposed on the Cordoba Center, requesting to expand one of the buildings and increase the number of events they could hold throughout the year (Rodriguez, 2012, September 26). The project received approval from the county Planning Commission after the appeals had been filed, allowing the Center to organize one additional event per year (Santa Clara County, 2012, September 27). Opponents of the People’s Coalition for Government Accountability and the San Martin Neighbourhood Association expressed that the project was too large for the rural area and that the water contamination from Muslim burial methods and traffic concerns had not been examined carefully. Although county officials argued that the planned project passed all the necessary tests, opponents continued their attempts to block it. The opposition, along with the threat of legal actions against the Islamic Center, led to the Islamic Center voluntarily withdrawing the project proposal. Resubmission of Masjid Proposal and Current Status In 2016, the South Valley Islamic Institution proposed the Cordoba Center project again for approval. The project was almost triple the size of the previous project proposal, citing potential population growth and future requirements as the main reason. The new project, at the same site, included a 9,000-square-foot mosque, 14,500-square-foot community center, 15,000-square-foot community plaza, a 3,380-square-foot caretaker's building, and 3.5 acres for cemetery use. The new facility would have a maximum capacity of 300 people for regular events and would organize four special events throughout the year for up to 500 people (Vo, 2019, May 25). The group agreed to fund an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The new project received further backlash from the San Martin community. Most people argued that the rural area was not adequate for this project. Previous reasons for opposing the proposal resurfaced again. Most people cited environmental concerns, particularly water contamination. Traditional Muslim methods of burial do not use a coffin or embalming. This led to concerns that the well water in the community would get polluted. The EIR suggested that the impact on groundwater would be alleviated if the mosque limited burial to 30 per year (Vo, 2019, May 25). Others suggested that the Cordoba Center did not represent American culture and would spread Islam and terrorism in the community. Others believed the project was too large for the area, despite a Hindu Temple of 15,000 square feet having gained approval for extension recently (Danish, 2018, September 5). The Board of Supervisors finally approved the project in December 2019 (Vo, 2019, December 20). Fundraising for the project is ongoing. It is mainly funded through donations and traditional loans. References <ul><li>Danish, M. (2018, September 5). Mosque and community center planned in San Martin waiting for green light. KALW Local Public Radio. Retrieved from: https://www.kalw.org/post/mosque-and-community-center-planned-san-martin-waiting-green-light - stream. </li> <li>Muslim center approved for South County (2012, August 4). San Jose Interfaith Examiner (CA). Available from NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/14084C306C052658.</li> <li>Rodriguez, J. (2012, August 21). Rural Mosque divides area: Muslims’ search for a home in South Santa Clara County sparks a clash over religion, politics and the environment. San Jose Mercury News (CA), p. 1A. Available from NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/140D1A3AA310CE80.</li> <li>Rodriguez, J. (2012, September 26). Mosque OK’d in rural area- American Muslim group allowed a smaller building than it wanted. San Jose Mercury News (CA), p. 1B. Available from NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/1418F61BA277FD68. Muslim center approved for South County (2012, August 4). San Jose Interfaith Examiner (CA). Available from NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/14084C306C052658.</li> <li>Santa Clara County Upholds Planning Commission Approval of the Cordoba Center Religious Facility (2012, September 27). Targeted News Service (USA). Available from NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/141911B5901347B8.</li> <li>Vo, T. (2019, December 20). Mosque to rise amid new Islamic cemetery - Board of Supervisors unanimously approved permits for the project, which has been in the works for a decade. Mercury News, The (San Jose, CA), p. B1. Available from NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/177F75EABADF59A0.</li> <li>Vo, T. (2019, May 25). Scaled-down San Martin mosque requested- Santa Clara County Planning Commission supports project but says it’s too large for rural community. Mercury News, The (San Jose, CA), p. 1B. Available from NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/173B80D40BC171F8.</li> <li>Vo, T. (2019, May 23). Mosque/Cemetery Proposal stirs controversy in San Martin- size of Islamic Center project would ‘change the face’ of rural area, some residents say. East Bay Times (CA), p. 1A. Available from NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/173B7F7CC59058D0.</li> </ul> Last Updated Date revised. April 8, 2022 Year Year the case began. 2012 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource San Martin, CA Description An account of the resource The Muslim community of the South Valley Islamic Center (SVIC) in San Martin seeks to build a mosque, community center, and cemetery because their current place of worship, a barn, is insufficient for the growing community. Despite gaining approval from the county Planning Commission, the group withdraws the project in response to a lawsuit filed by opposition groups. When SVIC resubmits the project in 2016, it again faces opposition from the community. The Board of Supervisors finally approves the project in December 2019. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ammarah Ahmed Approved Bias-related Incident Cemetery Community Center Legal Campaign Mosque Public Campaign Under Construction Withdrawn https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/9715ca4a330081046a9df81ca3a5eea0.png 91161a882190712de077ff5366a3dc8e 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 Virginia Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) VA_03 Date 2012 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 5000 Shady Grove Rd, Glen Allen, VA 23059 Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. M9FW+C4 Glen Allen, Virginia Proposed Project <a href="https://weicrva.org/"></a> Location The location of the interview Short Pump, VA (Henrico County) Year Year the case began. 2012 Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://weicrva.org/">West End Islamic Center</a> Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign 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 Short Pump, VA Description An account of the resource In 2012, the West End Islamic Center proposes to knock down its single-story temporary mosque and replace it with a 35,000-square-foot facility that would include a mosque, classrooms, a daycare, a kitchen, offices and a conference room. Some residents oppose the plans at a Henrico County Planning Commission meeting, voicing concerns such as increased traffic, insufficient parking and maintaining the historic look of the neighborhood. The planning commission unanimously approves the mosque proposal in July 2012. [Source: Pew 2012] Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Approved Mosque Public Campaign Purpose-Built Under Construction