Bella Vista City, AR

In September, Mayor Frank Anderson reported that he had received several emails from a small number of residents in regard to a mosque construction ban. In order to give them an opportunity to voice their opinions, two local residents, Kay Strickland and Bill Duncan, were permitted to speak at a Bella Vista City Council work session. All six council members were present, along with an estimated fifty residents. 

At the meeting, Kay Strickland asked that the Council protect residents by banning the construction of mosques and enforcement of Sharia law. Strickland was joined by Bill Duncan, a veteran and member of an organization called Veterans Against Jihadism. Duncan referred to his travels abroad to support his claim that Sharia Law was not compatible with the US Constitution. Several attendees at the work session spoke out against the proposed ordinance. Stephen Sheppard, a US Supreme Court Bar member and Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of Arkansas, warned the council that the ban would be unlawful. Also in opposition, Joel Gordon, the director of Middle East and Islamic Studies at the University of Arkansas, stated that the proposition ran “against the grain of our Constitution” and was “mind boggling” (Belloni, 2015, September 25). 

Mayor Anderson thanked the participants and council members made no comment on the matter. The Bella Vista City Council has not revisited the issue of Sharia Law or issued any ordinances on the matter since Duncan and Strickland’s contributions.

References
Belloni, G. (2010, September 25). Both sides present views on mosque - Bella Vista City Council hears from experts, residents. Benton County Daily Record (AR), p. 3. Available from https://infoweb-newsbank-com.