https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/041826c06b3b79f5109c1febefc80c61.png 2b12da41c6e2aff8b36a3a07f9bbc717 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 This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024).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. Id_01 Location The location of the interview Kuna, ID Year Year the case began. 2014 Proposed Project The ICBB applied to build a 10-acre cemetery for about 6,000 burial plots on 36 acres of land outside of Kuta, ID. An on-site mosque was considered as part of a separate future application. Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 15000 Cloverdale Rd, Kuna, ID Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/icbboise/?ref=page_internal">Islamic Community of Bosniaks in Boise</a> Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications County Commissioners vote to deny opponents’ appeal at a public hearing on September 10, 2014, but impose minor conditions for the project to move forward. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. In 2014, the Islamic Community of Bosniaks in Boise (ICBB) submitted a proposal to use 10 acres of land for a cemetery outside of Kuta, ID. At the time, the ICBB served approximately 380-400 families from across the valley. The project was spearheaded by Imam Midhat Smajic, who pointed to the need of his growing community to bury loved ones according to Muslim burial practices. For several years, the community had buried their deceased in a separate section of the Morris Hill Cemetery, a government-funded cemetery complex in Boise. The ICBB’s proposal affirmed that their Islamic burial practices would comply with Idaho’s regulations governing cemeteries (Muslim cemetery proposed, 2014, Sep 1). Smajic and other members of the ICBB worked with the Ada County Planning and Zoning Commission to approve their cemetery plans. The proposed cemetery site was zoned for conditional use as a cemetery and did not require any special exceptions or variances. Thus, the county’s Planning and Zoning Commission approved it. Following this, a resident appealed the decision to the County Commission, expressing concerns about potential ground contamination and the spread of disease. The resident also stated that the cemetery’s visual or aesthetic impact would negatively affect property values. A public hearing was scheduled to discuss the appeal. “Any time you're dealing with religious items, there's a lot of passion that goes with that too," said Dave Case, Chairman of the Ada County Commission. "That tends to bring out a lot of people who want to provide their testimony and want to be heard, and that's what the whole process is about" (Zepelin, 2014, Sep 10). During their public meeting on September 10, the Ada County Commissioners voted to deny the appeal but imposed minor conditions on the cemetery project. Despite the approval amid public opposition, no information is currently available regarding the completion or operational status of the cemetery project. References <ul> <li style="font-weight:400;">Muslim cemetery proposed for Kuna creates stir. (2014, September 1). Idaho Press-Tribune (Nampa, ID), p. 4. Available from <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/1501109D0E8C9C00">NewsBank</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Zepelin, S. (2014, September 10). Plans move forward for Muslim cemetery near Kuna. NBC - 7 KTVB (Boise, ID). Available from <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/15045A8A06098840">NewsBank</a>.</li> </ul> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Title A name given to the resource Kuna, ID Description An account of the resource In 2014, the Ada County Planning and Zoning Commission issues a conditional use permit (CUP) for an Islamic cemetery near Kuna. The Islamic Community of Bosniaks in Boise wants to use parts of a 36-acre lot as a burial ground. The property is already zoned for conditional use as a cemetery. Kuna residents appeal the decision to the County Commission, stating health concerns. County Commissioners deny the appeal at a public hearing but impose minor conditions for the project to proceed. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Sofia Fonti Approved Cemetery Public Campaign