https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/e1462a6e6ea1029ad0291bfba7df8cbd.png f69c3a1103e5e5fc7f34203145cb159e 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 Cox (2017, Mar 16) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource This collection documents 29 cases of public opposition towards American Muslim cemetery building projects from 2002 to 2023. Each case contains a narrative that describes its events, which was compiled through analyzing newspaper archives via NewsBank and NexisUni. The primary challenge American Muslim communities face when establishing cemeteries is obtaining administrative approval from an entity such as a city council or board of commissioners. Residents' concerns related to groundwater contamination, lowered property values, and aesthetics often pressure authorities to deny cemetery projects. These reasons for opposition differ from those involving mosques, which tend to focus on increased traffic, violations of noise ordinances, and the potential for terrorism. This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024). However, it does not fully represent all controversies surrounding American Muslim cemeteries, as it focuses on post-2000 cases and does not include cases of vandalism against established cemeteries. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ryan Wang Title A name given to the resource Cemeteries Language A language of the resource English Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Current and former Oxford College of Emory University students: Sofia Fonti, Ben Damon, Geneva Cunningham, Ameer Alnasser, Nadira Hassan, Chloe Peyrebrune, Lauren Yee, Ammarah Ahmed, Alexander Cleveland, Ehren Fernandez, Andres Lebed Wright, Bryce Bentinck, Rahim Khan Alidina, Ayman Badawy, George Drakos, Shahmeer Khan, and Snehitha Vardhineni. Project supervisor: Dr. Florian Pohl Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) Case No. Mn_10 Location The location of the interview Chisago County, MN Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 26025 Lofton Ave, Chisago City, MN 55013 Year Year the case began. 2016 Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. 84GH+MG Chisago City, Minnesota Proposed Project 16-acre property with 2 acres for cemetery use Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="http://www.icbmn.org/main/">The Islamic Community of Bosniaks of Minnesota</a> Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign, Planning and Zoning Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications In March 2017, the Chisago County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously, 4-0, to reverse its December decision and grant ICBMN a permit to proceed. Last Updated Date revised. June 12, 2024 Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. In 2016, the Islamic Community of Bosniaks in Minnesota (ICBMN), sought a conditional use permit (CUP) from the Chisago County Board of Commissioners to build a small cemetery on land zoned agricultural. ICBMN had been using Muslim sections of cemeteries in Roseville and Burnsville, but they lacked enough plots for future burials (Giles, 2017, Jan 23). As a result, the congregation of about 1,200 Bosnian Muslims purchased sixteen acres of land in Chisago Lake Township. Two acres would be used for the cemetery with a maximum of 800 graves, and the rest would remain farmland. Though Chisago County is more than 45 miles from ICBMN’s mosque in Minneapolis, the land was significantly more affordable than an urban location. In December 2016, the County Planning Commission, an advisory entity to the Board of Commissioners, voted 4-2 to approve ICBMN’s proposal with conditions. The permit called for constructing a parking lot, a building to house lawn maintenance equipment, and planting trees to act as screening (Knutson, 2016, Dec 7). At the meeting, local residents expressed concerns about the cemetery’s impact on property values, the appearance of a fence or gate, and groundwater contamination (Du, 2017, Jan 10). In response, the Planning Commission stated that there were already several cemeteries near the proposed site, area farms have always had fences and gates, and there is no proof that natural burials contaminate the earth (ibid). Despite the Planning Commission’s recommendation to approve the project, the Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 to reject the proposed cemetery later that month. Commissioner Ben Montzka expressed his disappointment and theorized that “maybe it would have been easier, if it had been a majority religion, if it had been a Lutheran cemetery or maybe a Baptist cemetery” (ibid.). Following the Board’s decision, ICBMN announced that it would look elsewhere to construct its cemetery and hoped to receive an invitation from a suburban county with available land (Giles, 2017, Jan 23). In March 2017, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it was investigating the Board’s denial of the permit (Chisago County Board, 2017, Mar 16). Additionally, ICBMN expressed interest in suing Chisago County for religious discrimination. As a result, on March 15, the Board voted unanimously, 4-0, to reverse its previous decision and grant ICBMN a CUP to proceed with its cemetery project. The Board’s attorney had advised them to approve the permit, stating that “there is no insurance coverage for any Department of Justice inquiry. As depositions of yourself and your staff begin, costs will roll up exponentially” (ibid.). While news coverage of the cemetery project has been sparse since 2017, the initiative has progressed quietly. The ICBMN currently lists the cemetery on its official website as an operational facility where it provides funeral services to its members. This suggests that despite the limited media attention, the project has indeed moved forward, and the cemetery is now in use. References <ul> <li style="font-weight:400;">Chisago County Board approves Muslim cemetery amid looming discrimination lawsuit. (2017, March 16). Twin Cities. <a href="https://www.twincities.com/2017/03/16/chisago-county-board-approves-muslim-cemetery-amid-looming-discrimination-lawsuit/">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Du, S. (2017, January 11). Fear of Muslims prompts Chisago County to reject Bosnian cemetery. CityPages. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170111141314/http://www.citypages.com/news/fear-of-muslims-prompts-chisago-county-to-reject-bosnian-cemetery/409916235">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Giles, K. (2017, January 23). Turned away in Chisago County, Bosnian Muslims search anew for cemetery land. Star Tribune. <a href="https://www.startribune.com/turned-away-in-chisago-county-bosnian-muslims-search-anew-for-cemetery-land/411596145/">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Knutson, D. (2016, December 7). Muslim cemetery proposal clears county Planning Commission. Hometownsource.com. <a href="https://www.hometownsource.com/the_post_review/news/local/muslim-cemetery-proposal-clears-county-planning-commission/article_fbeaefc6-5df8-5dcd-88cb-6c3d5b8a7922.html">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">The Associated Press. (2017, March 16). Chisago County Board approves Muslim cemetery amid looming discrimination lawsuit. Twin Cities. <a href="https://www.twincities.com/2017/03/16/chisago-county-board-approves-muslim-cemetery-amid-looming-discrimination-lawsuit/">Web</a>.</li> </ul> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ryan Wang Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Title A name given to the resource Chisago County, MN Description An account of the resource In December 2016, the Chisago County Board of Commissioners denied the Islamic Community of Bosniaks in Minnesota’s proposal for a small cemetery. Local residents had expressed concerns about property values, traffic, and aesthetics. After the U.S. Department of Justice announced that it would investigate the denial and the Muslim community considered suing the County, the Board unanimously agreed in March 2017 to reverse its previous decision and approve the conditional use permit. Approved (initial denial) Built Cemetery DOJ Planning and Zoning Public Campaign