https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/b583aa74b0b0d6687b7e01fb452cb357.jpeg 4871ebd19ad48b4dcc75e15fc300a029 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 http://www.lvislamiccemetery.org/photo-gallery/picture13/ 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 This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024).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. Nv_01 Location The location of the interview Las Vegas, NV Year Year the case began. 2015 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 7620 Bermuda Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89123 Proposed Project private, nonprofit cemetery on two acres of land Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. Islamic Foundation of Nevada Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications Approved, with conditions Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. As the Muslim population in Las Vegas grew steadily, there arose a need to develop a community and its accompanying infrastructure to support this expansion. Dr. Osama Haikal, a longstanding resident of Las Vegas, played a pivotal role in this endeavor by founding the <a href="https://lvislamicacademy.org/ohia-mission/">Omar Haikal Islamic Academy</a> and the <a href="https://omarhaikalmasjid.com/">Omar Haikal Masjid</a>, named after his father. Dr. Haikal also spearheaded a cemetery project located near the Masjid and Academy. This project was approved by the Clark County Board of Commissioners, including Steve Sisolak, who would later become the governor of Nevada. In early 2015, Dr. Osama Haikal sought a special-use permit to build a cemetery on his property. The Clark County staff endorsed his application for approval. Following this, the Town Board convened and reiterated its support for approval. The matter then proceeded to the Clark County Planning Commission, which recommended approval with certain conditions (Sisolak, 2015, Apr 2015). Following approval—with about a dozen conditions—by the County’s Planning Commission in early 2015, some residents appealed to the Board of Commissioners with concerns over possible flooding, water contamination, and impact on property values (Lopardi, 2015, Mar 18). In March 2015, County commissioners unanimously approved the cemetery project. However, Haikal agreed to implement several additional improvements and conditions for the project to address neighbors' concerns. These included a taller wall, increased landscaping, and specific operational hours to avoid burials during dark hours or high traffic, such as when students arrive or leave nearby schools (Brean, 2015, Mar 18). Additional conditions required that the cemetery have no signage, a modest funeral home resembling a small house, and flat graves marked with simple ground-level plaques. While no caskets would be used, bodies buried at the cemetery would be enclosed in concrete vaults (ibid.). After a protracted struggle spanning several months, the cemetery was eventually authorized and opened, signifying a noteworthy accomplishment for the neighborhood. The cemetery's successful construction is a significant step toward building the necessary infrastructure to accommodate the local Muslim community’s expanding population. <a href="http://www.lvislamiccemetery.org/">Las Vegas Islamic Cemetery</a> is running alongside the Haikal Islamic Academy and Masjid. One review online discusses the cemetery and how it is well-run. References <ul> <li>Brean, H. (2015, March 18). Valley’s first Islamic cemetery approved over neighborhood opposition. Las Vegas Review-Journal. <a href="https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/local-las-vegas/valleys-first-islamic-cemetery-approved-over-neighborhood-opposition/">Web</a>.</li> <li>Lopardi, M. (2015, March 18). Action News at 5PM. ABC - 13 KTNV (Las Vegas, NV). Available at <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=WORLDNEWS&req_dat=0D0CB4F3D1A01B2A&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F154293F3C887D680.">NewsBank</a>.</li> <li>Sisolak, S. (2015, April 7). Letters: Cemetery approved on legal merits. Las Vegas Review-Journal (NV), p. B008. Available from <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/1548E0DF3213DAD0">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/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ameer Alnasser, Nadira Hassan, Chloe Peyrebrune, and Lauren Yee Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Title A name given to the resource Las Vegas, NV Description An account of the resource Dr. Osama Haikal played a crucial role in addressing the growing Muslim population in Las Vegas by establishing the Omar Haikal Islamic Academy, Omar Haikal Masjid, and a cemetery project near the Masjid. In early 2015, he sought approval for the cemetery, facing initial concerns over flooding and property values. After modifications like a taller wall and specific operational hours, the project gained unanimous approval from County commissioners. The Las Vegas Islamic Cemetery's successful completion reflects community progress and indicates efforts to accommodate the expanding Muslim population alongside essential infrastructure like the Haikal Islamic Academy and Masjid. Approved Built Cemetery Public Campaign REL230_SP24