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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (April 27, 2016)
Page 10 The Skanner April 27, 2016 News Attempts to Create Muslim Cemeteries Meet With Backlash DUDLEY, Mass. (AP) — On the site of a long-idle dairy farm, leaders of a local mosque hope to build a final resting place for about 500 Muslim families — to the dismay of many residents of this quaint town in central Massachusetts. In arguments cemetery developers and activists decry as thinly veiled bigotry, neighbors say they fear burial prac- tices could contaminate groundwater because Muslims traditionally do not embalm bodies and bury their dead without coffins. They also cite concerns about noise, vandalism and increased traffic on the narrow road where the ceme- tery would be built. One resident said he worried he would have to put up with “crazy music” like the Islamic call to prayer. Similar sentiments have been expressed by people in communi- ties around the country where Muslim cemeter- ies have been proposed, including Farmervsille, Texas; Walpole, Massa- chusetts; Carlisle, Penn- sylvania; and Farming- ton, Minnesota. In some cases, oppo- nents have succeeded in defeating the new cem- etery projects, while in others, Muslim groups have appealed and judg- es have cleared the way. In Farmersville, near Obituary: Jean Blocker October 17, 1935 - April 22, 2016 Jean Blocker Services will be held on Monday, May 2, 2016 at Vancouver Avenue First Baptist Church, 3138 N. Van- couver Ave., Portland, OR 97227. Viewing will be held at 10:00 a.m. and ser- vice at 11:00 a.m. Final resting place: Willamette National Cemetery. AP PHOTO/ELISE AMENDOLA Denise Lavoie Associated Press AP PHOTO/ELISE AMENDOLA Opposed say it’s about land use, burial practices but activists say the backlash is thinly veiled bigotry In this April 12, 2016 photo, Amjad Bhatti, president of the Islamic Society of Greater Worcester, poses inside the mosque in Worcester, Mass. He and other leaders of the mosque are hoping to build a Muslim cemetery on farmland in Dudley, Mass., but residents are vigorously opposing the project. Dallas, some residents were openly hostile during meetings on a proposal to build a Mus- lim cemetery on a 35- acre site just outside the city. Farmersville is not far from Garland, where police fatally shot two Is- “ during a meeting in Au- gust. City leaders were so bombarded with com- plaints that they pub- lished an informational guide on the city’s web- site, assuring residents that there is “no train- In this April 12, 2016 photo, Desiree Moninski, stands on land located across from her house in Dudley, Mass., which is the site of a proposed Muslim cemetery. Regarding the land once farmed by her grandparents, Moninski said she and other opponents have legitimate concerns that have nothing to do with Islam. “I grew up here. It’s farmland, and I’d like to see it stay that way,” she said. “We were absolutely flabbergasted, to be hon- est, to see that kind of opposition,” said Ismail Fenni, a representative of Al-Marhama Islamic Burial, which wants to build a cemetery in Wal- drawing a round of ap- plause. Jason Talerman, a law- yer for the Islamic Soci- ety, said he believes the opposition is rooted in Islamophobia. “They like to say it All we’re trying to establish is a place for a final resting place for the loved ones of the Muslim community members. No other activity is going to be happening in a cemetery except what is customary for a cemetery lamic State followers last year after they opened fire outside a cartoon contest lampooning the Prophet Muhammad. “People don’t trust Muslims. Their goal is to populate the United States and take it over,” Barbara Ashcraft said ing facility planned for this site ... no terrorist activity associated with this site ... no plans for a mosque at this site.” Diane Piwko, a Farm- ersville resident and business owner, said she worries the cemetery — proposed for prime property overlooking a lake — won’t be main- tained and will become an eyesore at the en- trance to the city. “I am not basing any of my decision on why I’m against the cemetery on religion,” she said. “I base it on bad business prac- tices.” Muslim leaders have been taken aback by the level of resistance. pole, south of Boston. “All we’re trying to es- tablish is a place for a fi- nal resting place for the loved ones of the Muslim community members,” he said. “No other activi- ty is going to be happen- ing in a cemetery except what is customary for a cemetery.” In Dudley, the proposal from the Islamic Society of Greater Worcester has been met with angry comments at local meet- ings. “You want a Muslim cemetery? Fine. Put it in your backyard, not mine,” Daniel Grazulis said during a zoning meeting in February, under the guise of, ‘Oh, we’re just trying to pro- tect our water supply,’ but it’s thinly veiled,” he said. Desiree Moninski, who lives across the street from the site, once farmed by her grandpar- ents, said she and other opponents have legiti- mate concerns that have nothing to do with Islam. “I grew up here. It’s farmland, and I’d like to see it stay that way,” she said. “A lot of people moved here because it’s peace- ful and quiet. I just don’t want a cemetery here, See MUSLIMS on page 11
