EventEstablished in the 1980s, Islamic Center of Murfreesboro had been established in Rutherford County, Tennessee as a worship and religious center for over 30 years when the original 2,100 square foot space was being used to serve hundreds of congregation members in 2010 was quickly being outgrown. To address this issue, the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro applied and was approved by the country for an expansion project of the mosque and community center to accommodate their growth. The new construction would increase the space to 12,000 square feet and allow the mosque to continue to offer a space for religious services and other events (Becket Fund for Religious Liberty for All, 2014).
|
BacklashThe backlash against the center’s plans was immediate from residents of the county. Opponents of the expansion project claimed that the Muslim community should not be afforded equal rights under the First Amendment and further postured that Islam was not a true religion. As glaringly flagrant as these attacks were, the hostility did not end with verbal aggression but escalated to violence in the form of vandalism, arson, and a bomb threat (Becket Fund for Religious Liberty for All, 2014). Construction equipment was set on fire at the building site and the phrase "NOT WELCOME" was graffitied on the Islamic Center's sign marking the new location. In culmination to these measures, local residents eventually filed a lawsuit against the mosque on the grounds that the approval process conducted by the county was not extensive enough for this type of expansion with such high public interest. The specific complaint targeted an alleged lack of notice for the approval meeting. Of note, the process the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro went through to gain their initial approval was identical to that of the last twenty churches in the area-none of which were harassed or subject to legal action (Ohleiser, 2014). These discrepancies highlight the fact that the backlash was primarily centered on fears of Muslims taking over the county and spreading their religious beliefs.
|
Anti-mosque demonstrators proclaiming "Murfreesboro Mosque = Islamic Victory" by Brian Stansberry. Used under CC BY 3.0
Pro-mosque supporters at a September 2010 rally in Murfreesboro by Brian Stansberry. Used by CC By 3.0
|
ResponseFollowing the lawsuits filing, Chancellor Robert Corlew III, a local judge, sided with opponents of the expansion and blocked the Islamic Center from using its new facility. While state appeals processes were still in progress, quick action was needed in order to allow the center to use the space for the start of Ramadan celebrations. The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty filed a federal lawsuit on the center’s behalf that would allow the mosque to open under emergency order on the grounds that the same opposition was not demonstrated towards other religious entities in the county (Becket Fund for Religious Liberty for All, 2014). The lawsuit established that the mosque could not be held to a higher legal standard than local churches under the Free exercise and Equal Protection Clauses of the Constitution. In July of 2012, Chief Judge Todd Campbell of the Nashville Federal Court ruled against the county and allowed the mosque to complete the necessary inspection process to open in time for the Ramadan holiday. The Tennessee Court of Appeals overturned the local judge’s initial ruling, and the Tennessee Supreme Court denied a final appeal (Serverson 2012).
"No religion is an island. When the rights of one faith are threatened, the rights of all faiths are threatened. All religious communities must be free to gather together in worship.” -The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty for All |
OutcomeDespite these losses and the opening of the center, opponents continued to push back and filed one final appeal request to the United States Supreme Court. The Supreme Court appeal was rejected, and the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro was able to continue to freely use their facilities that had been open since August of 2012 (Smietana, 2014). The center continues to be a place for religious and community events and hosts at least 600 members for its weekly prayer services. Drawn out legal action cost the county upwards of $340,000 in legal fees. While the period of continuous legal action was extremely difficult and draining for members of the mosque, the hardships highlighted good that still existed within the community. Increased engagement in the local Muslim community and members of the Islamic Center were supported not only by its own, but by interfaith groups and local religious leaders, one hundred of whom signed a letter in support of the mosque’s project (Ohleiser, 2014). Following the final Supreme Court rejection, the general sentiment for the Muslim community in Rutherford County was relief as the work to deny the rights of their faith were not successful. As the The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty explains, “No religion is an island. When the rights of one faith are threatened, the rights of all faiths are threatened. All religious communities must be free to gather together in worship.”
|