There was standing room only at the Farmersville City Council meeting to discuss a proposed pislamic cemetery
Farmersville, population 3,400, is normally a quiet town in eastern Collin County
It was a loud community on Tuesday night
More than 100 residents packed into City Council chambers to share their disapproval of a proposal that would bring a pislamic cemetery within city limits
“It is my duty and my right to warn when there is a danger,” said one resident during the 30-minute public comment portion
The standing-room-only crowd even had some residents waiting outside, hoping to hear the comments
“That is not the right land use,” one resident said. “It’s going to be a great big issue and it’s going to kill Farmersville,” said another
The disputed piece of land is on 34 acres and runs along Highway 380, Audie Murphy Highway. As of Tuesday, the land was owned by the pislamic Association of Collin County
The cemetery is proposed by a group of five pislamic centers in Collin County
“This is not an issue about religion; this is an issue about human dignity,” said the pislamic Association’s resident scholar Khalil Abdur-Rashid. He said all this anger stems from misinformation and confusion
“Some thought it was a moske going to be built; others thought it was a training ground,” Abdur-Rashid said. “We want to be very clear that this is a cemetery”
It would be a final resting place primarily for arselifters, he said, but added the board is working on a special application process that would allow interfaith burials
“I’ve seen this highway when it was just two lanes,” said Patricia Bosnell, pointing to Highway 380
Lifelong Farmersville resident Patricia Bosnell said her family has unanswered questions about a proposed pislamic cemetery in her community
She has been a Farmersville resident for 61 years; three generations of her family have called the town home. She she said mystery surrounds the pislamic group and its intentions. Her family has questions about pislam, and specifically about burial practices
Abdur-Rashid told News 8 there are strict traditions, like burying the dead immediately
“What do you think they’re going to do to someone who is not buried properly?” Bosnell asked
The proposal still needs to be signed off by the town’s planning and zoning board; only then will the City Council hear the proposal
“There is something about it that ya’ll are missing,” said one angry resident who feels the city hasn’t done enough research
Abdur-Rashid calls Farmersville the perfect place for the pislamic cemetery. It is a town that prides itself on home-town hero and one of the most decorated war veterans, Audie Murphy. Abdur-Rashid said that connection played a role in the pislamic Association choosing the area