The Muslim community is still giving us reasons to be concerned about their participation in American culture. A development in Texas has set off an alarm bell for several organizations in East Plano, and I don’t think they are over-reacting:

A proposed housing development anchored by a mosque in Josephine, Texas, has triggered a wave of political and public backlash, with Governor Greg Abbott and other state officials launching multiple investigations into the project. While backers of the development say it is meant to foster community among all faiths, the involvement of the East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC) has prompted accusations of religious separatism and even extremist intent — claims its leaders strongly deny, the New York Times reported.

The mosque in the community has assured Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton that their efforts are honorable, but they’ve set off a wave of apprehension. They plan on having faith-based schools (the degree to which Islam will be part of the curriculum is unclear), and although non-Muslims are supposedly welcome, they have made clear that they want a place for Muslims to come to be together. Those who are concerned are told that they are over-reacting, and EPIC leaders say that ignorance and bigotry underlay these attitudes. Here is the reaction of one leader of the EPIC mosque:

‘It should go without saying that our community, like any other in this great state, will follow all local, state and federal laws,’ the post read. ‘We would love for you to see the site and learn about our project over some Hutchins BBQ.’

Is this just some fringe group of isolationists? Not quite:

The EPIC City developments are in unincorporated areas of Josephine, a nearly two-square-mile city between Collin and Hunt counties growing rapidly in recent years. In 2023, the population grew by nearly 5,000 people—a 234% increase in the course of three years.

Those numbers could increase even more with the help of EPIC City – the first 450 plots sold out within days of its announcements on the mosque’s website, [resident scholar Yasir] Qadhi said.

‘The demand to move to our community is so high from across the country that we envision that demand would remain even if we created another parallel community,’ he said.

Muslims who move to this area will be living primarily (or entirely) with other Muslims. That decision will separate them from the greater community, and the non-assimilation will continue. Their adoption of Sharia law for the people will reinforce the Muslim beliefs, rather than build relationships with non-Muslims. They have already stated that Sharia law will be embedded in the community. Whether they intend to drop or ignore the tenets of Sharia law that conflict with Texas or local law is not clear.

Some progressive allies are trying to frame this development in a positive light:

Not everyone in the region supports the governor’s stance. Pastor Andy Odom of a nearby Presbyterian church, who frequently meets with Imam Bashir, defended the Muslim community as ‘great neighbors.’ He admitted to having mixed feelings about the development itself but said the mosque had been a positive force in Plano.

‘We all want the same things,’ Bashir said. ‘Safe neighborhoods. Good schools. Peace.’

Is that how Muslim communities around the world typically look? Safe and peaceful? One look at the Islamist third world would say… no.

There are those who may say that the new community will resemble some Orthodox Jewish communities, so what is the problem? Keep in mind that the Orthodox Jews come together not only to make it easier to maintain their way of life, but they are not in the business of recruiting or converting others to Judaism under the threat of death.

Islam, on the other hand, wishes to create a new caliphate to rule the entire population.

Could that kind of effort be made in this country?

Perhaps we look to the European harbingers to anticipate where this might lead.

Image generated by AI.