(RNS) — In their plans to create a neighborhood of 1,000 homes, a K-12 faith-based school, apartments, shops, a community college and a mosque, the developers of a 400-acre planned Muslim community near Dallas made one crucial misstep: They advertised their intentions.
“Welcome to the future of living. Welcome to EPIC City,” said the voice-over on a marketing video. “EPIC City is more than just a neighborhood. It’s a way of life. A meticulously designed community that brings Islam to the forefront.”
RELATED:Hajj pilgrims leaving the US this week face an anxious homecoming
That caught the attention of Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas lawmakers, who fired up fierce criticism and Islamophobic tropes about the plan.
Texas state Rep. Jeff Leach, a Republican from Allen, also near Dallas, wrote a letter in February about how “this large-scale real estate development may seek to incorporate elements of Sharia law into its operations. We must ensure that no entity attempts to circumvent state law under the guise of cultural or religious accommodation.”…