Mosque Ban In Padua After Paris Attacks

[Rosie]

It has come to this (as probably expected): the mayor of the Padua province has banned the construction of mosques in his city. This is a consequence of the recent attacks in Paris, officials say.

Well, personally, I don't know what to say. I don't really judge anyone and, just because a few Muslim people turned out to be terrorists, this doesn't mean ALL muslims are terrorists. generalising is so wrong, in my own opinion, because I was also put in the same boat with my fellow citizens and it wasn't pleasant at all.

Same goes for Italians, there are many Italians who live in Eastern European countries, they have their own companies (small or not so small) and they are known for being... well, they are known for being real jerks Some Italians have also been caught doing illegal stuff in my home country and as a result, almost everyone I know from home keeps saying how awful Italians are. But we all know this is't true, Italians are really nice and warm people!

So, what do you think? Did the mayor of Padua do the right thing?

 

[Gabe]

This a tough one as the Mayor wants to be re-elected and maybe doing what the citizens expect him to do. If he doesn't listen to the voice of the locals, there may be unrest, it's hard to tell. Permits are always a lengthy procedure and who is to say, if a permit was granted that locals wouldn't protest or make it difficult for the work to be carried out.

Perhaps when things simmer down, the mood may change, but right now I think people are worried and frightened that a Mosque may encourage more potential terrorists to the neighborhood. As a Mayor he has to act in the best interests of the people and if it was a new supermarket or something that would benefit the masses it would be different. I assume most of the locals are Catholic and it would not benefit them personally?

 

[Joie d'Etre]

Your analogy with Italians being considered jerks is probably spot-on. Imagine if all Italians in any given country would be refused the right to open a restaurant "because of the Mafia" and people would justify it with, 'Well what tells us you won't use your restaurant as a cover for organized crime and to recruit people?"

Wrong in so many ways! Of course, like Gabe said, politicians are often known to be opportunists who will feed on the fear and anger of the people to advance their agendas.

Of course, Catholics might feel like it's not their problem because a mosque would not benefit them, but that's not the point. Imagine you wanted to open an art gallery, or a theater, or a cinema, and you were told it's forbidden because the ideologies you could vehiculate would be dangerous. You are angry and feel mistreated, unfairly. You look to support, but everyone around you shrugs and tells you, "We don't like that kind of art anyway, it's none of our business, we would not go there anyway".

I'm pretty sure that Catholics would want to help out other Catholics trying to open churches in countries where Catholicism is a minority. But why! It would not benefit them, they'd never go. They would try to help and they would protest for the right of their alike to practice their religion in a community.

And yet they would not do this for their neighboors. And if other Muslims protested from any other place than in this city, it would come out as uncouth probably.


I'm just sayin', freedom to choose your religion is important, and to right out ban the building of mosques seems like a way of driving the wedge of misunderstanding.

 

[Rosie]

I didn't even think about the upcoming elections for mayor Yes, that might have something to do with this.
As for the voice of the people, I have never heard an Italian say they agree with the mosques built in this country. Everyone is against them since...forever. Their philosophy is, you came to my country, deal with it and try to fit in. Don't force your culture on us, we already have our own churches, you should have stayed in your country if you wanted to attend your religious services.

It's a weird thing to say and very few Italians actually say this out loud Italians are such good people, they almost never want to hurt or offend anyone, which is why I think so many mosques were already built. But yeah, recent events were a good excuse to put an end to it.

 

[Joie d'Etre]

It's a weird thing to say and very few Italians actually say this out loud Italians are such good people, they almost never want to hurt or offend anyone, which is why I think so many mosques were already built. But yeah, recent events were a good excuse to put an end to it.

You know, this whole "Italians are such good people" is such a generalization. I get that the culture is friendly, but I'm pretty sure that Italians are also in a similar percentage to other countries, dumb and racist and also criminals. Honest to God, I love Italy and the Italians I've met, but I don't think any one of them is good just by virtue of being Italian!

But yeah, it seems to be some opportunism there.

 

[Gabe]

Everyone is against them since...forever. Their philosophy is, you came to my country, deal with it and try to fit in. Don't force your culture on us, we already have our own churches, you should have stayed in your country if you wanted to attend your religious services.

It's a weird thing to say and very few Italians actually say this out loud Italians are such good people, they almost never want to hurt or offend anyone, which is why I think so many mosques were already built. But yeah, recent events were a good excuse to put an end to it.

Many countries allow freedom of religion and that's why mosques are built around the world. I think religions like Buddhism can be practiced without any church or temple, though there are some temples, but Buddhism is not seen as a threat in most countries. I do think people should be free to follow their own religion, we have Catholics and Church of England here, but as for cultures I do think people should respect the traditional culture of the country.

These days people have more of a voice and can petition, people petition against supermarkets, railways, nightclubs and roads being built so mosques are just another thing people will petition against. They have aright to protest, but it is up to the authorities to decide, but public pressure can destroy a reputation and career and you have to think about that too.

 

[Joie d'Etre]

Many countries allow freedom of religion and that's why mosques are built around the world. I think religions like Buddhism can be practiced without any church or temple, though there are some temples, but Buddhism is not seen as a threat in most countries. I do think people should be free to follow their own religion, we have Catholics and Church of England here, but as for cultures I do think people should respect the traditional culture of the country.

Well, to be fair, from my understanding of it, Muslims don't need mosque like Christians need their churches. The concept of religion is not based on hierarchy and authorities like with Catholicism (with the Pope standing at the top, and the normal ministries administrating local churches, etc). They have people to conduct the prayers, but this would not be a necessity, not really. However, they like to have it. They like to have a call to remind them that it is time to pray, and pray with other believers rather than praying alone. Community feeling and all.

And to be fair, I think it's a bit mean to blame them for keeping their own habits and communities when we know that Italians who emigrate do this exactly, staying in tight groups and investing more time in keeping their culture running within their community rather than letting go of it to "better integrate". By the way, I think it's great, I love the Little Italy in Montreal and the week they make of different activities to invite people to discover and share their culture. I just think that it then becomes a little bit hypocritical, this: "You should change to become like us and fit in, and if you don't like it, go back".

Petitions really are getting more trendy, huh. We have them in my region too, but everytime I check the Parliament answerring/following up, I never see one that gets "fulfilled", usually, if it was not their plan to begin with, they give out some flimsy excuses about how it's not possible.