Dutch project developer Bouwfonds has lodged an objection to the name of a new square in the city of Utrecht. It's worried that its new houses in Mosque Square (Moskeeplein) will sell for less than normal. The square's name derives from its location next to an impressive new mosque.
This is not the first street name to cause controversy in the Netherlands. There are, for instance, four streets called 'minaret' including Minaretdreef (Minaret Drive) in Utrecht.
The Netherlands also has twelve Synagogue streets (Synagogestraat). Then there are, of course, all the traditional kerkstraten (church streets) and kerkpleinen (church squares).
Take a trip through the history of Dutch worship with Google Streetview.
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well, Hiram, firstly the play-book will go sale on e-bay or anywhere when Geert is finished making use of it and inventories have to moved. As a great fan of Geert, I thought you would have an autographed copy already! You do mention a couple of interesting points which surprise me. Since you are someone who would shelter and arm Geert in amoment's notice, imagime the fear many PVV voters have at being caught in the "wrong neighbourhood" just because of a name change! Geert and the PVV have enough people conditioned into panic not only domestically but with the EU as well. The market is ripe for plundering, first people's votes and then their real-estate euros. All very basic. I'm really curious as when you've become so interested in the "Canadian perspective" when you once stated that I was the only Canadian you knew of with a brain, or at least one that worked! How devastating!! As for my copy of Geert's play-book, suffice it to say I have secret connections with a certain " fan club" beginning to feel the need to ask too many questions about sxtraordinary business transactions and arrangements. The names of the innocent are protected!
"I'm really curious as when you've become so interested in the "Canadian perspective" when you once stated that I was the only Canadian you knew of with a brain, or at least one that worked"...Did I make the preceding comment about you? One of my weak moments, Im guess. Sorry, I will do my best to prevent such mistakes in the future. As to Geert, I don't want an autographed copy from him. I just want to get my share of the real estate market in the Netherlands. Go, Geert! You are the man!
Why so much controversy? clear all we have to do with Muslims creates dilemmas in the world many countries have different street names of various nationalities and no one cares, only in the Netherlands or any other country in Europe that created this controversy about them, to fear? most of all have created a stigma and worst of all, all the world muslman has been moved into the stigma.
I would DEFINITELY move there. I have no qualms with any culture. Personally, I like multicultural communities.
If I only had a chance to move there right now I'd do it on a drop of a dime.
those of the Islamic faith make absoutely great neighbors, we all have much to learn from each other
I agree. Muslims are very nice people and very sharing.
Hiram, you're missing the main message here! This naming of proerty is right out of Geert's real estate play book! Give a property a muslim name so that no one will touch it, buy it for a song, and then change the zoning law to have a Dutch sounding to drive the value and hence the profits! Geert and the PVV love it! All of this is a tempest in a teapot designed to fool unsuspecting locals.
David Berridge, I wonder if Geert's play book is on sale at e-bay? Questions: Why would giving property a Muslim name have a negative impact on the value of property? Are you saying there is a connotation with Muslim and the Dutch people? Please, respond. I always enjoy the Canadian perspective!
Anybody who'd ever stepped into a beautiful mosque with an open mind wouldn't object to such a name. Unfortunately, open minds seem relatively rare these days.
I guess you are one of the few who have an open mind! A mosque, just like the Twin Towers, is nothing more than a building. I wonder how many of the terrorists who flew ito the beautiful towers had been in a mosque before they decided to destroy such a beautiful work of art and the thousands of innocent humans inside of it. Unfortunately, an open mind like yours wouldn't understand the concept because it is locked like a bear trap in Alaska.
I suspect they all had visited a mosque at one time in their lives. They all probably ate breakfast the day before the attacks. Neither likely had much to do with their actions, though. An objective person would say that their actions had more to do with being in a terrorist organisation. To this, you may reply that Islam is a terrorist organisation. But that's because your mind is twisted by fear. The religion is fundamentally the same as your own.
1. "To this, you may reply that Islam is a terrorist organisation." Numerous terrorists organisations commit their terrorism under the umbrella of Islam. That is a fact. No ands, ifs or buts about it. They openly declared "Jihad" (holy war)and they gave praise to their creator at the time of their terroristic acts. A nony mouse, you are right. 2. "An objective person would say that their actions had more to do with being in a terrorist organisation.".....An objective person looks at the facts. The facts are documented by the crimes committed by Muslims in the name of Islam, the religious beliefs of those who commit the crimes, and the open and publicly announced/declaration of a Jihad. These are objective facts and a chimp in a Berlin zoo is smart enough to see the correlation between the religion and terrorism. 3. "The religion is fundamentally the same as your own."...Now, how would you personally know my religion? It can't be Christian because you, yourself, stated my behaviours were un-Christian. In closing, I will give Christians, Jews , Hindus and all the other religions credit for one thing. They are not murdering and declaring a "holy war" against those who don't believe as the Muslims do. When was the last time you heard of a group of Christians boarding numerous planes on the same morning and then flying them into buildings containing thousands of humans; or, when was the last time you heard of Buddist monks or their followers blow-up trains like the Muslims did in Spain? A nony mouse, you are the one who lacks objectivity. You lack it because you have tunnel vision. You block-out all objective evidence and correlating facts of evidence left at the thousands crime scenes by Muslim terrorist. The chimp in the Berlin zoo has more objectivity in his daily life than you do. He knows reality and if you were to "get-up" to his level of awareness, he would tell you. "Open your eyes, mate, and look before you cross the tracks! The warning signs are there for a purpose." Another example: Your response to an investigator after your collision with a train and while in a hospital: "I saw the warning signs but I never saw any trains on the tracks before; therefore, I "assumed" it was safe to cross and did not stop as the sign directed." Investigators response to you: "Duh, why didn't you observe the signs?" You stated "Not enough objectivity for me to heed warning Signs." Investigator, looking confused by your lack of insight, stated "My friend, warning signs are posted at the tracks for your protection. They were place there because of all the objective evidence gathered from prior accidents at the crossing." Now, A nony mouse, if you don't want to heed the warning signs of danger, you just go ahead and keep on crossing the tracks without heeding the warning sign. Oh, before I take my senior nap, I would like to state "The vast majority of Muslims are not terrorists but the crimes committed in the name of Islam do not reflect a positive image of it.
Holy Hannah. Was Kevin Spacey's character in 'Seven' based on you?
...and non-Muslims like me who nevertheless have deep appreciation for the faith -in my case, due to early childhood exposure.
"Who wants to live in Mosque Square?"...Muslims!
I'm an Atheist who was raised in a Roman Catholic family and I would live in Mosque Square without any prejudice or shady intent. I respect people and their beliefs. Live and let live.
I am happy that your an Atheist and you would live in Mosque Square. Atheist are the ones who usually complain about public streets having religious names. I believe you when you stated you respect people and their beliefs.
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