No minaret

An Islamic community near Stuttgart, Germany, opted not to build a minaret on their new mosque after they were the recipients of an outpouring of hate via the internet. As the head of the community put it, they are more concerned to maintain good relations with its neighbors.

Outpourings of hate are bad, no matter what the provocation. But they are more likely to occur if the government and elite refuse to address the problems connected with Muslim immigrant groups - including their susceptibility to being dominated by Islamists seeking to overthrow Western political systems.

If you're wondering what was so wrong about a minaret, I found out when I was in Sarajevo. If the minaret uses loudspeakers for its calls to prayers, five times a day, it's extremely intrusive. (Thanks to Islam in Europe.)