Should a mosque be built in Tallinn? (0)

Should a mosque be built in Tallinn?
Dear classmates and teacher ,
Today I want to talk to you about a topic that has brought with it a great deal of controversy in recent years . Namely, should the construction of a mosque in Tallinn be permitted?
Estonians often like to pride themselves for being more tolerant and open -minded than those from other post-soviet nations. This sort of a progressive mindset, however, rarely extends to the principles of religious freedom . But why? Why are so many people opposed to something that in its core is just another place of worship much-like any other? After all, the construction of the mosque wouldn’t even be funded by tax-payers. In addition, most of us don’t oppose the building of churches, even though Estonia is currently the 3rd least religious country on the planet .
Many people fear that the building of a mosque would open a door for Islamic radicalization in Estonia. I for one, find that very hard to believe since the main cause of radicalization is not religion , but the feeling of exclusion. The feeling of not being wanted within society. Many parts of Europe are currently caught in a vicious circle – A terrorist attack occurs, so people no longer want Islam in their home town. The muslim population, as a result , feels alienated and pockets of radicalized muslims start to form. Every so often, one of these groups commit another terrorist attack and thus, the wheel just keeps turning. Unless we find a way to break this circle, things will only get worse as time goes on. We must keep in mind that the road from legitimate suspicion to rampant paranoia is often much shorter than we think.
These are, indeed, volatile times for muslim people living in Europe. Deadly terrorist attacks from Islamic fundamentalists have stricken fear into the hearts of many and have resulted in a rise of tribal mentality within many parts of western society. In these volatile times we should all come together. Instead of isolation, we need integration. Instead of building walls, we need to build bridges. It would be naïve to think that the building of a single mosque in our nation ’s capital would solve all our problems, but it would be a great start.
I would like to end my speech with a quote by captain Jean-Luc Picard from the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation: “With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censured, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied – chains us all irrevocably. Those words were uttered as wisdom and warning. The first time any man’s freedom is trodden on, we are all damaged.” Thank you all for listening .