I don't like how this article is organized. I feel that it is haphazard and done quickly. What is a minaret and why is it an important enough part of the mosque to put that fact in the lead?
In the second paragraph, "the Ahmadiyya Muslim community" is mentioned, but not explained. I personally didn't know who they were, or how they were different from Sunni's or Shiite's. I was wondering about them the whole article, and it is not until the very last paragraph that it is explained. At least it is addressed though.
In the third paragraph, "a grass-roots group called 'We Are Pankow.'" is mentioned. Who are they? What exactly are they protesting? Islam? The building of this mosque? This denomination of Islam? What is the purpose of this group? Just to protest this mosque? Or do they have a larger purpose and this is just part of it? Luckily, I don't have to wait long to find out. Only 6 paragraphs later it tells me some about this group... that is the third to last paragraph for those who are counting.
Ehrhart Koerting is mentioned. Should I already know who this is? Because they don't tell me. Although it wouldn't have meant much to me if they had told me (I looked it up); he's Berlin's state interior minister.
And once again, those minarets come up. What's up with those? Why are they important? Why is it so important to people?
I feel that the last paragraph is just stuck in there because they didn't know where to put it. It has information that I found informative, but it just doesn't seem to be a good way to end a piece. And I would have liked to have had that info sooner.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2008-10-16-mosque-germany_N.htm
Thursday, October 16, 2008
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2 comments:
I agree with you that this story was not done well. The author should have included more information, mostly in definitions. The article would probably mean more to those who are Muslim, but for non-Muslim readers, the information is confusing.
A minaret is a tall, slender tower of a mosque having one or more balconies from which the summons to prayer is cried by the muezzin. But does the average American reader know this? I don't think so. So why not tell them?!!
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