Woah, Switzerland
Where’d this come from:
BBC - Swiss move to ban minarets
Mr Karaademi is also bitter at what he sees as unfair discrimination against his faith. “I even gave them a written undertaking that we would never make the call to prayer,” he said. “They seem to think we are all criminals or terrorists - that’s like saying all Italians are in the mafia.”
(Speaking as one who’s had some interaction with Neopolitans, I rather think that’s a rather unfortunate comparison to make, giving the realities it invokes.)
But supporters of a ban on minarets say they have no intention of preventing anyone from practising their faith.
“We don’t have anything against Muslims,” said Oskar Freysinger, member of parliament for the Swiss People’s Party.
“But we don’t want minarets. The minaret is a symbol of a political and aggressive Islam, it’s a symbol of Islamic law. The minute you have minarets in Europe it means Islam will have taken over.”
Mr Freysinger’s words may sound extreme, even paranoid, but this is a general election year in Switzerland, and the campaign against minarets is playing well with voters.
A recent opinion poll for one Swiss newspaper found that 43% of those surveyed were in favour of a ban on minarets.
“We have our civil laws here,” insisted Mr Freysinger. “Banning minarets would send a clear signal that our European laws, our Swiss laws, have to be accepted. And if you want to live here, you must accept them. If you don’t, then go back.”
Heavens to Murgatroid.
Apparently the party behind this is, ah, riding high in opinion polls ahead of October’s general election.
May 28th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
I’m actually not that surprised about this. The Swiss are not afraid to impose societal norms in a fairly robust manner, at the best of times. And as he says, the minaret is (yet another) example of Islam as a political movement rather than a private religion.
May 28th, 2007 at 5:45 pm
The picture accompanying the article is of a lovely little town and “Many Swiss think minarets have no place on their urban skylines”. Gawd that’s refreshing. Ahem, rest of Europe. And I ain’t just talking about minarets.
May 28th, 2007 at 7:05 pm
Exactly, Europe (and the rest of the West) need to overcome the multi-culturalist ethos and make it unpleasant for those trying to impose alien cultures, rather than accommodating them.
May 28th, 2007 at 7:44 pm
Alien cultures and real estate developers, modern architects, city planners, city councils, politicians, grocery chains, mall developers, politicians, the City of Edinburgh, politicians…
May 29th, 2007 at 2:26 pm
… a Jihad on them all!
May 29th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
Heh heh, ninme’s a closet SnagglePuss fan.
Iam go now, exit… Stage left.
May 29th, 2007 at 3:33 pm
Snagglepuss?
May 30th, 2007 at 8:14 am
The cartoon lion.
May 30th, 2007 at 10:07 am
Oh! Did he say heavens to Murgatroid? That’s funny. I can’t remember where I picked that up, though I’m pretty sure one of the Agatha Christies, though man was it ever stuck with me for a while there.
May 30th, 2007 at 4:09 pm
Heavsns to Murgatroid and of course….
Coup da Grass, Coup da Grass,
Exit, Stage right.