A DEFIANT symbol of political and religious power? Or merely a lofty Islamic platform used for calling the faithful to prayer?
That’s what Swiss will soon decide, following a decision this week to hold a referendum on whether minarets – like the one pictured here, in Maidenhead, Kent – should be banned.
Swiss nationalists had collected enough signatures – 100,000 or more – to force a vote on the ban, the Interior Ministry said.
Organisers backed by the nationalist Swiss People’s Party and the fringe Federal Democratic Union say they are calling for a ban to fight the political spread of Islam.
According to this report, no date has yet been set for the referendum. If the Swiss vote against allowing minarets, the Swiss parliament will have to pass a law banning their construction.
More than 310,000 people among Switzerland’s 7.5 million are Muslims, according to the Federal Statistical Office.
Those opposed to a ban say it would violate religious freedom.
The UN expert on racism, Doudou Diene, has said the Swiss campaign was evidence of an “ever-increasing trend” toward anti-Islamic sentiments in Europe.
Swiss President Pascal Couchepin said the government will recommend that voters reject the proposed ban. Several other members of Switzerland’s cross-party government have also spoken out against such a ban.
5 Comments
I hope the ban passes
Well, they are right that it is a violation of freedom of ideas, and also racism by proxy. Unfortunately, the two together only accentuates that by reinforcing the idea that religion is a racial feature (it is, but it shouldn’t be).
Salaam
Muslims not only need Masajid with Minarets but state funded Muslim schools with bilingual Muslim teachers as role models. Muslim children need Muslim teachers during their developmental periods.
European socities must learn to accommodate Muslim minorities. Without Masajid and state funded schools, the future generations will suffer from Identity Crises, making them mis-fit not only for Muslim community but also for the society at large.
Iftikhar,
Why ??? Why MUST European societies learn to accomodate Muslim insanity (sorry, religion). Why must ANYONE have to accommodate anyone else’s Religion ??
If you choose to belive in Mohammed, that’s a matter for you. If someone else chooses to believe in Christ and Catholicism, that’s up to them. If yet someone else chooses to believe in an Invisible Pink Unicorn who despises pepperoni Pizza, that too is their choice. Why should ANY of those choices have any impact on my life ? Why should any of those choices have the right to dictate policies to nations ? Why should any of those choices have the right to should any of those choices be deemed special ?
Answer - because without the protections they are afforded, the fact that they are all equally delisional would soon become apparent. For too long, religion has held the law in a choke-hold and commensense in a headlock. Well, those days are going fast, my friend. You can have your Religion, and I will fight for your right to do so….but that does NOT give you the right to impose your beliefs on others in any shape or form - and that includes the ludicrous “calling the faithful to worship” (and this applies as much to Church bells as to muslim “wailing” - apologies, I don’t know the correct word for it).
All religions are rapidly becoming minorities (your word, not mine) and whilst the rights of the minority are important, they should not and will not be upheld at the cost of the rights of the majority. Common Sense will, eventually, prevail.
Rog
Sorry - Anotehr correctional re-post…it’s hard to review a long message in this little window !!
Iftikhar,
Why ??? Why MUST European societies learn to accomodate Muslim insanity (sorry, religion). Why must ANYONE have to accommodate anyone else’s Religion ??
If you choose to belive in Mohammed, that’s a matter for you. If someone else chooses to believe in Christ and Catholicism, that’s up to them. If yet someone else chooses to believe in an Invisible Pink Unicorn who despises pepperoni Pizza, that too is their choice. Why should ANY of those choices have any impact on my life ? Why should any of those choices have the right to dictate policies to nations ? Why should any of those choices be deemed special ?
Answer - because without the protections they are afforded, the fact that they are all equally delusional would soon become apparent. For too long, religion has held the law in a choke-hold and commensense in a headlock. Well, those days are going fast, my friend. You can have your Religion, and I will fight for your right to do so….but that does NOT give you the right to impose your beliefs on others in any shape or form - and that includes the ludicrous “calling the faithful to worship” (and this applies as much to Church bells as to muslim “wailing” - apologies, I don’t know the correct word for it).
All religions are rapidly becoming minorities (your word, not mine) and whilst the rights of the minority are important, they should not and will not be upheld at the cost of the rights of the majority. Common Sense will, eventually, prevail.
As to future generations of Muslims not fitting into Muslim community - perhaps then they will integrate better with European community (and before I get e-stoned to death, yes I know full well than many Muslims have fully integrated with Western society - some of my best friends are Muslims…but the ones that integrate best are the ones that do the sensible thing - keep their faith, but keep it to themselves. Why can’t all Muslims follow that example ?? )
Rog
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