Swiss Minaret Ban

[OverMind]

In an unexpected move, the Swiss have banned the construction of minarets. For the ignorant, a minaret is a tower attached to a mosque. Read here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minaret_controversy_in_Switzerland

I've been following this story for a while (i.e. it started a week ago), and I can't help but feel dismay at some of the comments I have read in blogs and news sites.

I keep seeing the "direct democracy > everything" argument being used, which is inherently flawed. While it works in most cases, it misses the mark entirely when it comes to minority rights which, get this, is what the issue is all about. The government of Switzerland doesn't actually support this, they oppose it, but have to follow suit because of the referendum which was initiated by a right-wing party (surprised?) that somehow passed.

Well, as it is now, construction of new buildings with tower-esque structures can only proceed in Switzerland based on the following rule-of-thumb:

http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2009-12-02-switzerland_minaret.jpg

Needless to say, I can totally see how this doesn't trump some sort of human right pertaining to freedom of religion, let alone expression, enshrined in their constitution which will eventually be used as a pretext for challenging this embarrassing mess-up of a situation in court. Totally.

[Spoofs3]

Damn Right Wing parties, ignorant and foolish.
I don't see how things like this can actually be passed in a government, especially of Switzerland which has tried to be unbiast for everything.
Very shocking anyways, First I've heard of it.

[Fat1Fared]

-This is a sad day for the world, when even a normally balanced county like Swiss can do something so insane, this is the first I've heard of it and proves one of the many problems with Democracy, especially when more like Majocracy (joke name, not real)

=It also proves that you pass anything with good progranda minster and poeple wonder why I fear the BMP party in Britain

=However, i must ask how right wing are we talking here?

[MrsSallyBakura]

...but why?

Banning a tower isn't going to convert people or anything.

[Aninamar]

I think it's not a matter easy enough to just slap: "Swiss are immature xenophobic dorks". So I don't really know what to think about this.

I've heard a theory that Switzerland, being a neutral country, is doing this for the lesser evil - they believe that keeping this kind of grip on the Muslims is in order to remain neutral. And given how the Muslims are being harmed by their image in the West, it's kinda understandable.

[OverMind]

=However, i must ask how right wing are we talking here?

The SVP used these posters as part of their campaign to support the initiative:

http://bnp.org.uk/files/2009/10/swiss-poster-minarets.jpg

Right-click over the source of the image above and you'll find it's not being hosted on the party's server, a blog or a news-site. It's from the BNP's site.

The party is to Switzerland what the BNP is to Britain.

Banning a tower isn't going to convert people or anything.

They're using the argument that the minarets represent Islamic oppression and political gain.

That'd make sense if most of the Islamic population of Switzerland wasn't from secular countries with Islamic majorities, like Turkey, or Albania. Or even refugees trying to escape war. The latter really gets me because the oppressed are being placed in the same group as the oppressors. It's as if they escaped persecution only to face it again.

I'm offended that people are actually using completely flawed arguments to support the move. There's no way it's justified.

Another argument in which the poster has no idea what he's talking about:

Countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran put restrictions on building Churches, so it's only fair that we do the same in Switzerland.

Whatever Saudi Arabia does to its citizens is its own separate matter and, rightly so, it's condemned world-wide. But, does it not seem wrong to apply the policies of a seperate, non-related government to Swiss citizens (who happen to be Muslim) which have no ties to that country? When you use this argument, you're basically relegating the persecuted to second-class citizens who are not apart of your country. It's pure xenophobia. When you've got citizenship, your allegiance is to the country that granted it to you, not some other country that just happens to share part of your religious ideology. It'd be akin to persecuting Catholics in the US for the actions taken by Catholic-majority states, like Italy. Not that Italy has done anything condemnation-worthy, but the analogy still stands.

[Fat1Fared]

e source of the image above and you'll find it's not being hosted on the party's server, a blog or a news-site. It's from the BNP's site.

The party is to Switzerland what the BNP is to Britain.

I see, I figured it would be that kind, but you never know, just how bad it can get in these times, with poeple thinking anyone who wears a scarf, must be terrorist

=Ironically on similar vain to this today, the EDL (English Defense League) came to my uni city today and I don't know who the bigger thugs are, the Police or the them, I got pushed head first into a metal bar by one of the Police, who decided to arrest a man for waving at him in a dismissing way. I wasn't even never it, let alone involved in the action, I was just trying to buy a bloody Vinet Jacket.

=However, these are racist thugs, and giving this attention, just gives them power, ignore them for fools they are and soon get bored. All we can hope is that here, because these are look on as brain-dead thugs, no one will listen to them.
=There now outside my flat, chanting England till I die, (how catchy)

[BefeAmems]

Its not just about BANNING dude.
If you do not have any good reasons, LOL.Why should they ban him/her?
And, you can just PM them.

[Spoofs3]

Its not just about BANNING dude.
If you do not have any good reasons, LOL.Why should they ban him/her?
And, you can just PM them.

Wut?
Did you just read the title and assume that Swiss Minaret is a user or did you actually read any of the topic to find out the Swiss (the Country) banned (not internet ban) Minarets (A little tower on Muslim Mosques)? :P

[OverMind]

Wut?
Did you just read the title and assume that Swiss Minaret is a user or did you actually read any of the topic to find out the Swiss (the Country) banned (not internet ban) Minarets (A little tower on Muslim Mosques)? :P

I lol'd.

[Eia]

Its not just about BANNING dude.
If you do not have any good reasons, LOL.Why should they ban him/her?
And, you can just PM them.

What is this I don't even


But, no. This is stupid, beyond stupid. Even more stupid than ignoring minority rights.

They're banning architectural designs.