Swiss vote to ban Minarets

the Swiss are voting today on a ban of minorets on Islamic places of worship:

http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/front/Minaret_ban_approved_incomplete_results_show.html?siteSect=105&sid=11553929&cKey=1259501174000&ty=st

http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swissinfo.html?siteSect=46&sid=6685138
comments?

 

Why don't you tell us what you think instead of just posting internet links.

 

That people in switzerland can never say decisions are taken without consulting them.

 

That it's noone's business but the Swiss and any Muslims living there.


Oh, and if I ever win the Idiot Tax, the money's going straight into a Swiss Bank account: no fcuking way would I trust a UK bank.

 

This was instigated by Ulrich Schlüer of the SVP. He's a right-winger of the worst sort. When the Berlin Wall fell, he was still warning about the terrible consequences three years later. He has strong connections with other right-wing and neo-Nazi organisations and one of his best friends was the Holocaust-denier Wilhelm Stäglich, who's now brown bread. Schlüer is a dangerous, racist gobshite.

This is him ranting on about sending aid to eastern countries: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqzD8aLthcM

MsG

 

Good on em

 

What next? A vote to remove the holes from Swiss cheese perhaps. It would be about as interesting.

 

Apparently only 5 mosques out of around 160 in Switzerland have minarets and the vast majority have now applied for them. I can see how that might concern some people. As for the muslims, noise regulations mean that they can't have a muezzin wailing from it anyway - so why do they need a minaret?

 

just build a castle with loads on it

 

Because I am undecided on the issue Q'. It is a big one. I asked for comments to get a feeling of differing views.

Racist = This move cannot be racists as following Islam is a faith, not a race, so that argument is a false one.

Religion? I don't believe in religion.

I do support The Swiss vote, it is direct democracy instead of parliamentary democracy... People politics, not party dictat

Swiss have a Governing Council (they don't have a Prime Minister as in most nations):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_parliament

 

It's a bit draconian banning a minaret - it's a fairly harmless dance.

 

OK...I think it is great that at least one European nation demonstrates the moral courage to stand up for its culture.

As well, it is wonderful that at least one European nation allows its subjects/citizens the right to voice their beliefs. This freedom is in decline across all of Europe.

Do we have the same rights and freedoms in modern Britain? Do we wish to preserve of culture?

 

Difference? swiss are NOT in the EU, that's why the are wealthier than other EU states, they are part of Europe but not in the EU. they are friends with and trade with the EU States, but are free from EU Laws, directives and regulations. It has won "best quality of life in the world" award several years running
They remain an Independent democratic nation.

Unlike the UK now

I see that UKIP leader promotes the "SWiss style of democracy:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8381992.stm

 

I,m not bothered, I cant dance anyway.

 

Switzerland has a about three times the level of Muslims in its population than the UK. It very different human terrain.

Swiss Muslims are mostly urbanized Turks and folk from the former Yugoslavia. Half are under 25 and seem to be fond of their blow, beer and bratwurst. Only 15% actively practice their faith. They are not radicalized though you will find young Albanians rather over represented in the Yougo wings of Swiss jails.

Burkas were not exactly a common sight until this got plastered up:

Several Swiss cities promptly banned it.

There are 150-200 Mosques mainly in warehouses and old buildings. There are only four working minarets, one is 40 years old. The fifth is a 19th century folly built by a chocolatier. You of course need planning permission to build a minaret or indeed an ambitious window box. There have been only a couple of applications that I've heard of one in the village of Wangen another in Langenthal. These days a good speaker system is what most European Mosques use for the call to prayer the minaret is just a symbol.


Terrifying isn't it.

As for the public nuisance argument this is the country where the Churches insist on vigorous bell ringing just after dawn on a Sunday.

The Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities came out loudly against the ban knowing full well the Swiss right is filled with latent anti-Semitism. Really this is about the shrewd SVPs vote seeking populism and then distantly about intimidating Switzerland's very large foreign population, most Swiss towns are 40% Auslander. This one seems to have been swung by the easily frightened and ladies, who poll as much more Islamophobic than Swiss men, the feminists also favored a ban.

Given that Serbs are viewed with a great deal of suspicion I was a little surprised to see that a Serbian Orthodox church went up in Belp recently.

Langenthal also has a recently constructed Sikh temple. I recall there being some unease about this but then the locals saw all the Mercs rolling up to it and realized they stumbled onto a commercial opportunity.