Swiss voters OK ban on minarets (LA Times)

[Joe]

Swiss voters OK ban on minarets

 

The measure, promoted by right-wing parties that say minarets are a symbol of Islamic law and segregation, passes with 57.5% of the vote. Critics say it is unconstitutional.

Protest in Bern

 

People light candles at the Bundesplatz to protest the new law banning mosque minarets. Switzerland has about 350,000 Muslims; community leaders rejected the depiction of minarets as a symbol of Sharia law. (Peter Klaunzer / EPA / November 29, 2009)

 

By Devorah Lauter

 

November 30, 2009

 

Reporting from Paris - In a sign of latent fears of Islamic influence in Switzerland, voters on Sunday approved a constitutional ban on the construction of minarets on Muslim places of worship.

 

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-swiss-minaret30-2009nov30,0,5417813.story

[SoSpectacular]

Talk about religious intolerance!

[Joe]

All i'll say is: "Rock the Casbah".

[SoSpectacular]

LOL!

[INDman]

Talk about religious intolerance!

 

It's their country and they never said that there was freedom of religion.

[metsfan]

I don't try to understand the swiss. They have their own way of doing stuff, and it mainly works out for them. I can see a minaret as imposing greatly on the architectural heritage of the suisse region, which goes back a few thousand years. The citizens can have mosques all they want, just sans tall towers. Some city ordinances in the us have similar restrictions for various reasons, which is why a lot of churches end up being without tall (or any) spires.

 

- A

[lilbluefoxie]

if they dont like it they can go back to their home countries where theres all the minarets they want

[Grand Concourse]

Right! Plus they probably have more freedoms there than their home countries that they left.

[metsfan]

I dunno bout you guys, but i really don't aim to visit switzerland just to see its amazing old cities full of the symbol of what is in essence a very abusive, restrictive, and taken too seriously religion in some parts of the world. In honesty i feel the same about church spires etc. If people can put all that effort into some belief system, why not build houses for the homeless instead of shrines to what ultimately is a personal internal individual thing. When you get right down to it, the ban is too limited and should include all new religious architecture. *shrug*

 

- A

[Zman]

It's amazing how strong the extreme right is in Switzerland.

[Joe]

It's amazing how strong the extreme right is in Switzerland.

 

Sounds like a real nice place, huh? It's #1 on my list-of-countries-i'd-live-in-if-america-didn't-exist.

[Y2Julio]

Sounds like a real nice place, huh? It's #1 on my list-of-countries-i'd-live-in-if-america-didn't-exist.

 

I thought that would be Colombia?

[lilbluefoxie]

Sounds like a real nice place, huh? It's #1 on my list-of-countries-i'd-live-in-if-america-didn't-exist.

 

There or any of the former eastern bloc countries who dont want anything to do with communism anymore, like the Czech Repbulic or Latvia

[Grand Concourse]

I dunno bout you guys, but i really don't aim to visit switzerland just to see its amazing old cities full of the symbol of what is in essence a very abusive, restrictive, and taken too seriously religion in some parts of the world. In honesty i feel the same about church spires etc. If people can put all that effort into some belief system, why not build houses for the homeless instead of shrines to what ultimately is a personal internal individual thing. When you get right down to it, the ban is too limited and should include all new religious architecture. *shrug*

 

- A

 

You are crossing off that country just because of this? I don't understand...:confused:

 

And if you are talking about homeless shelters, the UN building in NYC should be converted into one. That would be a far better use for the building that what it is now.

[lilbluefoxie]

You are crossing off that country just because of this? I don't understand...:confused:

 

And if you are talking about homeless shelters, the UN building in NYC should be converted into one. That would be a far better use for the building that what it is now.

 

if I could, I would give you a thank you for that post :tup:

[Grand Concourse]

Thanks

The part about the UN right?

 

Btw, how do I add the 'thanks' button?

[lilbluefoxie]

Thanks

The part about the UN right?

 

Btw, how do I add the 'thanks' button?

 

yea, the UN seems more at home in some European city

[Grand Concourse]

Totally agreed, I hate how they cause massive traffic delays in Manahttan [closing off the FDR for one] and how the US has to pay like 22% of the operating costs of the UN. Let the UN be some other country's headache.

[Zman]

Sounds like a real nice place, huh? It's #1 on my list-of-countries-i'd-live-in-if-america-didn't-exist.

 

It's actually a very beautiful country, but they do things just a bit different there.

[Messino]

It's their country, and it has nothing to do with religious intolerance. The muslims seem to cause problems where ever they settle.. Maybe they are the ones who are intolerant. Besides, who wants to see minerets every where? The minerts are an eyesore and are annoying to some just like the Jehovas witnesses ringing everyones door bells on Saturday morning when everyone is trying to sleep.

[Joe]

Where is your "thanks" button?

[MAA89]

It's amazing how strong the extreme right is in Switzerland.

 

Yeah, I remember the controversy over anti-immigration posters depicting a few white sheep kicking a black sheep out a few years back.

 

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1002/1339641587_43216466d1.jpg

 

I am not religious myself, but I find religious intolerance to be quite pathetic. What is wrong with letting a minority group build a few buildings in the architectural design that they want? I agree the Swiss have the right to run their country as they see fit, but they could be a little more accommodating without causing themselves a great deal of harm.