Swiss voters today approved a ban on the construction of new minerates.
What are the doper opinions on this.
I just came in to see what on earth you were misspelling. It’s minarets.
Me too. I thought it was minerals!
Well then, I am sure that the learned moderators will make the needed changes.
Pretty remarkable bit of thinking here. It seems that, in order to prevent the spread of extremist Islamism and encourage the assimilation of the Muslim community, the Swiss are choosing to do everything within their power to make sure the Muslim population feels isolated and excluded from Swiss political culture. Well done!
Less snarky answer: This is very, very ugly. For states to use their power to sanction - mandate, even! - discrimination against a religion … well, that’s a practice with a very long and nasty history. And I’d honestly thought the Western democracies were moving past it. More fool me, I guess.
What I find interesting is that the opinion polls were off, by about 20%. It shows the value of secret ballots. AS well as the fact that people will not want to air what is seen as a prejudiced or bigoted position.
A friend of mine lives in Switzerland and from what he’s told me it doesn’t surprise me that such a ban came into place. It seems (from the outside) like perhaps the most xenophobic country in Western Europe.
Could someone please explain how a minaret is dangerous and worthy of a ban?
Fixed title and moved to Great Debates.
twickster, MPSIMS moderator
I think it’s a good idea.
No idea, remarkably stupid and bigoted move on the part of the Swiss.
They’ve banned minuets?
This is why the government shouldn’t get involved in religion. Be thankful for the 1st Amendment, America.
Due to historical, cultural and geographical factors, I agree that the Swiss are generally a pretty “closed” society, and some of the least accepting of forigeners in Western Europe.
(My grandfather was born and raised in Bern, and I have spent a good bit of time in Switzerland, and overall, I felt less welcome there than about any other country I have ever visited.)
Remake Footloose, but set it in an 18th Century Austrian-Swiss canton!
I should condemn the Swiss for this, but we Americans have been banning mosques and Islamic academies at the county and municipal levels for years.
I, for one, agree wholeheartedly with the banning of towers that represent ancient, imported Middle-Eastern religions.
Out of curiosity, how does the law define an minaret? As jjimm mentions, Church steeples are presumably still allowed, is the law as blatent as “Muslim groups can’t build any towers?” It’d be kinda cool if the ban caused some neat architectural innovation.
Not that I agree with the ban, but since it’s passed, I wouldn’t mind seeing the Muslims stick it to the man and try and find a way around it.
Cite? I’ve never heard of a mosque being outright banned through legal means in the United States.