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Swiss move to ban minarets
BBC News ^ | Monday, 28 May 2007 | Imogen Foulkes

Posted on 05/28/2007 7:09:51 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican

A row is brewing over religious symbolism in Switzerland.

Members of the right-wing Swiss People's Party, currently the largest party in the Swiss parliament, have launched a campaign to have the building of minarets banned.

They claim the minaret is not necessary for worship, but is rather a symbol of Islamic law, and as such incompatible with Switzerland's legal system.

Signatures are now being collected to force a nationwide referendum on the issue which, under Switzerland's system of direct democracy, would be binding.

The move has shocked Switzerland's 350,000 Muslims, many of whom have been campaigning for decades for more recognition for their faith.

In theory Switzerland is a secular state, whose constitution guarantees freedom of religious expression to all. In practice however mosques in Switzerland tend to be confined to disused warehouses and factories.

Across the country, there are only two small minarets, one in Zurich and one in Geneva, neither of which are permitted to make the call to prayer. In Switzerland's capital Berne, the largest mosque is in a former underground car park.

Plans rejected

In the small town of Langenthal, just outside Berne, plans to build a very modest minaret have been put on ice following thousands of objections.

Langenthal's mosque is housed in a former paint factory on the outskirts of town.

Mutalip Karaademi, an ethnic Albanian who has lived in Switzerland for 26 years, was at first pleased when his proposal for a 5m-high (16.5ft) minaret was approved by the local authority.

But following a vociferous campaign against the plans, including a petition with thousands of signatures, the cantonal government in Berne delayed the project indefinitely.

"We are very disappointed," said Mr Karaademi. "We just wanted to do our mosque up a bit, with this small minaret and a tea room. We actually thought it might promote dialogue."

Mr Karaademi is also bitter at what he sees as unfair discrimination against his faith. "I even gave them a written undertaking that we would never make the call to prayer," he said. "They seem to think we are all criminals or terrorists - that's like saying all Italians are in the mafia."

Islamic law

But supporters of a ban on minarets say they have no intention of preventing anyone from practising their faith.

"We don't have anything against Muslims," said Oskar Freysinger, member of parliament for the Swiss People's Party.

"But we don't want minarets. The minaret is a symbol of a political and aggressive Islam, it's a symbol of Islamic law. The minute you have minarets in Europe it means Islam will have taken over."

Mr Freysinger's words may sound extreme, even paranoid, but this is a general election year in Switzerland, and the campaign against minarets is playing well with voters.

A recent opinion poll for one Swiss newspaper found that 43% of those surveyed were in favour of a ban on minarets.

"We have our civil laws here," insisted Mr Freysinger. "Banning minarets would send a clear signal that our European laws, our Swiss laws, have to be accepted. And if you want to live here, you must accept them. If you don't, then go back."

Growing resentment

It's a harsh message for Swiss Muslims, many of whom were born in Switzerland. There are fears that the campaign against minarets will provoke growing resentment against Swiss society.

"I think Swiss Muslims will be angry and bitter over this," said Reinhard Schulze, professor of Islamic Studies at Berne University. "And we know that anger and bitterness among a community can lead to radicalisation, even to militancy."

The Swiss government is extremely nervous about the prospect of militancy among Swiss Muslims; three cabinet ministers have already spoken out against the campaign to ban minarets.

There is also a growing fear that the debate will damage Switzerland's traditionally good relations with the Arab world.

But the Swiss People's Party is powerful. If the minaret campaign is, as some suspect, a vote-grabbing ploy ahead of October's general election, then it is a successful one; the party is riding high in the opinion polls.

A constitutional amendment forbidding minarets will have to be approved in a nationwide referendum. In the meantime, no minarets are being built anywhere in Switzerland; the controversy has created a situation in which no local planning officer wants to be the first to approve one.

In that respect, the People's Party may have got what it secretly wanted all along, an unofficial ban on minarets.

So for now, Switzerland's Muslims will continue to pray in abandoned buildings, many with the growing feeling that they are tolerated only as long as they remain invisible.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: demographics; eurabia; good4them; switzerland
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1 posted on 05/28/2007 7:09:53 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

Swiss Muslims pray in disused factories and warehouses

2 posted on 05/28/2007 7:10:29 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican (Everyone that doesn't like what America and President Bush has done for Iraq can all go to HELL)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Many Swiss think minarets have no place on their urban skylines

3 posted on 05/28/2007 7:11:03 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican (Everyone that doesn't like what America and President Bush has done for Iraq can all go to HELL)
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To: MinorityRepublican

I wish our government would stand up to this imposition of Islamic values on our Western culture, too.


4 posted on 05/28/2007 7:12:32 PM PDT by 3AngelaD (They've screwed up their own countries so bad they had to leave, now they're here screwing up ours.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

There are 350,000 death cult robots in little SWITZERLAND???

I tell you, Europe is screwed.


5 posted on 05/28/2007 7:13:19 PM PDT by FormerACLUmember
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To: MinorityRepublican

6 posted on 05/28/2007 7:13:58 PM PDT by restornu (True Christian Soldiers Are More Than Weekend Warriors! ~ "Mitt Romney 08")
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To: MinorityRepublican

Good for the Swiss!!

Personally, I think that the “Muzzies” should be compelled to relocate their Mosques to a more appropiate locale....the local landfill. They should “feel” right at home, there.

If a “Muzzie” finds this to be “offensive”, then that’s worthy of what I call a “T-S Button”.


7 posted on 05/28/2007 7:14:55 PM PDT by Howie66 (To the RAT Party: How can I question your patriotism? You have none, so what's your point?)
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To: MinorityRepublican

The Swiss don’t eff around to protect their national identity, and keep in mind that it is a multinational, multilingual identity already. The Swiss, the Eastern Europeans will keep the barbaric hordes at bay, the Frogs, the Krauts will drown in the falafel sauce.


8 posted on 05/28/2007 7:15:39 PM PDT by Revolting cat! (We all need someone we can bleed on...)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Let the Muslim riots commence!


9 posted on 05/28/2007 7:16:44 PM PDT by Man50D (Fair Tax , you earn it , you keep it!)
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To: MinorityRepublican
"The move has shocked Switzerland's 350,000 Muslims, many of whom have been campaigning for decades for more..."

Is there asnything that DOESN'T shock them?

Oh right beheadings and stonings. Sorry. My apolgies.

10 posted on 05/28/2007 7:17:45 PM PDT by bubman
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To: restornu
"The minute you have minarets in Europe it means Islam will have taken over."

This is going to be a bloody bloody century...
11 posted on 05/28/2007 7:18:19 PM PDT by Eyes Unclouded (We won't ever free our guns but be sure we'll let them triggers go....)
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To: Howie66

I propose minarets, if these looniez succeed in forcing the Swiss to build them, be used to mark WC’s, or more commonly known in the U.S. as toilets.


12 posted on 05/28/2007 7:19:20 PM PDT by World_Events
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To: MinorityRepublican

“...our Swiss laws, have to be accepted. And if you want to live here, you must accept them. If you don’t, then go back.”

Well now, isn’t THAT a novel idea!!


13 posted on 05/28/2007 7:20:21 PM PDT by SAMS ("I may look harmless, but I raised a U.S. MARINE!" Army Wife & Marine Mom)
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To: World_Events

14 posted on 05/28/2007 7:22:54 PM PDT by Andy from Beaverton (I'm so anti-pc, I use a Mac)
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To: Revolting cat!

The Germans will come around eventually - they’ll just wait ‘till the situation is desperate and then erupt with nightmarish genocidal plans that cause more ruin for themselves and others than humanity has ever known before....


15 posted on 05/28/2007 7:22:58 PM PDT by SteveMcKing
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To: MinorityRepublican

Banning Muslims would be a better idea.


16 posted on 05/28/2007 7:23:25 PM PDT by conserv8ive1 (Rudy and the Bots...blasting off to oblivion.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

“Drop your bombs between the minarets, down the casbah way...”


17 posted on 05/28/2007 7:24:03 PM PDT by dfwgator (The University of Florida - Still Championship U)
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To: MinorityRepublican

The minaret is just a big phallic symbol. Minarets should be banned for decency reasons alone.


18 posted on 05/28/2007 7:24:53 PM PDT by BuffaloJack
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To: MinorityRepublican

whatever else they are, they’re tacky as hell.


19 posted on 05/28/2007 7:27:08 PM PDT by the invisib1e hand (Thank you St. Jude.)
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To: MinorityRepublican
"I think Swiss Muslims will be angry and bitter over this," said Reinhard Schulze, professor of Islamic Studies at Berne University. "And we know that anger and bitterness among a community can lead to radicalisation, even to militancy."

Yeah, and if they start pulling any of that burning cars or bombing trains garbage, they may see a lot more ethnic Swiss carrying something they are trained to use.

20 posted on 05/28/2007 7:27:21 PM PDT by DeaconBenjamin2
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