The Swiss Minaret Ban: What Are Voters Really Trying to Outlaw?

[alp227]

The Nation magazine has this interesting guest op-ed piece from Laila Lalami, an assistant professor of creative writing at the University of California, Riverside. It compares the voter-approved ban on minarets in Switzerland with past and future religious rights referendums in other European countries. She even points out that in France there's a proposition for communautarisme, or "legal decisions on everything from the availability of halal food in school cafeterias to taking a day off for a religious holiday."

[mikelgb]

1. Phallic Symbols

[GodDamLiberal]

2. Their new flag?

[burning rain]

3. I agree with the author that whatever else the minaret ban is, it's remarkably silly.

If most Swiss dislike Muslims, it would make more sense from their point of view not to allow Muslims to immigrate in the first place, rather than vex them with this pettifogging dorkery.

[mojowork_n]

4. How would you feel living next to a 30 foot tall talking billboard?

I'm taking a guess, here, but I think it might not be the minarets themselves that are "objectionable." It might be the recorded arabic calls to prayer that come blaring forth, at regular daily intervals, over the loudspeakers.

[burning rain]

5. Believe me, I'd be about the last person to enjoy that kind of crap.

I do not relish the innumerable stupidities of religious freaks.

[evilkumquat]

6. I read somewhere that the European minarets are not used for that purpose.

They are just decorative.

[Douglas Carpenter]

7. there are a total of 4 Minarets in all of Switzerland - none of which broadcast calls to prayer

In fact Minarets in Switzerland do not announce calls to prayer.

The vast majority of Swiss-Muslims are Eastern European - most are not particularly religious - very, very few are fundamentalist in any form. The largest number of Swiss Muslims are from Bosnia, followed by Kosovo and Turkey,

There can be little doubt that racism, bigotry and xenophobia were driving forces in this campaign led by a far right, racist party. Here is one of their popular posters:



In the lead up to the vote, a mosque in Geneva was repeatedly vandalized.

Here is a leading poster used by in the anti-minaret campaign:




I rejoice that Jewish organizations are speaking out:

http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/jewish_groups_object_to_switzerlands_minaret_ban_20091203/


,

[BlueMTexpat]

8. Thanks for your informative post.

The whole intent of this referendum was to create an atmosphere of fear and exclusion where it had not existed and did not need to exist.
Yesterday's Geneva Tribune reported that Muslims in Switzerland are asking Muslims in other countries not to react with inflammatory rhetoric or actions, including boycotts, because it only plays into the hands of the fearmongers. There is some thought that perhaps Muslims here have literally been too "discreet" and there are efforts on the part of all the major churches and synagogues here, as well as among the more liberal political parties, to make the situation into a teachable moment.
In addition to the clear fear-mongering, one factor in the success of this referendum is thought to have been an on-going problematic situation with Libya. Kaddafi's son was arrested in Geneva in the summer of 2008 because of alleged mistreatment of his household staff who had complained to the local police. Although his son was later freed, even though the alleged charges were largely substantiated, and allowed to return to Libya, Kaddafi retaliated by taking two Swiss businessmen in Libya hostage. They were recently allowed to move to the Swiss Embassy in Libya but have also been sentenced to prison terms in Libya, ostensibly because their papers were not "in order." This has been a festering diplomatic sore and has been prominently featured in local headlines and newscasts here during the past year.


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Enacting the ban into law may present significant problems because of Switzerland's obligations under international conventions. Moreover, there is currently a movement afoot to overturn it.

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/world/45762-swiss-intellectuals-seek-minaret-ban-reversal