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| Europe |
| Swiss vote to ban new minarets |
| 2009-11-29 |
 AP so no quotes. Swiss TV projects 59% in favor of the initiative (i.e. against minarets). The Swiss equivalents of CAIR are "shocked". To put this in context: Nearly the entire cultural, business and political elite in Switzerland has been opposed to the initiative. The "Burqa and Minarets" placard in favor of the initiative was banned in some cities (very unusual for Switzerland). |
| Posted by:Gleque Pholuger2105 |
| #21 Brilliant comeback there. Did you learn that at LGF? |
| Posted by: Cornsilk Blondie 2009-11-29 23:55 |
| #20 LOL, Twit. |
| Posted by: Woozle Uneter9007 2009-11-29 23:52 |
| #19 Woozle, if you think they are just "architectural elements", you gots some learning to do. A damn phallic symbol in the middle of town blaring out a call to prayer five times a day in Arabic is something else besides an "architectural element". It's an in-your-face statement that needs no translation (which is why Swiss women voted for it in greater numbers than Swiss men, IMHO.) The 90 or so mosques are already built. It's harder to get rid of something that has the proper permits/zoning/whatever they have in Switzerland. As long as they are following the law (at least as far as anyone knows at this time), what legal grounds do they have to shut them down? |
| Posted by: Cornsilk Blondie 2009-11-29 23:32 |
| #18 From the Times article: The party also exploited heavily in its campaign a remark by Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish Prime Minister, describing minarets as the “bayonets of Islam”. Full quote: “The mosques are our barracks, the domes our helmets, the minarets our bayonets and the faithful our soldiers…” |
| Posted by: tipper 2009-11-29 22:33 |
| #17 Woozle, there's maybe four right now in the whole country. It's not like they are overrun with them at this time. So what? They banned an architectural element LOL! Nothing else! Twenty years ago there were 3 mosques in Switzerland. Today there are 90. And they think a minaret is their problem?? Idiots. |
| Posted by: Woozle Uneter9007 2009-11-29 22:11 |
| #16 No more minarets for the Swiss? Good. More for Britain, France and Belgium. |
| Posted by: regular joe 2009-11-29 18:39 |
| #15 Here is the article through the Times Online |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2009-11-29 16:50 |
| #14 Woozle, there's maybe four right now in the whole country. It's not like they are overrun with them at this time. |
| Posted by: Cornsilk Blondie 2009-11-29 15:43 |
| #13 #12 OT: Re #7- How many people today hear the William Tell Overture and still think of the Lone Ranger? It used to be that was a sign of being an intellectual. If you hear the William Tell, think of the Lone Ranger, a rattlesnake, and Tonto in denial.....you're a redneck. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-11-29 15:38 |
| #12 OT: Re #7- How many people today hear the William Tell Overture and still think of the Lone Ranger? It used to be that was a sign of being an intellectual. |
| Posted by: Rambler in Virginia 2009-11-29 15:23 |
| #11 It a start Woozle. Maybe the only demonstration of any spine anywhere in the western world. How about banning immigration next year. Then supporting conversion. Lots of work left to do. |
| Posted by: ed 2009-11-29 15:15 |
| #10 The Swiss are going to ban 'future' minarets. Wow. That'll show 'em, huh? Idiots. |
| Posted by: Woozle Uneter9007 2009-11-29 14:59 |
| #9 Official result: 57.5% for the initiative. As for the establishment's position against the initiative, it was a strange mixture of PC and abject fear. One of the placards recommending a 'NO' vote read something like "Für den Religionsfrieden! Nein zur gefährlichen Minarettinitiative!" - "For religious peace! No to the dangerous minaret initiative!". Obviously they did not really believe that Islam is a ROP. |
| Posted by: Gleque Pholuger2105 2009-11-29 12:46 |
| #8 The Saudis are protesting: This would be like banning church towers in Riad. Oh wait, there are no churches in Riad. |
| Posted by: European Conservative 2009-11-29 11:51 |
| #7 Sounds like William Tell's headed to a tea party. Cue the William Tell Overture. |
| Posted by: tipper 2009-11-29 11:51 |
| #6 As I understand it the Swiss establishment was against this for the usual PC reasons. The Swiss people had been telling the pollsters they would vote no. Sounds like William Tell's headed to a tea party. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2009-11-29 11:13 |
| #5 I think UN should withdraw all it's institutions from Switzerland to West Bank. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2009-11-29 10:31 |
| #4 Lived and worked thee and except for a small percentage, they (unlike the US of Arabia) wanted to preserve their country's values and traditions (not necessarily those of religion since church goers are few), however, they see that Islam is a political moment. |
| Posted by: HammerHead 2009-11-29 10:20 |
| #3 Living and working in Switzerland |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2009-11-29 09:45 |
| #2 Time to start emigrating there. |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2009-11-29 09:40 |
| #1 pushback has to start somewhere |
| Posted by: Frank G 2009-11-29 09:25 |