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By Aisha Gawad
December 1, 2009
To the 57 percent of Swiss citizens who voted on Sunday to ban the building of mosque minarets, I hear you loud and clear! Of course minarets should be illegal - minarets signal the existence of mosques, mosques signal the existence of Muslims, and Muslims signal the existence of all sorts of crime: terrorist activity, littering, poor grooming habits, the end of humanity as we know it, etc.
The right-wing SVP party in Switzerland campaigned hard for the ban, even publishing a poster featuring a woman in a black chador next to a Swiss flag with missiles on it. Classy.
In a televised debate, Ulrich Schluer, an SVP member of Parliament said minarets are a symbol of “the political will to take power and establish Shariah, or religious law,” according to a Reuters article. He gets all of that in a pile of bricks? Impressive.
Aren’t the Swiss known for their open and accepting society? What happened? Unfortunately for the racists in the SVP party, the European Court of Human Rights is hinting that it might strike down the vote saying that banning “new minarets in Switzerland raises concerns as to whether fundamental rights of individuals, protected by international treaties, should be subject to popular votes.”
A minaret is not a symbol of anything except for the fact that Muslims live and worship in a particular location. The equation of Islam with fundamentalism is an affront to everyone who values an individual’s right to practice his religion. The minaret is an object - it cannot speak. But apparently the fear-mongerers and Muslim-haters of Europe can speak for it.
Additional source: NY Times
Comments
Hope no one hates me for saying this. But the ban on minarets is not that big a deal, is it? i mean, does it really make the mosque? It’s an interesting feature, but this is a petty issue at best. it’s only concerning the construction of new minarets after all, those that are already constructed may remain.
Nonetheless, what the SVP is engaging is advocacy of mob rule, where the minorities won’t get their say, or a very limited say at best, which harms a democracy, no matter how you look at it.
By Southernomad on 12/02/2009 at 03:18am Report Abuse
I have to say I’m glad you asked that ‘cause I was wondering the same thing. But it’s not the fact that it’s just minarets - it’s the message the ban sends of “you are not welcome. you are not part of us.” The fact that the Swiss media mainly marginalized the mob vote - and then was taken aback by it turning into a majority vote - shows that even moderates in Switzerland see this as a radical move.
As far as fear-mongering goes, I have to say the silent Muslim voice who says little while more radical voices speak on our behalf is just as much to blame. How bad a job have we done with PR if 1 BILLION + people are spoken for by a few thousand fundamentalists?
The minaret is no more silent than the average Muslim. And like the minaret, he/she will be side-lined if we continue this way…
By Fareeda on 12/02/2009 at 10:25am Report Abuse
For me, this isn’t about the minaret itself. It’s about asking ourselves why a radical right-wing racist party could so easily convince a country that the minaret is a symbol of the extremist Muslim takeover of their country. This is one example of the rampant xenophobia that makes me very glad I am not a Muslim living in Europe.
By Agawad on 12/02/2009 at 02:12pm Report Abuse
i agree with the sisters here- its one step towards banning everything to do with Deen..
By Opinionated on 12/02/2009 at 06:38pm Report Abuse
I agree with Southernomad. Who cares if a Minaret is allowed. Yes, it does prove that religious hatred and fear-mongering has settled into the bones of the people. What’s news about that? Islam is not about the wrappings (well it is kinda for us sisters - hehe), it’s about E-ba-dah. Let’s pick our battles. It’s our right to worship ALLAH that we protect. All the ban shows is their hate, their ignorance, their koof. Now Muslims in Switzerland can put that minaret money toward sadiqa.
By ItsJustMe on 12/05/2009 at 08:35am Report Abuse