Swiss Voting On Minarets
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Just the latest bit of evidence that the far right in America does not hold a lock on stupidity or intolerance.
But the spotlight is likely to be trained on the anti-minaret proposal which was brought by a far-right party which claims that the turrets or towers attached to mosques symbolise a ‘political-religious claim to power.’
The Swiss government has asked the population to reject the call, arguing that accepting a ban would bring about ‘incomprehension overseas and harm Switzerland’s image.’
The right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP) had forced a referendum under Swiss regulations on the issue after collecting 100,000 signatures within 18 months from eligible voters.
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Well, it passed
The only upside is that it makes me less sad to leave Switzerland (and return to the US) next month.
Exit polls say that more than likely the ban is being supported.
Damned ridiculous! Now all the Swiss who voted for this xenophobic stupidity can join hands with
the GOP and get some more of that psychopathic fear and loathing out onto the planet.
Just the latest bit of evidence that the far right in America does not hold a lock on stupidity or intolerance.
But it would be nice if we could be the world’s foremost leader in fighting stupidity and intolerance, wouldn’t it?
Yeah, why don’t you go try building a cathedral in Kabul, Islamabad or Riyadh. Let me know how that works out for you. Or are they the only ones allowed to be intolerant? As an athiest, I oppose delusional ideas without regard to race or the type of invisible sky god that may be worshipped.
And lets face it, religion is intolerance. Religious people of all stripes believe they are going to heaven, and all those deluded rubes in Mumbai or Bangkok or wherever are going to burn in hell because they don’t pray 5 times a day, or accept Jesus as their personal savior or whatever. That’s the whole idea of structured religion isn’t it?
Are the Swiss right wingers being intolerant? Sure. As are those in Afghanistan that execute people for converting others to Christianity. Oh, and I’m not talking about the Taliban…
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/23/international/asia/23convert.html?_r=2&oref=slogin
Well, let’s be honest, the Swiss have been assholes for a good couple centuries now.
I don’t know what you guys think, but I’m all for it. Prissy formal 18th-century dances in triple time all over the country? Not for me, thank you! We need more of that kind of law right here in the U! S! A!!
What? Min-U something?
Never mind.
Meanwhile, what a disgusting load of shit. Doing something our own assholes haven’t managed even to try, even in California. I guess it’s nice not to be the worst for a little while, right?
Porlock: ROTFLMAO
Porlock–VERY funny! First laugh for me all day long. . . .
Looks like the Swiss believe that the benefits of diversity have been overstated.
The benefits of lack of diversity: the cuckoo clock [h/t Graham Greene]
Shorter Amused Observer: Racism is (still) awesome!
Translated Indeed. Can’t see the forest because of all the trees.
It must be nice being low on the Religious Right’s list of people to put on the chopping block.
Whereas Amused Observer can’t see the trees because of all the scary brown people hiding behind them.
Nuke the Swiss and steal their gold.
LOL,
Above all else these last 500 years the Swiss have shown themselves to be pragmatists. It’s not fear of scary brown people, it’s the realization that the downside exceeds the upside. If a guest in your house is rude and troublesome it is foolish to believe things will improve if your rude guest brings more of his friends over to your home.
Amused Observer–did you even read the article?
By your estimation Native Americans should have banned European’s church steeples out
of this country years ago.
So I’m assuming that you would be okay with any predominantly Muslim country not allowing any Churches to be build in their country, right?
Leota,
It certainly would have been in their best interest. You might note how demographics and unchecked immigration had a certain corrosive effect on the lives of the asians who emigrated here first over the Arctic land bridge. The newly arrived Europeans had little concern for the traditions and values of the asians who came before them. They forced their ideas upon them and consequently supplanted them. That is not a unique tale but one that has happened time and time again all throughout history.
This exactly like that, Amused. Exactly.
Here’s an interesting wrinkle on the story: Seems like some people on the Left still have a little common sense.
Seems like some people on the Left still have a little common sense.
When those same radical feminists tell you and the pope that you have no right to tell them what to do with their bodies, you can call them anti-catholic bigots, Frank.
And it’s too bad you blew your chance to bring right and left together over the issue of child rape. To you, apparently, building minarets on a place of worship is worse than raping a child in one. Nice.
Religious people of all stripes believe they are going to heaven, and all those deluded rubes in Mumbai or Bangkok or wherever are going to burn in hell because they don’t pray 5 times a day, or accept Jesus as their personal savior or whatever. That’s the whole idea of structured religion isn’t it?
No, we don’t and no, it’s not.
Jackass.
I’d hardly call this pragmatic, AO, since the Muslim population in Switzerland is one of the most integrated in Europe with little if any radical element. This purely symbolic gesture, unfortunately, sends exactly the wrong message to those Swiss citizens of Islamic descent, most of whom fled the fighting and racial cleansing in Bosnia years ago.
fafaroo, you jerk, try sticking to the topic… Don’t start that kerfluffle over here, because you didn’t get your shots in over there.
And stop trying to make me out as some sort of defender of “child rape”, because I ain’t fuckin’ buyin’ it.
When those same radical feminists tell me that the Catholic Church should be destroyed — then I will call them anti-Catholic bigots …
Does that include you?
You would have to be a super ignorant asshole to think that anyone would defend “child rape” — including the Catholic Church… The fact that you do believe it means you are an ignorant asshole and an anti- Catholic bigot.
You bastards have pissed me off.
You bastards have pissed me off.
Uh oh! We’ve gone and done it now! Watch out, liberals, General Frank is coming for you!
Of course, I can understand you being pissed off, Frank. It’s not every day that people expose someone as a morally-bankrupt, repugnant, foolish, sniveling apologist for child rape.
then I will call them anti-Catholic bigots … Does that include you?
They’re in the trees! Look out! Aiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeee!
Frank quoth:
“You would have to be a super ignorant asshole to think that anyone would defend “child rape” — including the Catholic Church
Sorry – defending child _rapists_. Fixed.
most of whom fled the fighting and racial cleansing in Bosnia years ago.
AO thinks: What? Muslims aren’t all brown? Unpossible!
Clearly there needs to be a counter measure. All steeples must come down as well. If minarets are seen as symbols of power, so must church steeples. It’s only fair.
You would have to be a super ignorant asshole to think that anyone would defend “child rape”
Not defending, be fair. Just pretending it never happened in the first place.
When those same radical feminists tell me that the Catholic Church should be destroyed — then I will call them anti-Catholic bigots …
Frank, those same radical feminists are supporting a law that tells a religion how they can build their places of worship based entirely on ideas they disagree with, and not, say, neutral building and safety laws.
The same law in the United States would get struck down immediately, no matter how many people voted for it, as a violation of the First Amendment.
And you, along that stellar constitutional scholar Amused Observer, support what the Swiss are doing.
But would you still support it if a similar law were drafted in your state?
Would either of you support a similar law in the united states banning the construction of any new Catholic churches until it changed its policies on protecting and harboring child rapists?
Would you support a similar law banning the building of christian mega churches for congregations that opposed abortion?
So, Frank, would you support a law that made it illegal for churches to have steeples?