Swiss Muslims open mosque doors

[Posteritatis]

Source: BBC News

Muslims in many parts of Switzerland have invited the public into mosques - three weeks before a vote on whether to ban the construction of minarets.

Muslim organisations say they hope their open day will counter what they say are fears and prejudices.

The conservative group that initiated the vote - the largest party in the Swiss parliament - says minarets are a symbol of Muslim political power.

Opinion polls suggest the proposed ban will be rejected by voters.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8348279.stm

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Gotta love the perspective failure involved in thinking that the presence of a minaret means you're living under enemy occupation or something. It's not as common an attitude as it could be, but it's still too common.

[JonQ]

1. I wonder if the swiss will now be denounced

as ignorant islamaphobes?

[Hatalles]

2. Why broadbrush?

Some of them probably are, of course. There are bigots in every country throughout the world.

[JonQ]

11. Because if this were happening in say

Texas then most DUers would get on board to slam the entire state.

I was pointing out the double standard.

[Violet_Crumble]

7. No, but the conservative group wanting to ban minarets are n/t

[Democracyinkind]

10. Yes they are. Most vehemently by the decent part of the Swiss people.

In fact, allot of places banned their hate-mongering propaganda campaign. Unfortunately not in my city.

[AlphaCentauri]

3. looks like islam is filling the spaces left by Atheist, Protestants and Catholics

in their arrogant ideological wars

[DRoseDARs]

4. I assume they'll likewise try banning the construction of church steeples as well.

Being a "symbol of Christian political power" and all... :shrug:

[The Green Manalishi]

6. I'd be happy

if every mosque, temple and church was leveled and the land put to some productive use. Nothing against Islam in particular, just virulent dislike of all metaphysical systems as soon as they turn the corner into telling, insinuating, or otherwise suggesting what anyone else should or shouldn't do.

Perhaps once all the people who think there is anything besides the firing of neurons are suitably treated, or at least isolated, we can start progress towards civilization.

No real difference between wasting a dozen people shouting 'Allah Akbar' and enslaving and killing indigenous Amerindians, or conducting witchcraft trials, except for the scale. Most of the evil that has ever been, has been enacted by people who believed in some teleological higher calling.

[Democracyinkind]

9. Yeah - that's the thing. For them muslim architecture is somehow inherently political while

christian architecture is just fine. Bigots, morans, a small and dying-out minority in Switzerland.

[Blandocyte]

5. Build maxarets. Eff 'em.

[Posteritatis]

12. Now my brain's trying to figure out what a maxaret would look like. (nt)

[Democracyinkind]

8. One problem with direct democracy: Even the MORANS can launch INITIATIVES.

As a half swiss currently living in Switzerland, I can assure you that this initiative does not have any broad support.

The RW is just playing with people's fears because they are in for big losses in the next election.

The hate-speakers that they import to whip up the old farts against the "muslim takeover" (lol : 5.8% of pop.) are mostly american though. Europe has no hate industry yet concerning muslims. But5 I'm sure they'll learn that soon enough.