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Monday, November 30, 2009
One Sane Nation
Switzerland has a unique history as a land whose people will not accept external domination. The Swiss are as free as any people in the world, and far freer than the other peoples of Europe. Whether the newborn European Union will change that state of affairs remains to be seen, but for now, the Swiss are sticking to their guns:
GENEVA — Swiss voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional ban on minarets on Sunday, barring construction of the iconic mosque towers in a surprise vote that put Switzerland at the forefront of a European backlash against a growing Muslim population.Muslim groups in Switzerland and abroad condemned the vote as biased and anti-Islamic. Business groups said the decision hurt Switzerland's international standing and could damage relations with Muslim nations and wealthy investors who bank, travel and shop there.
"The Swiss have failed to give a clear signal for diversity, freedom of religion and human rights," said Omar Al-Rawi, integration representative of the Islamic Denomination in Austria, which said its reaction was "grief and deep disappointment."
The referendum by the nationalist Swiss People's Party labeled minarets as symbols of rising Muslim political power that could one day transform Switzerland into an Islamic nation. The initiative was approved 57.5 to 42.5 percent by some 2.67 million voters. Only four of the 26 cantons or states opposed the initiative, granting the double approval that makes it part of the Swiss constitution.
Until this morning, your Curmudgeon was unaware that the Muslim fraction in Switzerland had risen to 6%. Normally, a nation with 3%-5% of Muslims begins to suffer severe dislocations and strident demands for the accommodation of shari'a, but there's been no such news from Switzerland. Whether that's because Swiss Muslims are unusually pacific for their kind, or because Switzerland's non-Muslim population has bigger cojones than the rest of Europe, it would appear that Swiss "infidels" have perceived the threat from Islam and have decided to thwart it before it rises further.
Needless to say, Muslims both inside and outside Switzerland are displeased:
"It's a sad day for freedom of religion," said Mohammed Shafiq, the chief executive of the Ramadhan Foundation, a British youth organization. "A constitutional amendment that's targeted towards one religious community is discriminatory and abhorrent.""The sponsors of the ban have achieved something everyone wanted to prevent, and that is to influence and change the relations to Muslims and their social integration in a negative way," said Taner Hatipoglu, president of the Federation of Islamic Organizations in Zurich. "Muslims indeed will not feel safe anymore." [from the article linked above ]
"This proposal...is not considered just an attack on freedom of beliefs, but also an attempt to insult the feelings of the Muslim community in and outside Switzerland," [Mufti Ali] Gomaa, the Egyptian government's official interpreter of Islamic law, told the state-run news agency MENA. [from Jihad Watch]
And from before the balloting:
Mutalip Karaademi, an ethnic Albanian who has lived in Switzerland for 26 years, was at first pleased when his proposal for a 5m-high (16.5ft) minaret was approved by the local authority.But following a vociferous campaign against the plans, including a petition with thousands of signatures, the cantonal government in Berne delayed the project indefinitely.
"We are very disappointed," said Mr Karaademi. "We just wanted to do our mosque up a bit, with this small minaret and a tea room. We actually thought it might promote dialogue." [from the BBC]
Of course! "Promoting dialogue" is the only thing Muslims ever do! Right? Right?
The Swiss government opposed the ban; several of its ministers spoke out strongly against it, which proves only that Swiss politicians are no better than the European norm. But the Swiss people decided otherwise, despite threats that passage of the ban could have negative consequences:
There are fears that the campaign against minarets will provoke growing resentment against Swiss society."I think Swiss Muslims will be angry and bitter over this," said Reinhard Schulze, professor of Islamic Studies at Berne University. "And we know that anger and bitterness among a community can lead to radicalisation, even to militancy."
The Swiss government is extremely nervous about the prospect of militancy among Swiss Muslims; three cabinet ministers have already spoken out against the campaign to ban minarets.
There is also a growing fear that the debate will damage Switzerland's traditionally good relations with the Arab world.
Threats of this sort, including those backed by violence, have quelled opposition to Islamic encroachment in many other lands. But the Swiss are apparently as canny as they are determined to remain unIslamicized:
Switzerland has voted overwhelmingly to ban triumphalist minarets on Muslim mosques. On a respectable turnout of 55 per cent, there was a landslide victory for banning minarets: nearly 58 per cent for a ban, just 42 per cent against. It appears that only the three most westerly French-speaking cantons voted against the ban, while the other 23 cantons voted in favour.This went completely contrary to pre-referendum opinion polls which had shown a 10 per cent lead for the pro-minaret camp; instead, the margin was 16 per cent in favour of a ban. People lied to opinion pollsters. Are they doing the same in Britain? Are they saying they will back Dave when they have rather more robust intentions in mind? Could the Vichy Tories be in for a shock? They certainly will be in 2015.
It's worth remembering that per capita, the Swiss are the most heavily armed people in Europe. Every Swiss head of household has an automatic rifle and a thousand rounds of ammo for it, in his home. Advice to Muslims: Don't piss off the Swiss. There's a reason they still guard the Pope.
This seemingly "local" bit of news is of critical importance to all the Western world. Most important of all will be what develops from the ban:
- Will the European Union attempt to countermand the ban?
- Will Middle Eastern states attempt to use the "oil weapon" against Switzerland?
- Will various imams, ayatollahs, and muftis go on anti-Swiss speaking binges?
- Will Swiss Muslims begin rioting, in hope of overturning the ban?
- Will Switzerland's embassies in other nations be endangered by Muslim violence?
Your Curmudgeon expects 1, 2, and 3 above in some degree, but not 4 or 5. Remember those rifles behind Switzerland's front doors.
We could learn something from the Swiss. Whether we will is debatable. But their step toward making Muslims feel uncomfortable and unwelcome in Western lands is one we could and should emulate.
Comments
"the Swiss are the most heavily armed people in Europe. Every Swiss head of household has an automatic rifle and a thousand rounds of ammo for it, in his home.”
Including the Muslims? Just wondering.
Posted by on 11/30/2009 at 11:15 AMSelf-determination vs. the Religion of Pieces. I like it, though I doubt it will wake europe from it’s slumber.
Posted by Blackiswhite, Imperial Consigliere on 11/30/2009 at 12:45 PMThe Swiss will rethink the ban when christian churches and jewish synagogues are allowed to be built in Mecca i.e. when hell freezes over?
Posted by ΛΕΟΝΙΔΑΣ on 11/30/2009 at 01:10 PMI’d like to remind ER readers (and maybe inform some too) that the EU (and others I care not to mention cuz they is close to US) has been putting tremendous pressure upon the Swiss to JOIN the EU. There are 4 official languages in Switzerland. I bet you’re right on your first guess which -phone Swiss are most hankering to cave to EU pressure.
Posted by Pascal (the derivative) on 11/30/2009 at 02:14 PMIf they’re all that sane, howzcum they let all those post-national non-governmental organizations (so well-deserving of the boot—or the noose) hang out in Geneva, then?
M
Posted by Mark Alger on 11/30/2009 at 08:17 PMI strongly recommend Stephen Halbrook’s book, Target Switzerland: Swiss Armed Neutrality in WWII. One of his most important points about Switzerland, they were the only country in Europe whose President or ruler lacked the authority to surrender the country! And their military leader repeatedly said, “If you hear an order to surrender, do not believe it!”, and “We will fight to the last bullet!”. MOLON LABE indeed. Swiss Rifle dittos.
Posted by Kerry on 11/30/2009 at 09:14 PM"1.If they’re all that sane, howzcum they let all those post-national non-governmental organizations (so well-deserving of the boot—or the noose) hang out in Geneva, then?”
Simple, Mark. First off, the Swiss are famous, deserved or not, for their generally open, tolerant society. Second, they have an aura of neutrality unrivalled anywhere else in Europe. Third, the UN picked Geneva to ‘spread the love’ as it were, and the first two reasons made the UN look really good. It doesn’t hurt that Lake Geneva is breathtakingly beautiful, and the city is a wealthy tourist mecca.
Posted by on 12/01/2009 at 04:44 AMWill the European Union attempt to countermand the ban?
Will Middle Eastern states attempt to use the “oil weapon” against Switzerland?
Will various imams, ayatollahs, and muftis go on anti-Swiss speaking binges?
Will Swiss Muslims begin rioting, in hope of overturning the ban?
Will Switzerland’s embassies in other nations be endangered by Muslim violence?
1. Yes.
2. No. Switzerland might, in a purely bipartisan spirit, you understand, nationalize the sheik’s bank accounts and then publicize just how much money the sheiks had in them.
3. Yes. It gives them something to do.
4. I don’t think so. Cf. Swiss males with automatic weapons and a 1,000 rounds of ammo for same.
5. Yes. It gives the restless mobs something to do other than dwell on why their governments insist on making their lives miserable.
Posted by on 12/01/2009 at 04:17 PMWe must recall that, judging by their choice of targets, jihadis really really hate unarmed infidels.
The Swiss have not been provoking them.
Posted by Joseph Hertzlinger on 12/02/2009 at 01:15 AM”...But their step toward making Muslims feel uncomfortable and unwelcome in Western lands...”
Muslims are always bitching and complaining so much, I doubt that they feel comfortable ANYWHERE.
Posted by on 12/03/2009 at 12:03 AM
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