Bigotry in Switzerland (The Hindu)

[struggle4progress]

December 4, 2009

In a referendum .. on November 29, the Swiss .. voted by 57.5 per cent for a .. ban on .. building .. minarets ...

The ban will not affect the four minarets already .. in Switzerland, and .. has no connection with .. such Muslim presence as .. is in the country. The population of .. 7.6 million includes .. 400,000 Muslims; almost all are Europeans or have strong European cultural connections. The 160 or so mosques in Switzerland are .. almost invisible. The .. SVP campaign for the ban focussed on the burkha, on the Sharia law, and on the allegedly widespread oppression of women in Islamic cultures and countries. The main campaign poster showed black minarets standing together like rockets against the background of the Swiss flag. In front of the flag, a woman in a black burkha stared towards the viewer. The clear and inflammatory message was that Switzerland had been or was about to be taken over by Islam ... This victory for fear and demagoguery shows .. the failure of mainstream European politicians to deal decisively with xenophobia, bigotry, and racism ...

http://beta.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/article59659.ece

[onehandle]

1. Switzerland's 'neutrality' is actually about them preferring isolationism.

I started a conversation about this several weeks ago here and was slammed as 'an uninformed American.'

Oh, yeah?

[Karenina]

2. Ever wonder how long ago Swiss women were allowed to vote?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/february/7/newsid_2738000/2738475.stm

[gula]

3. Three women hold the State’s key positions

They sure caught up fast.

http://www.parlament.ch/e/dokumentation/dossiers/frauenpraesidien/Pages/default.aspx