Over at Eternity road, some thoughts on the Swiss vote

on minarets. He says some things better than I could, but just to keep in practice I'll throw in my thoughts.

This didn't say they couldn't build a new mosque, or be muslim; just no new minarets. No, it wouldn't pass muster here, but their law allows it. And I'll bet history like this(hadn't seen this quote before) was a serious factor:
The minarets are our bayonets; the domes are our helmets. Mosques are our barracks, the believers are soldiers. This holy army guards my religion. Almighty Our journey is our destiny, the end is martyrdom.
When you know that the enemy- and radical Islam is an enemy of all free and non-muslim people- looks on these structures as part of their attack, it gives you reason to not allow more of them(I do understand this is a problem for muslims who have assimilated and do not wish to spread submission by fire and sword; bad side effect). And remember that the Swiss have had a ringside seat to the 'disaffected north-African youths' rioting and raping and thieving and burning in France(in particular); having that next door is kind of like people in El Paso watching the cartels run wild just across the border: you want to discourage things like that.

Part of me really dislikes the vote: I have a knee-jerk reaction to follow Jefferson's comment that "It matters not whether my neighbor worships one god or twenty; it neither breaks my leg or picks my pocket." Problem is, in this case it does matter; when a significant fraction of a religion truly believes that non-believers deserve to die or be enslaved, and will act on that belief, all the neighbors have a problem.* And that's what the Swiss are dealing with. And they decided they'd rather present a disappointment to the Swiss muslims who are good people than allow the bad muslims more room.

It must flat infuriate the Swiss to hear crap like "Muslims indeed will not feel safe anymore." ; can anyone show one instance of muslims being threatened or attacked in Switzerland? But now it will happen? Bullcrap. And garbage like this:
"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.
Last I heard Egypt isn't exactly a welcoming nation to non-muslims, especially Jews, and most muslim governments are hostile- at the least- to anyone of other faith; for this clown to whine about 'freedom of beliefs' is disgusting. And you also have the veiled threats:
"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."
"You wouldn't like to see the same things here as in France, now would you? Then you should not vote in ways that will upset muslims." Etc. I'd guess it's only a matter of time- if it hasn't started already- before the more blunt threats- disguised as warnings- start.

Which won't go over real well, I don't think; the Swiss are about the only nation in Europe that still maintain a gun culture, from troops taking their rifle and a basic ammo load home to shooting competitions all over the country, and they take the idea of self-defense pretty seriously from what I understand. It drives the EUnuchs up the walls and they're pushing hard for the Swiss to castrate themselves, but they haven't. And I'll bet that really is one reason Switzerland hasn't had the same problems as a lot of other countries: big difference between rioting and raping and burning in a place where people are disarmed and brainwashed into victimhood and trying it in a place where the reaction will likely be somewhat, let's say energetic.

So the usual suspects are whining about the 'bigotry' and 'hatred' of the Swiss for daring to say "We won't bend over", and they'll be pressuring them to change the vote. Let's hope they stand up to it.


*And isn't is just wonderful how our major media- Europe's too- is real big on beating on any 'fundamentalist' Christian or Jewish group who says something they don't like, but tries real hard to gloss over that significant fraction of muslims(when they have to mention them at all)?

I do like the idea of a deal: "When we can build churches(or synagogues if you really want them to blow seals) in Saudi Arabia, and people can worship freely there, then you can build another minaret." I don't believe the Saudis, or any other moslem country that currently bans churches would A: agree or B: keep their word, but it would be interesting to see what they'd say.