HAILED AS A STUNNINGLY COURAGEOUS BLOW TO THE ADVANCE OF FANATICISM THROUGHOUT EUROPE
by John Charlton
(Dec. 1, 2009) — Yesterday the hearty people of the Swiss Confederation, known popularly as Switzerland, voted overwhelmingly to amend the national constitution to outlaw, forever, the construction of Islamic towers of prayer throughout the entire coutry. Such towers are known popularly in the West as Minarets.
Alexandra Williams, writing for the Telegraph, reports on the political motives behind the referendum vote. And quotes the reaction of the Swiss People’s Party (SVP) which put the referendum on the ballot:
“We’re enormously happy. It is a victory for this people, this Switzerland, this freedom and those who want a democratic society,” Walter Wobmann, president of the initiative committee, said in a victory speech. “We just want to stop further Islamisation in Switzerland.”
The main stream media, however, continues to demure, ardent supporters of Islam as they are. Just as in previous reports about the massive influx of Muslims into southern Spain in 2006, writers like Williams seek to ostracize and berate sensible westerners who realize the danger of a religious cult which has no respect for human rights, and who would use religious freedoms to infiltrate and undermind all the freedoms of the citizens of western nations.
The support for the referendum reached 71% in the traditionally Catholic Canton of Appenzell.
In a previous report Williams explained the history behind the referendum:
Earlier this year Langenthal’s 750 Muslims asked for planning permission to add a minaret, 30 feet high, to their mosque in a town with 11 churches and 14,500 inhabitants.
The reaction to the apparently harmless request has polarised Switzerland and crossed borders to feed into British, French, Dutch and Austrian fears over Islam and national identity.
“This minaret is a symbol of conquest and power which marks the will to introduce Sharia law as has happened in some other European cities. We will not accept that,” said Ulrich Schueler, an SVP politician and leader of the “stop” minaret campaign.
As recently as two weeks ago, opinion polls showed 53 per cent would reject the ban and just 37 per cent would support it. But yesterday’s results showed a swing to 57.5 per cent in favour (1.534 million people), 42.5 per cent against (1.135 million people) and 22 of the 26 cantons also in support of the initiative.”
Swissinfo.ch gives a Swiss look at the referendum and issues, though it characterizes the effort as “right wing,” commentators on the article are overjoyed at the courage of the Swiss democracy. In one clear sign of where progressives lie on the issues, one liberal antiwar site is hoping that the European Court which ordered Itay to remove crucifixes from classrooms, will order the Swiss to build minarets. Some liberals are so incensed, they have thrown reason and logic to the wind, with one commentor at Crooket Timbers saying, that the referendum to amend the constitution is unconstitutional! It seems like a liberal free-for-all against the Swiss, this week.
The Post & Email wishes to publically commend the Swiss People, who have given outstanding witness to the importance of Western Civilization and its common sense principles.