• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Will mosque minarets be banned in Switzerland?

Arcana XV

Arcana XV

DP Veteran
Joined
May 31, 2007
Messages
6,405
Reaction score
4,811
Location
Geneva, Switzerland and Rochester, NY
Gender
Female
Political Leaning
Independent
Women lead Swiss in vote to ban minarets - Times Online

A right-wing campaign to outlaw minarets on mosques in a referendum being held in Switzerland today has received an unlikely boost from radical feminists arguing that the tower-like structures are “male power symbols” and reminders of Islam’s oppression of women.
Click to expand...

“If we give them a minaret, they’ll have us all wearing burqas,” said Julia Werner, a local housewife. “Before you know it, we’ll have sharia law and women being stoned to death in our streets. We won’t be Swiss any more.”
Click to expand...

A similar battle has been raging in Germany over plans to build one of Europe’s biggest mosques in the shadow of Cologne cathedral. The Danes are also locked in debate over plans for two grand mosques in Copenhagen.

In an initiative that would please Switzerland’s antiminaret campaigners, an Italian town seized the headlines last week by putting up signs banning women from wearing the burqa in public.

“If we ban the minarets, that won’t help communication between us,” said Thomas Ruefener, the mayor of Langenthal. “And immigration will continue all the same.”

Referendum or not, the arguments seem likely to continue. “In Switzerland,” said Hisham Maizer, president of the Swiss Federation of Islamic Organisations, “the debate about Islam is only just beginning.”
Click to expand...

I've already sent in my vote against the ban. There is no way I'm going to support a constitutional ban on a religious symbol. I don't even know how such a ban can possibly be worded in our constitution without it being loaded with specific anti-Muslim discrimination. If we're going to constitutionally ban muslim minarets, then we have to ban ALL other symbols on ALL other religious buildings. Either that, or we remove the "freedom of religion" clause completely from the Swiss constitution.
 
Arcana XV said:
Women lead Swiss in vote to ban minarets - Times Online







I've already sent in my vote against the ban. There is no way I'm going to support a constitutional ban on a religious symbol. I don't even know how such a ban can possibly be worded in our constitution without it being loaded with specific anti-Muslim discrimination. If we're going to constitutionally ban muslim minarets, then we have to ban ALL other symbols on ALL other religious buildings. Either that, or we remove the "freedom of religion" clause completely from the Swiss constitution.
Click to expand...

I had no idea that minarets were a symbol of Male dominance. No offense, but these Swiss are absolutely clueless! I bet they can't point to the location where people DO where Burqas. Further, I would love to see them even begin to connect minarets with Afghanistan.
 
It's been a very emotional debate over here. Mostly based on utter and complete ignorance and hyperbole. It completely disregards the fact that most Swiss Muslims are Albanian or Turkish originally and are largely moderate and better integrated than other European Muslims. There already are 4 mosques with minarets in this country, some built over 30 years ago and we're still not wearing burqas or living under sharia law. Go figure.
 
Their arguments are stupid but on the other hand I'm not against the ban on minarets.

When you think about Switzerland you see chalets, cows and tyrolian guys in the middle of moutains, not minarets and women dressed in Burqas.

That doesn't mean that I'm against freedom of religion, but that would be only in the private sphere.

As for churches and protestant temples, they should be tolerated because they're part of the Swiss culture.
 
I'm pretty right-wing, at least as far as immigration is concerned, and a strong advocate for nations defending their native cultures against encroachment from any large immigrant demographic-- and even I think this is a little ridiculous.

Then again, I'm also a pretty big fan of large towers as a symbol of male dominance and power.
 
bub said:
Their arguments are stupid but on the other hand I'm not against the ban on minarets.

When you think about Switzerland you see chalets, cows and tyrolian guys in the middle of moutains, not minarets and women dressed in Burqas.

That doesn't mean that I'm against freedom of religion, but that would be only in the private sphere.

As for churches and protestant temples, they should be tolerated because they're part of the Swiss culture.
Click to expand...

If we're going to allow the Sikhs to build their temples:

071-gesamt.jpg


then I really don't see how we can justify denying Muslims the same right. What makes this mosque in Geneva so much worse than that Sikh temple in Langenthal?

2567-gesamt.jpg
 
This is just like the burqa thing in France. It violates people's civil liberties while doing absolutely nothing to stop the actual or pervceived problem.
 
DrunkenAsparagus said:
This is just like the burqa thing in France. It violates people's civil liberties while doing absolutely nothing to stop the actual or pervceived problem.
Click to expand...


Agreed. Minarets are not dominating women. They were necessary architecture that turned into traditional architecture. Every article I read about this ban just makes want to point at the Christian People's Party (Switzerland) and say "**** you and your 'holier than thou' disorder"
 
It does look like an erect penis.
images


images
 
Arch Enemy said:
They were planning on have the minaret design more woman friendly, but they're not too sure how to make a building look like a Vagina.
Click to expand...
This picture has both a penis and a breast in it. Maybe that would be a better design? :lol:
images
 
This one has quite a few breasts on it! :lol:
images
 
If a minaret is a symbol of male power, isn't a steeple too?
 
Mosque minarets were originally a functional appendage as their height allowed the daily calls to prayer to be heard over a greater distance. Minarets served a function similar to the ringing of bells in a church steeple. Modern technology makes both of these tower appendages unnecessay, but they remain a part of the architecture primarily due to tradition. Such towering architectural tradition has never been part and parcel of a synagogue, but a synagogue always features a prominent Star of David somewhere on the exterior.

Nowadays it is tradition and symbolism at play more than anything else. What is being proposed in Switzerland is reminiscent of discriminatory laws on the books in various Muslim countries. Christian churches and Jewish synagogues are not allowed at all in Saudi Arabia. In some muslim nations, neither church nor synagogue can be structurally higher than a mosque. In addition, some locations have items such as decibel restrictions on church bells and a limit on the number of Christian/Jewish funeral mourners.

There are no such restrictions on Christian churches or Muslim mosques in Israel. The only architectural restriction is in Jerusalem, where the law mandates that all new buildings must be constructed primarily of stone. This mandate is employed for aestectic reasons and applies equally to any temple of worship.

I really don't think Switzerland should go down this discriminatory road, but this is a referendum the Swiss people will have to decide for themselves.
 
...and Europe continues to wander around on a path that leads to trouble. With mere borders as separation, weakness abroad relates to weakness internally.
 
Last edited:
A right-wing campaign to outlaw minarets on mosques
Click to expand...

This says it all.

More anti islamophobia and racist behaviour done by the right.

Chances are low that it will pass though. Much to do about nothing really since there are only 4 minarets in the country..
 
Tashah said:
Mosque minarets were originally a functional appendage as their height allowed the daily calls to prayer to be heard over a greater distance. Minarets served a function similar to the ringing of bells in a church steeple. Modern technology makes both of these tower appendages unnecessay, but they remain a part of the architecture primarily due to tradition. Such towering architectural tradition has never been part and parcel of a synagogue, but a synagogue always features a prominent Star of David somewhere on the exterior.
Click to expand...

A minaret is not very different from an italian campanile or a belfry

Nowadays it is tradition and symbolism at play more than anything else. What is being proposed in Switzerland is reminiscent of discriminatory laws on the books in various Muslim countries. Christian churches and Jewish synagogues are not allowed at all in Saudi Arabia. In some muslim nations, neither church nor synagogue can be structurally higher than a mosque. In addition, some locations have items such as decibel restrictions on church bells and a limit on the number of Christian/Jewish funeral mourners.

There are no such restrictions on Christian churches or Muslim mosques in Israel. The only architectural restriction is in Jerusalem, where the law mandates that all new buildings must be constructed primarily of stone. This mandate is employed for aestectic reasons and applies equally to any temple of worship.

I really don't think Switzerland should go down this discriminatory road, but this is a referendum the Swiss people will have to decide for themselves.
Click to expand...

Don't you think that a ban could be justified on aestetic reasons too? It's not about banning mosques, it's about banning minarets
 
Come to think of it, those arched doorways do look awfully like vaginas!
 
According to exit polls, this measure will most likely pass...

BBC News - Swiss minaret vote: Projections suggest ban backed

Projections from exit polls suggest that voters in Switzerland have backed a referendum proposal to ban the building of minarets, Swiss TV says.

The result is not yet official, but the BBC's correspondent in Berne says if it is confirmed, it would be a surprise.
Click to expand...
 
bub said:
Don't you think that a ban could be justified on aestetic reasons too? It's not about banning mosques, it's about banning minarets
Click to expand...
Almost any stipulations concerning structures can be justified for aestetic reasons. But in order to be fair and consistent... steeples, spires, and obelisks would likewise have to be banned for aestetic reasons since these devices are all structurally similar to minarets.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom