Frankly speaking, we expected more from the Swiss in their vote whether to endorse a government ban on minarets. Known as the most peaceful nation in the world, never engaged in war, one naturally presumes tolerance is part of the Swiss national character. Its vote supporting the ban shows we probably expected too much from them.
Rather than lamenting the outcome of a democratic process, we in Indonesia and in the Islam world must see the Swiss vote as a challenge to surmount. If a nation as peaceful as Switzerland sees the minaret as a symbol of Islamic fundamentalism and radicalism, how do other nations who are less tolerant see this symbol of Islam?
Your comments:
I wonder why there's no outcry from Muslims when churches are burned. Why does no Islamic country allow the construction of any church or preaching of any religion other than Islam?
Isn't it hypocritical to cry victim now when Muslims are the primary abusers of human rights all over the world?
Anis
United States
Anis, can't agree with you more.
Agusto
Jakarta
Muslims do not allow Christians, Jews, etc. to build churches, synagogues, etc. in their countries! Islam is the most intolerant religion!
Miriam Salesch
Istanbul
With the exception of Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan, almost all Muslim countries have churches. A few have been constructed recently, while most have been existence for several years and serve the needs of existing Christian communities. None of this is to suggest that there is no room for improvement as regards the treatment of Christians in places like Indonesia and elsewhere, but the likes of Anis may benefit from getting their facts straight before accusing Muslim countries of disallowing churches.
Sas
United States
I am Swiss and yes, I voted for the ban on minarets, and just because to show that there must be some work from your side, and your editorial is great and if the Muslim world begins to think this way and change things in this way as you have written. I think we will make another vote in maybe five or 10 years and we vote so that you can build your minarets.
Chris Meier
Switzerland
In my opinion, a minaret fits into the landscape as well as a church tower. But the rejection doesn't come as a surprise to me. The Swiss are a particularly conservative people when it comes to their way of life.
They are a peaceful people, that is true, and attacks on Muslims in Switzerland are very rare (if non-existent). But they would reject anything that doesn't fit into their view of how their country should look like.
They are like that, trying to preserve the old-fashioned looks of their towns and landscape. They have a strong feeling of what is Swiss and what is not. Whether a Swiss national is a communist, socialist, Christian, Muslim or whatever has little influence on their national identity.
I know of Swiss nationals who converted to Islam, but still dress as Swiss - not because they are afraid people may recognize them as Muslim, but simply because traditional Muslim dress would be very "un-Swiss". One should not be surprised if some Swiss Muslims voted against minarets too. I know it sounds crazy, but such is the Swiss identity.
Yoshua Budin
Belgium
I really appreciated this editorial since the author acknowledges that the process of migration and globalization can't just be a taking and crying for more and more, but has to be a give and take. It drives me nuts when I hear Turkish and even Saudi government officials calling the Swiss decision "fascist and racist"!
I mean, we can't even bring a Bible to Saudi Arabia without being jailed, and these hypocrite dare to point at us for banning minarets (remember, not mosques as a whole)! All in all, I can understand your idea of promoting the image of moderate Islam in the Western world, but let me tell you, it won't be as easy as you might think.
Philipp W.
Germany
Perhaps as a peaceful nation the Swiss would like to enjoy their peace and serenity, and for this we must respect their desire. A minaret is not necessarily the symbol of Islam. Conversely, the absence of a minaret does not diminish Islam.
Who is to say that Islam as a religion will be diminished when its believers pray in a mosque without a minaret? Who is to say that a mosque will serve less of a religious function without the minaret?
My understanding is that the many Swiss regard the sound blaring from the minaret as an intrusion into their peaceful way of life. In fact, some of the debates dealt with the issues viewed as intolerance to others because quite often mosques are empty, particularly at certain times, and yet the minaret is blaring prayers at full blast without regard for other people's concerns or need for a peaceful rest.
Chris Cheney
United States
