Oh, Switzerland

[mothwing]

Well, to be honest, people in Switzerland, they're not that much different from Germans in Cologne, really, a couple of years back with their nno-mosque signs. Central Europeans are apparently never happy when a non-Christian religion wants to add buildings to their houses of worship that are a threat to the easily scared, seeing as they are perceived as obvious symbols of financial and political power. They're a sign that in reality, non-Christians over here are not how people here like their people from a non-Christian background to be - quiet, shy, downtrodden, in their place, grateful, tolerated.

I seem to remember that in Germany back in the day commenting on articles, saying that even if they were fine with minarets in general, they did not want them to be higher than the spires of Christian churches - which, considering that the buildings of banks and several chimneys are considerably higher than church spires and remain scorn free, says a lot about the priorities of our good Christians over here.

Still, the posters back then strike me as... well, a little more tasteful than the ones used in Switzerland:



Really tasteful colour combination there and style there, guys, but still better than the others, really driving home their association of the shape of the minarets with those of rockets in these atrocities.

When I read today that these people, the people with the above posters, the people who made obvious the association between houses of worship and terrorism, that these people won, against all predictions and common sense with a surprisingly high amount of votes, I was absolutely floored. The initiative was launched by nationalists, people I thought were about on one level with nationalists over here, a small group of politicians that is worrying and too powerful for my taste, but still a minority which does not have too much political influence, thankfully, not really. These people made Switzerland add a charming sentence to their constitution which simply reads, "It's forbidden to build minarets".

What the FUCK, Switzerland?

I'm with the people who made these:



"The sky above Switzerland is big enough. "

Too bad the minds in Switzerland are not.

Comments

[bronnyelsp.livejournal.com]

That's really depressing news -- but the last graphic is very beautiful.

[mothwing.livejournal.com]

It is, sad that it didn't do the trick.

[rizardofoz.livejournal.com]

It is definitely depressing. I've found that sentiment quite prevalent in certain areas. My girlfriend (who is Lebanese-American) told me something that happened a few years ago in Cleveland: a Orthodox church (primarily membered by Lebanese people - just about all 2nd-, 3rd-, and 4th-generation) had to move for renovation and they were going to head to a certain suburb south of the city. Many of the citizens threw a fit because they didn't want 'those people' around even if just on a Sunday.

That isn't bashing a particular religion, but it's a similar bit of close-mindedness and hate. It's disgusting. :-\

Nonetheless, I do love that last photo.

[mothwing.livejournal.com]

Wow. The surprisingly hostile behaviour and mindset of suburbians never ceases to amaze me.

[krakelwok.livejournal.com]

Oh, Germans aren't generally opposed to other religions' places of worship. For example, if your city, let's call it Düsseldorf, houses a lot of foreign workers, let's say from Japan, why not, because over a hundred corporations from their country of origin have important European branch offices there, why, they'll gladly let them build Buddhist temples, supermarkets catering exclusively to their tastes, kindergartens and even schools just for their children. So there's your solution right here: lots of tax money makes even the most stubborn German bureaucrat tolerant.