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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2009
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Swiss Group Fights Against Islam's Minarets

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(Newser) – A debate on freedom of religion featuring ultra-nationalist zealots is playing out in the most unlikely of places: a sleepy hamlet in Switzerland. A group is trying to block the construction of a 30-foot tall minaret on a mosque in Langenthal (pop. 14,000) because it's a symbol of Islam's "desire for power," the Independent reports.

An anti-foreigner political party is leading the charge and wants to make an example of the town ahead of a national referendum on the issue it forced onto the ballot in November. "There may be different laws governing this kind of thing in certain part of Paris or Berlin, but we don't want them in Switzerland," says a campaign leader.

Switzerland is home to some 400,000 Muslims, and mosques have been built in some main cities without much objection.
Switzerland is home to some 400,000 Muslims, and mosques have been built in some main cities without much objection.   (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Conservative campaigners in Switzerland say minarets are an
Conservative campaigners in Switzerland say minarets are an "ideological intrusion."   (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
A partial solar eclipse silhouettes birds surrounding a minaret of a shrine in Pakistan.
A partial solar eclipse silhouettes birds surrounding a minaret of a shrine in Pakistan.   (AP Photo/Khalid Tanveer)
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They are symbols of a desire for power, of an Islam which wants to establish a legal and social order fundamentally contrary to the liberties guaranteed in our constitution. - Ulrich Schüler, a politician and leading member of the anti-minaret movement

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10 comments
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Timinator2K
Aug 14, 09 7:48 AM CDT
Islam, don't be messin' with the Swiss, they're just plain ole bad-asses that would as soon throw your world-conquestin' butts off the top of an Alp than look at your "religion of peace," head-choppin'-off, "honor" murderin', ugly faces. Reply
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+1
schmidtkoff
Aug 14, 09 9:26 AM CDT
go swiss. look at the problem we have in america. muslim cab drivers refusing customers who fly in from abroad with liquor. muslim cab drivers who refuse to taxi about the blind with seeing eyed dogs because the believe dogs are "dirty" especially black dogs. if ya wanna move to the us, if ya wanna practice your faith ok. but don't take a job where you are supposed to serve people then deny them service based on your religious beliefs. Reply
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+5
IN RESPONSE:
Conor
Sep 9, 09 5:06 PM CDT
It is not a right to ride in the cab. It is a privlidge. I wouldn't turn away buisness personally, but it is their right.
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+1
jamerican
Aug 14, 09 9:44 AM CDT
These islam infidels need to learn to fit into a culture and not try to change it. If they don't like the way a culture operates get the hell out of their country, and that goes for the US. Reply
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0
jagerhans
Aug 14, 09 11:26 AM CDT
now we understand that in switzerland there is no such thing as religious freedom. every cult is allowed except the one we don't like. the apotheosis of christian fascism and hypocrisy . it is true that in saudi arabia you can't build a church or own a bible, but at least they never claimed a nonexisting freedom of cult. so either switzerland formally bans religious freedom or this is a blatant abuse of power. Reply
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+4

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