Swiss ban further construction of minarets

The Swiss electorate voted on November 29 in a referendum to ban the further construction of minarets. The vote, which generated worldwide comment and controversy, marked another setback for religious liberty in Europe.

“The Swiss vote is an expression of the Swiss majority’s fears -- some rational, some not -- on the role of Islam in their society. Unfortunately, it is a misguided expression that substitutes a symbolic issue for substantive ones, and sets a malign precedent for Swiss citizens of every faith,” said Angela C. Wu, International Law Director at The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. “Islam in Western society poses real and meaningful challenges -- but resolving them demands more freedom for faith in public life, not less. What begins as a petty and meaningless denial of minor freedoms to Swiss Muslims opens the door for more serious and damaging repression later.”

“This sign in particular -- a ban on minarets in a country possessing a mere four of them -- eloquently testifies to a society ill-equipped to deal with Islam, by virtue of being ill-equipped to deal with faith,” said Asma Uddin, Becket Fund attorney and expert panelist for Newsweek and Washington Post’s “On Faith.”

For her most recent op-ed, click here or go to: http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/panelists/asma_uddin/2009/12/swiss_choose_fear_over_freedom.html?hpid=talkbox1