War & Terrorism Support Group

This is kinda disgusting....considering that only 6 percent of the country is muslim and of that only 10 percent practicing...

The only comparison I can think of is if Northern Ireland decided to ban steeples on Catholic churches, seeing as the IRA was mostly catholic....

Swiss vote to ban minarets

Muslims dismayed after 57.5% of voters endorse a ban on new construction of mosque towersPublished On Mon Nov 30 2009Email Print Republish Add to Favourites Report an error Share Share3 Article
GENEVA–Swiss voters have overwhelmingly approved a constitutional ban on minarets, barring construction of the mosque towers in a surprise vote that put Switzerland at the forefront of a European backlash against a growing Muslim population.

Muslim groups in Switzerland and abroad condemned Sunday's vote as biased and anti-Islamic. Business groups said the decision will hurt Switzerland's international standing and could damage relations with Muslim nations and wealthy investors.

The referendum by the nationalist Swiss People's Party labelled minarets as symbols of rising Muslim political power that could one day transform Switzerland into an Islamic nation. The initiative was approved 57.5 to 42.5 per cent by some 2.67 million voters. Only four of the 26 cantons or states opposed the initiative, granting the double approval that makes it part of the Swiss constitution.

Muslims comprise about 6 per cent of Switzerland's 7.5 million people. Many are refugees from the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s and about one in 10 actively practises religion, the government says.

The country's four existing minarets, which won't be affected by the ban, do not traditionally broadcast the call to prayer beyond their walls.

Associated Press
Posted on 11/30/09, 11:36 am