Now, first off, what is a minaret? Very simply, a tall tower with a balcony from which a muezzin calls Islamists to prayer. What is a muezzin? Also very simply, the name given to a man who calls the Islamists to prayer. If you've ever heard a muezzin call Islamists to prayer, you wouldn't forget it, and because devout Islamists have to pray five times a day, that's how many times one would have to hear the muezzin call.
Anyway, back to the story, there is a reason why banning the building of minarets is a good thing. According to an opinion piece in The Jerusalem Post, a minaret (and also a mosque) are seen as symbols of Islamic power; the writer of the piece notes the building of a mosque in Delhi, India was done to celebrate the conquest of the city by Islamists. There is also the matter of the chanting done from the minaret done those five times a day when Islamists are called to prayer. The concern of the Swiss people in this matter is the rise of Islam (particularly fundamental Islam), and in the end, the majority of the Swiss people said NO to the minarets.
Unsurprisingly, those on the Left are in an uproar, crying religious freedom has been infringed; one reporter for Reuters is also claiming this could signal a “new right-wing surge”. Using the argument of the Left on this matter, if a minaret is just part of the service of worship for Islamists, why do everybody else have to hear it? Why does everybody else have to listen five times a day to Islamic chanting, especially during hours when people are still asleep? And for those who may counter with the fact Christian churches ring the bells during their services, that's not the same thing. In fact, bells are not just rung at churches; they can and are also rung in other buildings (any building with a clock tower, quite frankly).
Switzerland, I might point out, is not the only country where an effort is being made to put an end to the loud calls to prayer from the muezzins; in Israel, there's a member of the Israeli Knesset (Parliament) who has a bill which would silence them. The reason cited for the bill is because of the loud noise, but needless to say, the MK in question has already been called a racist for his actions. What else is new?
The banning of minarets being built in Switzerland is a good idea not only because people who aren't Islamists don't have to listen to the loud calls to prayer five times a day, but more importantly, it sends a message that political Islam, fundamental Islam, extremist Islam isn't welcome in Switzerland.
