Tim Johnston (05/12/09)

The Swiss ban on minarets exposes not only a severe problem in the rise of Islamophobia in Europe, but also the dangers and trivialities of direct democracy. 

On the 29^th November, 2009, the Swiss government held a referendum on whether Swiss law should permit the further construction of minarets in Switzerland.  The answer was a resounding, “No”, with 22 out of 26 Swiss provinces voting in favour of the ban or, in real terms, a majority of 57.5%. 

The idea that a government can hold a referendum on whatever it likes is a bad one.…[Continue Reading]