Swiss ban on minarets a giant step backward

The Swiss news agency ATS reported today that the ban on the construction of minarets has been approved by 57% of the voters who supported this draconian measure. The referendum that proposed the ban was backed by the right-wing Swiss People's Party (SVP).

 It is a sad moment for all people who cherish religious freedom to see a discriminatory law receive wide popular support in the country that witnessed the birth of modern democracy. It is also ironic that such a blatant expression of intolerance is taking place in the birthplace of Jean-Jacques Rousseau who drew on his Swiss experience to call on Europe to embrace freedom and shun arbitrary rule.