Letter addressed to an entity unlikely to respond
Dear Switzerland,
It's been quite some time since my last visit, but I enjoyed myself in your country. What's not to love about beautiful mountains, freakishly reliable trains, and a wide variety of chocolate? But I regret to inform you that, well, you officially fail as a country.
In a 57%-43% vote, your people amended your constitution to ban the construction of minarets. Your four existing minarets won't be torn down. For now.
Are you under the impression that banning a piece of architecture will somehow persuade Muslims to become, say, Catholics? Are you under the impression that a giant "fuck you" from nearly three-fifths of your people will make Muslims think "Gee, we really ought to more fully embrace Swiss culture."
I am not sanguine about the threat posed by the subset of Muslims who seek to impose their religion on others by force; Islam is hardly alone among religions in that regard, and I might even concede that Islamism is uniquely threatening because of the sheer size and momentum of the movement, and its degree of repression and orthodoxy. So I write this not as someone who views the clash between Islam and liberal modernity through rose-colored glasses. But, guys, this is not the right answer.
Have you stopped to ask yourself why the United States excels at assimilating immigrants? Maybe it's because, instead of treating them like second-class citizens, we offer them opportunity and freedom. That isn't to say we're blissfully free of racism or anti-immigrant bias. But we're awfully damned good at assimilating immigrants, and if you disagree, please name the country that does so more successfully. Yeah, that's what I thought. Freedom and the melting pot are a pretty good model for getting people to buy into our culture and values in a generation or two.
I'll let you in on a little secret, Switzerland, because clearly you need all the clues you can get: freedom is the gateway drug for Americanism. Let me say that again slowly. Freedom is the gateway drug for Americanism.
Think about it.
Meanwhile, perhaps, if you find time to reply to this, you can explain to me exactly how this minaret ban is going to work. Minarets are not required for any part of Muslim religious observances, and are not necessary to make a building a mosque any more than a a steeple or stained-glass windows are required for a church. The only purpose of this ban is for the majority to give the middle finger to a minority they don't like. Do you think this is more likely or less likely to make your Muslim population more radical, insular, snd defensive?
For extra credit on the exam, you can explain exactly how this is different from the majority banning the construction of new synagogues. Not that a German-speaking country in Europe would ever do such a thing. Perish the thought.
Very Truly Yours,
A Concerned Acquaintance
It's been quite some time since my last visit, but I enjoyed myself in your country. What's not to love about beautiful mountains, freakishly reliable trains, and a wide variety of chocolate? But I regret to inform you that, well, you officially fail as a country.
In a 57%-43% vote, your people amended your constitution to ban the construction of minarets. Your four existing minarets won't be torn down. For now.
Are you under the impression that banning a piece of architecture will somehow persuade Muslims to become, say, Catholics? Are you under the impression that a giant "fuck you" from nearly three-fifths of your people will make Muslims think "Gee, we really ought to more fully embrace Swiss culture."
I am not sanguine about the threat posed by the subset of Muslims who seek to impose their religion on others by force; Islam is hardly alone among religions in that regard, and I might even concede that Islamism is uniquely threatening because of the sheer size and momentum of the movement, and its degree of repression and orthodoxy. So I write this not as someone who views the clash between Islam and liberal modernity through rose-colored glasses. But, guys, this is not the right answer.
Have you stopped to ask yourself why the United States excels at assimilating immigrants? Maybe it's because, instead of treating them like second-class citizens, we offer them opportunity and freedom. That isn't to say we're blissfully free of racism or anti-immigrant bias. But we're awfully damned good at assimilating immigrants, and if you disagree, please name the country that does so more successfully. Yeah, that's what I thought. Freedom and the melting pot are a pretty good model for getting people to buy into our culture and values in a generation or two.
I'll let you in on a little secret, Switzerland, because clearly you need all the clues you can get: freedom is the gateway drug for Americanism. Let me say that again slowly. Freedom is the gateway drug for Americanism.
Think about it.
Meanwhile, perhaps, if you find time to reply to this, you can explain to me exactly how this minaret ban is going to work. Minarets are not required for any part of Muslim religious observances, and are not necessary to make a building a mosque any more than a a steeple or stained-glass windows are required for a church. The only purpose of this ban is for the majority to give the middle finger to a minority they don't like. Do you think this is more likely or less likely to make your Muslim population more radical, insular, snd defensive?
For extra credit on the exam, you can explain exactly how this is different from the majority banning the construction of new synagogues. Not that a German-speaking country in Europe would ever do such a thing. Perish the thought.
Very Truly Yours,
A Concerned Acquaintance