It seems you took a gratuitous slap at the Swiss by stating the motive behind their vote was fear ("Switzerland and the Minaret," Review & Outlook, Nov. 30). Perhaps instead the Swiss are sending a message that they are tired of the in-your-face practices of the Muslim community, such as the burqas and the threats against "the enemies of Islam." Perhaps this backlash arose because of Muslim pronouncements that Muslims are Muslims first and citizens of their host culture second. Perhaps the Swiss have simply grown tired of accommodating a culture that itself won't accommodate any other.
Michael J. Lisle
Baileys Harbor, Wis.
Muslim leaders condemning the recent Swiss ban on minarets would do well to pause and examine rules regarding the establishment of non-Muslim houses of worship in their countries of origin. One of the largest mosques in Europe is situated in Rome, but building a church, however modest in size, in Saudi Arabia is strictly forbidden. Christian communities in Turkey have been requesting permission to build new churches but are only permitted to rehabilitate old churches dating back to the days of the Ottoman Empire.
Religious tolerance is an admirable goal, but to grant it to those who are not willing to reciprocate is folly.
Mary Kaneti
Grand Rapids, Mich.
As a Swiss citizen, I voted against this "popular initiative" which was also opposed by the Swiss Federal Government and by most political parties.
This initiative would probably have been refused had it not been for Libyan President Moammar Gadhafi's kidnapping of two innocent Swiss businessmen who have been detained for more than a year and for Mr. Kahdafi's continuous humiliation of the Swiss government.
Most European governments have condemned the result of this vote. In Switzerland, the people have the unique privilege of being able to oppose most legislative propositions by way of referendum and, also, as in this case, to make legislative propositions. This power to "oppose" and to "propose" does not exist in other European countries. Before pointing with derision at the Swiss people as a whole, maybe these European governments should ask themselves what the result of a similar vote in their own country would have been if their citizens were able express [sic] themselves.
Elisabeth Salina Amorini
Crans-Montana
Switzerland
Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D. 