The Swiss referendum on minarets

I think the motive behind the Swiss People’s Party was Muslim bashing. And obviously singling out an ethnic group for a symbolic kick in the balls is wrong.

Yet, if you look at the actual content of the decision itself: no minarets. What’s the problem? Should secular people for some odd purpose be permitted to put up towers in towns or in the countryside; towers by their nature are an attempt to architecturally dominate an area.

One could argue back and say, ‘Ah yes, but what about existing and possible new Christian steeples?” Well certainly I would oppose building new ones, as for existing ones they are part of the heritage of the area; and nobody is trying to ‘wipe the slate clean’.

If I were Swiss I would have voted against the ban on account of the motives behind it, but as for the decision itself, I wouldn’t worry about it. In fact I would try to get a ban on all new towers put up for ‘ideological’ purposes, whether religious or secular.

Nuclear issues require referenda in Britain

There are two issues on which Britain should hold referenda. The first is whether Britain should have new nuclear power stations; the second is whether the country should replace the nuclear weapon system Trident.

On both issues I would campaign for a clear NO.