My five cents.

I don’t get around writing down some thoughts about this topic. The law which was passed last week in switzerland is in fact absolutely ridiculous. It boils down to this: The campaign of the SVP was building upon fear. It didn’t really matter wether it would have been a law to prohibit anyone from building a mosque, a minaret or anything else which to some extent symbolizes Islam or anything connected to the word alone.

Yet expecting “Joe the Plumber” to rationally choose between “yes” or “no” in a state of existential fear was kind of naive. Self preservation is a very strong instinct and the campaign of the SVP managed to tickle just that – unfortunately. “Joe the Plumber” needs to be told that he gains security and stability. In a plain, german, direct way. That is basically the only thing our SVP does. Unfortunately, there’s only one political party in switzerland which – again unfortunately – seems to be mastering the technique by now. When does the social party realize that you cannot counter this sort of fear-mongering with “cuddle” politics? Where was the opposition to this law? Nowhere. Everybody expected an outcome like 60% no/40% yes, but hell, they barbecued that, didn’t they..

The problem however is not the law which has been passed, it’s that obviously a lot of people are frightened of “something”. This vote was to a big part a security valve for the social and economic pressure we faced in the past 12 months. It’s a known fact that in times of depression and economic crisis, people tend to get more consvervative and more nationalistic.

And from various discussions with people I know, there’s a huge gap between the intellectual switzerland and the “normal” folks. The only thing “Joe the Plumber” knows about Islam is that there’s some guys blowing themselfes up on a regular basis, in the name of some guy called “Allah”. That’s all they see, that’s all they hear. Doesn’t sound like security. And uhm, not very stable either. Especially they have something against America, which was so nice to give us the TV-Dinner, McDonalds and the neo-capitalism. Err… Easy game for party to tickle the fear-centre in those peoples brains. Not a particularly hard job. Most “Plumber”-kinda people I know gave up on the whole intellectual idea already, long time ago. They don’t care about concepts and this and that, especially not if their own liberty is at stake. Now, show them some burkas and a couple of towers that look like rockets on a swiss flag, all black-white-red.. This is the most violent form of advertising you can actually go for. Visually violent, I mean.

What’s even more scary is that this vote was used by some other factions to “prove” a point, whatever that point might be and even if they’re on the outmost left wing. Like those ultra-feminists voting “yes” to prove their point. It was just the wrong opportunity, ladies. I’m sorry, but that was *really* not helping anyone. You can’t prohibit any neoconservative islamic society from doing what they do to women’s rights if you prohibit moderate muslim groups to build a little minaret here and there. (I get the feeling someone was kinda “horny” to get his TV air-time here.. hmmmm.. hmm.)

And thanks to our narrow minded, well-trained fear-mongering, “beloved” SVP, Switzerland is now considered the right wing of europe. On the other side, .. I find the reactions of most countries to some part even more ridicoulous than the law which was passed here. Especially those parts of europe which have a *really* huge problem with this topic – or the connected issues – themselfes (integration, et al). Mind you, Germany, last time I checked, it was *your* streets neo-nazis were marching. But we know, your past, you don’t like to talk about it. Mind you, France, last time I checked it was your banlieus on fire because you obviously can’t handle the situation very well. But we know, at some point the problem was “gone”. Mind you, USA, Guantanamo is still there. Mind you, parts of the islamic world, we don’t even get started about woman’s rights. Now I ask you, is switzerland doing the first step towards a less liberal future or .. have we ever actually been a liberal, open minded culture in the west? The only “openmindness” I can see is trade-related. As long as people earn money, it doesn’t matter what they believe in or from where they come. But as soon as you take out the factor of money and wealth, and you’re stuck with mind and beliefs, shite, that’s the point hell breaks loose. Now that’s not much different than the world 2000 years ago if you ask me. It was always the free market which was more important than free speech. Humans can get very quite, calm and happy, as long as they have bread and games. But if someone has to fear to not get his bread tomorrow because of whatever reason, oh boy, that’s one angry mob you’re gonna end up with.

There have always been both sides, nationalist and liberalist movements, the only thing that varies is the balance of strength. To be really honest with you, I began to wonder when that valve was gonna break. It was obvious to me that *something* smells funny in the current society.

We should be a good example for a democracy to the world – and a good example on how it is possible to live together in peace. Actually, last time I checked we have a pretty peaceful place here and there’s quite no tension resulting in violence towards immigrants. And I would really like to keep it that way. But now it seems we have a problem here, so let’s face it and do something about it, heck. But it’s another thing to sit down at the “Stammtisch” and tell those good folks that they don’t really need to fear anything. Who’s going to do that? Any volunteers? You know sure as hell as I do, that a 30 second TV spot between “Schweiz aktuell” and the news-journal won’t change anything about the situation, do you..? The only way to do anything about this is to bring people together on a very basic level. “Joe the Plumber” isn’t really going to go to an art exhibition or a podium discussion on immigration, I think. It needs a little bit more than that.