"A vote for Intolerance"?

A response to the Dhimmi International Herald Tribune, which can always be counted on to take the easy, cozy, comfortable, sleep-at-the-wheel view of the spread of Islamic sharia...
Letter below.

“Disgraceful.” says your leader “A vote for Intolerance” (Dec. 2). Indeed it is; disgraceful that your editorial and Claudio Cordone’s companion piece “The call from the Swiss minaret” (Dec. 2) both exhibit a breathtaking and arrogant disregard for the democratic will expressed by nearly six in ten Swiss who voted for the minaret ban. 

 You and Cordone slander the Swiss with a panoply of pejoratives: “bigoted”, “mean-spirited”, “xenophobic”, “prejudiced” and “Islamophobic ideologues”. They are not; they are a well-read, educated and sensible people. They are alive to the real issue at stake, which was highlighted by the political party that brought the referendum – the threat of political Islam and Sharia law. 

In contrast to this egregious calumny of the Swiss, it is clear that they understand Islam is more than a religion: it is an anti-western and anti-tolerant ideology. Swiss voters were able to distinguish the threat of political Islam and its Sharia law from the practice of religion.

Through this small symbolic ban on minaret building, the Swiss have said in effect: “we are going to protect diversity and freedom of religion by no longer surrendering to Islamist intolerance of diversity and freedom of religion.” Had your editiorial and Cordone done the same, they would have found that the discrimination is overwhelmingly against Christians in Islamic countries, rather than small symbolic push-backs such as the Minarets Ban.

By the way, Switzerland need not fear an economic backlash. Plenty of people will stuff Christmas stockings with extra Swiss chocolate, Swiss cheese and Swiss watches!

Yours, etc. PF