MINARETS

Following the Swiss referendum on banning minarets, many European politicians run head over heels to condemn this majority decision in perhaps the most intact model democracy worldwide as an incomprehensible slide toward “xenophobia” and, even, “racism.”

French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner, for example, who, as UN high representative, presided over Serbia’s amputation after the unilateral (and unprovoked) NATO attack upon that country over Kosovo, sped to occupy the high moral ground and voice his opposition to the Swiss majority vote thus: “I am a bit shocked by this decision… It is an expression of intolerance, and I detest intolerance. I hope the Swiss will reverse this decision quickly.” Similar, indignant, morally uber charged words came from scores of other leading, and not so leading, European fathers and mothers of nations.

Not to be outdone, and quickly following in the steps of M. Kouchner, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the Turkish secretary general of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, weighed in by calling the ban an "example of growing anti-Islamic incitement in Europe by the extremist, anti-immigrant, xenophobic, racist, scare-mongering ultra-right politicians who reign over common sense, wisdom and universal values."
Let us set Mr. Ihsanoglu and his holy anger aside for a moment and focus on our own European yard....

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