Switzerland's Wilders?

By Andrew G. Bostom

Swiss People's Party leader Oskar Freysinger is best known for orchestrating the successful Swiss minaret ban. Ned May assiduously followed the recent Belgian travails of Mr. Freysinger, who was eventually able to deliver a truly remarkable speech in the Flemish Parliament after being denied two other venues. The French to English translation can be read in full here.

Mr. Freysinger began with some introductory remarks highlighting Europe's (and his own Belgian) predicament, which he aptly summarized as resulting "...[n]ot because of fanatics who occupy the land, but because of cowards who let them do it." The body of Freysinger's presentation was a lucid and vividly illustrated analysis sub-divided into these seven areas of emphasis: All religions on an equal footing; Competing conceptions of law; Historical roots of Islamic law; Territorial problems; The practice of religion is not an absolute right; Dhimmitude and integration; and Cultural ghettos, individualistic society and clan system.

Mr. Freysinger offered these unflinching conclusions, but the entire speech is well worth reading.

Finally, it is hoped that Islam may reform itself in the years to come and that it goes through a sort of Enlightenment, which puts a definitive end to fanatical Islamism. As this is not yet the case, we have a duty to protect our state against all forms of subversion. It is not acceptable that our liberal principles of rule of law are being used as the instruments for its disintegration, and ultimately its destruction. This also concerns the freedom and security of Muslims themselves, especially those who truly seek to integrate with us.

Let me remind you of the sad fate of the imam of Drancy Chalgoumi Hassan, who has spoken publicly for banning the full veil in France. Since then, all the prayers he leads are disrupted. The 43 believers he had collected in 2009 at the conference of imams in France to promote "dual cultural and Republican mission of the imams" exempted themselves one after the other. Now Chalgoumi is increasingly isolated and lives under state protection, threatened for a few words spoken against fundamentalism and anti-Semitism. To fight against the excesses of Islam in Christian lands is perhaps above all to protect the Muslims from their "brothers"