I came across this article on the "Corriere del Ticino" immediately after the referendum on minarets. CdT is the main Ticinese daily newspaper and Giancarlo Dillena, author of this particular column, its main voice.
At first, I found it pleasant and funny to read. What a great way, I though, to underline one's lack of self esteem. The irony within its lines tells the reader that most Swiss don't actually take themselves seriously on certain matters. A few days later, I was having a coffee with a colleague and close friend. She, a native of this area, asked me if i had read the article. The look of disgust on her face told me that what I had believed to be subtle humor and self irony was instead expression of discontent and real uneasiness. The author, Mr Dillena, indeed seems to mean what he writes. Here it is:
The minaret and the flag
Mr CH and the ghost of a country in which he believed
Mr CH is one of many that, on Sunday, voted YES to the initiative against minarets.
He did it to send a signal, strong and clear in more than one direction. To Islamic extremism, as no day goes by without hearing about it and exploits places of worship to recruit new adepts. To those who want to impose their costumes, even when in contrast with our laws and traditions. To the Bedouin dictator who treated Switzerland with such arrogant disrespect. Furthermore, to those who, at home, are quick to call you a “racist” if you are not in favour of welcoming those who come from outside.
When his Turkish neighbour – who immigrated many years ago and with whom he has always got on well – expressed his discomfort, Mr CH promptly reassured him, that it wasn’t against the likes of him he voted. He tried to explain that he feels no hostility towards those who, like him, have made efforts to integrate. The truth is, that him having seven children – Mr CH has only two - makes him a little uneasy. Above all when he bumps into his daughters wearing the veil. And with this in mind, he admits, he made his choice on Sunday.
Despite minor differences, his opinion was shared also at home. Only his daughter disagreed. She, of all people, an active member of a catholic group. She explained to her father that her reasons for being against the ban were a matter of principle. Because faith is not, as he argues, a private matter, but open to society. Thus everyone must feel free to profess their creed, Muslims included.
Long, and at times heated, discussions were of no use since neither father nor daughter changed their mind. Be she couldn’t vote and perhaps, he thought, one day she’ll understand, hopefully not too late.
Following his passionate declaration of vote, one of his friends asked him, as a joke, if he dreamt minarets at night. Those that look like missiles, as pictured on the posters. Outraged, he answered NO: he sleeps soundly, because he has “no guilty conscience”. But during his drive back home, alone in the car, he thought of the conversation once again. He admitted to himself that he didn’t tell the whole truth. Something disturbs his dreams. Indeed.
It’s not so much the minarets. It’s the ghost of “a Switzerland” he believed in and he identified himself in. It now seems but a faded shadow of what it used to be. A real ghost. “A Switzerland” with no pride, no strong values, mistreated and humiliated, in the hands of fearful and weak politicians who are quick to lower their head before the next bully foreigner. “A Switzerland” where many, too many seem to be ashamed of their own flag, The same flag was object, in the past, of pride at home and admiration overseas. He, a secular and a little agnostic, believed in that white cross on a red background. He knew the symbol was clearly religious, but he was proud of it.
Today, even he displays that flag with hesitation. If it wasn’t for his son, who waves it vigorously whenever the National team wins a match, it would be forgotten inside a dusty draw .
Where have we ended up? Asked himself Mr CH. Then, alone in his car, he begins to feel a little envious of Muslims. Despite the things he doesn’t accept, he admires how strongly they believe in their symbols and what they represent. Like the green colour on their flag. Then Mr CH realizes that the only “green” he can see is that of the traffic lights .
Immediately back to his senses, whilst engaging the gear, he concluded that it’s just because they “believe” that it was necessary, on Sunday, to clearly say NO to minarets.
The article can be read in Italian on CdT Online
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