Over and over again
This story by Elaine Sciolino on the upcoming Swiss election appeared in the IHT today:
The posters taped on the walls at a political rally here capture the rawness of Switzerland’s national electoral campaign: Three white sheep stand on the Swiss flag, as one of them kicks a single black sheep away. “For Greater Security,” the poster reads. The poster is not the creation of a fringe movement, but of the most powerful party in Switzerland’s federal Parliament…
As part of its platform, the SVP party has launched a campaign seeking the 100,000 signatures necessary to force a referendum to allow judges to deport foreigners who commit serious crimes after they have served their prison sentences. More ominously, the measure also calls for the deportation of the entire family of a convicted criminal under the age of 18.
Didn’t we read something like this a month ago? Why, yes we did, from the AP. It began:
The campaign poster was blatant in its xenophobic symbolism: Three white sheep kicking out a black sheep over a caption that read “for more security.” The message was not from a fringe force in Switzerland’s political scene but from its largest party…
Under the plan, entire families would be expelled if their children are convicted of a violent crime, drug offenses or benefits fraud. The party is trying to collect the 100,000 signatures needed to force a referendum on the issue.
Great minds and all that.