Back In Zwingli's Merciless Claws

Zürich has long been a stronghold of Zwingli's Spirit. Zwingli was the leader of the Protestant Reformation in Zürich. For non locals, 'Zwingli's Spirit' can be summarised as narrow-minded and hostile to all pleasures.

There was a weak flicker of hope when the dance prohibition on major religious holidays was abolished in 2001. But the pendulum is swinging back heavily. This time not lead by a religious zealot, far worse, by the Social Democratic Party's representatives in Zürich's city government (for Americans: this party is far left of the persons you call Liberals).

One of them, Martin Waser, has prohibited restaurants to use lounge furniture in open-air areas. It's now against the law to sit confortably in the sun while sipping a Mai Tai.

Even worse is the female representative Esther Maurer. She heads the police department and is on a crusade against gay clubbing and gay lifestyle. The police is raiding gay clubs (obviously people consume drugs in such places), strip search visitors of gay clubs on the street (including lifting the testicles, because it's a known drug hiding place), and closing down gay clubs or at least their darkrooms (sex in restaurants is against the law). What does it care the police or anyone, when adults have consensual sex, enjoy themselves and don't harm anyone at all?

Both are former teachers. They just haven't learned that they don't deal with defenceless kids anymore.

However, far the worst is that I gave those maniacs my vote. I (and hopefully everybody else) will not do it again. It's time the Social Democratic Party eats dust.