30 July 2007

Touch of Xenophobia?

OH MY GOD!

LOOK at what we just got in the mail:

It essentially discusses the deportation of foreigners who commit felonies in Switzerland. Which is all well and good. As long as the criminal process is fair and unbiased. Although I have heard many arguments against that actually being the case.

But let's just consider the flyer at hand, shall we?

Look at the color of the sheep that is being kicked out of the country.

What exactly do you think this flyer is saying?

Anyone?

Anyone?

15 comments:

Unknown said...

I think it's saying that if you stick out like a sore thumb you don't below... But maybe I'm being a bit nice..

Unknown said...

whoops - belong, not below..

Greg said...

It's post-paid, so drop the card into the mail to cost these folks a few rappen. Feel free to deface it in any way you see fit before you send it off.

It's a shame that it isn't an envelope that one can fill with all sorts of things that weigh a bit so you can cost them some serious cash.

The Big Finn said...

I guess one can read into this whatever one wants, but I'm just going to go with the generic "black sheep of the family" angle.

Marcy said...

I can see how this could be construed as racist, but if you painted that sheep pink or blue or orange it wouldn't carry the same message as the well-known "black sheep" cliche, that has nothing to do with african or dark-skinned people.

Global Librarian said...

I am not so convinced that this is simply the innocent use of a black sheep.

And thanks for the tip, Greg. I am sending it back to them with a note that states (in German, of course): Stop sending xenophobic garbage, you racist pigs!

Jul said...

We got this too! It's no where near as bad as the "Auslaender raus!" mailings I used to receive regularly in Germany. Now those were charming...

Impossible Jane said...

This shit exisits in America too.

I'd return to sender.

Anonymous said...

Like your return note!

christina said...

Oy! I'm speechless.

Kirk said...

These were some of the similar gems that we saw when we first moved to Basel implying that Brown People (and more specifically, Muslims) were going to take over:

http://expatter.blogspot.com/2004/09/youre-not-welcome.html

http://expatter.blogspot.com/2004/09/political-symbolism.html

swissmiss said...

I actually think it's just the black sheep angle. The press even called Al Gore III a "schwarzer Schaf" after his recent arrest. Plus the use of the sheep lets them make a play on words. Sheep is Schaf in German. "Sicherheit schaffen" is to acheive security, and an expulsion is an "Ausschaffung."

It's a racist initiative, for sure, but not against blacks actually. It's targeted against young men out of the Balkans, especially Kosovars/Albanians, who are being blamed for pretty much all of the "Jungendgewalt" (youth violence) these days and are the undesireables de jour.

schreiberkollektiv said...

zurückschicken ist das beste was mensch tun kann! siehe unsere initiative.

pthalocyanine said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Way too late, but I know, I know! It shows how concerned the Swiss are about staying kosher.