Minarets or no minarets??

The recent vote in Switzerland to ban the construction of Minarets has yet again raised a lot of questions. Many instances like this in recent times in Europe is reflecting the growing disenchantment of europeans with its Muslim population. With the upsurge of terrorism and Muslim Fundamentalists, social and economic problems associated with immigration has taken a back seat and religion has become more important.

The growing resentment is very clear with the Frech President Sarkozy openly deriding the burqas and head scarves, the third largest party in Belgium openly opposing the "mushrooming of mosques" to name a few. In a recent Europewide study,among 14,000 correspondents,52 percent in Spain, 50 percent in Germany, 38 percent in France and 25 percent in UK harbored negative feelings about Muslims.

Is Europes' phobia with muslims justified??...this issue will open a Pandora's box....
Practically speaking, what harm can the construction of a minaret bring??....Its a symbol of Islamic architecture and its generally built alongside the large urban mosques...these mosques are run by moderate imams and so the fear that Jihad and terrorism would be preached from them is also unjustified because those imams who preach violence generally lay low and are always on run from the police.

But on the other hand, there are also justifications for this islamophobia...long and historically hostile relations between islam and christianity, constant demands by muslims for special treatment such as segregation of genders in public swimming pools, illegal practices of polygamy and ignorance  of core European values of free speech and separation of church from state. With the recent arrests of 5 Muslim-American citizens in Pakistan who wanted to join terrorist outfits or the arrest of Richard Headley and Rana,again two muslims citizens of US in association with Mumbai terror attacks have stoked a fear and resentment among the general masses which is far worse than the petty issues of Burqas and Minarets.....if the trend continues,it will be difficult to contain this resentment and prevent the alienation of muslim population from general masses not only in Europe but around the world.