I agree at your base argumentation. But the same problem is containing in any indirect democracy (there will be few guys, telling al other guys what they should do, not do). So regardles what you could argue, its at least not that big problem in a direct democracy because millions of peeps have to vote yes or no (not a small elite).
Or do you think all poeple in america did like to bomb Iraq down, this was an idea of few's...
I think the real problem you describe (which describes your fears) is facism. And this can be a true problem, this was discussed in our country since the minaret thing happend (should all the peeps in switzerland really have that power).
A lot of propaganda in tv, "the evil terrorists" combined with Islam and so forth.
Generally swiss guys can only vote for things that are not violating basic human rights defined in the geneva convention or provided by organizations like the UN.
So the minaret thing is still in discussion, if it gets treaded as violating basic human rights, the vote gets discarded and will be removed.
(We can not vote for eating babies, killing black peeps).
This was the one reason they voted against the minarets (which is useless and stupid), because voting against islam in general would not be allowed or is illegal. For two reasons;
- It violates basic human rights
- It violats the freenes of religion in basic. (At this point there was a huge discussion if voting against minarett is vioalting)
I'm swiss and in my personal opinion, even as swiss voter, you are not allowed to ban that, because it harms the freenes of religion and a minarett does not itself brake any laws. They also can not put speakers on it (because they are to loud, as the christ. churches bells).
But if your religion forces you to do something considered as illegal in here, you are not allowed to do so. There is another discussion at the moment about the jews and kosher meat.
