The Low Countries' New Low
This article describes the political developments in both Belgium and the Netherlands, who both had elections only a few days apart, and both had right wing, near-nationalistic victors. In the Netherlands, the Freedom Party had the highest growth. This party is openly anti-Muslim and believes the Netherlands is only for the white Dutch people. Behind them are the anti-EU VVD and the socialist PvdA, says the article. In Belgium, the nationalistic NV-A won the elections in Flanders with the socialists being the largest party in the French-speaking part of Belgium. In neither of the two countries the masses have shown shock after so many people voting for ethnic lines. Both countries, once known as the low countries, are still low according to the writer, but rather low in the writer's opinion.My opinion:
I think the writer of this article hasn't done her homework. Calling the PvdA socialist is just factually wrong, and I think that strongly devalues the article. Apart from that, I do agree to a certain extent: I also hoped the masses would have shown some disgust, horror or shock at the rise of a party suggesting ethnic registration and promoting censorship by wanting to legally equalise the Quran to Mein Kampf. Also, I think this article partially shows developments throughout Europe and throughout the world after the Freedom Party's rise in recent elections. These developments all indicate the Netherlands' loss of its tolerant, liberal image, which I think is at the very least a pity, but is probably also something we should consider worrisome.
Well, I think the article is very overreacted. A lot of things are wrong, like all the Dutch wanting only 'with hollanders' in the Netherlands. Ridiculous. I am not standing up for the PVV but we got to cut Geert Wilders some slack, he doesn't want a second Mein Kampf, he just wants to protect the Dutch culture. I agree with this, it is slowly going the wrong way, just look at the youth. There are almost no good native dutch speaking children in some schools! Thát is shocking! We need to guard our boundries, do we still now what does boundries are? We do not have to accept al the changes and adjustments we make for the "foreigners". Ask yourself this question: If you go to Marokko (and this is just one example) and you would like to build a church, do you think they will let you do that? There even was a question whether or not we should give up one of our traditional holidays (like Pinksteren) for the Suikerfeest! Excuse me? I think that if we go through like this, we will slowly lose everything we know...
BeantwoordenVerwijderenIt is my opinion that we do need to protect our culture, there will be enough room for other religions or believes, but we do not need to give up our culture for this!
(PS: the articles need to go about England, this is an article about Belguim and Holland. Just mentioning it ;))
Correction:
BeantwoordenVerwijderenI meant "White Hollanders" and not "with Hollanders"
:)