Login : Register Home : Tags

Netherlands

Open your eyes, fools

European Union

How bad is it?

European Union foreign ministers condemned on Saturday a Dutch film that accuses the Koran of inciting violence, but said its author had a right to make it under the bloc's free speech principles.

(Reuters)

So people still have the right to disagree with Islamic extremists, but our governments no longer do disagree.

Great.

Netherlands plus Flanders is.. Dietsland?

European Union

If you are not aware of the political crisis in Belgium, you must have spend quite some time under one rock or another. In that case, here's the quick summary: there's a growing sentiment in Flanders to split from Wallonia.

If that were to happen, I'd very much welcome the reunification of Flanders and the Netherlands. One possible name for this union would be Dietsland. I like the idea so much that I started a new weblog which will provide tongue-in-cheek support for such a union: het Diets Dagblad (entirely in Dutch, mea culpa).

European constitution blackmail

European Union

From Dutch teletext:

If the Netherlands reject another European treaty in a referendum, Dutch EU membership is in jeopardy. Says secretary of EU affairs Timmermans.

The bloke admits this sounds a lot like blackmail, but maintains "the second chance is the last chance".

Well, I'll be the first to remind him when we vote no again, just to make sure he can't swallow these words to create a third "chance" to force a new constitution down our throats.

Political show - Donner forced to resign

European Union

I discussed with Neil the resignation of two Dutch ministers over a report on immigrant deaths in a prison fire at Schiphol airport a year ago. And he makes it very reasonable to believe it's all for show.

Donner actually disagrees with most of the report and said most policy decisions that led to the disaster were made by his predecessors. So basically, he takes the fall even though he clearly sees no clear blame.

Neil Stevens: see, it's all for show
Neil Stevens: the style of resignation trumps the substance of fixing the problem
Neil Stevens: how many people will now think "Oh, THAT old problem?  Well, that minister resigned, right?"

Our zillionth round of elections in a few years time (the CDA/VVD/D66 cabinet already fell earlier this year, we're a parliamentary banana monarchy) are November 22nd.

Apartheid

European Union

No, I'm not in South Africa (yet) and wouldn't engage in racism even if I were. However, the Dutch government has decided that apartheid is definitely cool.

New requirements for passport photos have been enacted and they are insanely strict: no hair over the forehead, visible ear lines, no smiling. All Dutchmen will have to comply to these requirements in order to get a passport and some have already complained they have been sent back four times in a row because it is nearly impossible to meet the demands.

So where's the discrimination here? Well, Muslim women are allowed to wear a headscarve on passport photographs. It kind of breaks the whole ear line rule and fucks up security, but apparently the equality remarks in our constitution no longer protect the indigenous species.

Note to government: fuck you. I'll choose my own hairdo and passport photo and if you deny me a passport on these futilities, you'll hear from my lawyer. My lifestyle is as valid as any religious belief system.

Netherlands the best

Anglosphere

Looks like Holland cares most about the poor and the environment:

The Netherlands is the rich nation which does the most to improve lives in developing countries, a Center for Global Development (CGD) report says.

While the Netherlands led the pack on generous investment and aid as well as measures to curb greenhouse gases, the CGD added they could work harder.

Yeah? If we lead the pack, shouldn't the CDG moan about everyone else?

I'm really trying to have an open viewpoint here, but this research looks sloppy. For example, the CGD criticises the US for an apparent 90% inefficiency of aid to Iraq, but they include greenhouse gas emission as criterium even though mankind is only responsible for roughly 10% of total global output, so a similar inefficiency is inherent.

I have read some PDFs on their web site and it is still unclear to me what exactly the CDG is proposing we do to solve all the misery in the world. It's easy to say we don't do enough yet criticise all we are doing, but any organisation asking for more effort and money to aid their cause will need to be able to provide some solid arguments for their case.

The Netherlands are the best. But at what exactly? Adhering to vague mission statements?

The modern Fruit Republic

European Union

Forget about banana republics in Africa, instable governments exist far closer to home. Just consider the orange constitutional monarchy show-casing three failed parliaments in a row, this time over the Verdonk-Ayaan debate. It took them a while, but D66 apparently concluded that they in the end didn't like Verdonk's circus. Verdonk refused to step down, and Lousewies van der Laan blew up our government (politicians 3 - Hofstadgroep 0).

Back to the election booth during fall, then.

Military gets tough

European Union

There is a small row (still, again, for ever) in the Netherlands over Dutch troops killing Taliban members in the Uruzgan province of Afghanistan. Some members of the Second Chamber are upset they were not informed of the killings before the press was, and some are even upset about the military fighting in the first place, because the official mission is one to rebuild Afghanistan.

I will quickly mention the Srebrenica massacre, before leaving it up to the reader to decide whether it is possible to rebuild a country or do any peace-keeping without a mandate to take hostile actions against any enemy troops, warlords and terrorists active in the area. And whether people making a fuss about military action by army units in a warzone are fit for duty as political representative of a nation.

Coochies, ew!

European Union

Dutch Queen Beabitch won't shake hands during her mosque visit in The Hague. Submission? Of course not!

"In principle, men and women do not touch each other if they are not direct family", says Hibatunnoer Verhagen, chairman of the Ahmediyya-movement in Netherlands. "Which includes hands. It has nothing to do with inequality, it is in fact a sign of respect."

Oh, that's what it is. Let me try that as well. In principle, Islam's teachings apply to 7th century Saudi Arabia. So refusing the religion a safe haven in 21st century Europe has nothing to do with intolerance, it is in fact a sign of respect.

More seriously, this particular principle is not very compatible with Dutch values either. Most Dutchmen including myself happen to be quite fond of touching women who aren't direct family. This fondness seems kick in around puberty. Therefore I deduce that certain Islamists are either very immature about male/female relationships ("coochies, ew!") or that possibly they suffer from a severe case of Oedipus complex.

Divided by harmonisation

European Union

United in diversity? Romano Prodi doesn't think so: a core group of
Euro nations should harmonise even more rapidly, leaving out the UK and.. the Netherlands?

“We need a strong relationship not just with France and Germany but also with the so-called group of six, countries like Belgium and Luxembourg — but not the Netherlands,” Prodi said.

Asked if this group would include Britain, he replied: “I believe it is difficult to include it among countries which are pushing for more integration. Britain has decided not to hold a referendum on Europe so it has not approved the European position. Evidently it believes in a policy which is more independent of the EU.”

Prodi has already claimed a translation error and assures that the Dutch would definitely be part of the European dream. I don't quite understand why we would even want to be, considering Italy's commemerative constitution coin issued after we voted no. Or Prodi's warm feelings for Hamas. That's not the kind of European leadership I'd like to harmonise with.

© Copyright 1995-2008 Robert John Kaper. All rights reserved.

Tom has more friends but mine are prettier! (#1/1)