Back in black
August 24, 2010
Keeping one’s integrity in one piece – at least politics-wise – can be a real bitch. Despite being a foreigner in the Netherlands, I’ve always had a soft spot for Geert Wilders. I don’t know, maybe it’s the underdog syndrome… For a long time I’ve had the impression that the all-encompassing tolerance, preached in this country, is a propaganda hoax. The more I got to know Dutch people, the more I realized that Wilders didn’t come up with those ideas: he just tapped on a huge reservoir of anger and resentment that has always been there.
Granted, comparing the Koran to “Mein Kampf” in “Fitna” was an overkill – but given the temperature surrounding the debate on Arabs in Europe, that’s not much of a shocker. Quite rightfully, the Dutch court decided to let him go on counts of inciting ratial and whatnot hatred. Which makes it all the more shocking that the people running the Dutch chapter of Arab European League were fined for publishing a Holocaust-mocking cartoon.
Do I like the idea of publishing cartoons mocking the Holocaust? Not particularly – after all I am Polish and the Germans organized most of the killing in my country (yes, Germans – not same “Nazi” nation as the politically correct propaganda would have us believe). But freedom of speech and real tolerance means precisely that: tolerating (not liking! not supporting!) things we don’t agree with, even through gritted teeth. Once we hand some authority the power to decide what can be debated in public, we land on a slippery slope. After all, nazi rule in Germany did not start with gassing people in chambers, killing innocent civilians or raping and pillaging other countries.
Burning the “wrong” books came first.
Raping was oficially “forbidden” by Hitler, as far as I’m concerned. Not that they didn’t do it at all, but still the history made us remember the Soviet rapes the most.
I’d also say that most of the killing in Poland was organised by Soviets, much long after WWII (not supporting the “Holocaust lie” though
).
And Wilders is just the second Fortuyn. I’m wondering if/when he ends up the same
“Raping was oficially “forbidden” by Hitler” – what does rape have to deal with Holocaust-denying Arabs? Maybe I am one coffee below par, but still fail to see the connection
“I’d also say that most of the killing in Poland was organised by Soviets, much long after WWII” – in terms of pure numbers – not so sure.
“I’m wondering if/when he ends up the same” – not if the govt has at least one working brain between them. It’s better to have him in pissing out than the other way round…