Monday, November 15, 2004

The "tolerant" Netherlands unraveling

By Philip Blenkinsop, THE HAGUE, (Reuters)
Excerpts:
The Netherlands' image as the land of tolerance has been shattered in the two weeks since outspoken filmmaker Theo van Gogh was murdered and a Muslim suspect arrested in the crime.

Since Van Gogh's death on Nov. 2 there have been at least 20 arson attacks on mosques and churches in tit for tat violence.

(snip)

No one interviewed said they condoned the killing of Van Gogh, but many believe his short film "Submission", about violence against women in Islamic society, simply fuelled anti-Muslim sentiment, although few people in the Netherlands actually appear to have seen it.


"If we have an opinion, we might share it with our friends, but putting all this on television does nothing to help. Besides, it's about something that supposedly happens outside the Netherlands," said Dutch-Moroccan Kassim Douiri, 18.


Mata Musing: The Dutch will have to come to grips with the in-fighting soon, or risk becoming as terrorist violence-ridden each day as Israel/Palestine.

Surely it cannot be left to peaceful Muslims, who respond to militants' activities by burying their heads in the sand - believing that "putting all this on television does nothing to help". To ignore the Koran's ancient writings that perpetuate mal-treatment of women, or the brutal murders of those critical, will not make the increased militant activity disappear.

How else can the WOT be won but by eradicating schools that teach young boys to hate and die, and installing an education system for the young Muslims that teaches "tolerance" is more than merely communing within borders. Truly the chance for a world at peace lies with the generations to come.

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