[Culturechat] Excerpt of New York Times Article: Dutch Wrestle With Tolerating Intolerance

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 13:52:50 EST

--part1_30.657e062e.2ec90382_boundary
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/14/weekinreview/14bawe.html?pagewanted=2&
oref=login

 Later, I learned that the Rotterdam police had destroyed a street mural 
featuring the words, "Thou shalt not kill," a picture of an angel, and the date of 
Mr. van Gogh's murder because the leader of a nearby mosque reportedly 
considered it racist.

Wim Nottroth, a news cameraman who tried to protect it, was arrested, and a 
camerawoman who filmed its destruction was forced to erase part of her 
videotape, according to Dutch news reports. 

The incident, according to De Telegraaf, resulted from orders given to the 
police nationwide to be alert especially for any signs of disorder or 
provocation.

 A furious Mr. Nottroth opined afterward that the shock to the Dutch system 
is so extreme that a lot of people have no idea how to deal with the situation.

 I left my old neighborhood in a cab. Talking with the driver, I mentioned 
Theo van Gogh. Like many Dutchmen, he seemed reluctant at first to speak about 
such things to a foreigner. But then he said simply he was leaving the country. 
He said he was not alone.

 On Wednesday, police officers and marines carried out a daylong siege on an 
apartment in an immigrant neighborhood in The Hague. During the week, there 
were attacks on mosques and Muslim schools. (The concern has long existed that 
if liberals didn't address the problem of Muslim intolerance responsibly, it 
would be answered with the intolerance of the far right.)

 In the 1930's, Europe faced a struggle and, many thought, a need to choose 
between two competing totalitarianisms. Many analysts are wondering if this is 
Europe's future, as well. They also wonder whether the Dutch people's anger 
will blow over or whether they will act decisively to protect their democracy 
from the undemocratic enemy within.

 At present, most appear to agree strongly with one commentator, Paul 
Scheffer, who wrote in the daily NRC Handelsblad last weekend: "We cannot hand over 
our country.... Words such as diversity, respect and dialogue fade against the 
dark context of this ritual assassination."

 Bruce Bawer, who lives in Oslo, is the author of "Stealing Jesus," a book 
about Christian fundamentalism.

--part1_30.657e062e.2ec90382_boundary
Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<HTML><HTML>http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/14/weeki=
nreview/14bawe.html?pagewanted=3D2&amp;oref=3Dlogin 
 
 Later, I learned that the Rotterdam police had destroyed a street mural fea=
turing the words, "Thou shalt not kill," a picture of an angel, and the date=
 of Mr. van Gogh's murder because the leader of a nearby mosque reportedly c=
onsidered it racist. 
 
Wim Nottroth, a news cameraman who tried to protect it, was arrested, and a=20=
camerawoman who filmed its destruction was forced to erase part of her video=
tape, according to Dutch news reports. 
 
The incident, according to De Telegraaf, resulted from orders given to the p=
olice nationwide to be alert especially for any signs of disorder or provoca=
tion. 
 
 A furious Mr. Nottroth opined afterward that the shock to the Dutch system=20=
is so extreme that a lot of people have no idea how to deal with the situati=
on. 
 
 I left my old neighborhood in a cab. Talking with the driver, I mentioned T=
heo van Gogh. Like many Dutchmen, he seemed reluctant at first to speak abou=
t such things to a foreigner. But then he said simply he was leaving the cou=
ntry. He said he was not alone. 
 
 On Wednesday, police officers and marines carried out a daylong siege on an=
 apartment in an immigrant neighborhood in The Hague. During the week, there=
 were attacks on mosques and Muslim schools. (The concern has long existed t=
hat if liberals didn't address the problem of Muslim intolerance responsibly=
, it would be answered with the intolerance of the far right.) 
 
 In the 1930's, Europe faced a struggle and, many thought, a need to choose=20=
between two competing totalitarianisms. Many analysts are wondering if this=20=
is Europe's future, as well. They also wonder whether the Dutch people's ang=
er will blow over or whether they will act decisively to protect their democ=
racy from the undemocratic enemy within. 
 
 At present, most appear to agree strongly with one commentator, Paul Scheff=
er, who wrote in the daily NRC Handelsblad last weekend: "We cannot hand ove=
r our country.... Words such as diversity, respect and dialogue fade against=
 the dark context of this ritual assassination." 
 
 Bruce Bawer, who lives in Oslo, is the author of "Stealing Jesus," a=20=
book about Christian fundamentalism.</HTML>

--part1_30.657e062e.2ec90382_boundary--