It wasn't too great for Theo van Gogh, either.
The site of his brutal murder.
Posted on 12/29/2004 12:50:48 PM PST by Land_of_Lincoln_John
THE HAGUE, December 29 (IslamOnline.net) – The best way to sum up the dying year of 2004 for Dutch Muslims is to speak about religious discrimination, xenophobes, bigotry, last but not least, racist attacks on their places of worship.
Even before the November killing of anti-Islam filmmaker Theo Van Gogh, following his insulting documentary about Islam, Dutch Muslims have been targeted by the extremist agenda of the influential right-wing parties.
The xenophobia and extremism cancer prompted Queen Beatrix to dedicate her annual address to the nation Saturday, December 25, to national unity and the importance of tolerance and moderation for the welfare of Dutch society.
“We must make sure that there is no room in our society for bigotry, racism, killing, violence and [religious] hatred to face up to the daunting challenges ahead,” the Queen said. “All Dutch people should work for the common good.”
The Queen felt that her people were in danger of descending into a deadly civil war especially after 20 mosques and Islamic schools had come under arson attacks linked to the murder of Van Gogh by a Dutchman of Moroccan origin.
The Muslim community was indeed quick to condemn the killing of the filmmaker.
“I abhor his views on Islam and find them hurtful for the Islamic community, but there is no motive that can justify a murder,” Ayhan Tonca, of the Dutch organ for contact between Muslims and government, had said in an earlier interview.
Right-wingers
Observers said some one million Dutch Muslims felt really hard done-by because of their religion, holding the right-wing and media accountable.
What added insult to injury is that extremist right-wing politician Pim Fortuyn, who was killed in May 2002, was declared the greatest Dutchman of all times in a recent nationwide survey.
“The anti-Muslim agenda of the ruling coalition of right-wing parties has, in effect, given rise to Muslim extremists and is a breeding ground for recruiting frustrated young Muslims,” Ali Kurkamaz, a Dutch political analyst told IslamOnline.net Wednesday, December 29.
“This extremist agenda has given minority communities a real hard time.”
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Observers say right-wingers like Fortuyn are to blame for feelings of frustrations among the Muslim community.
The right-wing government is now mulling imposing new restrictions on Muslims, including monitoring mosques and curbing their number, censoring sermons, editing Islamic curricula, placing Islamic charities under close scrutiny and constricting visas for imams and Muslim immigrants.
In November, the right-wing Leefbaar Rotterdam (Livable Rogtterdam) party submitted a petition to Rotterdam’s Local Council, asking it to deny the Muslim community in the city (around 100,000 people) licenses to build more mosques.
It was also pressing for keeping minarets below 35 meters and censoring sermons and religious classes in the city’s 25 mosques.
There are more than 300 mosques in the Netherlands, 1000 Islamic cultural centers, two Islamic universities and 42 preparatory schools.
Dutch Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk faced a heated discussion over her new plans in parliament on December 12, though a decision is not expected for several weeks.
The Netherlands already makes integration classes mandatory for newcomers as laws have been changed to oblige all new immigrants and accepted asylum seekers to take classes in Dutch language and culture.
Integrating immigrants has been the subject of much debate in the Netherlands since the emergence of right-wing politicians such as Fortuyn.
Xenophobic Media
Aref Yaksir, an official with the largest Turkish Dianat organization in the Netherlands, heaped blame on Dutch media for its xenophobic approach.
He told IOL that some media portrayed Islam as a nightmare and a serious threat to the country.
“It seems [through media coverage] as if the country was abounding with Muslim extremists and inundated by terrorist operations,” he said.
Mohammad Sharif, a journalist of Kurdish origin, gave Muslims some good advice for 2005.
“Refuse to be provoked. Let the right wingers miss the golden opportunity of enacting fresh anti-immigrants laws and justifying unfair measures.”
and hopefully the first of many more to come....
It wasn't too great for Theo van Gogh, either.
There's certainly no room for a difference of opinion in the wonderful world of Islam.
So typical; Muslims dismiss the thought that THEY are the problem.
From what I have read, it's the Islamists who have refused to assimilate into Dutch society.
A tough year for Dutch Muslims? Cry me a river.
Beat me to it.
I live in the Netherlands, and can say that the only reason the media has done that is because the media is right (for a nice and welcome change).
Muslims have about zero point zero respect (with few exceptions) for our history, laws etc... yet expect full respect for theirs in return.
Only in U-rop could a gay, libertarian, socialist be called "right wing".
2004 has been nothing compared to what 2005 could be if the maroons keep attacking the West.
It wasn't too great for Theo van Gogh, either.
The site of his brutal murder.
You'll note from the article that he had it coming, since he was "anti-Islam" and had made an "insulting documentary".
Yes and hopefully it will get worse when people see over a 100,000 people killed in a disaster and the Muslim Countries spend their money supporting people that blow up innocents.
Same here in New Jersey!
This is inaccurate (and offensive, IMO). Inasmuch as the Muslims are unwilling to assimilate into the pre-existing Europe culture, I think it's a stretch to call them, for example, "Dutchmen". The murderer was simply a Moroccan. He may have held Dutch citizenship, but he wasn't a Dutchman.
Never mind then.
How many were beheaded on the street?
So where is the hurl alert?
Good point, along the lines of what Victor Davis-Hanson wrote a few weeks ago, something along the lines of the Euro-Muslims want to take a few things from western society, and destroy the rest.
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