Posted on 02/05/2005 4:53:30 PM PST by lancer
BRUSSELS -- Under a government proposal, largely Third World people applying to live in the Netherlands will have to take an examination to prove they understand the language and culture.
The test will require 350 hours of study and cost $468. A video designed to capture the essence of Dutch life would be sent to applicants in their home countries. The video offers images of windmills, tulips, a description of the flag and a brief biography of William of Orange. As an early warning of the liberal mores, it also shows topless women sunbathing and a homosexual wedding.
It is the latest sign of the growing hard line on immigration after decades in which the Netherlands has been one of Europe's most tolerant nations. Murders and death threats from Muslim extremists in the country have been matched by rising assaults on immigrants and arson attacks on mosques.
There are now nearly a million Muslims in the Netherlands, or 6 percent of the population. Announcing the proposals in parliament late Thursday, Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk said the test would not be required for European Union citizens or people from Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand or Japan. Female victims of human trafficking would also be exempt. The test would be obligatory for all others hoping to live in the country, commonly by marrying a Dutch citizen or by joining family members already there.
The video says Holland is "a small country with 16 million inhabitants, making it one of the most densely populated in the world."
Immigrants play an important role but protests against their numbers are mounting, it points out. The language part of the test would be computerized and taken by telephone.
(Excerpt) Read more at insider.washtimes.com ...
It may be too little, too late, but it is certainly a lesson to the rest of Europe and, more importantly, to us.
Add to the immigration problem the fact that Saudi is flooding our country with hate literature designed to subvert this country through our muslim immigrants and I'd say the situation is about out of hand here.
(Check here for this story: Freedom House’s Center for Religious Freedom released today a new report exposing the dissemination of hate propaganda in America by the government of Saudi Arabia.
The 89-page report, “Saudi Publications on Hate Ideology Fill American Mosques,” is based on a year-long study of over two hundred original documents, all disseminated, published or otherwise generated by the government of Saudi Arabia and collected from more than a dozen mosques in the United States.....
You know, it's about time newcomers to places understand the old rule, "When in Rome....."
I have been around quite a bit, and generally have enjoyed some popularity, and I think the secret to this "success" is that I respect the people and the culture which I am visiting.
But for those coming here, we demand no such reciprocal courtesy. It is about time we did.
And the coarse is called "The Dutch Metro-sexual 101" taught by obtuse politicians.
How in the world is this suppose to weed out the bad guys? Do they think the guy with the dirty bomb will change his mind after their propaganda coarse? Reminds me of gun control and we all know how well that has worked.
I think Europe, unfortunately, will be in for a few surprises soon. They've witnessed where our apathy got us and their arrogant enough to think it won't happen to them. Bad Plan.
similar:
Dutch government unveils new integration exam
Expatica ^ | 4 February 2005 | Expatica
Posted on 02/04/2005 11:23:58 AM PST by Eurotwit
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1336090/posts
related:
Dutch flag "insulting to Muslim immigrants", banned from Dutch schools
Dhimmi Watch ^ | 2/4/2005 | www.telegraaf.nl via Robert Spencer
Posted on 02/04/2005 6:45:00 PM PST by sarah_f
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1336398/posts
Too little, too late.
Why is it a sign of "liberalism" that foreign applicants have to give their reactions to topless beaches and gay weddings? Those things are a reality in European countries. If people are going to go into a killing frenzy because they're so "offended" by them, it's best the Dutch gov't keep them out anyway.
Well, the densest population at any rate ~ or is that what the Nederlanders say about the Belgians?
Even the German tourists dig large trenches to keep out of the cold wind!
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