Posted on 03/12/2006 9:58:20 AM PST by wagglebee
TWO MEN kissing in a park and a topless woman bather are featured in a film that will be shown to would-be immigrants to the Netherlands.
The reactions of applicants — including Muslims — will be examined to see whether they are able to accept the country’s liberal attitudes.
From this Wednesday, the DVD — which also shows the often crime-ridden ghettos where poorer immigrants might end up living — will form part of an entrance test, in Dutch, covering the language and culture of Holland.
Those sitting the test will be expected to identify William of Orange and to know which country Crown Princess Maxima comes from (Argentina) and whether hitting women and female circumcision are permitted.
Muslim leaders in Holland say the film is offensive. “It really is a provocation aimed to limit immigration. It has nothing to do with the rights of homosexuals. Even Dutch people don’t want to see that,” said Abdou Menebhi, the Moroccan-born director of Emcemo, an organisation that helps immigrants to settle.
He added: “They are trying to find every pretext to show that people should not come to the Netherlands because they are fundamentalist or not emancipated. They confront people with these things and then judge them afterwards.”
Famile Arslan, 34, an immigration lawyer of Turkish origin, agreed. “I have lived here for 30 years and have never been witness to two men kissing in the park. So why are they confronting people with that?” she said.
She accused the government of preaching tolerance about civil rights while targeting non-westerners with harsh and discriminatory immigration curbs.
The new test — the first of its kind in the world — marks another step in the transformation of Holland from one of Europe’s most liberal countries to the one cracking down hardest on immigration.
Rita Verdonk, the immigration minister known as Iron Rita, has introduced compulsory integration classes, higher age limits for marriage to people from abroad and the removal of residency permits if immigrants commit petty crimes. She has also talked of banning the burqa.
The measures were prompted in part by outrage over the 2004 murder of Theo Van Gogh, who had made a film about the oppression of women in Muslim communities.
Applicants will sit the exam at one of 138 embassies around the world. They will answer 15 minutes of questions and those who pass the first stage will have to complete two “citizenship” tests over five years and swear a pledge of allegiance to Holland and its constitution.
The centre-right government of Jan Peter Balkenende, the prime minister, believes the tests will provide an objective way of assessing the suitability of applicants by gauging how well prepared they are to make the transition to Dutch life and their willingness to integrate.
Critics complain that people living in the mountains of Morocco or rural villages in Pakistan will not be able to make the long journey to cities for Dutch language lessons. According to Instituut Oranje, a Dutch language school, someone with a low level of education would require 250 hours of tuition, costing £1,200, to pass the tests.
The total bill of £1,495 — including £55 for a preparatory test pack and DVD and £240 for the exam — makes the process unaffordable for many.
Dirk Nieuwboer, a Dutch journalist based in Istanbul, said the multiple-choice cultural test included a question about how to behave in a cafe if two men at the next table started kissing. “There was another question about which former Dutch colony a particular spice came from,” said Nieuwboer. “Most Dutch people don’t know these things.”
However, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, a socialist from the parliament’s immigration committee, said the film had been created to help prepare people for “open-minded” attitudes on issues such as homosexuality. “We have lots of homo-discrimination, especially by Muslim youngsters who harass gay men and women on the streets. It is an issue here.”
A spokeswoman for Verdonk said an edited version of the DVD would be available for showing in Middle Eastern countries such as Iran where it would be illegal to possess images of homosexuality.
Read the post correctly. They are talking about gauging the reaction. If you are a muzzie, your reaction would not be "I do not approve" but "I would through a stone wall upon them, give femal circumcision, and burn my daughter."
"But consider that they already have to approve of two men kissing -it's not a big a stretch to require approval of gay marriage, support for banning "hate speech" - the rules already would exclude most American Christians."
Are you supposing that American Christians are closer to Muslims in social attitude then the Dutch are ?
"Are you supposing that American Christians are closer to Muslims in social attitude then the Dutch are ?"
No. I am concerned that the net will be cast too widely. And frankly I don't care much at what they do - my concerns are about adopting something similar here.
Muslims can travel throughout the EU without papers...so instead of going to Holland, they'll emigrate to France, Germany, and Belgium, the UK, Ireland.
Wasn't there a news item a few weeks ago that the UK was offering 3 grand to any immigrant who'd leave?
Exactly, but now you know.
Jihadists will be sent/are being sent to the US as a fifth column. They plan to take over, make no mistake.
"Muslims can travel throughout the EU without papers..."
?? Just where did you get this information ?
Once ANYONE legally enters any EU country you can pass freely to any other, but this does not mean you don't have to have papers. Even EU citizens must carry their papers while traveling in another country.
You want the United States to impose an immigration policy where people are required to accept the gay activist agenda and ideology and don't have freedom of thought, speech or religion as far as homosexual activity is concerned? I think that unjust.
Well, that serves a different purpose. That allows for prosecution and possible expulsion, if we ever decide to do so.
"This'll go over like a fart in church, all right"
Hahahahahahahahahah
"...We must think deeper than the knee-jerk responses if we wish to truly defend ourselves and our way of life."
Methinks Germany may be heading in the right direction. Three or four southern states have begun the process of a legal challenge to the koran. There are some 200 'verses' in the 'holy' book incompatible with the German constitution.
The outcome should be interesting. Now there's an exercise for all of us...pick up the koran and identify the offending items, it shouldn't be too difficult.
PS. Don't bother telling me the same applies to the OT. Western culture doesn't practice OT laws from millenia ago, but muslims are taught they must follow for all time the example of mohammad. Islam decrees homosexuals should be killed. Are we OK with that? I am not.
Here's an example from Australia:
365Gay.com Newscenter
Asia Bureau Chief
Posted: December 7, 2003 4:34 p.m. ET
(Melbourne, Australia) Police in Victoria state are investing one of Australia's most senior Islamic clerics after receiving complaints he incited his followers to attack gays.
The complaint alleges that Rexhep Idrizi was reading from the Koran when he made derogatory comments about gays saying they should have "their heads chopped off".
Idrizi is chairman of the Board of Imams. The outburst occurred before 1000 worshippers at a prayer service.
"It's just spite from idiots," the Iman said. "All I said was that homosexuality is prohibited in Islam.
"I wouldn't encourage anyone to attack my enemy," Idrizi told the Herald Sun newspaper. "And if you put this in the paper, it's discrimination against Islam and we will defend ourselves."
But worshipper Asip Demiri, who was at the service, told the paper that Idrizi had verbally attacked gays.
"I couldn't believe it. I was sitting there with my son and he comes out with comments as if the Koran says it's OK to attack homosexuals," Demiri told the Herald Sun. "He told us they should have their heads chopped off.
"My son asked me if what the Imam said was true and I said 'No, it's not'. Then, he wanted to know if the Imam was lying and I couldn't give him an answer that would make any sense.
"We go there to pray, not to listen to that kind of rubbish. There were a lot of intelligent people there who were offended by it. He (Imam Idrizi) needs to be taken to task for it, because it gives Muslims a bad name," Demiri said.
Inciting violence is illegal under state law, which was recently expanded to include gays.
Last year, Imam Idrizi's son was jailed for four years and eight months, with a minimum of 15 months, for bashing gays.
Muhamed Idrizi, 20, and four others attacked a cyclist with a machete and bashed and robbed two other men. The court heard that the group had gone on what he called a "puffter bashing" mission.
One victim was repeatedly kicked, punched and struck over the head with a machete in a park.
The gang then robbed the man, stripped him and taunted him with homophobic epithets.
Rexhep Idrisi eh.. sounds albanian
Obviously a plant...all Muslims are radicals. </sarc>
I Googled Idrizi and this came up:
http://www.alb-net.com/pipermail/albsa-info/2001-June.txt
Obviously a plant...all Muslims are radicals. </sarc>
Just goes to show they rely on the imam to tell them what's in the koran.
Some believe the imam and go on 'puffter bashing' expeditions, some don't.
It's the luck of the draw if you're going to meet one or the other, I guess. Not all Lebanese youth belong to pack-rape gangs either, and those that do, obviously believe their imam when he says girls with short skirts deserve to be raped.
Now tell me, what do you think of the German approach? That's really far more interesting, IMO
I don't want to get bogged down with that same old same old...some muslims are good people stuff...it's far more important I think, to try and work out if what the clerics try to make them believe AND ACT UPON is compatible with our LAWS!
There are muslims like Mr Demiri who, I am convinced, would be better served if we refuse to accept hate speech straight out of the koran from the mouths of clerics who are inciting violence under the guise of 'spiritual advisement' to their followers.
You HAVE read the 'holy' book, haven't you...and any one of the numerous bio's available on THE LIFE OF MUHAMMAD...I hope.
" Islam decrees homosexuals should be killed. Are we OK with that? I am not."
Well Fred, I see that now you are using " Islam decrees" rather then " the Koran says..." or "MUHAMMAD taught..." -
gives you some cover since now you can use any fanatical Imam's words anywhere about anything and don't have to worry about those pesky little things like references that could be verified.
The could have saved themselves the trouble of making a movie and just showed this one to prospective immigrants. If they sat through the entire movie, they would be given an entry visa.
(Really. We went to see this movie and except for the homosexuality angle, it really is a quite unremarkable movie. The story line sucks).
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