I have always felt nothing but increadible pride in being a Dutchman. I firmly believe that this is one of the best countries in the world to live in, thanks to our communal acceptance of other ideas, views or religions. We are an open minded people. Yes we are, dammit.
One halfwitted moron with a gun changed everything the Dutch democracy
stood for ever since the Nazi party was forced to exit this country by the
the Canadian forces.
Freedom of speech, freedom of ideas and a respect for all who advocate
their viewpoints through the medium of Politics, media or public speech.
Pim Fortuyn was a highly intelligent, enigmatic, gay, rightwinged
conservative and an absolute political turd. His views of which direction
this nation should be heading disgusted me deeply. He wasn't a rascist, as often said in the international press, but he did not hold certain other religions and believes in the
same esteem as he did the western civilization. For instance, he once
called the islam a "backward religion", one which needed to get a few
hundred years of emotional and intellectual development under itīs belt.
I guess you would agree that "questionable" is an appropriate label to place on his statements.
Professor Pim was a Politician from the ilk of "speak plenty, say little". He was never at a loss of words, even though it took him until two months before election day to form his party manifesto. However, if others attacked him on this, he simple walked away, refuesing to reply to the allogations.
Naturally, that is not political debate. He was not a good politician, as his pride, ego and selfconfidence outsized his intellectual powers. But hey, it worked. On the day of his assassination, it was declared that Fortuyn was ahead on the poles by a landslide. Actually, that might well be the exact thing that got him killed, come to think of it.
Even though he might well have become our elected prime-minister during election day next week, anyone with half a brain would not have voted on him for his political powers analysis, reasoning and understanding. He had none. You might have given him your confidence because of the sheer wave of terror or fresh air he was about to enforce onto our government. If nothing else, the established powers that are would be shaken, maybe even stirred. And, believing that change means progress, thatīs always a good thing.
But now he is dead. A border has been crossed that should never have been crossed. Presumably out of fearing for the democracy, a left wing radical has tried to save it by threatening the very corebelief of it.
As a Dutch comedian said monday night: "We already had the 4th and the 5th of may. And now, the 6th of May is added as well".
(A note to the non-Dutch readers: the 4th is when we remember those who fell to the German oppression because of their beliefs, the 5th is when we celebrate our freedom and Democracy.
And now the 6th is when we remember the loss of our National Innocence.)
Rest in peace, Pim Fortuyn. I had no respect for the politician you were and disliked you as a person, but in a perfect world, you would simply have failed miserably in your career as a politician.
But not this, never this.
We don't need this.