Geert Wilders: Over-the-Top
As you all know, I am all in favor of the freedom of speech (and of religious freedom as long as one does not force others to live like oneself does / wants) and I am quite critical of many Dutch immigrants and multiculturalism. In short, we have allowed Muslims to live here, without integrating. This has created major problems. Something should be done about this – immigrants should be forced to integrate and immigration should be limited (for a certain period at least). I am also all in favor of an open and honest debate about Islam and liberal democracy. Although I do not always agree with her, I greatly respect Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who I consider to be a very brave and intelligent lady. She did something very important in the Netherlands: she was at the forefront of the debate about multiculturalism and immigration and Islam and liberal democracy.
Another person who wants to be at the forefront of this debate is Geert Wilders. Wilders realized a while ago that it would help him politically if he would criticize Islam and immigration / immigrants. The result was that he left the VVD (my party) and founded a party of his own. Over time, his rhetoric has escalated. Where one could consider him once to be part of the debate, a serious part of the debate, one can now conclude but one thing: he is out to insult as many Muslims as possible and he hopes that – by doing so – his party will win more seats in Parliament next time.
His latest idiotic statment? He wants to make it illegal to sell the Koran (or Qur’an). Yes, he really said he wants to outlaw this holy book. He called the Koran “The Islamic Mein Kampf.” Not only does he want to make it illegal to sell the Koran, he also wants to punish those who read it in private and who use it in mosques.
It is ironic that the party he created is the PVV: Partij voor de Vrijheid. In English that would be the Party for the Freedom (or Liberty). I wonder what kind of freedom Wilders has in mind. The freedom to burn the Koran? The freedom to worship God as one sees fit, as long as one does not call God Allah?
It is quite sad that this man’s party has nine (9) seats in Parliament. He deserves exactly none.
