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Leftists call for end to Dutch “tolerance”
by Scott Gilbreath ~ December 30th, 2008
Pigs fly in Holland.
The biggest left-wing political party in the Netherlands, the Dutch Labour Party, has released a position paper calling for an end to the country’s failed model of “tolerance”. Immigrants should be expected to integrate into Dutch society, and the government must be free to criticise cultural practices it finds repugnant.
The paper said: “The mistake we can never repeat is stifling criticism of cultures and religions for reasons of tolerance.”
Government and politicians had too long failed to acknowledge the feelings of “loss and estrangement” felt by Dutch society facing parallel communities that disregard its language, laws and customs.
Newcomers, according to [Labour chairperson Lillianne] Ploumen, must avoid “self-designated victimization.”
[...]
Instead of reflexively offering tolerance with the expectation that things would work out in the long run, she said, the government strategy should be “bringing our values into confrontation with people who think otherwise.”
Confront people with those who do not accept our “values”? For a European leftist, that is very blunt language indeed. And there was more:
“Hurting feelings is allowed, and criticism of religion, too.”
A Muslim extremist stabbed Theo van Gogh to death in the streets of Amsterdam for criticising Islam, while Ayaan Hirsi Ali was forced to flee the country after government authorities refused to protect her any longer.
Are Dutch politicians finally waking up to the disaster coming upon the nation largely because of their own weakness and foolishness? We shall see when it comes time to translate the Labour Party’s sensible words into policy action.
h/t: Religion News Blog
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