And let us count Rotterdam, main European port city in Holland, too. Since 2007, Ahmed Aboutaleb, muslim born in Northern Morocco, is its Mayor. Recently, he won a second 6 year term.
Isn't the CIA already supporting and training "vetted" rebels from bases in northern Jordania and Israel? Those rebels are active in the Deraa region and Damascene suburbs.
Anne-Ruth adresses a real danger. She told us so in Amsterdam recently at the annual commemoration of the Crystal Night 1938. After 1945, shame prevented us to evaluate our role during Nazi and Japanese racist exactions. We honestly thought that we were a nation of exemplary tolerance. We did not teach our children and grandchildren to make the necessary effort to understand people of different race or religion. Now, we know that ours was an EMPTY tolerance: We choose not to see or acknowledge our brothers and sisters living next to us.
So, now, many Dutch people are an easy prey to racist demagogues against Muslims and Islam.
We are daily fighting against that, educating, debunking, indicating truly Dutch traditions of cooperation and democracy.
A first lesson for historians: Never take seriously a claim to perfection. Always stick to historical facts.
Dear Prof. Cole,
Your comparison of the Protestant American refusal of Catholic (Irish, Italian) immigrants in the 2nd half of the 19th century with the hysterical hatred of many Europeans of the various Muslim immigrants who have been settling in our countries as of the last decades, is, as nearly always, very pertinent.
Please allow me to refer to your post, as I will talk to my Dutch compatriots, who are confused by their actual conservative Government's acceptance of support by the Breivik inspirator *Geert Wilders*, member of parliament. I am convinced that such a move is part of "stepping back from the precipice".
I am your fellow historian, Huib Riethof (living in Belgium and in Bulgaria).
And let us count Rotterdam, main European port city in Holland, too. Since 2007, Ahmed Aboutaleb, muslim born in Northern Morocco, is its Mayor. Recently, he won a second 6 year term.
Thank you, Juan, for an informed comment!
Oh, sorry! My comment was meant to appear under "Top 5 reasons US aid to..."
Isn't the CIA already supporting and training "vetted" rebels from bases in northern Jordania and Israel? Those rebels are active in the Deraa region and Damascene suburbs.
Anne-Ruth adresses a real danger. She told us so in Amsterdam recently at the annual commemoration of the Crystal Night 1938. After 1945, shame prevented us to evaluate our role during Nazi and Japanese racist exactions. We honestly thought that we were a nation of exemplary tolerance. We did not teach our children and grandchildren to make the necessary effort to understand people of different race or religion. Now, we know that ours was an EMPTY tolerance: We choose not to see or acknowledge our brothers and sisters living next to us.
So, now, many Dutch people are an easy prey to racist demagogues against Muslims and Islam.
We are daily fighting against that, educating, debunking, indicating truly Dutch traditions of cooperation and democracy.
A first lesson for historians: Never take seriously a claim to perfection. Always stick to historical facts.
Dear Prof. Cole,
Your comparison of the Protestant American refusal of Catholic (Irish, Italian) immigrants in the 2nd half of the 19th century with the hysterical hatred of many Europeans of the various Muslim immigrants who have been settling in our countries as of the last decades, is, as nearly always, very pertinent.
Please allow me to refer to your post, as I will talk to my Dutch compatriots, who are confused by their actual conservative Government's acceptance of support by the Breivik inspirator *Geert Wilders*, member of parliament. I am convinced that such a move is part of "stepping back from the precipice".
I am your fellow historian, Huib Riethof (living in Belgium and in Bulgaria).