I don't think people should be celebrating this.
I mean, look, is it necessary? Yeah. Is it in the best interests of Dutch society and the Dutch people? In the short to intermediate term, most likely.
But you'll have to forgive me for refraining from cheering the reinforcement of nationalism and the defeat of "multiculturalism", as it's an unfortunate reaction to Islamic conservatism and extremism. I mean, people, please ask yourselves this question-- would you be opposed to "multiculturalism" if it didn't allow for the expansion of backwards, religiously conservative and reactionary religious ideas? I certainly wouldn't, and, in fact, I think the basic idea of multiculturalism is good-- the problem is that Islam simply isn't compatible with it.
I don't find it a happy circumstance at all that now the Netherlands is being forced to become a more closed society and reassert nationalist ideas. It's fucking depressing that this has become necessary, and it's not at all an indication to me that multiculturalism is
per se bad, or that nationalism is good-- it's just one more indication as to how badly Muslim society is in need of change.
My aunt migrated to Canada after a holiday in Vancouver. It benefited her to speak both French and English (two official languages of Canada), she was required to have memorised the national anthem and she had to revise the answers for 180 questions relating to Canada, only 90 questions were used but it was not disclosed which 90 questions so she had to revise all of them. That is, at least, the process my grandma said she had to undergo.
Your white, middle-class English-speaking aunt? Oh yeah, I bet she had it rough. They'll probably make a movie about her immigrant experience someday. She probably had to scrub floors for less than minimum wage, right?
Everyone wants their rights, and that's fine, but there are also responsibilities that come with rights.
Bzzt! Wrong. You are confusing rights with privileges. Rights we are born with and do not entail any special obligations beyond simply not infringing on the rights of others.
John Howard is a fuckin douche.
I was reading up on Theodore Roosevelt and
noticed this comment by him: "In an 1894 article on immigration, Roosevelt said, "We must
Americanize in every way, in speech, in political ideas and principles, and in their way of looking at relations between church and state. We welcome the German and the Irishman who becomes an American. We have no use for the German or Irishman who remains such... He must revere only our flag, not only must it come first, but no other flag should even come second."
Yeah, except even third and fourth generation Immigrants here who primarily identify as Americans still do fly the flags of their forefathers, and take pride in their national heritage. Try coming to the US and finding an Irish-American, no matter how long his or her family has been in this country, who doesn't have an Irish flag on their car, flying from a flagpole outside their house, or hanging up inside their apartment, or on a T-shirt. Same goes for Polish-Americans, Italian-Americans, Mexican-Americans, and Puerto Ricans. The only reason you don't see it among Americans of German ancestry (as much) is that WWI and WWII forced them into suppressing their national heritage, and, even then, you still have Oktoberfest celebrations here.
Topic: The Netherlands to Abandon Multiculturalism