Perhaps I am spoiled being an American being accustomed to my freedom of speech, but it angers me (whether you agree with Geert Wilders or not) is the fact he’s being persecuted for voicing his opinion.
Last I recall my grandfather fought in the Netherlands to free them from the nazi’s and I if I remember history correctly as well, the Canadians also helped in the liberation of the Netherlands from tyranny (not to mention they keep fielding excellent snipers).
I doubt I would do the same today.
Regardless, today in the blogosphere there is a movement to make posts, articles, etc. about Geert Wilders. The problem is they’re just posts that voice support for him or at least his right to speak his mind. That achieves nothing. I find it much easier to just contact the people prosecuting him and remind them we may not send waves of our boys over next time.
huh? is it just me or is anyone else getting a security warning/untrusted connection on that link?
“www.government.nl uses an invalid security certificate.
The certificate expired on 8/18/2010 6:59 PM.
(Error code: sec_error_expired_certificate)”
Both links worked fine for me (using Firefox). And I DID sent the government a note.
Next time the Germans want to kick the crap out of the rest of Europe, I say we don’t go over, again, and bail French?Dutch/British butts outta the fires of the Wehrmacht.
They are no longer worth our blood & treasure. If they want to play at being liberal totalitarians, they should really enjoy fascist totalitarianism.
Just sent them this: Hello writing from Canada. We helped you out when you were being persecuted against the Nazis, but maybe now you are the Nazis.
I for certain will oppose helping Nazis when the time comes.
BUT, then I thought, why is their site in English? Is that the real site? There’s not even an indication of Dutch anywhere there…
I put my comments in too….there’s lots of detail about the Canadian military role in the Netherlands here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_Canada_during_the_Second_World_War
Not only did lots of Canadian soldiers fight and die in the Netherlands, we also allowed their Royal Family to move to Ottawa to stay safe during the War, and their own Princess Margaret was even born here (wonder if she’s eligible for free medical care LOL). Apparently Canada even flew a Dutch flag from the Parliament Buildings to show their support for the Dutch Royal Family while they were here.
“The British had liberated Antwerp, but that city’s port could not be used until the Germans were driven from the heavily fortified Scheldt estuary. In several weeks of heavy fighting in the fall of 1944, the Canadians succeeded in defeating the Germans in this region. The Canadians then turned east and played a central role in the liberation of the Netherlands.
The royal family of the Netherlands eventually moved to Ottawa until the Netherlands were liberated, and Princess Margriet was born during this Canadian exile. In 1944-45, First Canadian Army was responsible for liberating much of the Netherlands from German occupation. Princess Juliana of the Netherlands, the only child of then–Queen Wilhelmina and heir to the throne, sought refuge in Canada with her two daughters, Beatrix and Irene, during the war. During Princess Juliana’s stay in Canada, preparations were made for the birth of her third child. To ensure the Dutch citizenship of this royal baby, the Canadian Parliament passed a special law declaring Princess Juliana’s suite at the Ottawa Civic Hospital “extraterritorial”. On January 19, 1943, Princess Margriet was born. The day after Princess Margriet’s birth, the Dutch flag was flown on the Peace Tower. This was the only time a foreign flag has waved atop Canada’s Parliament Buildings.”
I was completely lost when I read this:
“if I remember history correctly as well, the Canadians also helped in the liberation of the Netherlands”
Can’t believe Americans are still so ignorant.
Gellen, they are Americans. What can one say?
Europeans have long rested on the laurels of others. They can deal with the messes they’ve made. Whether one agrees with Wilders or not, he should speak his mind. Why the Europeans have a problem with that is beyond me.
The Captain’s an American!? Is that allowed?
Cappy,
The Brits topped us, and he did it with a smaller (.338) round.
Europe has chosen appeasement again, it seems.
It didn’t work with fascism, and they were saved by extenuating circumstances when communism fell anyway (despite plenty of appeasement).
Will they get lucky with Islamo-fascism, or will they be faced with another war as the reward for giving ground? Time will tell. But we know it’s the wrong policy. We’re starting into it here as well, although there is still time to switch tactics and fight back more (by here, I mean both our countries). Ground zero would be a good place to take a stand.
My Dad was a Veteran. Here is the note I sent them.
My father was a member of the 85th Canadian Bridge Company that participated in the liberation of the Netherlands from Nazis. His very dear friend, Frankie Bastien, died just two weeks before the end of the war and is buried in Holten Cemetery. There were vast amounts of blood and sweat and tears and fear spilled for the freedom of the Dutch people and, while every Canadian knows the warm regard the Dutch have shown us ever since, a far greater tribute to the sacrifice of men like Frankie would be to protect and preserve the freedoms they bought for you with their blood. Your nation’s prosecution of a man who is trying to warn of the dangers that face your nation is like spitting on the grave of Frankie and that of every man in Holten and other War Cemeteries in the Netherlands. The Netherlands has thrown away the freedom that was purchased for it at the highest price of all. I believe Hitler would be quite proud of the way you trample the individual rights and freedoms of your citizens.
My father passed away in 2007, and I am grateful that he did not see this terrible slow suicide by a country that he had such fondness for.
One day you may call out in need us again. You may not get an answer.
@olaudj “One day you may call out in need us again. You may not get an answer.”
That’s because we will be them, by then.
Anyone read this weeks left wing article by Gwynne
Dyer? I shake my head. I urge everyone to catch up on how the left supports islamic extremism…go read.
Yes, Sounder, it is very sad but your observation is distressingly accurate.
Ok guys, let me get this right. Geert Wilders is a Dutch politician who has expressed his anger against someone who is obviously upset at what he said. So you’re obviously asking for people (Canadians) to write to the Dutch (Netherlands) government to express a strong voice in his favor. .
Do you NOT think it would be important to tell us A: Who is Geert Wilders. B: What did he say. C: Who did he say it to?
And last but not least, what in hell have the snipers in Afghanistan to do with Geert Wilders.
Sheriff Smith, google Geert Wilders + Fitna
@Sheriff Smith
To sum it up: Geert Wilders pointed out that if their government was willing to ban ‘Mein Kampf’ because of its anti-semitic content (6% of Mein Kampf is dedicated to hatred towards Jews), then they should be banning the Koran (10% of the Koran is dedicated to hatred towards Jews) as well.
Now, he’s being tried for hate speech.
Sheriff Smith: Not just the google suggested by Oz. Do any research anywhere about Wilders. If you had made the slightest effort to do the tiniest bit of research on him you wouldn’t have bothered us with your three smarmy questions. All you have really achieved is a glorious display of your ignorance of European politics and news.
Sheriff Smith
“All you have really achieved is a glorious display of your ignorance of European politics and news.”(BCer)
Indeed……
You remind me of a CIA wiz-kid advising a high level committee as to the the merits and best methods to eliminate Saddam Hussein during Desert Shield–before Desert Storm (Gulf I). When one of those present expressed reservations—that that could convert Saddam into a martyr—-and that perhaps the best course/option would be to let him live and then disappear from history like Nasser.
The wiz-kid then blurted out–“What’s a Nasser?”
claudj: great letter. They obviously need reminders.
But, shouldn’t all the CWGC graves be constant reminders?
I am presently submitting photos of RCAF grave markers across The Netherlands to CVWM.
Looking at Grosbeek and Holten, I don’t think I’ll attempt them.
The Dutch see the graves of all those young men and surely must be asking themselves: they died for what?
I know I do every day.
“And last but not least, what in hell have the snipers in Afghanistan to do with Geert Wilders.”
Geert Wilders is in Dutch court for “hate speech” because he spoke out against the guys our snipers are shooting at. Duh.
Plus, an 8120ft combat shot is worth reporting all on its own.
SDH, did you know .338 Lapua is legal in Canada, unlike .50 BMG. You can even buy a Barret in .338 Lapua… if you have a water cooled Visa card anyway.
Had a look at the .416 Barrett? Launches a solid brass 400 grain pill that’s still supersonic at nearly 2300 meters. Great ballistic efficiency.
Thanks guys–so now I know!!
Sasquatch and BCer.
I’m just not concerned with politics in Holland.
By the looks of your ignorant comments, there are obviously enough problems here in N. America without having to worry about the Dutch.
I did enjoy the article on the snipers.
I’m just not concerned with politics in Holland.
[SNIP]…there are obviously enough problems here in N. America without having to worry about the Dutch.
~Sheriff Smith
The thing is, Sheriff, the Dutch, who are historically known as the most tolerant of European societies, are starting to say NO to being tolerant of the intolerance of Islam.
Futhermore, all of Europe is about 5-10 years ahead of us here in North America when it comes to the destructiveness of socialism and Muslim immigration in our societies.
So we look to the Beacons of Resistence in Europe to see what does and doesn’t work in throwing off the shackles of socialism and dealing with the cultural threat of the Muslim invasion.
Geert Wilders is a man who stands tall on the Battlements of Europe and is sticking his neck out to sound the clarion call and we watch and learn, and support if we can; his fight is our fight.
My dear Sherrill Smith,
The very fact that you think this is “Dutch” issue should be of serious concern to anyone who who had a hand in educating you.
Grey Lady and all thew other savants:
Re: Politics in Holland.
There’s a big difference between my politics and yours. My politics is buying a membership to a bona fide party, showing up at the regional meetings, making coffee, setting up chairs, chatting with the MP, MLA (or whatever) after the meeting.
My politics is pounding lawn signs in the hard dirt, working as a DRO, driving elderly people to the polling station, shovelling the snow off the sidewalk. Writing a letter to the editor, sending a cheque to my favorite party at the end of the year.
Your politics is sitting on your butt in front of a computer, talking about nothing, and knowing that whatever you say about the politics in Europe, you’re never going to lift a finger to do anything about it anyway.
Should I go on?
You assume a lot about people you know very little about, Sherrill.
It isn’t election time all of the time.
In between, it’s time to work out political ideas and strategies.
The internet is the new front line, all the time and it’s impact is clearly beyond your understanding.
Phantom,
I assumed .50 cal was illegal, I initially thought the L11583 used 7.62 NATO but had a gut feeling I was off a little.
I’ve never shot anything bigger than a .177 pellet, however my daughter wants to learn to shoot and we’ll be getting our PAL this fall.
Oz:
As the neighbourhood goes to ratshit because you’re on the computer instead of working! I have four kids, please don’t lecture me. They said the same about TV!!
51 no more kids, president of my own company, will be retiring soon if things don’t totally go to shit.
It’s completely quite outside, the odd car goes by.
It’s been a warm day, the coyotes should start their howling soon, there’ll be good hunting tonight.
TV isn’t interactive the way the intertubes are Sherrill.
See that number at the very bottom left corner on the screen?
What do you suppose it means?
Captain: “Last I recall my grandfather fought in the Netherlands to free them from the nazi’s and I if I remember history correctly as well, the Canadians also helped in the liberation of the Netherlands from tyranny (not to mention they keep fielding excellent snipers).”
Actually, Captain, it was the other way around. The Canadians liberated Holland. My Dad was one of them. The Germans in Holland surrendered to Canadian forces.
The Dutch Royal Family sent the heir to the throne and her daughters to Canada where they would be out of harms way.
For many, many years afterward, my parents used to correspond (an exchange of Christmas letters) with a Dutch family that my dad had stayed with (in Nijmegen) for a while.
For decades after wards, too, the Dutch people really held the Canadians close to their hearts. Former BC Premier Bill Vander Zalm, immigrated to Canada after the war and he frequently mentioned the Dutch people’s gratitude to the Canadian soldiers. To this day, Canada receives 10,000 tulip bulbs from Holland every year to be planted on Parliament Hill, in appreciation.
I think my father would be rolling over in his grave if he knew what was happening. In fact, a couple of years ago, I sent a letter to the Dutch Embassy in Ottawa expressing my disgust, saying that my father’s sacrifice had been for naught.
Why does Europe keep doing this? I don’t want to seen the continent run over by Islamism, but I don’t think we want to rescue them yet again. Why don’t they stand up for themselves?
Actually, I should qualify that last statement. I read the other day that a sizable majority of Dutch citizens are with Wilders. Sarkozi has been kicking Muslim ass, too. Maybe there is hope.
gellen and Osumashi, your tiresome anti-American condescension is based on something other than knowledge of the facts of Allied activity in Netherlands in WW2.
For a start, you might want to do a quick google and do some reading about the Arnhem offensive, Operation Market Garden. Two American Airborne Divisions and one British Division fought as the spearhead of that offensive. The American divisions took their objectives; the British division failed to do so.
(The British Division did not fail due to ineptness or lack of courage on their part. The operation was planned by British General Montgomery’s staff and the view of many is that Montgomery’s staff’s p*ss-poor sloppy planning doomed the operation. For starters, that British Airborne Division was landed next to two SS Panzer Divisions, far too much for any single airborne light infantry division to cope with. With all the available intelligence, Monty’s staff should have known about those SS units and planned accordingly. They failed, feeding those Brit paratroopers right into the meat grinder.)
So, besides the Canucks, we Yanks were there in the Netherlands, heavily involved, so you’ll have to find some other reason(s) to look down your noses at us. Try to make it more of a challenge to rebut next time.
Dave in Pa:
This statement has just proven a point.
“gellen and Osumashi, your tiresome anti-American condescension”
Please explain that O/T statement, Dave.
When have I shown anti-American condescension once, let alone often enough for it to be tiresome?
You can’t, because it is yet another American knee-jerk reaction. What you really show is your inability to accept the fact that Americans do have a tendency to hog the spotlight. (That’s an intentional understatement, BTW.)
My cousin who served in the Regina Rifles and was in the first wave on D-Day told me what it was like for the Canadians to discover that they were the only forces not invited to take part in the victory parade held in Antwerp. Since the Burgomeister recognized this was an injustice (nay an insult) to the Canadian troops, he invited them to parade through another part of the city a few hours before the official parade so they could show their appreciation.
Your nauseating angry response to my mild response to yet one more insulting American comment has only proven a point: the American ego needs constant stroking. Tonight I’m not obliging, Dave.
I guess we can add Germany to the list.
Gates of Vienna has a video of Wilders speaking to a group in Berlin. Yay, Europe!! They’re not lost after all.
http://gatesofvienna.blogspot.com/2010/10/islam-or-freedom.html
// a video of Wilders speaking to a group in Berlin. Yay, Europe!! //
And the Netherlands finally has a government.
The Universe is unravelling as it should —
// Whether this government will last any longer than the farcical coalition between the VVD, CDA and the late Pim Fortuyn’s party remains an open question. Whilst Geert Wilders himself appears in an Amsterdam courtroom for the second day, on charges of discrimination and fermenting [sic] hate, remarkably little attention has been given to the fact that one of his MPs, defense spokesman Marcial Hernandez, spent a night in police custody having reportedly head butted a civil servant in a barroom row. Another Freedom Party MP, Hero Brinkman, was previously banned from the press centre following an altercation with a barman. No charges were pressed, and Brinkman denied he had actually attacked the barman, but admitted to a ‘drinking problem’. Sharp-eyed political journalist Peter Middendorp noted that in a short period of time MPs from the Freedom Party have already been responsible for more acts of violence in and around the parliament than in any time in Dutch parliamentary history.
Whilst much focus was given to whether two ‘dissenting’ CDA MPs would back the coalition- they concluded they would, sort-of – the minority government will also be dependent on law makers in Wilder’s one-member-party, voting as told. Or at least keeping out of police cells.//
http://www.thehollandbureau.com/2010/10/06/here-we-go-then/
Sounds like a revolution in the making, Dizzy. And the ruling elites are working hard to discredit it.
BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHA!!! That website you posted, Dizzy, has the following sites in its sidebar:
Huff’n’Puff Post
Juan Cole (Double BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!)
Counterpunch
All “Jeers and Sneers” Jazeera
…and…
ZNET
‘Nuff said.
Juno Beach
“if I remember history correctly as well, the Canadians also helped”
Captain, it wasn’t the fact your remembrance of history is lacking, but your process of diplomacy in a foreign country needs a bit of work.
Why even state that?
You are remember, posting as a guest on a Canadian blog, so conventional wisdom would show more appreciation, if not, almost praising, rather than Neanderthal low brain passing remark.
Doh.
Liberal Fascism, pure and simple. Europe loved Hitler up until he turned his flood thirsty fangs on them. Now Europe embraces Islamic Supremacism, every forty years or so the people there embrace the most repulsive supremacists’ ideology and this time they can clean up their own mess. Not another drop of our Western blood shall be shed to free those who meekly embrace the political left’s alliance with Islamic supremacists.
Geert Wilders and his lot are the closest thing Europe has to the Nazis today. Blinding obvious I would have thought.
Yeah jose, because Wilders is the one hauling people in for show trials right? Right?
Oh wait…
Sent in my question, “Why can Muslims threaten and kill in your country, but Geert Wilders is hauled into court for pointing out the obvious threat of Islam?
Received a reply in both Dutch and English that I could expect a response within three working days. Looking forward to what they have to say!!!
Hey Sasquatch and BCer!
I got 8 replies–you got zero!! My popularity is growing by the hour!
jose, you magnificently ignorant sl*t…
Wait, I can type “slut”, right? It’s not a really bad word. Jose, you magnificently ignorant slut…
jose why don’t you tell us about the obvious that we’re blind to.
Details please?
Uh, Sherrif Smith, the word is notoriety.