Are you Dutch enough?
A post on RealClearPolitics lead me to a article by the Chicago Tribune on the way the Dutch have decided to deal with immigration:
I'm not sure how I feel about this one. On the the one hand, I understand the rationale for putting these so-called "entrance exams" into place. One politician likens it to warnings on cigarette packs, and there's certainly something to be said for an up-front and honest portrayal to potential future citizens.
But it also reeks of xenophobia. The DVD is clearly directed at Muslims, whose religion disallows public nudity and homosexuality. Instead of putting resources towards testing these immigrants, perhaps the Dutch should increase their efforts at integrating those immigrants (especially the Muslim population, which has a tendency to isolate itself in a religious cocoon) into their liberal and tolerant society? According to one Dutch councilman, they already tried that: "We used to think: Give people time and they will integrate. It's a nice theory, but it didn't work." How should a country deal with this sort of fragmentation? I have to be honest and say that I don't have anything constructive to add to the dialogue. But somehow, showing people a DVD of what they must learn to tolerate doesn't seem like the best way to invite an attitude of tolerance. Tolerance by its very nature is a voluntary and reciprocal act; telling people what to accept is bound to backfire.
ROTTERDAM, Netherlands -- The new test for foreigners who want to apply for Dutch residency is, well, very Dutch.
It features a DVD that illustrates various aspects of Dutch life, including, most notably, a topless woman frolicking in the surf and two men kissing warmly. The message couldn't be more explicit: This is who we are; if you don't accept it, don't come.
Although the DVD doesn't single out any particular group, the intended target of the message is clear. Growing numbers of conservative Muslim immigrants are seen by many Dutch as posing a threat to the Netherlands' liberal consensus and easygoing lifestyle.
I'm not sure how I feel about this one. On the the one hand, I understand the rationale for putting these so-called "entrance exams" into place. One politician likens it to warnings on cigarette packs, and there's certainly something to be said for an up-front and honest portrayal to potential future citizens.
But it also reeks of xenophobia. The DVD is clearly directed at Muslims, whose religion disallows public nudity and homosexuality. Instead of putting resources towards testing these immigrants, perhaps the Dutch should increase their efforts at integrating those immigrants (especially the Muslim population, which has a tendency to isolate itself in a religious cocoon) into their liberal and tolerant society? According to one Dutch councilman, they already tried that: "We used to think: Give people time and they will integrate. It's a nice theory, but it didn't work." How should a country deal with this sort of fragmentation? I have to be honest and say that I don't have anything constructive to add to the dialogue. But somehow, showing people a DVD of what they must learn to tolerate doesn't seem like the best way to invite an attitude of tolerance. Tolerance by its very nature is a voluntary and reciprocal act; telling people what to accept is bound to backfire.
posted by the Assistant at 12:17 AM
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