Dutch Parliament member to air anti-Koran film

by Donald Hank and Weert Schenk

Some say one man armed with the truth can defeat an army of 10,000 armed with a lie.

Geert Wilders, Freedom Party leader of the Dutch parliament, wields the truth and plans to air it on Dutch TV on January 25, 2008.  The Dutch majority in the parliament claim this film, which reveals uncomfortable facts about the Koran, poses a security threat.  Almost the entire government, including the Justice Department, wants to stop him.  Obviously, the real enemy here is cowardice.

If all we have to fear is fear itself, then the enemy is formidable in Holland.  Note the utter abject cowardice of the reporter in this article, my translation of which (from the online Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant) follows.

http://www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article490737.ece/Vrees_voor_rellen_rond_Koran-film_van_Wilders
de Volkskrant, Dec. 29, 2007
Fear of riots over Wilders’ Koran film

by de Volkskrant reporter Weert Schenk

Amsterdam -- According to various sources, the majority party is making full preparations for the possible reactions to the film on the Koran announced by Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders.  Security around Wilders, which was already heavy, is being beefed up.

The Amsterdam police have had interviews with imams and other influential persons in the Muslim community this month to prepare for their reactions.  A scenario is being prepared for major public order problems.  Similar measures are being taken in the Hague and Utrecht.

The film by Wilders, which contains images offensive to Muslims [Excuse Laigle's Forum, but why are these images offensive? If they offend because they show Islam is violent, then who is really offensive?], will probably be televised on January 25.  This will be done during broadcasting time for political parties made available to the Freedom Party (PVV).  The Justice Department is investigating whether anything can be done to prevent the film from airing.

According to a reputable source, policy makers are analyzing whether the film will make more of an uproar than the publication of cartoons mocking the Prophet Muhammad in Denmark.  Those cartoons in the newspaper Jyllands-Posten led to protests throughout the Islamic world.

When it was leaked that Wilders was coming out with an anti-Koran film, three ministers warned him of the possible consequences.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has since informed all of its diplomatic posts about this. This was to explain to other countries that the Cabinet has distanced itself from the film. [Let's get this straight:  The Cabinet says it understands that a film showing Islam to be violent is offensive to Muslims and wants to assure Muslims it doesn't think they're violent, because it knows that if it doesn't, they might react violently?  LF]

Following the publication of the Muhammad cartoons, thousands of Muslims took to the streets.  There were dozens of casualties in rioting in Afghanistan, Libya and Nigeria. Ambassadors were recalled from Denmark and Danish companies were boycotted.

According to sources, the apprehension in the majority party is increasing because Wilders has thus far shown no willingness to express any reservations about his film. Investigations are also underway to see whether Wilders will have to acquire a specially secured residence and whether his fellow party members will require security.

Wilders wants to show with his film that "wretched things" from the Koran are
still being put into practice.  The Islamic organizations, from moderate to fundamentalist, have expressed concern about the film.

Laigle’s Forum comment:
First, to our intrepic reporter, Weert Schenk:
There is nothing like telling the enemy you are afraid of him and suggesting that you are absolutely powerless to counter his unlawful attacks on you and your country.

Second, to the Dutch government:
It doesn't take a genius to know that apologizing for telling the truth is not the way to deal with the enemy.  The Amsterdam police apparently went into the Muslim communities to confer with the enemy and find out how mad these hotheads might become.  Why didn't they warn the Dutch Muslims that they were living in a democracy where the truth is not prohibited, not on television, not in the newspapers, not in government?  And if they don't like it, they can go back home to the dictatorships that they supposedly came to Holland to escape.

As for the ambassadors, this would have been a wonderful opportunity to explain to the Islamic world that the only chance to overcome Wilders' offense is to oppose it by a reasoned approach in the media, the same way the so-called offense was aired in the first place.  Muslims can say anything they want about Christians, Jews, Europeans, or whatever, in their media.  We're used to the slander.  We don't protest, we don't kill people, we don't burn cars.  We just patiently wait for the bearded babies to grow up.

If violence is your only response, then you have proved the basic thesis of Wilders' film.  Because all the film does is say that you are a bunch of hotheads.  If you're not, prove it. You can make a film about Wilders.  You can make a film about European Christians, European atheists, Dutch people who take their cue from the Bible and make suicide attacks on innocent people in Cairo, Baghdad, Istanbul and so on. You know what Christians we mean?

Neither do I.