Fear, lies, deceit.

Every day there's scary things in the news. Yesterday, Theo van Gogh, a Dutch columnist and filmmaker, was shot and stabbed in wonderful Amsterdam. Theo was not only someone who dared speak his mind, above all I saw him as a fat sexist bastard who smoked too much. Luckily, the media understand the Dutch saying "over de doden niets dan goeds" (lit: "about the dead nothing but good", meaning, don't discredit the dead. They may have been bastards but let's not think about that right now.). Besides, I never knew the man.
Now that he's dead, he is praised as a family man (he never skipped dinner with his child), someone who dared to speak his mind openly, and a wonderful filmmaker.
Suddenly, this chain-smoking guy is raised onto a pedestal, and praised because he dared speak his opinion. And suddenly, with this brutal murder, Dutch politicians fear that the freedom of speach might be threatened by this. I mean, what the fuck? Balkenende with his "normen and waarden" is static, nothing really registers if he's said it, but my scepticism could not ignore this.

I interpret his words (on the radio yesterday) as a warning. He feels that we are slowly sinking back into a backward country where freedom of speech is stopped by people with a gun? What kind of crap is that?

I for one believe that the government should do more to inform people. Not in a propaganda way, but in an absolute objective way. The notes on cigarettes are a good example "smoking will kill you". Hang up posters, saying "you have the freedom to speak your mind, but be careful not to tread on another's rights to have a different belief." or something. I don't know, do something to shake people awake. Everything gets more expensive, and people shout at commercials being boring or deceitful, but those commercials do make sure you can watch commercial television and that show you're addicted to. How many people just walk around with their eyes covered and just see their own little world? I can get so angry about people who remain willfully ignorant.

In a speech last night, at the memorial service and silent tour of the city, there were speeches. Rita Verdonk, who is in charge of integration in our parlement said that we could do two things. We could either retaliate with hate, and take up arms, and answer revenge with revenge until we fall into chaos, or we could say "Stop! This is as far as you can go". And I fear that some people can not see the difference between these two.
It takes a courageous person nowadays to stand up and say "you're not allowed to smoke here" or point out that other people might have a problem with your behaviour. But we mustn't give up and we must remain calm and indeed stand up for our rights and remain calm. Shouting will never resolve anything, nor will weapons.
Some people will welcome an open discussion, but really is this "let's discuss the islam" thing entirely necessary? I've seen only extremist muslims, extremist christians, extremist nationalists (etc.) cause any trouble. Yes, the guy who murdered Theo van Gogh was a muslim, of Marroccan and Dutch nationality. He was also known with the AIVD (Dutch internal security organization), and known to have some ties with extremists. It's not so much his beliefs that caused this, it's the fact that he was an extremist. The Christian bible, just like the Koran, the Jewish Torah and most other religion's holy scriptures, speak of violence, punishing heretics, killing enemies, performing gruesome acts in the name of a Higher being. "Why can't we all just get along" (Muhammad Ali?). If you believe in a Higher Being that loves all his children, all humans, why would he want you to murder others for him? I know the answer, from the Bible only: because He would want you to help your fellow humans to see the truth, and you are to blame if you allow heretics to live and sustain the status-quo." Well, ain't that swell. Whaddaya think you got a brain for? Just to realize the opposable thumb is just the thing you need to steady the gun so you can pull the trigger?

It's frightening really, that if muslims and christians (and I use the term ligthly, because though there are a lot of people in Holland who can't possibly be regarded as real christians or would not look upon themselves so, try to prove that to the other side) were to wage war, we'd have the biggest massacre on our hands since the Plague. There is so much here worth living for, if you only open your eyes to the wonders of the world. How can you not weep when you see what wonders nature alone has in store for you. And the infinite possibilities interaction with other humans can give you. Life is too grand to focus on those kinds of things. So what, he's got another skincolour. So what, he might be carrying a knife. You're not allowed to smoke in the subways because it can seriously inconvenience someone or even harm them if they're allergic.

"And I am not frightened of dying. Any time will do, I don't mind. Why should I be frightened of dying? There's no reason for it. You've gotta go sometime." (Pink Floyd - The Great Gig In The Sky)

Speaking of lies and deceit and death, what the hell got into Bush? He's ahead two electoral votes, and he claims victory while not all votes have been counted? He thinks he can pull off last times' stunt? By all rights, he shouldn't be even running to stay into office, by all rights, Al Gore should have had the Oval Office to himself for the past four years, if not for the retarded voting system in the USA.

Don't let your fear become more powerful than your will. That is what they mean when they say "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."