11 Comments
User's avatar
Steven Forth's avatar

There is a long tradition of blame the victim. I am currently reading Philip Metcalfe's book 1933, the story of five people including a Jewish journalist, the US ambassador to Berlin and his daughter and the first head of the Gestapo. Will 2025 be our generation's 1933 and how will we respond? Thank you for helping us better understand what is happening in The Netherlands and beyond.

Expand full comment
Janny van der Wal's avatar

The most disturbing is that it is almost impossible to make things better. Left wing parties will do anything to change the narrative

Expand full comment
Esther's avatar

This is very disturbing. How many Dutch adults remember how they felt when reading novels on the Second World War as a child and how they would surely protect the Jews if they had lived in that time period? This is the time to make good on that youthful commitment.

Expand full comment
Pieter Dorsman's avatar

Agreed. That is also motivating me to keep writing/talking about it.

Expand full comment
Vivian Bercovici's avatar

A chilling and superb piece. We are seeing this happen in Canada all the time. Most recently. the Mayor of Montreal is saying that the violent riots last Friday. night - which called for the destruction of Israel, murder of Jews and burned PM Netanyahu in effigy - she's saying there weren't antisemitic. world is mad.

Expand full comment
JM's avatar

It’s a disturbing thing to see for sure. But it’s a good reminder of how media and politics collude to re-create narratives. And anyone who doesn’t toe the line is cast aside as a conspiracy theorist, at best. So wear it like a badge of honor, Pieter! Because raising awareness, aka free speech, is the best antidote out there.

Expand full comment
Stephen "Steve" Medaris Bull's avatar

Pieter, Please take a look at Netherlands weapons export commitments and how that influencing the current chaos. With every heightened report and misreporting, more weapon/defense systems are purchased when more trees should be planted and public confrontation coffee bars created. Thank you for continuing to provide context in your posts.

Expand full comment
Albert Cory's avatar

It seems to clear to me that most of those "the Israelis started it" politicians would have cheerfully ratted out Anne Frank.

Expand full comment
Esther's avatar

Have there been any apologies from Moroccan community leaders about what happened? Or only crying ‘poor us’?

Expand full comment
Lynn T's avatar

Thank you Pieter . Excellent clarification of what is happening ..

Expand full comment