The Fitna anticlimax?
posted at 7:29 am on March 28, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
Share on Facebook | printer-friendly
Dutch officials sighed with relief after Fitna hit the Internet yesterday. Expecting massive demonstrations for the sharp criticism of the Koran and the linkage to Muslim extremism, the night passed without incident in the Netherlands. They credit the actions of the Dutch government in disowning Wilders and the film:
The Netherlands breathed a sigh of relief on Friday after Dutch Muslims reacted with restraint to the release of a film by a Dutch lawmaker that accuses the Koran of inciting violence.
Dutch authorities reported a calm night after Islam critic Geert Wilders launched his movie on Thursday evening, in contrast to unrest that swept the country following the murder by a militant Islamist in 2004 of film director Theo van Gogh.
The Dutch government worked for months before the film appeared to defuse Muslim anger over its theme. In a statement broadcast live on television on Thursday in both Dutch and English, Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said he rejected Wilders’ views.
What I find fascinating is the Dutch government’s haste to appease Muslim anger over a film, while it says next to nothing about the death threats Wilders has received for making his previous film with Theo van Gogh. Those death threats came at the same time as the murder of van Gogh by a radical Muslim, which indicates that they’re not empty threats but an indication of real danger. The Dutch government rejects Wilders’ views, but say nothing about the threats that have created the need for the government to hide Wilders from assassins.
One can disagree with Wilders’ point of view, but the actions of the Dutch government seem rather out of balance here, at the least. Wilders made a 17-minute film that criticizes the Koran and the radicalism that it generates, while the radicals have already assassinated van Gogh and threaten to do the same to Wilders. Which threat did the Netherlands see as the one they had to publicly denounce?
Balkenende announced that freedom and respect go hand in hand. That sounds great, but it’s essentially an oxymoron. Freedom includes the ability to engage in criticism, and without the fear of getting murdered for it. Should the Netherlands “respect” Naziism as part of “freedom”? Of course not. In a certain sense, freedom means abandoning an expectation of “respect”, of non-offense, because that demand leads directly to a curtailing of free speech, which is the root of liberty.
The Dutch government has its priorities severely out of joint in this instance. The ony reason for this choice is because of the real threat of violence from Muslims in and out of the Netherlands, unless Balkenende makes a habit of distancing the Netherlands from criticisms of Christianity and Buddhism as well. That’s nothing less than appeasement, which reinforces the efficacy of violence and encourages more of the same from radical Muslims. Balkenende should have just kept his mouth shut.
Update: Balkenende’s actions reminds me of this South Park clip:
In the episode, Family Guy was supposed to be showing a depiction of Mohammed, and the town wanted to show that they wanted Muslims to know that they wouldn’t defend free speech. Sounds familiar, no?
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages:
Just because there was no violence last night, doesn’t mean there won’t be any in the future linked to the movie. Remember, the violence over the Mo cartoons happened months after they were originally printed.
Blarg the Destroyer on March 28, 2008 at 7:39 AM
Lesson learned? Don’t criticize islam, or they will kill you, and we will tell you it’s all your fault to begin with.
R.I.P. freedom of speech
rightside on March 28, 2008 at 7:53 AM
Exactly what I was going to say.
srhoades on March 28, 2008 at 7:53 AM
Exactly.
freevillage on March 28, 2008 at 7:54 AM
And if you think they wouldn’t try to kill him if they could, well then you’re probably a liberal.
4shoes on March 28, 2008 at 8:00 AM
Muslim outrage is selective, timed, and opportunistic. It bears little relation to the nature of the supposed offense.
I saw Mo with the bomb strapped to his turban in the film. Same Mo that caused riots before. Calculated I think to find Dhimi politicians they can use to further their aims.
Radical Muslims 1, Dutch Gov’t 0
Reaction by Dutch people?
JiangxiDad on March 28, 2008 at 8:01 AM
I thought the cartoons had been for about a year before some iman released them again in an Egyptian crowd.. basically, stirring his own pot..
DaveC on March 28, 2008 at 8:14 AM
Also, in addition to Blarg the Destroyer’s comment, keep in mind that today is Friday, when the Imams stir up hate and anger in mosques all over the world. So pay attention to what happens today, after Imams have informed their people about the movie and given them their instructions on how to show their outrage.
Michael in MI on March 28, 2008 at 8:16 AM
Well, I think a strong point was made just in the fact that the Dutch government felt it had to work so hard to defuse Muslim anger before the release of the film, and they spent the first day and night braced in fear, clearly expecting violence. I wonder why, if Muslims are peace-loving people? It’s hard to claim in the course of your appeasement that you denounce the film and don’t agree with the film at all, and yet you obviously fully expect murder and mayhem as a result of the film’s release.
aero on March 28, 2008 at 8:24 AM
I agree with all the above,its a ticking time bomb!
I would love to see a Movie made where a group of hero’s
take back Islamic earth,but a movie that would show exactly
what the world would look like under Islam!
A movie that would scare the hell out of a flameing Liberal,
and a movie that would show the truth if it ever happened,
and I guarantee you the muslim outrage will pale in comparison to the cartoons!
canopfor on March 28, 2008 at 8:28 AM
Today’s Friday… the Imam’s day.
ajm on March 28, 2008 at 8:43 AM
If, by some miracle, no violence occurs as a result of the release of Fitna, I hope the Dutch television executives who refused to air it will apologize and admit they were wrong to ban the film without even seeing it first. They should apologize for hindering free speech anyway, but especially if it turns out that the film was so restrained that it doesn’t even cause a ripple.
aero on March 28, 2008 at 8:46 AM
Imagine, a government excited because a group of people are acting somewhat civilized…
right2bright on March 28, 2008 at 8:48 AM
I wouldn’t come down too hard on the Dutch. How many American media outlets posted the Mohammed cartoons when they first came out? Zero. It was hard to find them anywhere on the net for awhile. The Dutch may be class “A” pussies but I didn’t read anywhere that they were putting foot baths in their airports!
repvoter on March 28, 2008 at 8:54 AM
As Michelle points out regularly, it’s Friday in the muslim world. When the mosques let out, we’ll see what they burn today.
Zorro on March 28, 2008 at 8:56 AM
Anyone notice how “Dutch” and “douche” sound strikingly similar?
Spanglemaker on March 28, 2008 at 9:07 AM
Terminator 3?
OldEnglish on March 28, 2008 at 9:19 AM
When is Muslim outrage going to finally be reacted to with Non-Muslim outrage? The sentiments just after 9/11 that most people in America were feeling were spot-on, and should never have been put aside until we knew the threat was gone.
MadisonConservative on March 28, 2008 at 9:45 AM
So its not just terrorists but even rioters and protesters who are “Radical” Muslims misinterpreting their own religion? Sheesh.
aengus on March 28, 2008 at 9:51 AM
So everyone’s amazed that Koran followers didn’t react violently to the notion that the Koran incites violence.
jgapinoy on March 28, 2008 at 9:57 AM
Radical Muslims? Isn’t that an oxymoron?
Perhaps Balkenende would like to be the contractor who spent his seconds screaming into a rag while these sick freaks cut his head off?
fourstringfuror on March 28, 2008 at 9:59 AM
I would wait til after Friday prayers until I breathed a sigh of relief.
Keli on March 28, 2008 at 10:10 AM
Really? How can one disagree with reality and facts?
peacenprosperity on March 28, 2008 at 10:14 AM
Another Dutch politican is making a film about Mo.
aengus on March 28, 2008 at 10:30 AM
This is an absolutely brilliant idea! Someone badly needs to do this–even if it is a piss poor home production. I’ve done two dumb movies with artsy kids and I’m willing to provide my meagre expertise for a week for anyone interested in doing this.
thuja on March 28, 2008 at 10:57 AM
Is it possible that in the twisted theology of Islam, the imams and their devout Muslim followers would see Wilder’s video as a “Greatest Hits” compilation? That is, here is the surah from the Koran, and here is how a follower of Allah effects that “holy” admonistion.
While anyone with a sense of human decency sees the atrocities committed in the name of a religion as debased, the zealous Muslim champions the video capture as evidence of his religion’s success in perfecting Allah’s will through the acts of a holy people.
Submission, not freedom (and certainly not regard for the sanctity/free will of the individual), is the keystone of Islamic theology. Wilders’s video ironically may have a special shelf as a yearbook of successes in the Dutch mosques.
Meanwhile the dhimmis of Holland and elsewhere congratulate themselves by rejecting Wilders as inflammatory, and the band of political correctness plays on…
onlineanalyst on March 28, 2008 at 11:10 AM
Nope, key here is that NO one is really talking about it main stream yet… sooo…
Heck, I bet Islamic Rage boy doesn’t even know its been released yet… it will take awhile for word to get around.
Romeo13 on March 28, 2008 at 11:26 AM
Rage Boy and other Muslims dont have high speed internet and have not seen the movie. (They spend their money on bombs and such)
They will wait for Rev. Wright (Sunday am) and their Imams (Friday pm) to tell them how to be outraged.
faraway on March 28, 2008 at 11:49 AM
The canary in the coal mine should be killed so the miners are not upset when it starts choking.
profitsbeard on March 28, 2008 at 12:12 PM
What is wrong with you people! Appeasement works. Mr. Nevelle Chamberland said so.
Johan Klaus on March 28, 2008 at 12:15 PM
profitsbeard on March 28, 2008 at 12:12 PM
Good analogy.
Johan Klaus on March 28, 2008 at 12:17 PM
it’s nice to see the Dutch officials have chosen to act like a bunch of eunuchs instead up standing up and telling the jihadist to go to hell { Allah’s whore house and rib shack }.
Mojack420 on March 28, 2008 at 12:50 PM
And Imams all over the world today said. Yeah? Soo, whats your point?
Speakup on March 28, 2008 at 2:16 PM
I forget who said this quote but it really applies here:
“Appeasement is merely fear disguised as peace.”
You would think Europe of all places would have learned of the futility and dangers of appeasement having been host to two world wars..those that forget their past are doomed to repeat it.
Liberty or Death on March 28, 2008 at 3:42 PM
I wish the term “radical Islam” would be put to rest.
The big lesson here is that it only takes a few percentage points of Islam in the general population to show a demonstrable degradation of democracy.
Democracy is not Kryptonite to Islam, it is exactly the other way around.
BL@KBIRD on March 28, 2008 at 4:55 PM
Comment pages: