The New York Times has an interesting article this morning on Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a Somali-born refugee now living in Holland. Her views on the emancipation of Muslim women have led her to oppose state-funded multiculturalism. For daring to speak her mind, she has now been subjected to death threats. The whole piece is worth reading, but don’t overlook these two quotes:
The first comes from the author of the article –
“September 11 also gave politicians license to vent brewing animosities. Among them was Pim Fortuyn…”
The writer does go on to explain what Fortuyn stood for, but it’s still a surprise to see his defense of Enlightenment values of tolerance, sexual equality and free debate described as the “venting” of “animosities”.
The second comes from Ali Eddaudi , a Moroccan writer and ‘cleric’ living in the Netherlands. He dismisses “all the fuss” over a Muslim woman who “panders to the Dutch”. Notice the contemptuous way in which Eddaudi refers to the Dutch, notice the hypocrisy in the fact he chooses to live in Holland.