Sometimes I ponder the possibility of moving back to the Netherlands. I miss home, I really do. But a growing number of friends are expressing thoughts about the Netherlands I left not being the Netherlands I would move back to anymore.
A quick scan of this morning's newspaper makes me wonder about this... The Volkskrant (registration mandatory) is going on about how the Prime Minister wants to deport 26.000 people who are denied asylum in the Netherlands, while the same day, the Telegraaf is reporting how a lot of the living quarters currently assigned to those that are looking for asylum in this country will be used to give students housing.
Giving students housing in a country that has to deal with a great shortage of living space for students sure is a noble cause, but this coincidence strikes me as funny and sad all at the same time. Are the Netherlands changing?
No they aren't, not really. In the 60's they used Kamp Westerbork, the former WW2 transportation camp for jews and gypsies, to house those that came from the Molukken (?) to seek asylum. Just as sick, but 40 years ago. Strange shit didn't start happening overnight after Pim Fortuyn and the Euro, folks. Get with the program.
In light of that it's uplifting to see that some things *never* change. The Telegraaf supports the advancement of women in society by writing about knitting in today's column. Ladies: Knitting is the new yoga. It will bring you peace, enlightenment *and* will make you the hippest housewife on the block... Unlike divorce, which is made up to be a Pain in the Ass by said paper.
Does that sound like you're reading Susan Faludi's "Backlash: the undeclared war on women" all over again? Jezus what a drag.
Posted by Chris at February 3, 2004 08:52 AM