Excerpt:
On March 19, 2014, local elections were held in the Netherlands. On the eve of the election, party leaders celebrated their victory (or loss, as it were, for most parties). During the festivities Dutch politician Geert Wilders appeared in the Hague, one of the two cities in which Wilders' party, the PVV (Party for Freedom), participated in this election. In a rousing speech before enthusiastic party supporters, Wilders asked theĀ audience if they wanted a bit less local taxation and fewer Moroccans. The audience shouted, "Less! Less! Less!" This created a storm of protest from just about everyone in the country. Wilders' remark was taken out of context and is being used to vilify him once more.
The political climate in the Netherlands surrounding Wilders now resembles the demonization of Pym Fortuyn in the months leading up to his assassination almost twelve years ago.
Last Sunday the IKON and EO TV stations broadcast a special interreligious Dutch Reformed service denouncing Wilders. The theme was based on Kennedy's famous "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech. The service theme was a copycat variation: "We are all Moroccans." Dutch people present literally embraced Moroccans to show their support for this poor, vilified minority. People wore T-shirts with the text "Wij zijn Marokkanen!" ("We are Moroccans!").