Netherlands

This article was originally written on 1 December 2012 and published on blog.luxzenburg.org. It is republished here as a historical document and reflects the author’s ideas at the time of writing. Nu.nl headlines: First flight of new European combat aircraft. The French Dassault has invested around 400 million euros in the aircraft — a remarkably low amount for a more advanced aircraft than the JSF. Far better value for money than what the Americans have delivered in developing comparable aircraft. ...

This article was originally written on 22 April 2008 and published on blog.luxzenburg.org. It is republished here as a historical document and reflects the author’s ideas at the time of writing. The Dutch like to think of the Netherlands as an enlightened nation — a beacon of civilisation in a sea of outdated, backward ideas. We were, after all, the first to give same-sex couples the right to marry, the first to legalise euthanasia. So we must be progressive! But is this really the case? Are we truly as emancipated as we think? ...

This article was originally written on 14 July 2007 and published on blog.luxzenburg.org. It is republished here as a historical document and reflects the author’s ideas at the time of writing. Large parts of the United Kingdom are under water following heavy rainfall. The image reminds me of the Netherlands in 1995, when large parts of Limburg in particular were flooded. Unlike the UK, the Netherlands has since implemented a delta plan for its inland waterways, designed to protect the Dutch interior from flooding for the coming centuries. ...

This article consists of two separate posts, originally published on 15 October 2005 and 14 March 2007 on blog.luxzenburg.org. They are republished here together as a historical document and reflect the author’s views at those moments. I. The Burqa Ban (October 2005) The Dutch parliament has voted in favour of banning the burqa in public spaces. As a Dutch person and as a Muslim, I find myself wondering what the advantages and democratic justification for this ban are. ...