What happened on March 11th? It were the elections, right? Pim Fortuyn was shot on the 6th.... or did I miss anyting? (edit: hell, that was even in May. So what happened on March 11th?)

Either way, I moved the topic to social talk. To the non-Dutch: today the Dutch film maker Theo van Gogh was killed with multiple shots and stabwounds in Amsterdam. As it looks, this is a reaction to one of the many controversial movies he made: Submission, in which he objected strongly to the way some texts in the Koran are interpreted. If so, this is the second time a famous Dutch personality gets killed for expressing controversial opinions. Only a few years ago, things like this were completely unimaginable in the Netherlands. The Netherlands have always been known as a country in which every opinion and religion is tolerated (and given space). I'm wondering whether or not similar changes are happening outside of the Netherlands. (Or that you're all wondering what the fuzz is about). Either way: this topic is now here so that people who feel like sharing opinions (or emotions) can do so.

A director I usually work with (if some jackass producer isn't being an asshole) once talked with Theo on some script, years ago. All the hyped-Theo-stuff was just show, in real life he was just normal.. (I always compared him to dart-player Ted Hankey )

Anyway, killing a cineast is quite stupid.. killing is stupid anyway, but if you kill a would-be politician then it sortof makes sense as those ppl create the laws for the years to come, and if they don't suit you, and your verbal powers are as small as that ant I stepped on last week, well, what else can you do than killing the danger? But what's to fear from a cineast?

Who thinks that within 10 years there will be a major civil war here?

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What happened on March 11th? It were the elections, right? Pim Fortuyn was shot on the 6th.... or did I miss anyting?

March 11 th = Madrid, trains, bomb. I don't think you missed that one.

Ah indeed. After a day of people connecting it with the murder on Pim Fortuyn it was hard to think out of the Dutch borders for a 'march 11th'. Thanks for letting me know.

wolf_ : I think that the media are exaggerating with remarks like 'nobody is allowed to say what they think anymore', spreading fear. I think everybody still is and should do so even more because of events like this. In other words: I don't think we're on the virge of civil war, but we live in a time where we should fight for our freedom of speech and act adequately against people who think they can limit that freedom with threats and violence.

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I think that the media are exaggerating with remarks like 'nobody is allowed to say what they think anymore', spreading fear. I think everybody still is and should do so even more because of events like this.

From what I heard in the media today, that's exactly what was said! I dunno what you are blaming here, but I've heard no fear-spreading AT ALL (well, one line from the EO in their netwerk announcement, but the program itself was very pro freedom of speech, with some heated discussions between morrocans even). All in all, lots of "we won't be intimidated" stuff in the media.

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I don't think we're on the virge of civil war, but we live in a time where we should fight for our freedom of speech and act adequately against people who think they can limit that freedom with threats and violence.

Yeah! I for one will gladly offer my opinions in this battle

oh dear ...

Uh... it reminds me of a certain Bussum fair (2K2, iirc), on which GuyveR, FiXato and zett had a discussion on 'what's beyond'. All things from atoms and molecules to aliens and déjà-vu kind of things. I know I have that video tape somewhere...