Trial of far-right MP Wilders commences

[Wanted Man]

See: http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2010/01/wilders_inciting_hatred_court.php

And: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/mp-in-court-over-anit-muslim-comments/story-e6frf7jx-1225821771177

Not exactly the most informative sources, but it's still early. :)

What do people think about this? I personally feel that this trial will only strengthen the idea that Wilders is being unfairly targeted by some fictional left-wing multi-cultural establishment, and that it is unlikely to lead to a conviction.

It's also quite remarkable that even now, he only manages to mobilise 200 people to demonstrate for him. His party still seems to be a purely electoral phenomenon, riding on the back of doubts and fears, but not turning them into a more massive movement. The demonstration seems to be based on typical American-style astroturf stuff, with homogeneous signs manufactured by the party:

http://xs.to/image-A005_4B56BCFF.jpg

http://media.nu.nl/m/m1dzpqraqxkx.jpg

Texts include "Wilders trial; political trial", "Our freedom ritually slaughtered", "Left Elite + Islam = Dictatorship", "Millions of Dutch on trial today". :rolleyes:

Some background info:

Who is Geert Wilders? (http://www.nrc.nl/international/article1876586.ece)
Timeline up until 2008 (http://www.nrc.nl/international/article1886365.ece/Time_line_Wilders)
English version of the film Fitna (http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=216_1207467783)
What is he being charged with? (http://www.nrc.nl/international/article2462698.ece/Has_Wilders_broken_the_law)

[Yehuda Stern]

Can you give more info about this? I know very little of current politics in the Netherlands and I assume many people here could say the same.

[Dimentio]

This will probably only increase the support for Wilders.

[Wanted Man]

Can you give more info about this? I know very little of current politics in the Netherlands and I assume many people here could say the same.

Yes, I'll see what English-language info I can find. Here is one that gives some info about Wilders: http://www.xs4all.nl/~afa/alert/engels/sl10_2009.html

Also, you might be interested to know that unlike some far-right parties, the PVV is quite openly pro-Israel, and has always been so. An undercover reporter wrote about how one of their MPs wore an "Israeli Defence Force" hoodie and always has an Israeli flag at his window, while Wilders himself has spoken in favour of expelling all Palestinians from Israel. "That does not constitute ethnic cleansing, because Israel has a right to this land. The Palestinians can go live in Jordan."

I'll try to find more English sources.

[Dimentio]

I do not think the political establishments know how to battle movements such as Wilders's, or that they don't really care. They themselves has served to create this false dichotomy between "Islam" and "the west" (which largely is a false dichotomy given that most muslim states are on the side of the west or neutral).

[Wanted Man]

I've added the following background info to the OP:

Who is Geert Wilders? (http://www.nrc.nl/international/article1876586.ece)
Timeline up until 2008 (http://www.nrc.nl/international/article1886365.ece/Time_line_Wilders)
English version of the film Fitna (http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=216_1207467783)
What is he being charged with? (http://www.nrc.nl/international/article2462698.ece/Has_Wilders_broken_the_law)

RE: Dimentio. That is a significant problem. Like in Britain, it has been the perfectly "decent" and moderate parties that have hardened immigration control. Also, the opposition left seems to have difficulties deciding what to do. Many of them have only been able to respond with moral indignation ("You can't say that!"). The opposition Socialist Party has its own nationalist baggage, and has mostly been patting itself on the back for the fact that it already said outrageously xenophobic stuff in the 1980s...

The latest "strategy" for opponents is to expose the PVV's hypocrisies and asking their MPs: "What would you do if you were Minister of [department in question]?" However, this misses the point; for a lot of PVV voters, it's a kind of protest vote. They don't care about realism, or whether their guy might be a hypocrite. Also, there is probably a strong idea that in a "clash of civilisations", it's OK to be hypocritical.

[Dimentio]

The main problem in general is that the left-wing parties seem to be afraid to formulate alternatives, thus opening the field for a return for the dichotomy "christendom"-vs-"Islam".

[Demogorgon]

SHould he be found guilty, what sort of sentence can he expect?

[Dimentio]

Probably a fine. But it would rather be a reward in the polls and in the elections.

[Demogorgon]

RE: Dimentio. That is a significant problem. Like in Britain, it has been the perfectly "decent" and moderate parties that have hardened immigration control.
This is a really really big problem and it is the reason the far right seem legitimate to so many people. When immigration policies are so racist and centrist parties drum up what are frankly racist fears, people like Wilders end up looking only slightly right of the mainstream.

What really sticks in my throat is the way that when the far right makes very modest electoral gains the mainstream parties take it as a sign that they must "get in touch" with "legitimate concerns" concerning immigration and get harsher still. Funnily enough when the left do well there is no such need seen to adapt policies.