Another attack on freedom of speech

Ms. Ebru Umar, who befriended the late Theo van Gogh, has been attacked near her house in Amsterdam. (She lives a couple of blocks from my house, but for obvious reasons I will not disclose her address.) The attack was allegedly carried out by two youths of Moroccan descent.

There's no need to point out obvious historic parallels, so I'll refrain from that.

I do not always agree with Ms. Umar's statements. I think she lets her emotions prevail over reason at times when a less passionate approach may be in order.

Yet that is precisely the point. Ms. Umar verbalizes her emotions, rather than channeling them into behavior which is supposed to physically intimidate others to stop verbalizing theirs.

The government, of course, should enforce the right to practice freedom of speech without fear of retribution. Yet the government seems to have a hard time acknowledging that there even is a problem. To my knowledge, state television nor radio - sorry, I mean: the ever impartial and balanced Dutch PBS - have mentioned this news.

Neither has the city mayor, Job 'Cup of Tea' Cohen, renowned for his ability to defeat Jihadists by drowning them in freshly brewed Darjeeling, issued any statement. He's probably too busy hoarding up tea.

Unsurprisingly, the culprits have not yet been arrested.

19:15

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