Not so great minds think alike

So, Geert Wilders (a Dutch politician who single-handedly keeps the bleach producing business afloat) is being charged with inciting hatred and discrimination. I still don’t quite know what to think of this. On the one hand: it’s how the system works. Someone feels wronged by what Wilders says, files a complaint, and a judge will have to see of the case has any merit. On the other hand: freedom of speech and all that. Yes, even though I think he’s an xenophobic islamophobe whose actions only worsen the problem he’s railing against, he should be free to say what he wants. But this post isn’t about that.

Today, De Volkskrant reported that Gerard Spong (an attorney who is one of the people who filed the complaints against Wilders) received hundreds of hateful emails, including many death threats, from Wilders’ supporters and has now requested personal protection. According to their sources, the court of law that ordered Wilders’ prosecution also received a fair share of hatemail, but they their only comment is ‘no comment.’

Well, color me flabbergasted.

Wilders needs bodyguards to protect his safety after he received many death threats for everything he said about Islam. As with any religion, some followers of this religion of peace don’t seem to practice what is preached. I find such threats outrageous and repulsive. But what completely boggles my mind, is that Wilders’ supporters stoop to same level. Can they really be so stupid that they don’t see they’re being just as intolerant and violent as the people their great leader goes on and on about?

Being Mr. Reasonable, Wilders has now rejected those threats against Spong in the strongest possible terms. What else can he do when his constituency does the same to his opponents as his opponents do to him?

The only upside I can see in this crapdamned mess, is that a part of the Wilders-fanclan has revealed themselves to be a bunch of ethically corrupt and hypocritical nutjobs.

On the bus

Yesterday, I was going through two weeks’ worth of links, and the best thing I could come up with was a picture of a cat finding Jesus. So, rightfully, I scrapped that draft.

This morning, as I was looking through my pile of shirts, I suddenly remembered something that warrants a mention. Three weeks ago, I mentioned the atheist bus campaign, which raised funds to put the slogan “There’s probably no god. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.” on 800 buses throughout the U.K. As of last week, there’s an similar effort in The Netherlands.

The Center for Inquiry Low Countries, free thinkers organisation De Vrije Gedachte and humanist think tank Verlichtingshumanisten take up the British initiative, and start a campaign for positive atheism in The Netherlands: Er is waarschijnlijk geen god. Durf zelf te denken en geniet van dit leven. There’s probably no god. Dare to think for yourself and enjoy this life. It’s the only one you’re going to get, after all.

Weerzien

Zij vraagt of ik me vermaakt heb.
Ik zeg dat ik niet terug zou blijven komen als dat niet zo was.
Daar heb ik een punt. Of ik moet wel heel sado-masochistisch zijn.
Je ging toch iets elektronisch doen, las ik?
Het laatste nummer dat ze speelde, dat is nieuw en hoort daarbij. En dat het dit of volgend jaar klaar gaat zijn. Weet ik zo snel niet meer.
Ik wens haar veel succes, zeg dat ik haar tegen die tijd vast wel weer zie.

Vanavond zag ik Wende Snijders voor de zevende keer live in actie sinds juni 2006. En iedere keer weer word ik volledig ingepakt, schieten superlatieven te kort, ben ik volledig van de wereld en helemaal verliefd. En als dan een dag (of twee, drie) later mijn beide benen weer op de grond geland zijn, dan wil ik weer…

Gezien: Wende in De Flint te Amersfoort, 21 januari 2009.

Homework report

The last time I’ve read a biology text was over ten years ago. In the first half year of my attempt to study chemistry, some evolutionary biology came along. Three years earlier, when the same subject was taught in a high school biology course, I got a ten averaged over the three test. After that, I never had to do anything with biology again.

Last year, I felt the need arise to read Darwin’s The Origin of Species, with 2009 being the 150th anniversary of its first edition and all that. So, I got myself a copy, and waited for the right moment to dive in. That moment came earlier this week, when John Whitfield started to Blog the Origin. Following along with Whitfield’s first read means that I have to finish a chapter each Monday, Wednesday and Friday until February 11th. Which is just in time for Darwin Day 2009, which marks Darwin’s 200th birthday.

Well, this week was a bit hectic. I finished my homework for Monday in time, but due to some obligations, I wasn’t able to keep the schedule. Earlier today I finished the other two chapters, and I’ll see if I can finish the fourth one tomorrow, so that I’m back on track again. The first two chapters (on variation under domestication and nature, respectively) were a bit of a bore, but the third one (on the struggle for existence) was a breeze. If the rest of the book goes on like chapter three, I think I should be able to do my homework in time.

More on The Origin when I’m done.

Keeping score

Making new years resolutions is one of the many things I don’t believe in. But sometimes you need goals. Especially when you’re a slacker like me. So I made a to-do list for this year, with five obtainable targets and a more metaphorical one.

Now we’re two weeks into the new year, and already I can check off one of the points. If yesterday’s crème brûlée wasn’t very well damned close to perfect, I’ll be crapdamned. And now that I know how it’s done, it’s only a matter of repeating the process often enough to get it right every time.

Also, I believe I’m making good progress on two other items from the list: my list of 100 things to do before I die is halfway done, and so far, I am definitely writing more. If it’s better, well, you be the judge of that.