I am currently near Amsterdam and talking to the locals. Pretty interesting. Many middle aged folks are determined not to give the terrorist acts attention publicly. Of course they are somewhat worried but don’t want to show it. They are also worried that the terrorists will give rise to the “right”. As I understand it, their version of “right” they are referring to is a Hitler type of extreme leader. After WWII the following generations must have been warned and warned of such a leader rising again. Just my take.
The more they avert their eyes from reality the more likely they make that scenario.
Europeans have the choice of going 20% towards “Hitler” (that being, I suppose, the imagery of the militarized police force harassing and ultimately removing and killing “dissidents”) or going 300% towards Hitler if Islam takes over their countries.
The Dutch suffered some pretty serious punishment from the Nazis in WW2. And absolutely understandably, fear having their country bombed and overrun by overwhelming mechanized force. Rotterdam was blown to bits AFTER a cease fire had been negotiated, and Holland surrendered shortly thereafter.
OK, so they are gun shy, I get that. The Dutch don’t have the “stand up vs capitulate” attitude.
They don’t see Syria. They don’t want their cities to look like Syria. So they invite in the people who produced Syria. They don’t want bombings & killings. So they invite in the people who carry out those acts.
To what brain isn’t this the single most insane act in human history?