Feedback 27 October 2009 - This week Feedback looks at recent articles and events that have had you writing in to comment. Perhaps it is the nature of debate forums, perhaps it is the nature of the events described, but most of the following issues have triggered responses on both sides of the fence. They include Moroccans in the Netherlands, the UK’s far right BNP, and the eternal atheism vs religion divide.

The first up in the series of “either/or” features is the article “Last Moroccan leaves the Netherlands” by Michael Blass.  The article highlighted what happened when an internet site posted a video that asked the question: “What if all the Moroccans in the Netherlands were to pack up and leave?”

The website munt.nu posted the surprising results of the survey, based on a total of more than 13,500 respondents:

"Good, I can’t wait!" 71%

"I’ve got no opinion at all!" 6%

"Bad, Moroccans belong here, full stop!" 23%

Our own forum was a bit more 50/50 than the original. J. van Steenwijk seemed to echo the feelings of the 71% when he wrote [edited, full text on web page]:

“During the past years, I've witnessed Moroccan youths steal my car, steal my bicycle, rob my pregnant neighbour, beat up my son, swear at my wife and leave a trail of litter and graffiti when they finally disperse after noisily "hanging around" for an entire evening. Needless to say I wouldn't shed a tear when they go back to their country. Why can't they behave like the Indonesian, Ghana or Turkish immigrants?”

Whereas Sandrav seemed to speak for the minority 23% [edited, full text on web page]:

“Someone should make another video with all non EU products, businesses and people gone out of Netherlands and see what happens. No more American, Canadian, Moroccan and their products, music, movies... including no more middle eastern oil or business. Watch the country fall apart literally.”

One of our respondents made a very good point that seemed to be missed, both in the video and in the debate, Anonymous wrote [edited, full text on web page]:

“Failure to “integrate" into the Dutch society should not be deemed a crime or a reason for deportation.”

The website and survey seems to suggest that the support for Dutch MP Geert Wilders is strong here in the Netherlands. In the UK, the British National Party, or BNP, is also grabbing headlines. “Giving the far right rope to hang itself”  by Paddy Maguire highlights the recent decision, and implications, of inviting leader Nick Griffin a seat on its most prestigious political programme.

According to the article:
“When Nick Griffin takes his place on the panel of Question Time tonight, it will be the first time British broadcaster BBC has given significant airtime to a politician representing the extreme right.”

To check out the range of response to this issue, please click here to go to the article, and feel free to leave a comment of your own.

So much of the debate around right vs left and immigration seems to hover around the issue of religion. So, it was refreshing to see an article looking beyond religion for a change. “Good news for non-religious New Yorkers” by Marijke Peters highlighted a campaign launched in the Big Apple “to get the city thinking”:

“A million New Yorkers are good without God. Are you?” That is the question being asked of commuters in the city’s subway stations, which see more than five million passengers every day.”

Anonymous wrote:
“No man with any sense of humour, ever founded a religion.”

Whereas Jasmin contributed [edited, full text on webpage]:

“... it is just like 'grown up kids' proclaiming, “A million New Yorkers are good without parents. Are you?” But I believe in God and have seen Him several times.”

However, Dave Lucas seemed to agree with the creators of the campaign [edited, full text on webpage]:

“...I think this is good news for atheists, but also great news for those of faith, allowing an open door for conversation.”

Thanks David, an open door for conversation seems a very good place to leave it.