Last week had some of our readers/ listeners pretty angry over some of the news and events - and sometimes with each other. There was definitely a bit of mud slinging going on. Feedback highlights your questions and comments on our new-look website, a “mad” MEP, Wilders’ call to deport European Muslims, and the killings in Yemen.

First up, the comments continue on our new-look website, as some of you have a bit of a hard time finding some of their old favourites back within the new format.

Such as Peter Och from Blankenstein, Germany, who wrote in to to ask:

“Just found the new website but unfortunately couldn't find "Media Network".
In the past I visited this page almost everyday. So my question is how to find it now?”

Our web editor, Theo Tamis, replies:

“Thanks very much for taking the time to write to us. Yes, the new-look site takes some getting used too, both for visitors and producers.

The new URL for Media Network is http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/media-network. Please bear in mind, though, that the page is no longer an 'index page' but an 'article page'.

As such, it doesn't give you a list of the latest media articles, but general information about Media Network and several useful links, including one to the Media Network web log: http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/ and one to the headlines in the weblog http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/?feed=rss2.

In order to improve navigation, we're looking at ways to include a link to the latest media network stories, which was a regular feature on our old site.”

Listeners' feedback

Another question/comment came in, this time through the post, and on the subject of what we do with our readers/listeners comments and feedback. Ms Yukiko Tsuji from Tokyo, Japan, wrote:

“I wonder how you utilize comments from your listeners? Listeners, including myself, want to know how you react to those comments. Radio broadcasting, especially international broadcasting can easily become one-way communication unless they have those mailbag programmes. I would be happy if you consider broadcasting one of those programmes in the future.”

Well, Ms Tsuiji, when comments, questions or letters come in through either the post, or through the website (), they are read and sent to the appropriate producer/reporter, or department. Additionally, they are also read for possible inclusion in this column. Comments in reply to discussion forums are vetted to ensure they apply to the conditions of our forums, and then are directly posted to the website.

There have indeed been several Feedback programmes broadcast over the years, from “Sincerely Yours” up to the original version of the column you are now reading. Interesting that you mention the problems of large broadcasters sometimes being a one-way street - that was the subject of a Feedback not so long ago.

We value the comments and questions of our readers/listeners, and learn a lot.

Insults

Last week one of our respondents mentioned their concern that the new-look website would not allow the “intimacy” of insulting each other on the forums. Whether this is seen as good old fashioned exercising of freedom of speech and debate, or just insulting is a judgement not for Feedback to make.

However, just as there was a good example of our respondents taking to this option like ducks to water last week, it seems they have now gotten into full swing this week.

For example, "Psychiatric case" becomes MEP by Tijn Sadée, reported the following comments made by Hungarian Krisztina Morvai, a controversial newcomer to the European Parliament, who's party, Jobbik, has gained three seats in the European Parliament:

"I would be glad if those who call themselves proud Hungarian Jews would go and play with their own little circumcised p***ks instead of slurring me... "

The article continued:

“Ms Morvai, a pleasant-looking lawyer, made her comments on her Hungarian website just days before the European elections. She felt provoked by criticism from the Hungarian Jew Gábor Barát, managing director of a radiological institute in New York... "Morvai is a psychiatric case, a monster," said Mr Barát.”

Certainly a clear case of the political mud slinging variety, but it is also a mirror reflecting some of the comments getting thrown back and forth on the website forum. As this author has always had a personal policy of not repeating potentially incendiary comments, you will have to check out the debate forum yourself to get the full breadth of opinion.

Split opinions

One of our local MPs, and now MEP, has always sparked that split of opinion, both in life, politics and on our forums, as well as now, in Europe.

According to the article “Wilders calls for mass deportation of Muslims” by Michael Blass:

“Dutch rightwing MP Geert Wilders has said in an interview on Danish public service television that millions of European Muslims should be deported and stripped of their nationality...

‘If you commit a crime, if you start thinking about jihad or sharia, then it’s very clear, we will send you away, we will send you packing, we will strip you of the Dutch or Danish nationality. Abide by the rules, you are welcome to stay, and if you don’t we will send you away the same day.’”

Generalisation

Beyond the usual tit-for-tat of supporters vs non-supporters we have come to expect when Mr Wilders makes statements he knows will spark debate, one anonymous respondent asked a question of us all:

“Generalization is not good. You shouldn't say all black people are bad or good, or all Germans suck. It's the same thing, saying all Muslims are dangerous. It's not good sense. You shouldn't judge book by just looking at the cover. Also, how can you know the religion of a person? ...You cannot judge a person by his/her religion... Can a court say, a Muslim is more guilty, because of the Muslim religion? Where are human rights? Equality?”

More Geert Wilders

And just in case we missed the debate on Mr Wilders in the previous article, comments referring to his proposed policies continued onto the forum for the article Al-Qaeda responsible for Yemen abduction and killings by Johan van Slooten.

According to the article:

“Yemeni writer and analyst Ahmed al-Faqih told RNW's Newsline that kidnappings are nothing special in his country. 'Those who abduct foreigners are mostly tribesmen', he says. 'They have grievances they want the government to address, or they simply want money. By kidnapping foreigners, they know they get the attention they want.'

'This time, however, the kidnappers are not tribesmen,' Mr al-Faqih says. 'The perpetrators are jihadists,' he firmly believes. 'They are part of al-Qaeda. The jihadists are known for their criminal operations in which they target innocent people, not afraid to kill them.'"

Check out the forum debate to see where respondents think this is a call to support Mr Wilders, and where some think he is wrong.

The spark of debate and the heat of the summer, we do learn a lot.