AMSTERDAM — When "tolerance" becomes a term of abuse in a place like the Netherlands, you know that something has gone seriously wrong. The Dutch always took pride in being the most tolerant people on Earth.
In less feverish times than these, no one could possibly have taken exception to Queen Beatrix's speech last Christmas, when she pleaded for tolerance and "respect for minorities." But Geert Wilders, leader of the rightwing, anti-Muslim Freedom Party, was so disgusted by the Dutch queen's "multicultural rubbish" that he wanted her to be stripped of her constitutional role in the government.
Wilders, a popular rabble-rouser whose party occupies nine seats in the Dutch parliament, compares the Quran to Hitler's "Mein Kampf," wants to stop Muslims from moving to the Netherlands, and thunders that those who are already in the country should tear up half the Quran if they wish to stay.