And Justice For...

Reblogged from ipledgeafallegiance:

The United States with only about 5% of the world's population has over 24% of the world's prisoners. One of the basic principles that our nation was founded on and what many of our founding fathers thought was the most fundamental principal necessary for a free and democratic society to function properly was the rule of law...but only if it were applied equally to everyone, with no one, not even kings or royals or presidents or wealthy citizens, exempt from the nations laws.

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I just had to share this. Kort maar krachtig, is what we call that--brief and to the point.

Don’t Let the “Maggie” Fool You

image from nbcbayarea.com

Margaret Thatcher is dead. Don’t let the cutesy “Maggie” fool you. Or the almost nostalgic movie with Meryl Streep. Thatcher was hated by many in Europe. The stupid Falklands War, being buddy-buddy with Reagan, her complete disdain for the British working class, the Poll tax (same percent income tax for everyone) which ended up being her downfall, and–especially pertinent today in America–her ban on saying anything positive about gays in public and in the media. Which made Tom Robinson’s song all the more popular. People sang it at a concert I was at in Edinburgh like they wanted her to hear it all the way at 10 Downing Street in London. So good riddance, Maggie Thatcher!

The Grand American Canyon

(Image from sodahead.com)

It never ceases to amaze me how so many people in America can live in what has been called a “parallel universe”. A universe Fox News not only helps to create, but apparently believes in itself, as witnessed on election night, when its pundits were taken completely off guard by Obama’s victory.

Martin Chuzzlewit in the U-nited States

(Image: charlesdickenspage.com}

Since I’ve been blogging about Victor Hugo’s stories, let me jump over to England and Charles Dickens.

This winter break I had the bad luck to get the flu. For days I could barely get out of bed. But every cloud has a silver lining, and this cloud’s lining was that I got to read Martin Chuzzlewit in a few days.

All Heil to the Good Guys

In my last post, I addressed the idea of giving teachers guns in the classroom. But the NRA wants more than that. They want everyone to have a gun, because, as they say, “The only thing more dangerous than a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun”. Or something like that.

Dear Pro-Gun Folks

That signs like this are necessary outside schools is already ridiculous enough.

So you would like to see teachers walking around with assault weapons slung over their shoulders. Your focus is on the idea that those teachers would shoot the killer.

You’re overlooking several aspects of the issue.

Can I Be an American Citizen, Please?

(Image from idolater.com)

I filled out a U.S. citizen application form last night, when Obama won re-election. After nineteen years I decided to bite the bullet; this seemed like a fitting moment. I’d been waiting for some evidence of common sense, even though I knew I had to do it sooner or later, regardless. I mean, let’s face it, after nineteen years and with both kids teenagers here and T not being a billionaire just yet, it’s pretty obvious I won’t ever be living in the Netherlands again.

Just Say No to Life Jackets

Okay, I’m shamelessly Facebooking on my blog with this, but concerning the whole contraceptives, rape and abortion controversy, this says it all!

Image: http://www.neatorama.com

 Let me explain this for Dutch readers who may not have been following the whole debate about all this closely.

The Horror, the Horror! Really, I’m Serious

Photo: paulcurtis.livejournal.com

Ah! Only seven days and one to go to Halloween, my ravenous readers, so I feel compelled to warn you. I move as though invisible through the streets and alleys and I observe the good citizens of my subdivision decorating their trees and lawns with whimsically carved calabashes and synthetic spiderwebs, comfortably convinced that ghouls are merely a myth, a myth upheld for no other reason that to have a costume party.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Politicians: Attack Ads in American and Dutch Elections

So do political parties in parties in multi-party systems use attack ads? This is another post in the series based on a Facebook conversation with my neighbor M that started here.

Party Platforms: Promises, Promises!

Photo: Harderwiek

Since Dutch-style party platforms are such an alien concept to Americans, I thought I’d show you how it works. Sure, both parties in America have their platforms, but they’re ultimately useless texts, because each individual representative will say as much as possible what all the voters in his/her constituency want to hear, and then mostly do what

Can Politicians Compromise?

Photo: willysford.com

Should the wing nuts (that’s right-wing nuts and left-wing nuts for you, Dutch readers) have less say in the elections? Or More? How does that work in the Dutch parliamentary system?

The other day my neighbor M and I had a Facebook conversation on American and Dutch political representation. My last post was the beginning of this conversation, with me shamelessly expanding on my Facebook comments. In this post my answer to his first follow-up question.

Who Can Represent the Whole Country?

Photo: jetmade

Are you wondering if it’s time to change politics? Wondering how it works in other countries? The other day my neighbor M, a few other people and I (but mostly my neighbor and I) were having a discussion on Facebook that I’d like to share, with some expansion on my comments. I’ll cut it up into several posts, to keep it readable.

My American Dream

This is what I dreamed last night.

I was in a school gym, remembering how we would be made to run laps around a gym just like that in high school in the Netherlands. And I remembered that I could. I’d be tired, and I’d be protesting loudly like any self-respecting un-sporty teenage girl should, but that’s all. And I resented–in this dream–that I can’t run for two minutes now without having a gimpy knee for the next two weeks (this is real; I ran for two minutes last weekend, and now it hurts when I walk down steps).

Aasif Mandvi and the Truth

Photo: asiansinthemedia.wordpress.com

I wrote a post about the anti-science attitude of many Republicans two days ago. This Daily Show video is going around Facebook, but it illustrates the ridiculousness of the anti-science folks so beautifully that I just have to share it here as well.

Entitled

image: OccupyEducated.org

One of the definitions of “entitled” is having the right to something. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney uses the terms “entitled” and “entitlement” as dirty words. It’s clear from his speech at a fundraiser dinner that he feels people should not be entitled to food, health care or housing. Meaning that if people don’t have the money to pay for food, shelter or the doctor, they can’t expect the government to help them. To Europeans, that is pretty shocking.  In Europe we call entitlement programs parts of the social safety net.

The terminology illustrates the fundamental difference in attitudes toward people who need help.

September 11, 2001: Where Were You?

They say that any American alive at the time can tell you exactly what he/she was doing when JFK was shot in Dallas. September 11, 2001 was one of those days as well.

American History in the Netherlands

Image: Wikipedia

Another question I got from my funk post was: What do European kids learn about American history. Well, I can only talk about what I learned, but feel free to add to it in the comments, Dutch readers.

I had History several times a week, from seventh through eleventh grade, and from Mesopotamia to the Vietnam War, more or less. I seem to remember that we started learning about America in tenth grade, and it would have continued through eleventh grade, whenever America came up in realtion to a certain period. This would have been around 1977-1978. I’ll just describe what I remember; trying to be systematic after all those years wouldn’t work.

The Kids on the Bus

It’s summer vacation again. Schools are closed for about three months. A quarter of the year. No, this is not a post about the ridiculous length of American school vacations.

Let’s Quash This Rich, Arsenic, Vaginal Sea Level Uprising

Two female democrat representatives for Michigan, Lisa Brown and Barb Byrum,  were barred from participating in a debate about abortion because Lisa Brown said the following in her statement: “I’m flattered that you’re all so interested in my vagina, but no means no.”

Colin Powell Republicans

Photo: facebook.com/ColinPowellRepublians

Phew! Okay, now for something completely different.

Are you reasonable, intelligent, informed? Do you want your children to learn science and to marry whom they love? But you insist on staying with the republican party? Despite that the Tea Party republicans seem to be taking over and you don’t identify with them?

Are you sure?

(Okay, democrats, you can’t say I didn’t try first.)

My neighbor has started a Facebook page called Colin Powell Republicans, and he hopes it will become a movement. Maybe you should check it out and like it.

They Landed Where?!?

I recently discovered Ted Talks, when a really good and amusing Ted Talk video about book cover design was going around on Facebook. It has since become my new magazine of choice.

I especially like to select the videos that have been labeled “jaw-dropping”.

The Gay Civil Rights Movement

photo: Seeingfaith.com

Okay America, here’s what I don’t get about the national gay marriage debate. (Apart from the fact that Obama could have said he was for it a few days earlier, to help the North Carolina LGTB community, that is.)

You’ve been here before.

Remember the Civil Rights Movement? Remember how

WHAT?!?!?!?

photo BBC News

Okay, I know nothing! I feel like a total fool. Here I am, with a blog about being Dutch in America, writing every now and then about how much better things are in the Netherlands, and now it turns out this has been going on for the last three years!!!

Sick Puppies

Rush Limbaugh, an extreme right-wing radio host here in America, is in the real news right now. At issue is the fact that Catholic institutions don’t want to give their employees health insurance that includes the contraceptive pill.

War Stories: Introduction

Photo: Rogier Bos

One thing every person my age grew up with in the Netherlands was war stories. Stories about World War II, that is. But before I share some of my family’s stories, let me first give some background info.

Germany attacked the Netherlands in the beginning of May, 1940, and a few days later we capitulated, because the Dutch army was pathetically outdated, having been neutral during World War I. Most soldiers moved around on bikes. The Germans bombed the hell out of Rotterdam and told the Dutch government that Utrecht would be next if they didn’t surrender.

The Primaries: American Politics at Its Most Obvious

I’ve written about my views of American democracy vs. parliamentary democracy before. Now the Republican primaries are going on.

Glenn and Me

If I were to call Glenn Beck’s radio talk show, this is how I imagine it would go:

Glenn:  And let me go to Barbara in Texas, one of my favorite states. How are you doing, Barbara in Texas?

Me:        Hi Glenn, thanks for having me on your show. I’m so excited!

President For A Day

What would I do if I were president for a day? There are tremendous limits to what a president can do, let alone in one day. If I were president for a day, the most I could hope to get out of it would be really good room service from the White House chef, and shooting some hoops in the White House basketball court. Here’s a more useful question: What would I change if I were an absolute monarch for a day, and after that the country went back to being a democracy forever?

Hail to the Chief

(From a letter in 1998)

President Clinton was in the Valley in January. He gave a speech in front of a big gathering in the football stadium of Mission High School. We got there hours ahead of time, like everybody else, it seemed. Close to the stadium the road was cordoned off on both sides by school buses parked bumper to bumper. Men in Black made sure nobody slipped through.

Vote For Me!

In America everybody is elected. Not only members of the local, state and federal governments, but also sheriffs and judges. The election for local sheriff here was made more interesting because of a small scandal.

Red, White and Blue Fatigue

Maybe the biggest difference between the Dutch and the Americans is the American need for patriotic display. The only time the Dutch wave the national flag or play the national anthem (instrumentally–most people don’t know the lyrics past the first three lines) is during an international soccer game. Here in America you can’t turn your head without seeing some form of the red-white-and-blue spirit.

Freedom of Speech

There is nothing quite as frustrating to me as American freedom of speech.

Political correctness was pretty much non-existent when I left Holland, and judging by the percentage of racial slurs on a website with Dutch swear words that I visited recently, it still is. I have to say that living here, I have been influenced by the whole political correctness thing, and when I see those racial slurs on that Dutch website, neatly collected in alphabetical order, I cringe. I would have cringed before, but now I feel shame–yes, shame, ladies and gents–for my country.

Debate

Notes From a University Student  14

A few months ago a debate was organized between one of my professors in the English department who’s a Croat, and an American professor in the political science department, about the situation in Kosovo and whether or not America should intervene.