Disgusted!
While I was hoping for ending a busy week and starting my chill weekend with a happy feeling and a smile on my face, I feel absolute frustrated! Some is work related, but mostly it has to do with what is happening in my tiny country and my mini city of Amsterdam. By writing this post, I not only like to inform you how uncool many Dutch citizens can be, but I hope it is therapeutic by helping me to deal with my frustrations to allow the flow of positive and happy feelings through my veins again.
Protest against Racism in Amsterdam
Last Monday - four days ago - a protest against racism was held in the middle of my home city Amsterdam (in the Netherlands). Obviously, the result of the drama around George Floyd! Regardless of Corona and our social distancing rule with a minimum of 1,5 meter (soon to be law...seriously?), more than expected number of people attended. While in London and Berlin the number of protesters was hundreds and 1.500 respectively; More than 5.000 people gathered together at the Dam Square. Most people with mouth protection, but certainly not all kept the 1,5 meter distance. Against the rules, our Major did decide to continue to allow the protest, since 1) right of demonstration is an absolute right and shall never be forbidden 2) the demonstration was 100% peaceful while halting the demonstration could lead to troubles.
image: published by RTL Nieuws (source)
Corona over Racism
What should've been a re-start of discussions and debates around racism, took a big turn and took a whole different direction. Many people - including our ministers and national politicians - are shouting and screaming about the actions of our Mayor: She should've stopped the demonstration! It was against the Corona rules!
The topic is not George Floyd. The topic is not Racism, something we still see happening in my country as well. The topic is not about how we shall evolve our society towards a society where we can all feel equal, regardless of where we are from and how we look like.
The topic is about the actions of our Mayor, and if she should step down or resign. Seriously?
image: mayor of Amsterdam to the right - published by Parool (source)
Rules are Rules
Many people from other countries who know about the Netherlands, think of my tiny country to be very liberal, openminded and forgiven. Though we tend to be quite liberal in the sense that we allow everybody to execute its freedom in any way they like; And we can be quite openminded; We are also a society where Rules are Rules no matter what. Certainly not all Dutch citizens think like this, but I would not be surprised when the majority of the Dutch people go by this motto: Rules are Rules no matter what. No exceptions can be made. Those who don't follow the rules, should be very much ashamed. And our mayor should step down. 1,5 meter is the rule! Rule is rule. No matter what. Even though most protesters did wear mouth protection; Even though the topic was so much bigger than Corona!
Social distancing rule is made more important than racism. Actions of our Mayor is made much more important than racism. Seriously?
I'm simply disgusted. Don't have other words for it!
Interestingly, the 1,5 meter distance is based on nothing. The World Health Organisation (WHO) settled at 1 meter (source). This 1 meter can also be debated, since by now we know much more about how COVID-19 is transmitted and when and where the risks of transmission is negligible: namely outdoors.
image: at the protest - published by Parool (source)
New Society
Does any of you know where we can acquire a piece of land where we can start a new society? A society where we start with the Rule: Rules are not more than Guidelines; Circumstances define if a Guideline becomes Mandatory or Not. Since I don't know yet how many people would like to be part of such new society, we need a location where we are flexible in how much land we can acquire. Let us find a location, soon!
End Note
Now an hour or two after I wrote my first sentence of this article, the evening long started, I do indeed feel a bit less frustrated! Guess writing about my feelings, did the 'job'. Somehow I also believe some of you HIVE community members will read this article with interest. Maybe it'll be liked by none-HIVE readers as well; I'll send the blue birdies right after the HIVE chain accepted my writing.
Did You Know?
Now, HIVE has a place for something all of us can contribute to: Music and Stories. The Q community is all about our Personal Stories and Music. Stories can be anything: our Experiences, our Thoughts, our Knowledge, our Dreams, our Opinions, our Preferences, our Favourites, our Creations... We all have stories around music! How easy it is to write these down?! We just need to write what we remember! Its that simple! :)
CARPE DIEM
a HIVE original
all images by edje unless stated otherwisehive curator for curie / c-squared / c-cubed
