Belgian politics

[woodface]

Our equivalent of the Supreme Court did its job and confirmed that the court of Ghent was correct in its ruling that "Vlaams Blok" is a racist party. The political party is going against our anti-racism law. Blok's claims that the former ruling is a violation of the freedom of speech have been proven to be unjustified. It is not the program points and opinions of the party that have been condemned, it is its targetting of a minority group. Of course, this means nothing. Vlaams Blok will cease to excist as the party has already been thinking of a new name. They have revised their program but the changes are nothing more than a new layer of paint.

I wish I could say that I was hopeful that this conviction will put a stop to the extreme right in our political landscape. I doubt it very much though. Fact remains that one million people voted for them, that is one tenth of our population. Its claims to be the "largest party" in Flanders however make me want to bitchslap them one a continious basis. They are not the largest, if they were they would have been able to form the coalition last year. CD&V (christian party) was the largest for which I am grateful. I wonder how long it will be before Blok will be the largest though. Their support grows with every election and it's damn right frightening. Maybe I should start making banners for the demonstrations when they are the largest party.

janegaudi, are you going to that reunion. And damn it, I still have your books and I would really like to give them back to you.

Comments

[wiliqueen.livejournal.com]

That's pretty creepy. What minority group were they targeting?

[woodface]

Basically all immigrants.

[wiliqueen.livejournal.com]

Yay. We're all going to wind up behind walls again at this rate. *sigh*

[woodface]

The entire world is moving to the right. It feels like an interbellum. *sighs*

[janegaudi.livejournal.com]

i asked you the same question two weeks ago, and the comments i made on the idea of this reunion in my LJ kind of speak for itself, i guess. but maybe you missed those.

by the way, their 'subscription date' is past (november 1st - why they want to know three weeks in advance is beyond me, since anything they buy now will be rotten by then). don't know if i should regret the fact that i still haven't shown my face, but i'd rather consider it too late and just don't care.

yeah, i know, my books (and video?).. i'll be in this week-end?

[woodface]

No, I saw your comments but I somehow missed the question. *frowns* But er, Minne, how can you complain about them doing it too much when you haven't been to one yet? ;oP

Don't think that date matters much. I just wonder if they're gonna buy caviar for 25 euro each.

Books (were that two or three books? *needs to check*), video and CD. Ooooo, this weekend? Scary *g*

[janegaudi.livejournal.com]

But er, Minne, how can you complain about them doing it too much when you haven't been to one yet? ;oP

they organise a reunion, i decide not to go after giving it lots of thought, and before i even settle my head on the pillow, they're planning on another one. augh!


yeah caviar. that would be the explanation. i don't even like caviar. bah. maybe they'll buy us a cow each?

how many books? ugh.. i know fingersmith was one of them, and there was a classic, and there was the Sinterklaas video.. a CD? i don't even remember. heh.

the scariest thing about you coming by this weekend is that my mom will see you with the books. she probably doesn't even remember she had them, and for the past what, two years, she's been telling herself that it was all just a dream. to be honest, i'm really worried about her reaction *gulp* but you're not around in Leuven anymore, i presume?

[woodface]

they organise a reunion, i decide not to go after giving it lots of thought, and before i even settle my head on the pillow, they're planning on another one. augh!

Maybe their goal is to get you to come and they'll stop when you do?

maybe they'll buy us a cow each?

It's a cold buffet for crying out loud. How can you spend so much money on salads? I don't like rabbit food.

Fingersmith and The Bucaneers, the CD was the Radio's *g*

Nope, I'm not in LEuven. *fears your mom* Hmmmmm, I can sneak them upstairs and you sneak them down again?

*zucht* Erg dat ik die al zo lang heb. En waarom zijn wij in het Engels bezig?

[janegaudi.livejournal.com]

because you your english practice have to!

and i like salads. only i don't see why i should be charged so much for what will probably not be anything out of the ordinary. salad, tomato, carrot, probably topped off with a horrible garlic vinaigrette and stale bread. yada yada.

sneaking sounds good *g* i'll find an opportunity to sneak them down, after mom's asleep..

and i'll know nooooooooooooooooothing.

dedju, ik ging overschakelen naar het nederlands maar nu vergat ik het toch

[woodface]

Jah, zo zal het inderdaad zijn. Meeste geld zal naar alcohol gaan (waarschijnlijk nog slechte ook), wat ik toch niet drink.

Sorry voor het ongemak =oS

[janegaudi.livejournal.com]

maar dan nog, als ze nu bvb 20 flessen wijn kopen (dat is praktisch een fles de man), dan moeten dat wel serieus dure flessen zijn voor ze het kunnen goedmaken dat ze een saai buffet in elkaar steken dat lang niet zoveel zou moeten kosten. allez, ik vind dat echt geen verklaring, tenzij het daar effenaf een dikke orgie is. ze zoeken gewoon naar winst ja, de profiteurs.

en 't is nikske, we hadden dat gewoon al vroeger moeten regelen maar wij zijn luiaards. ik verstop die boeken wel zo wa langs de achterkant van de kast, dan ziet ze die ni direct =)

enfin, slaapwel!

[woodface]

Misschien wil Inekke haar onkosten dekken als ze die zaal niet kan gebruiken voor de avond.

Jah, 't is erg onze luiheid!

Sloppel!

[janegaudi.livejournal.com]

ha, dat is dus echt haar taverne of wa? en die fred, wie is da?

[woodface]

Mja, haar naam stond daar op. Ik neem aan dat da haar lief of man is.

[surreallis.livejournal.com]

I guess people are the same all over. They find it easier to turn fear of the future into hate for anyone different. Then they feel like they're doing something I suppose.

[woodface]

No, the problem lies deeper. There are problems in our country involving immigrants. There is a need for politicians to finally start adressing the issue and doing something about it without stigmatising the whole community. However, they have not out of fear of hurting someone's feelings. VB has, they are approacing a topic that a lot of people think is serious and that other parties are afraid to touch. The only way to stop its movement is by intergrating the sensible points into their program and letting people know that something is being done about it.

[surreallis.livejournal.com]

Not acting for fear of offending is something we are very familiar with in the U.S. Your country is much smaller than ours of course, so your balance is much different.

It sounds like you have a hell of an issue. Sensible=politicians? It'd be cool if there's one country out there who can make that equation work.

[woodface]

OH, you don't even know the half of the issues here. *sighs*

It would be. *pokes them*