Det er Netherlands Info Service som melder om juletresaken og støy rundt korset til en egyptisk innvandrer og trikkesjåfør. Mannen er ikke blid over forskjellsbehandlingen han utsettes for, det er heller ikke studenter som synes det er galt at noen få andre medstudenter får lov til å overkjøre flertallets ønske.
The Haagsche Hogeschool college will not put up a Christmas tree this year because it does not want to cause provocation to immigrant students. The tree is too closely linked with Christianity, according to the school management.
Traditionally, a meters-high tree always stood in the school’s atrium. Now there are only some streamers and fairy lights hanging there. Management wants to «stress the international character and the diversity within the school» by this move. The school is opting for «light and heat,» which can be enjoyed by everyone in his or her own manner, according to the management.
The college has 20,000 students. Thirty percent are of immigrant origin, as are 12 percent of the teachers. Many pupils expressed fury on the Internet about the decision not to put up a tree this year. «Because a handful of religious good-for-nothings take offence about a tree with some lights and coloured balls, the rest of the school community has to suffer,» complained one pupil.
Når det gjelder trikkesjåføren som nektes å ha på seg et halssmykke med kors, mens noe så religiøst demonstrerende som hijab tillates, må man kunne konstatere at ledelsen i trikkeselskapet er ute av balanse og rett og slett favoriserer én religion. Forklaringen på hvorfor man ikke kan bruke noe som helst smykke, men hijab tillates altså, er syltynn: Smykker ødelegger det profesjonelle, sies det, men det gjør altså ikke hijab? Forstå det den som kan.
Amsterdam’s municipal public transport company GVB is not allowing its drivers to wear a necklace with a cross, but it does allow its staff to wear headscarves, De Telegraaf reported yesterday.
Amsterdam tram conductor Ezzat Aziz has been suspended twice because as a Christian, he wore a necklace with a cross on top of his uniform. The GVB forbids the man to display his faith in this way, but does allow Islamic staff to wear a headscarf has symbol of their faith.
Aziz, who came to the Netherlands from Egypt in 1984, is seeking a summary injunction against GVB. «I am being discriminated against. «The GVB does allow female staff members to wear a headscarf as symbol of their faith. On top of this, I have only been forbidden to wear the cross visibly since the beginning of this year, even though I have already been doing this during my work since 1998.»
GVB spokesman Petra Faber defends the move: «The GVB has had a new uniform for a year. To ensure a professional image, jewellery may not be worn visibly over the uniform. This applies to all necklaces, regardless of what they look like, or what symbolism or religion they represent.»
Når man leser slike notiser i media forstår man hvor usikker det «tolerante» Europa» er i møte med islam: Vi ser ikke ut til å vite hvem vi er og hvor vi går.