Liberation: celebrations 2007

These commemorations on 4th and 5th May marking the Allied liberation of The Netherlands from Nazi occupation (see yesterday's post), are in its current form a story in themselves. This Commissariat that is coordinating the festivities at the behest of the sitting government (letting things run their natural course isn't an option), consists of a couple of obligated retired Leftist politicians, and a number of unknown functionaries whom I take to be (retired) civil servants, worthy of such honour.

Commemorating such a happy event suggests laurels, flags, air shows, floral tributes, eulogies, parades, military tattoos and church services, followed by perhaps a open-air concert. Not so, in postmodern Holland. The entire business is safely steered clear of anything remotely smelling of patriotism and 'militarism', which could only be offensive to immigrants.

An explanation for this postmodern piece of 'logic' is never on offer: I think that - on the contrary - it's far from obvious! But to the average Leftist patriotism always smacked too much any way of the days of empire, to the bad old days when the dwarf subjected a giant (i.e. today's Indonesia). America, a former colony themselves, put a stop to that situation - not that they're ever thanked for it ...

Favoured theme of the Commissariat is "Freedom is what you do together", with a heavy accent on genetic diversity, an appetizer for another borderless empire that is as yet in the process of being constructed. Festivities are pop concerts, the recitation of politically correct poetry, ethnic fairs and other expressions of multicultural kitch; open air activities involving lots of drums and pre-selected representatives of just about any ethnic and cultural group that makes up the new nation.

The old Prince-Consort, Bernhard played a prominent role during World War II. After 1945 he maintained close personal ties with veterans and heroes of the resistance. Two years back the unpatriotic-togetherness-in-diversity brigade heaved a sigh of relief when the old rascal was finally laid to rest, and the whole disgusting circus of flag waiving, military medal peddling, wheelchair parade of old-timers became a thing of the past, where it belonged.

Since then - uninterrupted by the antiquated liberators and their smelly old rolling stock, and the politically incorrect assorted bric-a-brac of a nation past - the unpatriotic-togetherness-in-diversity crowd enjoys the celebrations of pluralism to their heart's content, blissfully unaware they owe the opportunity to the Allied old-timers in the first place.