Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the Moral Canary

Cacophony Redux, with only one person asking relevant questions ...

- Radio Netherlands: "Dutch parliament queries Hirsi Ali security cut" - "The Dutch Lower House has called for a written explanation from Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin on the provision of security for Ayaan Hirsi Ali. The former conservative MP has returned to the Netherlands, apparently because the government is no longer prepared to pay for her protection in the United States. ... Last year she left the Netherlands for the United States to work for the conservative think tank, the American Enterprise Institute."

- Expatica: "MPs want explanation on Hirsi Ali" - "Parliament will not be holding an emergency debate on Ayaan Hirsi Ali's return to the Netherlands but it does want a letter from the cabinet on the Ayaan Hirsi Ali's security. ... The justice department has refrained from comment thus far. ... Parliament also wants clarification on the agreements that have been made with the American authorities and with Hirsi Ali. The letter should also inform Parliament whether Hirsi Ali's security in the Netherlands is guaranteed. She is currently staying at a secret address."

- Monsters & Critics: "Islam critic Ayaan Hirsi Ali back in Netherlands" - "The former legislator for the Liberal VVD party was allegedly forced to leave the US as American authorities had refused to finance the expenses of her personal security measures. So far, the Dutch government has paid all those expenses, but after more than a year of residency in the US, the Dutch allegedly said they were no longer willing to continue this arrangement."

- Elsevier Magazine - "The Netherlands must protect Ayaan, wherever she is": author Leon de Winter: "... What would be the value of her life in terms of the minister's budget? And on what basis would he come to such an estimate? These are the relevant questions of the sort that Margaret Thatcher never posed in relation to the life of Salman Rushdie, wherever he might might have been." Update: Here's De Winter's entire article translated on the site of German Magazine Der Spiegel.

An open, Western, democratic society is in trouble if nobody is asking themselves anymore why this witch hunt is going on in the first place! That's how accustomed we've become to intimidation by a group of pocket potentates who don't tolerate any vision, other than their own death cult.

The mentality is also creeping in, that it's the critics' own fault for getting into trouble. Very much like: yeah, that's what you get when you enter a house on fire! I mentioned the other day remarks made by Dutch Anti Terrorism czar, Tjibbe Joustra which amounted to: "Since it's well known that Muslims are easily inflammable, the Dutch have only themselves to blame, should terrorist attacks occur", as if it were an Act of God!

This is blaming the victim, coupled with a refusal to hold the perpetrators responsible for their actions! This impunity in turn is undermining the rule of law and confidence in the state and politics itself.

Society seems to be caving in, the moral compass being lost since some time. Ayaan is once again acting as the proverbial canary is the democratic coal mine.